New Coronavirus threat

[Todjaeger]

The problem I see with increasing insurance costs for unvaccinated people is that it will encourage the insurance companies to be more avaricious than usual. In a health system such as the US it will give them an excuse to increase costs not just for this, but other conditions and at the same weasel out of paying out when claims are submitted.

In NZ the vaccine is free so there are no cost barriers preventing people getting the vaccination. Also hospital level health care is free and going to the General Practitioner - primary health care, is subsidised. So if you get crook (sick) or real crook, you are covered.

The vaccine is also free in the US as well, and at this point readily available at most pharmacies as well as doctors offices, urgent care centres, hospitals, etc. etc. A number of sites have also hosted vaccine clinics. A church in Florida recent hosted a clinic after six (unvaccinated) worshipers under the age of 40 died within about a week of each other. This propelled the church to really try and encourage more attendees to get vaccinated.

 

[John Fedup]

While a lot of bad things can be said about how the US does their health system, the business case for raising the premium for unvaccinated people is pretty airtight. Unvaccinated people are more likely to require costly medical care than vaccinated people. This holds for all sort of diseases.

Delta Airlines is not an insurance company. Rather, they're an airline company that choose to self-insure, putting money into a common account. They are large enough that this is feasible (all insurance is fundamentally this, btw) and this way they can cut out the avaricious US insurance companies and get better rates for their employees.

If they aren't allowed to raise the rates for the unvaccinated, they will have to raise the rates for all their employees.

If they aren't allowed to do either of the above but are still required to provide coverage for their employees, they will be forced to scrap their self-insured healthcare plan and switch to a regular health insurance company. This introduces one of the avaricious US healthcare companies into their system and will increase the rates for the employees.

If Delta isn't allowed to raise the premium for their self-insured health plan and doesn't switch to a third-party health insurer, then the increased cost will have to be taken from the company's budget. I expect shareholders will object to this sudden financial burden and will instead prefer to fire the unvaccinated employee. And frankly, they have a good reason to do so at that point.

Raising the insurance cost for just the unvaccinated employees is likely the least harmful option overall for Delta Airlines.

Totally agree with Delta’s decision. Air Canada has mandated vaccination as well albeit for a different reason as health care is a provincial responsibility. They correctly believe their customers don’t want to be in a tube for several hours with unvaccinated flight attendants. BTW, I haven’t seen any marketing for a fly unvaccinated airline yet (maybe Trump’s new business concept)

 

[John Fedup]

Video on the new name for Pfizer’s COVID vaccine. Same advisers used for the Afghanistan evacuation perhaps. Moderna came up with SpikeVax, clearly a better choice!


New name of Pfizer vaccine draws vicious online critique
New name of Pfizer vaccine draws vicious online critique - CNN Video

 

[John Fedup]

Another dubious article on why vaccination should be halted for military personnel. The author seems to miss the key point about vaccination. It is about limiting spread of the virus, mainly due to infected people showing no symptoms. Yes, physically fit younger soldiers don’t face much risk but can be virus carriers. Furthermore soldiers on foreign deployments will be subject to local vaccination rules. How much fun will a port visit be for sailors refused entry due to no vaccination?

The U.S. Department of Defense Should Stop Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccinations

This article is about preserving the health and well-being of members of the military, both active and reserve. Our national security is critically dependent on the continued effectiveness of th

www.realcleardefense.com

 

[OPSSG]

American Anti-Vaxx leaders are dying

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1431812363448094721

1. Anti-Vaxx leaders, like Caleb Wallace (30), are literally dying for their belief. In Texas, there were 11,762 cases of the virus reported within a 24-hour window, according to state health data released 20 Aug 2021, a number far surpassing the roughly 3,300 cases reported across Texas on 20 July 2021.

2. An average 83,226 vaccine doses were reported each day in the last month and 47.1% of Texans are fully vaccinated. More than 3,400 Texans have died of COVID-19 in the last month, putting the overall toll above 55,000. We should pause for a moment of silence for those who passed away.

3. The highly transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus is spreading rampantly in Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott is resisting statewide restrictions on businesses and has fought to ban local leaders from implementing mask and vaccine mandates. Cities, counties and school districts in the state’s major urban areas have filed a flood of lawsuits challenging Abbott’s executive order. On Friday, Abbott argued in court that he can’t enforce his mask mandate ban — it’s up to local prosecutors.

4. People under 50 make up a larger share of hospital admissions, and more Texas hospitals are reporting ICU bed shortages than at any other point of the pandemic. Hospitals are struggling with historically low staffing levels, and desperate Texas doctors are turning to antibody treatments for their patients.

