world

World passes 300 million COVID cases as Omicron breaks records

30 Comments
By Daniel Lawler

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© 2022 AFP

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


30 Comments

Comments have been disabled You can no longer respond to this thread.

@Jero Sakura, and what is your advice then? Let it spread? So billions could get infected and die like the black plague?

You should be thankful the vaccine has at least drastically reduce the casualties. And mandates did kept the more dangerous delta at bay. People seems to forgot just how bad it was 2 years ago when people were dropping like flies. Countless kids who lost their parent or guardian. You better pray there would not be another more lethal variant. Because we might not survive the next one.

6 ( +16 / -10 )

he media had sold us the information 

Why do those who for whatever see the 'media' as an evil force use the 'media' to spread their disinformation (often to try to frighten their fellow poorly educated) and in the above case use the 'media' to admit to having an inability to filter information that's been published somewhere.

If people do not like a free-press, they can always just read media allowed in China, North Korea, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE and other states where an authoritarian regime controls all information so those that had been subjectified by the regime can only learn things consistent with what they'd been taught by the regime.

6 ( +14 / -8 )

I think knowing the number of deaths attributed to omicron would be important. Is it a secret? I guess I must be crazy to ask such a thing.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

The media had sold us the information that being vaccinated, abiding to mandates and sticking with the protocols would "stop" the covid from spreading. I guess they were wrong.

Some poster here will tell you that you are wrong and I guess this poster wants to see evidence from you, when the media ever said that.

4 ( +16 / -12 )

Thanks China

4 ( +9 / -5 )

Following the protocols are just normal for me and we all have been living for several years with the virus now.

Even coming into very close contact with infected people (before vaccination) I managed to evade the illness.

After vaccination, my behavior hasn’t really changed.

Personally, I do not see Omicron as a threat and just do as I have always done whilst taking proper care of hygiene

3 ( +6 / -3 )

It wasn't the media who told us to get vaccinated and the pandemic would end, it was science, and yes they were wrong. But you know what, they have admitted it and have now said that we need to get boosted.

The "media" as many on the right want to blame usually only report what they are told, unless you are Fox News, then you just make stuff up.

This virus is changing and so is the science. I still believe what medical experts and scientists are saying, and the media as well.

On other point, I feel a lot of people blame the media, when in fact they get their news from Facebook and Twitter, which is definitely not the media!

2 ( +10 / -8 )

World passes 300 million COVID cases as Omicron breaks records

Omicron breaks records in 2022!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Jero Sakura - The media had sold us the information that being vaccinated, abiding to mandates and sticking with the protocols would "stop" the covid from spreading. I guess they were wrong.

It is you that is wrong! The media, or anybody else, never stated being vaccinated would stop the spread of the virus. Being vaccinated makes you less likely to end up in the ICU or dead. It does carry some resistance against being infected, but it is not a main point of being vaccinated.

The Spanish flu in 1915 took five years to mutate to an influenza virus and killed possibly as many as 100 million people. This was in the days before penicillin and vaccines. Covid is a very similar strain of virus to the Spanish Flu and SARS (H1 N1 A) and will eventually mutate itself out of existance. Until that time, people have to remain vigilant and do whatever is necessary to avoid contracting the virus. Lessening the effacts through immune system boosting vaccination is the only to combat the effects of this virus as an individual. Social distancing, border closures and wearing a mask are to protect the greater community.

1 ( +8 / -7 )

also do we expect it to now be found worldwide that around half of the COVID cases were people "with" COVID who went to the hospital for something else?

And what? Assuming your stats are right and not bent out of shape as usual, what is your point?

Why is a human being not like a machine if it’s spewing bloodborne viruses” 

nothing more than machines that should be regulated by the government at their whim. who should undergo scheduled maintenance with no free will. What’s next-humans are machines to be shut down when no longer of use? Or deactivated when they don’t work “correctly”?

You managed to take a quote out of context, invent a conspiracy then make a sci-fi movie out of it.

so yeah- destroying “humanity”.

Stop spreading 'fear'!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

No, I was just saying that it is misleading to say that infection cases (PCR positive) equals covid cases (disease, with symptoms).

That was not in your quote but the comment at 12:15, which is what I corrected. That is why deflecting into something that was not in your comment has no real importance.

Trying to misrepresent the importance of Omicron is what makes your statements problematic, Omicron has broken records because of the huge number of cases that it originates, that does not change.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

@Jero Sakura et al.

