COVID-19

[Slim]

Classic vaccine disinformation piece here in the Daily Sceptic:

https://dailysceptic.org/2022/09/15/denmark-bans-covid-vaccines-for-under-50s-but-doesnt-properly-explain-why/

Denmark is rolling out a booster campaign for the over-50s. The piece I linked above describes this as a "ban". Denmark has "banned" the under-50s from taking the vaccine, but won't explain why, it claims.

But Denmark hasn't banned any vaccine at all, and it has explained why only the over '50s are getting the booster explicitly:



Needless to say the usual nutters on the various social media are nonetheless accepting the piece as absolute proof that the vaccines are harmful.

[David L]

What a shame this approach was not adopted across the world when it became clear that healthy people  below 65 were very unlikely to get seriously ill from Covid-19. That would have been fairly soon after the virus emerged.
A very sensible approach. The public money wasted on a 'blanket' approach has been considerable. The term 'vaccination' should also have been dropped, it has long been acknowledged that this is not accurate as it is clearly a  therapeutic as it does not immunise.
The disinformation has come from both sides....a lot of it state-sponsored, of course

That article does raise the important question as to why Denmark does not seem to be allowing under 50s to fund their own jabs...does it not? It may not point towards any specific danger to that cohort but it does appear to suggest a huge waste of public money on previous jab campaigns.

[Matt2112]

A definite - albeit slight - improvement in my overall condition today.

I feel a bit more "myself", though some secondary symptoms are manifest now, particularly some pain in the small of my back from being bed-ridden for 3 days. And my hair is a wild mess.

I must have slept a bit but none of it was quality sleep - there's still a weird, feverish quality to my dreams - but in the meantime my antibodies have definitely been on the march and taken some ground.

Hell, I may even try some food later. 🥴

[Slim]

What a shame this approach was not adopted across the world when it became clear that healthy people  below 65 were very unlikely to get seriously ill from Covid-19. That would have been fairly soon after the virus emerged.

A very sensible approach. The public money wasted on a 'blanket' approach has been considerable. The term 'vaccination' should also have been dropped, it has long been acknowledged that this is not accurate as it is clearly a  therapeutic as it does not immunise.

The disinformation has come from both sides....a lot of it state-sponsored, of course

That article does raise the important question as to why Denmark does not seem to be allowing under 50s to fund their own jabs...does it not? It may not point towards any specific danger to that cohort but it does appear to suggest a huge waste of public money on previous jab campaigns.

Firstly I know of no state-sponsored vaccine / COVID disinformation, but perhaps that's taken place in other countries than this one.

More importantly what you're overlooking is that the situation now is very different from the one that prevailed when the vaccines first became available. There's a lot more immunity in the community now, most people have already had more than one jab fortunately, or recovered from the disease once - and as far as I'm aware the presently dominant variant is less severe than the ones that were going around in early 2021.

I have no doubt that the right approach then was to blanket-vaccinate the whole population and I'm glad that a booster campaign for older people is adequate now.

[David L]

More importantly what you're overlooking is that the situation now is very different from the one that prevailed when the vaccines first became available. There's a lot more immunity in the community now, most people have already had more than one jab fortunately, or recovered from the disease once - and as far as I'm aware the presently dominant variant is less severe than the ones that were going around in early 2021.

The data from the early days of the pandemic was clear. The virus was highly discriminatory, that's always been the case.

I have no doubt that the right approach then was to blanket-vaccinate the whole population and I'm glad that a booster campaign for older people is adequate now.

Fortunately children were not victims to that mind-set, although I think it was a close-call

[Matt2112]

Remember in the earlier stages the "Great Barrington Declaration" being maligned, despite having a fair bit of relevant expertise behind it?

Isn't that effectively what we have in place now?

Have the Carl Heneghans of the world been vindicated?

Perhaps all moot now, but also perhaps a lesson learned.

[Slim]

More importantly what you're overlooking is that the situation now is very different from the one that prevailed when the vaccines first became available. There's a lot more immunity in the community now, most people have already had more than one jab fortunately, or recovered from the disease once - and as far as I'm aware the presently dominant variant is less severe than the ones that were going around in early 2021.

The data from the early days of the pandemic was clear. The virus was highly discriminatory, that's always been the case.

Don't think anyone has suggested that it wasn't, in terms of its consequences. But it was indiscriminate in terms of its spread - which made the blanket vaccine policy the correct approach. Perhaps you've forgotten that studies in 2021 had shown that a single dose could significantly help to prevent transmission.

[David L]

Don't think anyone has suggested that it wasn't, in terms of its consequences. But it was indiscriminate in terms of its spread - which made the blanket vaccine policy the correct approach. Perhaps you've forgotten that studies in 2021 had shown that a single dose could significantly help to prevent transmission.

Allowing transmission of a virus that had no ill-effects for many and mild ill-effects for most would have helped build immunity sooner (certainly at far less cost)......whilst vaccinating the vulnerable of course. There are many countries where this process has taken place, due to scarcity of vaccines. They appear to be in no worse position than those that tried to vaccinate everyone

[Matt2112]

Pleased to report more progress:

Two bowls of soup at lunch-time (first food in almost 72 hours - I found I was ravenous);

An extended period of sitting up rather than feeling like I had to lie down;

Being mindful the dog hasn't had a proper walk since Monday, by late afternoon I felt like I had enough energy to take him to the nearby park and see how long I lasted - but tonight was a very pleasantly cool evening and quite bracing, so I was able to allow him a good hour's run-out;

And tonight I managed to polish off a chicken noodle stir-fry.

All of that seemed incomprehensible 24 hours ago; I'm still far off a full recovery, but I'm optimistic tomorrow there'll be further improvement. 🙂

[Matt2112]

A couple more major symptoms have all but receded completely now: the insomnia (had a decent kip overnight) and the loss of appetite.

The nausea which dominated the early stages is pretty much gone also.

Still manifest though is a fair bit of muscle weakness, some stiffness in the back and some, erm, erratic bowel movements which today almost caused a premature evacuation.

But things are on the right track. 🙂

[Matt2112]

A really good night's sleep last night and I awoke feeling the most chipper I have in several days.

In high spirits, I felt like I could go out and throw myself into the day as I normally would, but this was tempered by being keenly aware there was still significant underlying muscle weakness and to do too much too soon would likely be counter-productive.

Another not so small matter is that a LFT today shows I'm still Covid positive - though the line is much fainter than it was a few days ago, when it glowed like a supernova.

I'm feeling "good" - but just need to be patient and let the recovery take the path of least resistance. 🙂

[Slim]

I feel OK now, but I've just tested positive. Fairly clear line as well. Six days after my first positive test. Will do another one on Wednesday.

[Matt2112]

I feel OK now, but I've just tested positive. Fairly clear line as well. Six days after my first positive test. Will do another one on Wednesday.

Yes, I'm ready to get back to work again tomorrow, though based at home; will try a LFT in the morning and report.

EDIT:  Still positive - bit frustrating; but feeling fine now, so just need to be patient.

[Slim]

Yesterday's test result. Pretty stark. I just hope I'm not personally incubating a new strain of immune resistant supervirus.

[Slim]

Two days later .. still positive. I feel OK though. Will test again on Friday.

I'm using these, £9 for a box of 5.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Speedychecks-Covid-19-Antigen-Lateral-Travel/dp/B0B4K5C5HP/