5. Likewise, Florida reports 1,727 COVID deaths, more than 150,000 cases on the week ending 27 Aug 2021. With 1,727 more fatalities on record, 43,979 Florida residents have died. Last week’s 1,727 deaths reflect an increase from the 1,486 reported the previous week, but deaths can take several days to be reported.

6. We should pause for a moment of silence for those who passed away from Covid-19 in Aug 2021.

 

[OPSSG]

Moving away from Covid-Zero

1. At this year’s National Day Rally, PM Lee Hsien Loong says it is no longer possible to bring infections down to zero, even with prolonged lockdowns. "We must prepare for Covid-19 to become endemic," he says. Singapore will open up as long as the number of severely ill cases is stable — currently there are 6 in ICU and 14 cases of serious illness in Singapore. PM Lee is able to tell Singaporeans that Delta means Covid-Zero is impossible, and herald a "new situation" due to a world-leading vaccination rate. He also said that the country must now "change gears" toward a new normal.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1399195693672185856

2. PM Lee is making the case not that Covid-Zero is good or bad, but *impossible.* This transformation, if it works, is going to raise questions for Covid-Zero economies like Mainland China, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Australia, as to how long they can stay that way.

​

(a) New Zealand’s amazing contact tracers have contacted 13,000 possible contacts. Mass testing continues. In Auckland, the heart of the outbreak, over 10% of the region’s population (representative sample of households) have been tested in the past 1 week. The short timeframe: 10 days only, between 7th and 17th August when the lockdown was announced means that they caught the outbreak relatively early.​

​

(b) Wastewater testing has reassuringly found only positive samples in Wellington and Auckland, where known cases have already been identified. Wastewater testing can detect 10 positive cases per area of 100,000 people. The vaccine rollout is now flying, with up to 1% of New Zealand’s population being vaccinated in single day earlier this week.​

3. With about 150,000 seniors aged 60 and above still to get their first Covid-19 shots, the Singaporean authorities are taking a page from Singapore's kampung days and sending out trucks armed with loudspeakers to spread the vaccination message in the heartland. Two “#IGotMyShot trucks,” which started making their rounds, will ply the same areas as the mobile vaccination teams, broadcasting pre-recorded messages in the four official languages and selected dialects.

4. Singapore reported 124 new locally transmitted COVID-19 infections as of noon on 29 Aug 2021, including a new cluster linked to staff members at Boon Lay Bus Interchange (keeping in mind that 116 of the 130 bus drivers infected in these 7 clusters were vaccinated) and another at a dormitory in Pioneer (keeping in mind the 95+% vaccination rate in all dormitories). There are now 7 active Covid-19 clusters involving staff at bus interchanges. A recap of Singapore's Covid-19 situation:

• A total of 414 cases were warded in hospital. There were 6 cases in critical condition in the intensive care unit and 14 cases of serious illness requiring oxygen supplementation.
• Vaccination rate among the world's best at over 80+% for eligible adults and children above 12 years old; and this number includes all foreign workers
• Singapore aggressively implements Covid-19 prevention controls via masking, social distancing and contact tracing (mandatory check-ins, group limit of just 5, etc.)
• Progressively gives more freedoms for those vaccinated and strict border controls — eg unvaccinated can’t eat in any restaurants (without a valid Covid-19 test or proof of vaccination)
• Employers can require routine testing if employees refuse or are unable to be vaccinated, with testing to be paid by employees

 

[ngatimozart]

At the moment the NZ strategy is elimination, although I suspect that it will change once the full vaccination coverage is in 90% range. The government is aiming for as near as possible to 100% of eligible members of the population that it can vaccinate. It's definition of being eligible for free vaccination in NZ is any person aged 12 and over who is physically present in NZ regardless of immigration status.

 

[t68]

At the moment the NZ strategy is elimination, although I suspect that it will change once the full vaccination coverage is in 90% range. The government is aiming for as near as possible to 100% of eligible members of the population that it can vaccinate. It's definition of being eligible for free vaccination in NZ is any person aged 12 and over who is physically present in NZ regardless of immigration status.

In years to come I think it could be very similar to the flu, with different strains cropping up every so often.

The genie is out of the bottle on this one

 

[ngatimozart]

In years to come I think it could be very similar to the flu, with different strains cropping up every so often.

The genie is out of the bottle on this one

I agree that will most likely happen. Interestingly enough one of our virology experts was on the idiot box tonight and he said that Delta is proving to be a difficult and quite adaptive variant. He said that it is able to mutant really quickly because of its R factor being 6+ and its really high viral load, meaning that it's highly infectious and that helps it quick mutation. One thing he mentioned is that every virus is different and they mutate differently with many mutations just burning out. So maybe we are lucky that we haven't got many more variants that have similar R factors to deal with.