Yes, the media said these things but how many people worldwide are vaccinated?

Answer: proportionally not many outside of 'developed countries' and as long as this is the case even well vaccinated 'developed countries;' will be affected.

How many people stick to mandates and protocols? (do you?)

Answer: Not as many as needed looking at the wider world. I see photos/video of people without masks in for e.g. the UK/EU all the time which beggars belief and as for the US .... well just go to the section on 'politics' on CNN/FOX . No idea why they're talking about masks in the section on politics but there you have it and that's all that needs to be said on that.

People talk about the media saying this, that and the other but why not look at what many people are saying in the US about not wearings masks/not getting vaccinated/not socially distancing? The 'media' have blood on their hands but not as much as the people that spread misinformation.

The vaccine was never said to be 100% effective yet when a fully vaccinated (i.e. 2 shot at present maybe 3 soon) person gets the virus some people are all up in arms about how they were lied to. I'll say it again in case you missed it the first 1000+ times 'no vaccine is 100% effective'.

And things have changed with variants such as Delta and Omicron. These variants spread more easily i.e. faster. Going back to vaccines not being 100% ... as these variants spread more quickly/faster and no vaccine is 100% then it stands to reason more people will get the virus.

Which brings me to the next point.... the vaccine(s) reduce serious health issues and spread. So imagine what it would be like now if even less people had taken the vaccine(s). There would not only be more cases but there would be more serious illnesses and deaths.

Is this too much information to comprehend and digest?! If so, people who can't comprehend the simple logic in the simple sentences above need to stop and think about what they think they know or don't know before opening their mouths or typing.

/rant over. Don't know why I bother as if you can't wrap your head around some simple facts/data/statistics it's time to go back to school and review the basics.

On a more cheerful note .....For all those vaccinated and looking out for others by masking up and socially distancing nice work looking out for one another including that stranger with a family you sit next to on the train I say "Thank you".

The world has seen this, and worse, before and keeps on turning and this too will pass. So Happy New Year. Stay Safe. And have a great day one and all ! :-)

0 ( +9 / -9 )

How are things going in South Africa, where omicron was first detected?

https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/south-african-researchers-say-omicron-might-mark-end-covid-pandemic

0 ( +5 / -5 )

and show must go on.

one question-how many deaths were caused by Omicron?

just curious as i want to know if must be afraid from it?

pls stop spread fear among the people!

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Fear leads to irrational decisions.

Riiiight...

We shouldn't destroy humanity just so people don't ping positive on a test

'Destroy humanity"!! Stop creating fear about destroying humanity!

People having to stay at home for a few days and watch Netflix is Destroying Humanity!

Give your head a little wobble sir.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Omicron seems to be an ideal live attenuated virus vaccine, it should provide robust, broad, long lasting immunity.

Infection cases are still cases, there is no need for every infection to become symptomatic to make the original statement true. Specially because infection could bring other problems to the health even without acute COVID.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Infection cases are still cases, there is no need for every infection to become symptomatic to make the original statement true.

You seem to be responding to my other comment:

Yes, cases of infection (PCR positives) will shoot up with Omicron, but can we call those Covid cases? Doesn't Covid19 refer to the disease. Most people infected with Omicron will not even get sick, no symptoms.

Yes, I agree that "infection cases are still cases"... of infection. But my point was that the term covid refers to the disease. If someone has no symptoms, do they have a disease? Are they sick? I think not.

The title mentions 300 million covid cases. I think that is misleading. A more accurate title would have been 300 million people tested positive for SARSCoV2.

Specially because infection could bring other problems to the health even without acute COVID.

Many of those "problems to health" that some infected people have are similar to those resulting from vaccinations. So should we then include the number of vaccinated people to the number of "covid cases"?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

You seem to be responding to my other comment:

I am responding to assuming cases can only mean disease cases, which is not true, it can also mean infection cases, which is still an important thing to count.

But my point was that the term covid refers to the disease. If someone has no symptoms, do they have a disease? Are they sick? I think not.

The original comment you replied is "Omicron breaks records in 2022!" infection cases are also breaking records.

Many of those "problems to health" that some infected people have are similar to those resulting from vaccinations.

Except for them being much more numerous and serious, which invalidates completely that point The same professionals from South Africa that you have referenced before as a good source of information urge the people to get vaccinated to avoid those much higher risks from Omicron, that would mean you recognized they are right at contradicting your position (which makes sense, because that is the consensus of science).

