The Mysterious Coronavirus Spreading Worldwide

[On the huh]

I will wait for direction from the branch as to whether meetings via Zoom will continue when we go back to the Kingdom Hall.  We have video-streaming via KHConf.  Its my understanding that the use of Zoom was always just a temporary measure because of the pandemic.  Though, things can change.

[pnutts]

2 hours ago, Shawnster said:

some form of video conference for meetings will always continue even after we return to the Hall.

Our hall was getting cameras, but not installed as we went into lock down March 2020. We did not have KHconf video available at that time.

Edited July 3, 2021 by pnutts
added line

[Dages]

Our hall has a streaming webcam used to record talks for jwstream so we are ready for any hybrid meeting (zoom and in person)

[Sofia]

13 hours ago, Old said:

There is a mighty message that I see many of our forum have not noticed. 

World headquarters, perhaps 95% vaccinated.

Positive comments on vaccination .

Obvious planning on re-opening KHs.

No supportive comments as to why some might not want to be vaccinated, except, "It is your decision."

Considerable comment on we are not going back to our KHs until it is safe. +++

What could make it safe?

Perhaps 95% of us being vaccinated? 

 

If not vacinated enjoy KHConf.

It’s safe when WHO declares the World is safe again and pandemic is over.

even so… it is safe WHEN JEHOVAH SAYS It’s SAFE.

Noah thought it was safe to leave the ark after 150 days or so

but Jehovah told them to stay inside 370 days…😳

[Joey]

This is from the CDC director, which is good news.

https://news.yahoo.com/amphtml/vaccinated-people-safe-delta-variant-101600093.html

The Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are thought to be effective against the highly transmissible delta variant, meaning another major wave of infections and hospitalizations is unlikely.

“If you're vaccinated, you are safe from the variants that are circulating here in the United States,” said Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on Wednesday.

[Godskingdomrules]

On 7/3/2021 at 1:57 PM, Old said:

There is a mighty message that I see many of our forum have not noticed. 

World headquarters, perhaps 95% vaccinated.

Positive comments on vaccination .

Obvious planning on re-opening KHs.

No supportive comments as to why some might not want to be vaccinated, except, "It is your decision."

Considerable comment on we are not going back to our KHs until it is safe. +++

What could make it safe?

Perhaps 95% of us being vaccinated? 

Just so know one gets the wrong idea which I’m sure you have thought of aswell. Vaccination for bethelites is a personal decision not something that bethel has instigated. It is not a mighty message from bethel to base your decisions on.

[Sofia]

1 hour ago, Littlecat said:

This is from the CDC director, which is good news.

https://news.yahoo.com/amphtml/vaccinated-people-safe-delta-variant-101600093.html

The Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are thought to be effective against the highly transmissible delta variant, meaning another major wave of infections and hospitalizations is unlikely.

“If you're vaccinated, you are safe from the variants that are circulating here in the United States,” said Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on Wednesday.

This seems to be true yes, according to my investigations

[pnutts]

I heard that some places are expecting a fourth wave.

[blacc]

11 hours ago, Littlecat said:

This is from the CDC director, which is good news.

https://news.yahoo.com/amphtml/vaccinated-people-safe-delta-variant-101600093.html

The Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are thought to be effective against the highly transmissible delta variant, meaning another major wave of infections and hospitalizations is unlikely.

“If you're vaccinated, you are safe from the variants that are circulating here in the United States,” said Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on Wednesday.

PEACE AND SECURITY!

[Sofia]

3 hours ago, pnutts said:

I heard that some places are expecting a fourth wave.

Are you kidding? Us in Portugal are already at the 4th wave 🤦‍♀️

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

4 Million reported deaths
USA, India & Brazil = 1.5 Million

Old (Downunder) Tone
 

Edited July 6, 2021 by ➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone

[Sequoia]

A brother in a nearby congregation close to me contracted one of the variants recently and he was fully vaccinated.  He was in the hospital for five days with a fever of 105 degrees.   I know that experts have been saying that less than one percent of fully vaccinated people contract COVID but I don't know if that's going to change or at least with some of the variants.

 

Also we had an announcement at meeting last week that I didn't understand and a friend said that if the government evacuates people for some reason such in case of a disaster they'll leave un vaccinated people behind so those of us who have been vaccinated need to keep and make copies of the cards they gave us when we got vaccinated.

Edited July 6, 2021 by JW2017

[Sequoia]

Oh I'm sorry it looks like I posted my last comment in the wrong place.

[califlorican]

9 hours ago, JW2017 said:

 

Also we had an announcement at meeting last week that I didn't understand and a friend said that if the government evacuates people for some reason such in case of a disaster they'll leave un vaccinated people behind so those of us who have been vaccinated need to keep and make copies of the cards they gave us when we got vaccinated.

Was this an announcement to all congregations in the US branch? 
 