 

[tonnyc]

Extra 500,000 Pfizer doses on the way from Singapore in vaccine swap

Singapore will soon send half a million Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses to Australia as part of a "swap" between the two countries, delivering a boost to the nation's vaccination program.

www.abc.net.au

Singapore and Australia has agreed on a vaccine swap. Actually I think swap gives the wrong impression. It's more like lending. With their higher vaccination rate, Singapore doesn't need a lot of vaccines immediately but Australia does. So Singapore is lending 500,000 doses of Cominarty vaccine to Australia for their immediate use and Australia will return the vaccines in December when they should have quite a bit of Cominarty vaccines available.

I applaud the cooperation and more of these exchanges should be arranged.

 

[OPSSG]

Extra 500,000 Pfizer doses on the way from Singapore in vaccine swap

Singapore will soon send half a million Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses to Australia as part of a "swap" between the two countries, delivering a boost to the nation's vaccination program.

www.abc.net.au

Singapore and Australia has agreed on a vaccine swap... It's more like lending. With their higher vaccination rate,

Singapore doesn't need a lot of vaccines immediately but Australia does.

1. As you said, at the end of Aug 2021, Singapore is lending 500,000 doses of Cominarty vaccine to Australia for their immediate use and Australia will return the vaccines in Dec 2021, when they should have quite a bit of Cominarty vaccines available at that time.

​

(a) In Jan 2021, Singapore can consider donating more than 1/2 of those 500,000 doses to other ASEAN countries or friends in need — this avoids wastage and buys good will twice. Following a review of medical management protocols, fully vaccinated COVID-19 patients in Singapore are discharged 10 days after the start of isolation – if their swab test result is negative or they have "very low" viral loads. Evidence shows that those who are vaccinated can recover within 10 days of the illness' onset, the health ministry said.​

​

(b) A tiny number in Singapore have taken 2 Sinovac doses but getting are getting a 3rd jab of Cominarty — as their immune response is not sufficient, based on blood tests. The 85,000 Singaporeans and PRs who opt for Sinovac and other COVID-19 vaccines under the WHO emergency use list are considered as fully vaccinated from 10 Aug 2021. For S$99, you can also get the Sinopharm vaccine administered in Singapore and it is the fourth COVID-19 vaccine to be used in Singapore. It is imported under the Special Access Route, along with the Sinovac vaccine. The Special Access Route is Singapore's arrangement to allow private healthcare providers to bring in COVID-19 vaccines that are on the WHO’s Emergency Use Listing but not administered free under the national vaccination program.​

​

(c) Singapore seniors who are not vaccinated fall into two groups: Those who are contra-indicated and those who are immobile. Most people with contra-indications can now be vaccinated, with new evidence from “millions of vaccinations” globally and advice from Singapore's COVID-19 expert committee on vaccination. By mid-Dec 2021, the vaccination rate is very likely to hit a 85% to 90% vaccination rate in Singapore — with free house visits for jabs being done for the immobile. There are also plans to close 4 of the 24 vaccination centres, as demand goes down in Singapore.​

​

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1431817158586245121

(d) By end of 1Q2022 onwards or early 2Q2022, Singapore will need to get slowly started with vaccinations for children 11 and below, once the clinical trial safety data for children is in.​

2 I applaud the Australia-Singapore bilateral cooperation and more of these exchanges should be arranged with like minded nations.

​

(a) 3 hospitals in Western Sydney — Blacktown, Westmead and Nepean — turned away COVID patients arriving by ambulance. On 27 Aug 2021, Ambulance NSW had its second-ever status three alerts, which means the service was unable to meet demand.​

​

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1432566081776865281

(b) This loan of 500,000 doses is a good move by Singapore to help KEEP momentum for the Australian vaccination program — but will reduce hospitalisations in NSW? There is a noticeable preference for the Cominarty vaccine in NSW and the rest of Australia — there were 813 Covid patients in hospitals across NSW, 256 more than the previous Sunday a week ago.​

3. Currently, under Singapore’s the travel lanes rules, fully vaccinated travellers departing from Germany or Brunei can enter Singapore without serving a stay-home notice. Hopefully, various states in Australia can get their vaccination rates up to enable the opening of travel lanes. In addition, Singapore will be rolling out the Sea Crew Vaccination Initiative or SEAVAX to allow eligible groups of non-resident foreign sea crew to be vaccinated. Vaccinating sea crew will provide an additional layer of protection for onshore workers and passengers who may interact with them. 89% of the 7,500 resident seafarers working in Singapore’s port waters have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 82% of them have been fully vaccinated.

