📍Worrisome new data—new B117 variant is not only more infectious, it’s potentially more infectious in children 0-9 (+24%) and 10-19 (+14%), and less among 60-79, compared to common strains. More sobering—the R estimate is much higher.
2) For R, various estimates range from 0.36 to 0.68 (higher R via more accurate sequenced virus samples, lower R estimate via shortcut PCR test w/ more data). This means every person infected w/ B.1.1.7 variant **infects additional +0.36 to +0.68 persons** than old strain. Wow.
3) To be clear, the graph shows the relative proportion of each age group for the B117 strain versus the *same age group* of the other strain, adjusted for geography & week. Thus its not just “school open” effect. It’s versus the common strain’s same age group, adjusted for time.
2) gene sequencing for finding the mutated virus is much slower and more expensive. But we need to test likely hundreds of thousands or millions to track down the new B117 variant. UK 🇬🇧 stumbled upon a short cut when it realized a special PCR can find mutated signal!
3) This special shortcut PCR test is called the Taqpath- and made by @thermofisher. They refuse to release the primer probe sequence to this shortcut test that can quickly find the 69-70 deletion of new B117 variant with the “S gene dropout” signal. @JoeBiden should invoke DPA.
BREAKING—33 countries now have identified the new B117 more contagious #SARSCov2 variant—including Turkey 🇹🇷 which found 15 people w/ new B117, all recent travelers from UK 🇬🇧. 40 countries now have UK travel limits. Worry is maybe too late. #COVID19 nytimes.com/2021/01/01/wor…
2) US, UK, Turkey, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Portugal, Singapore, S Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, & UAE.
3) First case of B117 was in Colorado, which now has 2 cases of it.
PANDEMIC CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY by @thermofisher—who is withholding the genetic formula to a critical PCR test probe that can be a lifesaving key **shortcut** test for new contagious #SARSCoV2 B117 variant w/out 🧬 sequencing. Faster test can save lives. Scientists are begging—🧵
2) Background— gene sequencing for finding the mutated virus is much slower and more expensive. But we need to test likely hundreds of thousands or millions to track down the new B117 variant. UK 🇬🇧 stumbled upon a short cut when it realized a special PCR can find mutated signal!
3) This special shortcut PCR test is called the Taqpath- and made by @thermofisher. They refuse to release the primer probe sequence to this shortcut test that can quickly find the 69-70 deletion of new B117 variant with the “S gene dropout” signal. @JoeBiden should invoke DPA.
BREAKING—Wisconsin pharmacist who intentionally ruined 500 doses of #COVID19 vaccine has now been arrested. Detectives believe he knew spoiled doses would be useless.
2) “arrested on suspicion of reckless endangerment, adulterating a prescription drug and criminal damage to property, all felonies. The pharmacist has been fired and police said in a news release that he was in jail.”
3) “His motive remains unclear. Police said that detectives believe he knew the spoiled doses would be useless and people who received them would mistakenly think they’d been vaccinated when they hadn’t.”
Analogy: “Drunk driving car accidents don’t kill people—metal and concrete kills people, & maybe their internal bleeding”
Wanna know what causes heart attacks in a 41 year old Congressman-elect w/ no risk factors? #COVID19 blood clots & #COVID19 oxygen deprivation. (HT @atrupar)
2) 40% of all COVID related deaths are due to Covid heart complications and direct heart damage.
3) To be clear, causation is multi factorial, but there is often an underlying key cause. That’s why death certificates can have UNDERLYING CAUSE OF DEATH codes and MULTIPLE CAUSE OF DEATH codes per deceased. COVID is often the underlying cause. Nosology is a whole field itself.