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I think knowing the number of deaths attributed to omicron would be important. Is it a secret? I guess I must be crazy to ask such a thing.

If it doesn't help create fear...

Yes, the media said these things but how many people worldwide are vaccinated?

Answer: proportionally not many outside of 'developed countries'

And those countries with low vax rates seem to be doing better, for some reason.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Vaccines - flu or covid - do not give immunity and never have. They just increase your odds. So get your jabs.

Scientists rarely agree on much and have agendas too. No response to Covid can or should be based solely on science - the planet is not a lab and the cost of an experiment not working out is rather more than a lost grant. Whatever you think of politicians, you do not want to be led by any specific group of scientists.

The whole point of democracy is that we elect people to make choices informed by a range of advice from scientists, activists, economic players and citizens.

Some of the stats are questionable, the responses are better suited to past variants and are often clumsy and full of illogical glitches. Many actions have no rational basis in science, economics or medicine and are just political exploitation.

Any of you can choose to lock yourselves down for as long as you wish. You don't need a politician or a scientists to tell you to do it.

What is apparent, is that the longer we face restrictions, the more harm is done to the global economy, increasing social damage, political instability and poverty. Poverty kills far more people each year than covid and that number is growing. Covid is also distracting everyone from climate change mediation and causing increased loss of biodiversity in developing countries. If we do not start living with Covid soon, as we live with other viruses, and return to permitting individuals to pick their own level of risk, there will not be much left to save.

We are simply going to have to live in a world with a slightly higher first world mortality rate, and deal with it. It shouldn't be difficult - for decades the first world has happily ignored the much higher mortality rate in the developing world. Should we really be wrecking our society with virus restrictions just because first world deaths are now a bit higher than they were?

Get your jabs, protect yourself as you determine you need to, and get on with life.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

yes, destruction of “humanity”

today a far leftist “justice” on a court posed this question.

Why is a human being not like a machine if it’s spewing bloodborne viruses” 

nothing more than machines that should be regulated by the government at their whim.

who should undergo scheduled maintenance with no free will.

What’s next-humans are machines to be shut down when no longer of use? Or deactivated when they don’t work “correctly”?

so yeah- destroying “humanity”.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

also do we expect it to now be found worldwide that around half of the COVID cases were people "with" COVID who went to the hospital for something else?

do you think so, or is the USA an exception and maybe the only ones doing this?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

What has this to do with refuting a comment that says "Omicron breaks records in 2022"? saying infections are not cases, they are, and infections by Omicron ARE breaking records.

No, I was just saying that it is misleading to say that infection cases (PCR positive) equals covid cases (disease, with symptoms).

The WHO and others make it clear that covid refers to the disease.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

If it doesn't help create fear...

pls stop spread fear among the people!

What is it with you people and 'fear'?

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

You seem to be responding to my other comment:

I am responding to assuming cases can only mean disease cases, which is not true, it can also mean infection cases, which is still an important thing to count.

Do you have any basis for this, because according to the WHO (and CDC and others):

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

300 million people did not have coronavirus disease.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

What has this to do with refuting a comment that says "Omicron breaks records in 2022"? saying infections are not cases, they are, and infections by Omicron ARE breaking records.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

The media had sold us the information that being vaccinated, abiding to mandates and sticking with the protocols would "stop" the covid from spreading. I guess they were wrong.

-3 ( +15 / -18 )

Northern Germany had the lowest infection rates in Germany until the highly contagious Omicron set in - now infection rates are rocketing sky-high. We also have a decent vaccination rate and, by nature, do not hug and kiss each other at every instance. So, hospitalizations are still workable and death rates are for the non-vaccinated.

What do we learn from this? Get your shots, keep a distance and wear a mask. For now, it's working.

Me, being boostered but at risk due to numerous ailments, will keep to the old Krupps' song: "Isolation is for me the only way to be free"

Isolation is liberation, my friends!

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

How are things going in South Africa, where omicron was first detected?

Same as in the rest of the world, vaccinated people doing much better than unvaccinated people.

Some poster here will tell you that you are wrong and I guess this poster wants to see evidence from you, when the media ever said that.

What is irrational about asking for proof of something that is easy to prove as false? variants were parts of the warnings from the very beginning, trying to misrepresent the situation as if variants were not important or the scientists never considered them is actual proof of an intent to mislead. Because by this point it is more than obvious this is false.

-5 ( +6 / -11 )

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites