S Korea to raise COVID-19 restrictions to highest level in capital

More evidence (as if any more were needed) that the virus is here to stay and that lockdowns and other restrictions will only delay the inevitable infection of a portion of the population. Even with vaccine, we are seeing increasing evidence of virus infecting vaccinated people.

With any luck the powers that be will finally start paying attention and using real scientific data as opposed to the ridiculous "follow the science" hysteria that has been the norm so far.

Just asking here without an agenda (yet). What is the "follow the science" hysteria of which you speak?

I mean, you're absolutely correct that the virus will continue to evolve to escape the immune system.

The wholesale acceptance of the "facts" that lockdowns and masks and all are going to control/get rid of the virus. And many of the other restrictions and precautions that are now being demonstrated to have been not very scientific.

The only problem is the give-up attitude it all has turned into. While at the beginning it was declared a war on virus, implying that they probably had really understood that it’s a biological warfare (pres. Trump, Macron et. al.), now it has turned out, they all have understood nothing, done nothing, and now give it all up, open up everything finally (UK etc.) and tell we had to live eternally with it and give in, abiding to that new ‘life’ with waves of strong restrictions and slight releases. What a misunderstanding and mishandling of the situation for almost two years now and continuing.

iraira

Just asking here without an agenda (yet). What is the "follow the science" hysteria of which you speak?

It is continuous excuse to push a political agenda. Real science is a method and always open to discussion, not a religious dogma that must be protected with censorship.

You are welcome.

Hope the situation in both Japan and S Korea improves.

More evidence (as if any more were needed) that the virus is here to stay and that lockdowns and other restrictions will only delay the inevitable infection of a portion of the population. Even with vaccine, we are seeing increasing evidence of virus infecting vaccinated people.

Does this surprise you? lockdowns were never used as a permanent solution to the problem but a way to buy time to get the population immune with the least amount of preventable deaths as possible. Also vaccines are not 100% effective, so it is expected for some vaccinated people to be infected, what is true is that vaccinated people get infected less, complicate less and die less than non-vaccinated people, which is the whole purpose of vaccinating them.

The wholesale acceptance of the "facts" that lockdowns and masks and all are going to control/get rid of the virus. And many of the other restrictions and precautions that are now being demonstrated to have been not very scientific.

Masks and lockdowns (and many other non-pharmacological interventions) had proved effect in controlling the spreading, the mistake is in considering anything below 100% as if it had no use.

It is continuous excuse to push a political agenda. Real science is a method and always open to discussion, not a religious dogma that must be protected with censorship.

Science for COVID have had a continuous discussion, the problem for some people is that this discussion do not include baseless opinions or proven lies, there is nothing wrong with discarding pseudo-arguments based on false or imaginary things trying to pretend to be science, that is part of the process.

 with people in their 20s and 30s -- most of whom are not yet eligible for vaccinations -- driving up the numbers

So then what?

Under the new restrictions, set to come into force on Monday and last for two weeks, gatherings of more than two people will be banned after 6 pm and schools will be closed.

Under the new restrictions, set to come into force on Monday and last for two weeks, gatherings of more than two people will be banned after 6 pm and schools will be closed.

More baseless restrictions. If the vulnerable population is not yet vaccinated enough so that it can still overwhelm hospitals, then organize their vaccination. Otherwise those authoritative decisions are not acceptable anymore at this point.

The ongoing excuse to expand political power. And now, unsurprisingly, Pfizer is pushing for a 3rd shot. To be followed by a fourth and fifth, most likely. How much longer before populations resist.

Zaphod,

The need for boosters is unfortunately a necessity. It’s well-documented from numerous human challenge studies that resistance to prior exposure to coronaviruses wanes over time.

You can resist all you want. Do as you like. No one is forcing you to get the vaccine. The virus will continue to mutate, potentially into more virulent forms. Until a vaccine that trains our immune systems to hit the virus in highly conserved regions of its RNA, we’re going to be dealing with this. Rebellion and burning Pfizer to the ground does nothing to stop the virus.

The ongoing excuse to expand political power. 

To be clear, the right forcing private companies to give them a platform is legitimate apolitical grooviness, but reducing preventable deaths through vaccination is an illegitimate expansion of political power by... someone, for some purpose. Got it.

Presumably, since Trump headed "Operation Timewarp", or whatever, it's a push for political power by Trump and the GOP. Right? Have I understood that correctly?

The ongoing excuse to expand political power. And now, unsurprisingly, Pfizer is pushing for a 3rd shot. To be followed by a fourth and fifth, most likely. How much longer before populations resist.

What surprises you about a company that wants to sell more of their product? that is what companies do.

The important thing is that Pfizer do not have the science on its side, so until completely independent research from around the world supports the need of boosters this has no weight.

Trump stans: It's great that Trump got the vaccine out so quickly. Only Trump could get a safe and effective done so fast.

Also Trump stans: The vaccines were done too quickly and are unsafe. And it's Biden's fault.

The good news is that the death rate from the covid-19 in S. Korea is lower compared with the previous outbreaks because most vulnerable and aged people are now vaccinated at least once. The nationwide daily death rate once peaked at 40 last year, but it has been less than 5 during the past month: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/south-korea/