4. Brunei reported 2 coronavirus deaths on 24 Aug 2021, the first fatalities from COVID-19 there in more than a year as it battles a fresh outbreak. brings the total virus deaths in the sultanate to 5 since the start of the pandemic. Around 33% of the country's total population of 450,000 have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

5. In late Aug 2021, Singapore has also contributed 100,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine as part of bilateral cooperation with Brunei to tackle the ongoing pandemic. At a later stage, it is likely that Brunei will donate vaccines to other ASEAN countries from mid-2022 onwards, when Brunei’s vaccine drive gathers steam. I hope these pay-it-forward moves will increase access to vaccination worldwide.

 

[ngatimozart]

It appears that the number of NZ community Delta ìnfections has peaked. From 86 infections on Friday to IIRC 63 yesterday and now 50 today it looks like we may be on the right path. The R factor is now below 1 for the second day in the row with over 70% of the new infections in homes and less than 30% in public locations.

COVID-19

About the Ministry of Health’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and our long-term management strategy.

www.health.govt.nz

 

[StingrayOZ]

While the breakout in NSW has now exceeded the Victorian one last year, deaths are much lower.

Australia’s Covid deaths: as the national toll passes 1,000, what do we know?

More people in their 30s and 40s are dying from Covid in the current outbreak, but NSW has seen fewer deaths overall

www.theguardian.com

Its generally keeping the virus out of the elderly and stopping mass death events. Treatment is also better than last year.

NSW is absolutely blitzing their vaccinations at the moment. They are beating back citizens at vaccination centers with sticks. Singapore's 500,000 doses will be deployed in about 3 days in NSW alone (which is the likely venue for these as they can quickly get rid of all of them). NSW vaccinated 150,000 on Monday, and is likely to continue growing. It's rapid vaccine deployment means that NSW will hit 80% target well ahead of all other states, which will actually cause a problem as NSW reduces restrictions while other states have very slow roll outs.

Tracking the vaccine: Half of Australians boosted with three doses

With children aged 5-11 joining the rollout on January 10, just over 94 per cent of the total population are now eligible for vaccination against COVID-19.

www.abc.net.au

As NSW is still ramping, it is likely that the 80% threshold will be met by around mid October, over taking Tasmania. At which point the entire state will essential "live with covid" and come out of lock down, reduce restrictions, and leave things like social distancing and mask wearing, but effectively fully vaccinated will be able to enjoy all the old freedoms. By October NSW will not need as many vaccines as it will likely start to tail off as 80%+ will be vaccinated.

 

[ngatimozart]

Compared to the NZ, VIC, SA, and WA situations, NSW really appears to have screwed the pooch with its responses right from the start of the Delta outbreak. I know 20 / 20 hindsight is a wonderful thing, but the experience of previous outbreaks within the State and reports of Delta's virulence from overseas should have been more than enough to convince the State political elite that this couldn't be tarried with.

I know that we all don't like lockdowns and am very aware of the economic cost, however in times of State and national strife we are sometimes called upon to do things that we don't like. This is generally for preservation of life and property purposes and for the common good. In times of war and strife both Australia and NZ are renown for their sense of community and mateship. Our people go out of their ways to help each other out. Mates helping mates out; they might not know each other, may have never met before but they're helping their mate out.

So what's changed with this pandemic? Why are some political elites and members of the public refusing or ignoring to work for the public good? I would argue that the whole pandemic response being politicised by ignorant, selfish, self centred people, has cost lives and exacerbated economic damage to economies world wide. They have sucked in far too many people who should know better and are just making complete fools of them. I know what I would like to do with a few of these idiots, but apparently it's illegal and immoral.

 

[John Fedup]

Anyone remember the movie, The Fortune Cookie? All the lawyers contesting vaccination and masking remind me the lawyer “whip lash Willie”.

 

[alexsa]

OH, All these years I thought you were a Novocastrian



Not 100% sure of the rights in the US, but here the AusGov policy is that COVID-19 vaccinations are voluntary, any potential restrictions on those who choose not to be vaccinated potentially can run foul on Australians basic human right. which are a right to privacy, freedom of movement, equality and be free from discrimination

What is being proposed by the government (type of vaccine passports) and some business are actually taking those freedoms away. the basic premises of what the business/government is doing is actually coercion to get the vaccine shot for something that is not mandatory, but at the same time they want to deny and discriminate against those who for whatever reason choose not to be vaccinated

If the government want people to have to go about its business without discrimination fear or favour then the government should make the COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for all Australians unless medical advice provides otherwise, then the sanctity of our right to privacy, freedom of movement, equality and be free from discrimination will not be infringed



COVID-19 vaccinations and federal discrimination law | Australian Human Rights Commission




No idea what you are talking about here I take it as some type of media outlet?

