Asia keeps Omicron at bay, but a surge may be inevitable

It doesnt matter if there is a surge. Omicron is weaker.

I wonder why the headline did not read "may not" be inevitable? 

For the same reason the weather forecast doesn’t say “it may not rain tomorrow”.

"They think it doesn’t exist. But I am very scared. I have children and a family," he said. “If something happens to me, who will take care of them?"

The poor are the hardest hit in this pandemic, they cannot work from home, each day they don’t work means less food on the table.

However, a Hong Kong University study that has yet to be published found that China’s widely used Sinovac vaccine does not generate enough antibodies to protect against omicron, even with a booster shot, according to a university news release. Hong Kong offers both the Sinovac and Pfizer vaccines.

China with its poorly researched and tested vaccines continues to live in a state of denial. My sympathies with the people of China who are suffering under the despotic CCP.

China with its poorly researched and tested vaccines continues to live in a state of denial. My sympathies with the people of China who are suffering under the despotic CCP.

Yep. Poor Chinese and their useless vaccines have brought about 2; Yes, TWO deaths from coronavirus this year among the 1.4 billion people of China. I really feel sorry for them too.

Data out of many countries suggest after as little as 2 months, they are worse than useless. In Western Europe and North America deaths have fallen. Problem is, they are lying. Excess deaths this year in all those countries suggest the real number of coronavirus deaths is at least 2x, as much as 4x the official number.

Data that ‘suggests’ something on a scale that may be between 2x and 4x isn’t data.

Yep. Poor Chinese and their useless vaccines have brought about 2; Yes, TWO deaths from coronavirus this year among the 1.4 billion people of China. I really feel sorry for them too.

You claimed just a few minutes ago that Western Europe and North America are lying about deaths which may be 4x higher.

But China had only 2 deaths this year. I see.

Nothing to indicate a excess deaths above the average in China but maybe you are right. Maybe coronavirus deaths in China are also 4 times higher than the official toll. So due to the useless Chinese vaccines, 8 people!!!! Out of the 1.4 billion people of China have died from coronavirus this year. We should all take a knee and offer up a prayer to one's favorite deity for the poor Chinese people who are enduring such a terrible situation.

If you are stuck in a hole it’s best to stop digging.

Yep. Poor Chinese and their useless vaccines have brought about 2; Yes, TWO deaths from coronavirus this year among the 1.4 billion people of China. I really feel sorry for them too.

If you believe the CCP data you will believe anything.

Yep. Poor Chinese and their useless vaccines have brought about 2; Yes, TWO deaths from coronavirus this year among the 1.4 billion people of China. I really feel sorry for them too.

I can give you a good offer on the Empire State Building, let me know if you are interested!

It doesnt matter if there is a surge. Omicron is weaker.

I agree

Data out of many countries suggest

Weasel term, almost as bad as 'research shows' and 'many people believe" especially when no links to the data and sources are provided, those kinds of terms are used by the poorly educated in attempts to sound knowledgable to the poorly educated audiences they're trying to reach.

they cannot work from home, each day they don’t work means less food on the table.

yet, there are still people (here) advocating everyone work from home

The moronic virus a surge may be inevitable.

The Chinese Olympics virus containment and mitigation contingency plan sounds interesting.

Keep Vit D, C, Zinc & Quercetin in home.

You get a sniffle, start taking it, no need to worry about a test.

No need for fear.

The above listed ingredients stop the virus rna from replicating.

As a few naysayers have stated before "you are not a doctor".

No, but I follow closely one whose work has been saving millions of lives during this pandemic,

Dr. Zev Zelenko.

His work is based in practical knowledge and experience as a doctor of 20 years, research, and results.

It's coming, and when it does watch out. But again if Japan doesn't test like most rich countries do, it doesn't matter if Japan doesn't test. It's kinda like if I don't do a pregnancy test I won't get pregnant.

“Japan managed to delay the spread of the new variant for about a month largely thanks to its reimposition of entry restrictions, mandatory COVID-19 tests for all arrivals and the isolation of all passengers on a flight if anyone tested positive for omicron.”

hogwash. They let people go and “isolate at home” (ie, go out) if they were Japanese nationals, some of whom of course later tested positive and had spread it. Sure, if foreigners they became super-strict again, but they most certainly have NOT isolated all passengers if a person in the flight tested positive.

