2022-01-19 BC

Testing The BC CDC recently updated their testing web page to say who was eligible. Basically, if you are young, vaccinated, and not CEV, then you don’t get a PCR test (unless your job is in a special category like HCW or prison guard) There are some people who are upset, but I am having… Continue reading 2022-01-19 BC

2022-01-18 BC

Press Briefing Here’s what they said which I found new and interesting: The Orders about bars and nightclubs being closed and performances being at half-capacity have been extended until 16 Feb. Funerals and weddings can still go on as always, but the parties associated with them are still restricted. COVID Safety Plan requirements and vax… Continue reading 2022-01-18 BC

2022-01-18 General

Variants This preprint says that a Delta infection (by itself) does provide some protection against Omicron (in mice and test tubes), but an Omicron infection (by itself) does not provide good protection against Delta. However, if you have an Omicron or Delta infection plus a vaccine, then you get good protection against the other variant.… Continue reading 2022-01-18 General

2022-01-17 BC

Statistics Fri/Sat: +2,383 casesSat/Sun: +1,733 casesSun/Mon: +1,509 cases Over weekend, around +7 deaths, approximately +3,471 first doses, +1,118 second doses, +44,082 other doses per day. Positivity rate of 14.5%. Currently 819 in hospital / 99 in ICU, 35,985 active cases, 257,677 recovered. first doses second doses third doses of adults 92.7% 90.1% 35.7% of over-12s… Continue reading 2022-01-17 BC

2022-01-15/16/17 General

Treatments HOORAY!!! As this article reports, Health Canada approved Paxlovid (an oral treatment for COVID-19 which cuts hospitalizations by almost 90%) today! Not only that, there are already about 30K doses in-country! Supplies are going to be limited for a while. Until then, Health Canada recommends prioritizing severely immune-compromised patients, people over 80 who don’t… Continue reading 2022-01-15/16/17 General

2022-01-14 BC

Press Briefing Today’s presser was more interesting than some recent ones (video, slides). DrH presented some good evidence that cases are dropping. She said she thought we peaked last weekend. Something I thought was interesting about this figure was they called out how VCH’s peak and London’s peaks were not pointy, saying it was because… Continue reading 2022-01-14 BC

2022-01-14 General

Variants This report says that Omicron is much much more likely than Delta to cause a sore throat, but much much less likely to cause loss of smell. Transmission This article reports on a study which says that 10% of people are still infectious for at least ten days. Genetics This article reports that scientists… Continue reading 2022-01-14 General

2022-01-13 General

Variants Everybody knows by now that Omicron appears to be more mild, but how much of that is because lots of people have partial immunity? This preprint looked at South African Omicron infections and found that when you controlled for vaccination status, Omicron is about 25% as severe. Vaccines This article says that inactivated virus… Continue reading 2022-01-13 General