I will wait for the ban hammer to come down again now

Yes, the vaccine is not mandatory. However, WHS legislation does require responsible persons to consider the health and welfare of their employees and customers. This is reflected in one of the principals of model WHS law which includes protecting workers and other persons from harm by requiring duty holders to eliminate or minimise risk. Noting the risk associated with COVID19 a duty holder would appear to be within their right to require their employees to vaccinate or to deny access to potential customers (i.e club, cafe and a flight) in order to meet that duty of care.

I would suggest the challenge would be suggesting that is discrimination. To win they will have to set a significant precedent for WHS legislation.

I am fully vaccinated for COVID19 and have been vaccinated for most other potential risks. This party due to my previous employment but also because the vaccine is much better than the illness you might get.

Certainly people have the right to refuse but then others have the right to expect protection from the disease.

Suggest we let this one be until the court rules.

 

[tonnyc]

Australia does another vaccine swap deal, this time with the UK. Four million doses. Like with Singapore, an equal amount will be returned once Australia's purchased Pfizer vaccine has arrived in quantity.

There are a lot of things the Australian government can do better but I give them credit for this one. Getting the Pfizer vaccine will hopefully counter some vaccine hesitancy and get vaccination done faster.

Addendum: and thank you to Australia for the 580 thousand Astrazeneca vaccine donated to Indonesia.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

Not only the Delta-variant will have a negative effect on the coming 2022 Wintergames, also the human rights violations which has become a standard in china, can cause problems for the government.

Compared to 2008, there is less press freedom and less human rights.

| "Prior to the 2008 Games, to show its newfound openness, Beijing also announced it would allow several so-called "protest parks" to coincide with the event.

The catch was that you needed to apply for and be granted permission in order to use them.

Two grandmothers in their 70s took the government at its word and tried five times to get permission for a protest over a controversial housing development.

Not only were they never allowed to protest but they were given a year's "re-education through labour" sentence for being troublemakers. After an international outcry, that punishment was later withdrawn.

This time round there will be no protest parks." |

Its such a funny country.

Beijing 2022: China readies for Winter Olympics as pressure grows

The upcoming Games are already proving controversial with calls for a boycott growing.

www.bbc.com

 

[alexsa]

Australia does another vaccine swap deal, this time with the UK. Four million doses. Like with Singapore, an equal amount will be returned once Australia's purchased Pfizer vaccine has arrived in quantity.

There are a lot of things the Australian government can do better but I give them credit for this one. Getting the Pfizer vaccine will hopefully counter some vaccine hesitancy and get vaccination done faster.

Addendum: and thank you to Australia for the 580 thousand Astrazeneca vaccine donated to Indonesia.

It is a good thing that the AZ is being distributed locally as we produce this in country and should have been the mainstay of the Australian vaccination programme. The evidence is it is as effective as the others vaccines, no more risky and may be more persistent.

Sadly a lot of scare mongering put many off but the silver lining is that a lot of AZ is getting spread around the Asia Pacific region.

 

[ngatimozart]

Don’t need to there is a case going in the Supreme Court here, just have to wait on the outcome. So I guess we wait the outcome.

Also no one is arguing against how it’s spread or whatever you keep bring up, there are potential breeches as noted a couple of posts ago

Since you like to selectively source evidence, you neglected to include the following from your source.

Some states and territories have also issued public health orders mandating vaccination for certain industries or workers. For example, Queensland has a public health order in place mandating vaccination for health service employees who are likely to encounter and treat people with COVID-19. ​

If a Public Health Order is made then it it is required to be followed and individual rights have to be subordinate to the rights of the community as a whole. In this case it is the right of the community to have good health. In the case of a pandemic authorities have to take actions that are required to prevent the spread of infection, the prevention of deaths, and the retention of good order within society.

Where an individual or group(s) of individuals take it upon themselves to put their own interests ahead of those of the community during a pandemic, then those individuals are nothing but selfish and self centred fools who will eventually succumb to the illness and be expecting the appropriate medical treatment. I am ruthless enough to support the supposition that they should be refused treatment, however I would not support it because I don't believe in the withholding of medical treatment.

We do have rights which we should protect, however with those rights come responsibilities to the community and no individual is greater than the community during a pandemic, or time of community, or national emergency, because without the community we will eventually cease to be. If people cannot understand that, then they need to reevaluate their views and opinions.