Also, omicron seems to damage the younger groups, kids in particular.

Infect, yes. But damage, no!

Omicron is causing a massive disruption worldwide with staff shortages and problems with supply chains.

Is omicron doing that, or is it caused by the government responses?

One possible reason why Covid cases are relatively low in Asian is that people in the region have been exposed to various types of corona flu for decades and have acquired cross immunity against the Covid, including the omicron variant.

Omicron is causing a massive disruption worldwide with staff shortages and problems with supply chains.

Mandates are causing these issues.

Asia consists of around 40 countries, not three. Omicron is in Asia and it’s only a matter of time before it takes a foothold on the few Asian countries mentioned. Both India and China are part of Asia.

Whether it may happen or not there is nothing much anyone including governments can do to to stop it. One has to laugh at the Japanese news when they report the prime minister of other government officials promise to do their very best to prevent spread of the disease when in reality they are doing absolutely nothing. They are still just talking about early boosters which is one thing they might have tried. Strict Immigration controls are just a joke to make it look like they are doing something, (returning Japanese, US servicemen have no compulsion to follow their so called quarantine rules and omicron is now well established in the community)

Meanwhile reduced, hard to get and restricted testing, along with minimal to no contact tracing works to a point as it simply does not find the mild and asymptomatic cases (who just get better anyhow in a week or so). No need to quarantine when no virus is found, good for the economy avoiding all those problems that mass testing countries are experiencing now and the statistics look great too.

*I wonder why the headline did not read "may not" be inevitable? It means the exact same thing. Using "may" in a headline is just as bad as using a question mark at the end of it, as some outlets do. Click bating scare tactics.*

If the headline were to read that it may not be inevitable, that would imply there is some way of avoiding it that the article would discuss. The article doesn’t discuss any such way because at the moment there doesn’t seem to be one that we know of.

With cases surging to record levels across the world, how do you think Asia (or just Japan) “may not” meet the same fate, given what we know about Omicron and how easily it spreads?

"Those fears have been amplified by doubts about the effectiveness of the Chinese-made vaccines used in China and much of the developing world."

China is good at making viruses but not so adept at making vaccines.

"The capital, New Delhi, banned large gatherings for Christmas and New Year’s, and many other states have announced new restrictions, including curfews and vaccination requirements at stores and restaurants."

Will the Modi government ban election rallies also since there are many important state elections coming up and the last time the COVID wave hit India, Modi was busy campaigning for West Bengal elections where he boasted about the number of people he can gather for his election rallies. Poetic justice that he lost inspite of the millions who attended his rallies.

@Meiyouwenti

There may be some truth to your comment.

The previous large scale mining and trade of bat guano for gunpowder and fireworks perhaps created an immunity from prior infections due to bat guano dust.

Looks like we will have to stay home for a few months. To get through this! These people who don’t understand will never understand!

as they say…… “STUPID is as Stupid does”

I hope the next variant goes to sleep at 8pm instead of waking up then.

Looks like we will have to stay home for a few months. To get through this! These people who don’t understand will never understand!

Yep, better stay home or else you could catch Omicron and suffer from horrible symptoms such as a runny nose and scratchy throat.

Omicron is causing a massive disruption worldwide with staff shortages and problems with supply chains.

Is omicron doing that, or is it caused by the government responses?

> Omicron is causing a massive disruption worldwide with staff shortages and problems with supply chains.

Mandates are causing these issues.

Neither of the people who posted these comments apparently haven't ordered materials from the U.S. I ordered a mattress and box springs from the U.S. and it took months for the beds to arrive because of COVID outbreaks in the factories. The same was true for meat packing plants where people are working close together in confined spaces. The same is true for materials from the U.S. for construction projects. The delays added additional costs to our projects due to these unforeseen delays. Mandates have nothing to do with the delays. Sick employees do.

The disclaimer is very interesting.