I also don’t understand where your friend is getting that information from; children can’t be vaccinated and I don’t see how the government would allow every child under the age of 12 to be left behind in an evacuation just because they aren’t vaccinated. 

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

New Variant hits Australia:
The Lambda coronavirus variant has arrived in Australia. Here's what we know so far

ABC Health & Wellbeing

By science reporter Gemma Conroy

Posted Yesterday at 1:21pm, updated 23h ago


"There has been one case of the Lambda variant in Australia. Should we be concerned?

We've seen the Alpha, Kappa and Delta variants cross our borders, but it turns out another strain of the virus that causes COVID-19 has reached our shores.

Key points:

The Lambda variant is one of 11 official SARS-CoV-2 variants recognised by the World Health Organization

It was first detected in Peru and has spread to 29 countries, including Australia

A new study that has yet to be peer-reviewed found signs that the variant could be more infectious and harder to tackle with vaccination, but it's early days...

Coronavirus variants

The World Health Organization has identified 11 coronavirus variants so far (there are 24 letters in the Greek alphabet).
There are four variants of concern:

Alpha

Beta

Gamma 

Delta

And seven variants of interest (most of which you've probably never heard of). They are:

Epsilon

Zeta

Eta

Theta

Iota

Kappa

Lambda"


Article link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2021-07-06/what-we-know-about-the-lambda-variant/100267978?utm_source=sfmc%e2%80%8b%e2%80%8b&utm_medium=email%e2%80%8b%e2%80%8b&utm_campaign=abc_specialist_science_sfmc_20210707%e2%80%8b%e2%80%8b&utm_term=%e2%80%8b&utm_id=1676263%e2%80%8b%e2%80%8b&sfmc_id=285078489

The variant, named Lambda by the World Health Organization (WHO) last month, was detected in an overseas traveller who was in hotel quarantine in New South Wales in April, according to national genomics database AusTrakka.
Some reports suggest the new variant could be fast spreading and difficult to tackle with vaccines.
So what sets this variant apart from others and should we be concerned?
Here's what we know so far.

Where did it originate?

Previously known as C.37, Lambda was first detected in Peru in December 2020.
Since then, it's spread to 29 countries, seven of which are in South America. 
In April and May this year, Lambda accounted for over 80 per cent of COVID-19 cases in Peru, with a high proportion of cases also in Chile, Argentina, and Ecuador.


The Lambda variant has led to COVID-19 outbreaks in South America.
On 14 June, Lambda was listed as a 'variant of interest' by the World Health Organization due to its vast spread in South America.
LIVE UPDATES: Read our blog for the latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic
Variants of interest are listed as such because they have the potential to be more infectious and severe, but haven't yet had the devastating impact of those listed as variants of concern.  
On 23 June, Public Health England classified it as a 'variant under investigation', after six cases were detected in the UK to date, which were all linked to overseas travel.

What makes it different from other variants?

There are now 11 official SARS-CoV-2 variants listed by the WHO.

Coronavirus variants

The World Health Organization has identified 11 coronavirus variants so far (there are 24 letters in the Greek alphabet).
There are four variants of concern:

Alpha

Beta

Gamma 

Delta

And seven variants of interest (most of which you've probably never heard of). They are:

Epsilon

Zeta

Eta

Theta

Iota

Kappa

Lambda

All SARS-CoV-2 variants are distinguished from one another by mutations in their spike proteins — the components of the virus that allow it to invade human cells.
For instance, the Delta variant first detected in India has two key spike protein mutations — T478K and L452R  — that allow it to infect cells more easily and evade the body's immune response. 
According to research published last week but yet to be peer reviewed,  Lambda has seven unique spike protein mutations.
A Chilean team of scientists analysed blood samples from health workers in Santiago who had received two doses of the CoronaVac vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech in China.
They found  the Lambda variant has a mutation called L452Q, which is similar to the L452R mutation seen in the Delta and Epsilon variants.
As the L452R mutation is thought to make Delta and Epsilon more infectious and resilient against vaccination, the team concluded that Lambda's L452Q mutation might also help it spread far and wide. 
While it's possible that Lambda is indeed more infectious than other variants, it's too early to know for sure, said Kirsty Short, a virologist at the University of Queensland.
"It's very preliminary," said Dr Short, who was not involved in the study.
"It's a good starting point, but I certainly wouldn't infer anything from that into the clinic."

Are vaccines still effective against the Lambda variant?

The study also found signs that Lambda's unique spike mutations could help it slip past the body's immune response.
The results of the study suggested that the CoronaVac vaccine produces fewer neutralising antibodies — proteins that defend cells against infections — in response to the Lambda variant. 
But according to Paul Griffin, who specialises in infectious diseases and vaccines at the University of Queensland, it's important to remember that these antibodies are just one aspect of immunity.
"We know that [neutralising antibodies] only tell a part of the story," said Dr Griffin, who was not involved in the study. 
"If that further immunity remains intact, then even with a reduction in neutralising antibodies, sometimes that protection can still be enough."