It's getting so bad in Canada right now, they are asking staff that work in hospitals to come to work even if they have covid. Restaurant's are closed not because of mandates but because staff are sick. So all you that think it's not going to get worse in Japan give your head a shake.

a study out of Danmark

You mean like the "study" that demonstrated vaccine cause more trouble than what they prevent, up until it was retracted for lousy methods and invalid conclussions? or the "study" that said vaccines caused more myocarditis than COVID until it was corrected to reach completley opposite conclussions?

How about a link to that study? I mean, if it is already peer reviewed and published in an indexed journal it should be easy to do it, right?

Vaccines have been properly tested, and work very nicely, even terribly bad attempts to misrepresent the data are too transparent.

Much of Asia has largely managed to keep Omicron at bay even as the variant rages in other parts of the world, 

I wonder what data the journalist bases that claim on. Afaic, Omicron is out there and spreading rapidly; the reason it is not in the records is that the symptoms are very mild compared to previous variants.

Which should be good news, but scary headlines make for more clicks.

Yeah, let's ignore that now even the CDC in the US is starting to regain their senses, and accepting the already well known fact that the scary Omicron is no more dangerous than a cold.

But some people who live in the edge of their seat, will probably never accept this fact and will continue to push for a zero risk policy to calm their own irrational anxiety.

The only thing the vaxxers and anti vaxxers have in common is that the vaccines will never end. It not suppose to end. Think about it. Live long and prosper.

virusrex

Vaccines have been properly tested, and work very nicely,

Is that why people need "booster shots" every few months? Because they work "very nicely"? I head plenty of vaccinations in my life, but never heard endless booster shots before.

And by the way, have we tests of what happens long term when your immune system gets endlessly "boosted" by repeated mRNA instructions? Please tell us.

Is that why people need "booster shots" every few months? Because they work "very nicely"? 

The lack of vaccination is the one that produce the appearance of variants, which were a well known complication to control the pandemic. Do you also feel antibiotics do not work just because a patient refuses to take them until he develop septicemia? because that is your position against the vaccines.

But even against variants the vaccines do reduce very importantly the risk of the worst complications and protect the people from hospitalization or death for example, that is definitely working much better than any option available. Right now boosters are recommended scientifically for people with special vulnerabilities that actually require the risk to be decreased importantly, for the majority of the population vaccination even without boosters cna be enough to avoid hospitalizations or worse.

And by the way, have we tests of what happens long term when your immune system gets endlessly "boosted" by repeated mRNA instructions? Please tell us.

Do you live in an sterile bubble? because if not that is the normal state of your immune system, that is endlessly stimulated by uncountable antigens during your daily life. And also, the option against vaccination (with a limited, controlled amount of antigen) would be having endless infections because the natural immunity is also short lived, the problem with infections is that the antigens come uncontrollably, with extra risks, and together with two dozen other proteins, some made specifically by the virus to mess up with your immune system.

The only thing the vaxxers and anti vaxxers have in common is that the vaccines will never end

That is false, vaccination and boosters are only necessary for as long as COVID represents a risk higher than background, once this level is reached there would not be any need.

And by the way, have we tests of what happens long term when your immune system gets endlessly "boosted" by repeated mRNA instructions? Please tell us.

Do you live in an sterile bubble? because if not that is the normal state of your immune system, that is endlessly stimulated by uncountable antigens during your daily life.

Yes, it is normal and natural for our immune system to be exposed to antigen, as with a natural infection. But it is very unnatural to have mRNA lipid nanoparticles to be injected directly into our body.

I think it is not "Asia" keeping it at bay, but Asian people. There are far fewer obese, drug addicted, heart disease suffering, people compared to Europe and North America. The same can be said for India and Africa. One would think that countries/areas where the vaccines are not available would see deaths in the hundreds of thousands, yet they do not.

Covid's severity seems based on lifestyle more than anything else. That and simple age. How else could a country like Japan, given the population density and relative tardiness of vaccination, show such good results?

Yes, it is normal and natural for our immune system to be exposed to antigen, as with a natural infection. But it is very unnatural to have mRNA lipid nanoparticles to be injected directly into our body.