A healthworker administers the CoronaVac vaccine in Santiago, Chile


It's also worth remembering that different vaccines work in different ways to respond to the virus and its variants.
"You can't really extrapolate from one vaccine," Dr Short said.
CoronaVac uses inactive versions of SARS-CoV-2 to kick the immune system into gear.
On the other hand, Pfizer contains a single strand of the genetic code that builds the virus's spike proteins, while AstraZeneca contains a double-strand.
Dr Griffin said that more traditional inactivated vaccines like CoronaVac have proven to be less effective overall than others.
"As a broad category, the inactivated ones have been a little bit underwhelming, particularly compared to others that have such high rates of efficacy," said Dr Griffin, who was not involved in the study.

Old (Downunder) Tone

[Dustparticle]

It is NOT over yet: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-07-06/virus-cases-jump-1-200-in-south-korea-amid-slow-vaccination

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-57746351

[Hotteok]

10 minutes ago, Dustparticle said:

It is NOT over yet: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-07-06/virus-cases-jump-1-200-in-south-korea-amid-slow-vaccination

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-57746351

It might start the 4th wave.. since Dec. last year. 

[Shawnster]

7 hours ago, califlorican said:

Was this an announcement to all congregations in the US branch? 

JW2017 was a little vague in her comment.  We do not know what the actual announcement was, how it was worded, etc...  She even said she did not understand the announcement. 

 

No, there has not been any announcements made to the entire US Branch concerning evacuation procedures. This may have been an announcement just to her congregation based upon a local need or situation. 

 

As fast as some of our members are at posting updates on jwtalk.net, it will be clear if and when some major announcements is made to a Branch.  We usually see all kinds of posts discussing the latests announcements or directions. 

 

16 hours ago, JW2017 said:

Also we had an announcement at meeting last week that I didn't understand and a friend said that if the government evacuates people for some reason such in case of a disaster they'll leave un vaccinated people behind so those of us who have been vaccinated need to keep and make copies of the cards they gave us when we got vaccinated.

Are there any news articles we can read that discuss government evaluation procedures regarding vaccinated and unvaccinated people?  It's not like government agencies have been privately talking to your elders.  They had to get this information from somewhere public. Are there any links to sites and articles we can share? 

[Dustparticle]

Check this out: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/texas-churchs-summer-camp-ends-with-125-kids-testing-positive-for-covid-19/ar-AALQvvD?li=BBnb7Kz

[Dustparticle]

Deadline of August 1, 2021 is soon. I see no opening up until next year. I hope. Whole world is a mess.

[Sofia]

3 minutes ago, Dustparticle said:

Deadline of August 1, 2021 is soon. I see no opening up until next year. I hope. Whole world is a mess.

I don’t see either… agree bro Glen

by the way… a piece of chocolate?

Edited July 7, 2021 by Sofia

[cme]

4 hours ago, Shawnster said:

JW2017 was a little vague in her comment.  We do not know what the actual announcement was, how it was worded, etc...  She even said she did not understand the announcement. 

 

No, there has not been any announcements made to the entire US Branch concerning evacuation procedures. This may have been an announcement just to her congregation based upon a local need or situation. 

 

As fast as some of our members are at posting updates on jwtalk.net, it will be clear if and when some major announcements is made to a Branch.  We usually see all kinds of posts discussing the latests announcements or directions. 

 

Are there any news articles we can read that discuss government evaluation procedures regarding vaccinated and unvaccinated people?  It's not like government agencies have been privately talking to your elders.  They had to get this information from somewhere public. Are there any links to sites and articles we can share? 

Yep!  No announcements here in Warwick, NY.

[Dustparticle]

Here is more bad news: https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/07/health/us-coronavirus-wednesday/index.html

[Old]

1 hour ago, Dustparticle said:

Here is more bad news: https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/07/health/us-coronavirus-wednesday/index.html

Mostly bad news for those that did not approve or accept the vaccine.

Sadly many will be saying "I didn't know." 

[WilliamChew]

3 hours ago, Dustparticle said:

Here is more bad news: https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/07/health/us-coronavirus-wednesday/index.html

Looks like those vaccinated don't need to worry. Its the same statistics for Singapore too.

 

"100% of Maryland deaths last month were unvaccinated people

In June, all Covid-19 deaths in Maryland occurred in unvaccinated people, according to a tweet Tuesday by Michael Ricci, communications director for Gov. Larry Hogan.

 

Additionally, Ricci tweeted, 95% of new Covid-19 cases in the state -- as well as 93% of new hospitalizations -- occurred in people who were unvaccinated."