Natural is not synonym of good, and many times is the opposite, the natural infection of COVID for example comes with immune system disregulation by proteins produced by the virus specifically for this. Which is why it is a much worse option to get immunity. The tetanus toxoid is artificial, the tetanus toxin is completely natural, it is obvious which one is the one anybody would prefer to have in their bodies.

Being constantly stimulated (even by mRNA mediated expression of foreign proteins) is part of the normal life, and as long as you can only replace boosters with repeated natural infections the least risky option will still be the boosters.

I guess being a completely healthy and happy 20 year old one day and then suddenly dying after getting a vaccine is also "part of the normal life."

What gave you the silly idea that covid is part of normal life? You do realize millions have died from it right?

@Strangerland, good point.

virusrex

Is that why people need "booster shots" every few months? Because they work "very nicely"?  And by the way, have we tests of what happens long term when your immune system gets endlessly "boosted" by repeated mRNA instructions? Please tell us.

virusrex

(In re: Is that why people need "booster shots" every few months? Because they work "very nicely"?)

The lack of vaccination is the one that produce the appearance of variants, which were a well known complication to control the pandemic.

Both the vaccinated and the unvaccinated get infected, and the virus (like al viruses) always mutates, hence both groups produce variants. What is your argument?

Do you also feel antibiotics do not work just because a patient refuses to take them until he develop septicemia? because that is your position against the vaccines.

This is not "my position", and this topic is not about antibiotics. Why do you change the topic?

But even against variants the vaccines do reduce very importantly the risk of the worst complications and protect the people from hospitalization or death for example,

Reduction of hospitalization is a different issue. The question to you was about the concept of open-ended booster shots (no. 4 in Israel right now...). Again, why do you change the topic?

(in re: And by the way, have we tests of what happens long term when your immune system gets endlessly "boosted" by repeated mRNA instructions? Please tell us.)

Do you live in an sterile bubble? because if not that is the normal state of your immune system, that is endlessly stimulated by uncountable antigens during your daily life.

And again, you are changing the topic. Yes, our immune systems constantly react to antigens from the outside. But our immune systems do not constantly receive mRNA instructions to produce artificial antigens all over the body. So again, pls answer the question.

Strangerland

(In response to: "I guess being a completely healthy and happy 20 year old one day and then suddenly dying after getting a vaccine is also "part of the normal life."

What gave you the silly idea that covid is part of normal life? You do realize millions have died from it right?

Are you saying that millions of completely healthy and happy 20 year olds suddenly died after getting Covid? That is not in the data I have seen. Can you tell us where you get the idea from?

I guess being a completely healthy and happy 20 year old one day and then suddenly dying after getting a vaccine is also "part of the normal life."

as normal as the same thing happening without any vaccine being involved. It does happen, and so as an argument you need to prove this risk is higher in vaccinated people than in unvaccinated ones, specially because then you have to include the risks associated with COVID.

Both the vaccinated and the unvaccinated get infected, and the virus (like al viruses) always mutates, hence both groups produce variants. What is your argument?

It is not my argument but the argument of the experts, that can demonstrate even partial immunity decreases very importantly the chance of a better adapted variant to survive (and be transmitted from the patient). Trying to make a "100 or else 0" false dichotomy is invalid, vaccines reduce very important this chance.

This is not "my position", and this topic is not about antibiotics. Why do you change the topic?

It is not a change of topic, just a way to easily demostrate you make up an imaginary standard only for vaccines that you don't apply to anybody else, these double standards make your argument invalid.

The same happens with the hospitalizations, your point completely depends on assuming no risk from COVID, which is obviously false, reduction of risk is the condition for boosting, so by design they represent less risk than not boosting, the moment no reduction of risk is demonstrated there is no need to do them at all. Pretending the risk from repeatedly being infected from COVID magically disappears just because it spoils your argument makes it obviously false.

And yes, your body constantly receive instruction to produce foreign antigens all the time, there is nothing artificial about the antigen itself, only the way to introduce the instructions. Every single day some virus do that to your cells, in your lungs, in your stomach, in your skin, etc. but here you are, unaware of this so much that you think it is not happening.