Thread by @drjanaway

The #OmicronVariant , #COVID19, mandatory #masks and #vaccination; A thread of hope.

It has been a hard two years. Over 5 million have died, and daily new cases in the UK are over 40,000, with a much lower death rate than before. We can be thankful for this, but must think hard.

If we go back to the major waves, the death rates were much higher. There are multiple reasons for this, including a lower level of natural and vaccine-mediated resistance, and higher death rates in susceptible populations. The virus killed the most at risk.

We know this. Older age, obesity, ethnicity, presence of cancer, or other chronic issues all raised the risk. Although the overall death risk was small, higher risks in large populations still added up. For me, a 33-year-old, it's low, but for my grandma, the risk is intolerable.

Then came the public health measures. No single one is 100% effective, but by the rules of large numbers, even a small reduction in the risk of spread means much less death overall. It also means fewer infections, less chance of mutation.

We were pushed to create vaccines, and through extensive tests the mRNA spike technology, a wonder, was created. This drove down death rates significantly, as well as infections. As a result most serious cases, including deaths, were reserved for those who did not get a vaccine.

But there came conspiracy marked with politic and cash. Charlatans spread rumours of hoaxes, risk, overinflated adverse event rates, missed noting simple things like comparing lives saved vs risk of death, and the public were confused and manipulated.

This was not all in bad faith. Many who opposed vaccines and masks had good reasons, or believed that they did. They looked out for others. Some just wanted to capitalise on the power provided by fear. Others did it because of their insecurity and narcissism.

With the relaxation of public health measures, we have seen numbers grow. But thanks to vaccines alongside some natural immunity, the number of infections is not as predictive of death as before. But this can change.

Although we have, for better or worse, weathered the storm that has been #covid19 thus far, there is always a chance that our denial and complacency can bring another wave, or spread a vaccine-resistant variant. As of now with #Omicron, we don't know.

I know we are tired. I know some of us feel this is personal, a restriction of freedoms, or a hoax. But any ICU doctor will tell you the opposite. Millions of graves suggest otherwise. The ultimate loss of freedom is death, and perhaps not for you, but for the vulnerable.

If you were to ask a three-year-old if she would wear a mask to protect grandma, she would say 'yes.' If you were to ask a ten-year-old to protect someone on the bus, she would say yes. But you ask some 30' year olds, and the answer is no.

This is not about power from power or restriction from a government. Unfortunately, we have a tyrannical set of nepotists at the helm, but it does not mean that the public health measures they are pushing are wrong. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

There is no victory in masculine delusion, in the idea of a mask or vaccine reflecting weakness, it reflects empathy, giving and alturism. It tells others that you care for the unknown, if not your own family. It sucks, but survival is not all sunshine and rainbows.

So please, keep going. A mask a day keeps the virus away, a vaccination saves respiration, and social distance in the first instance. We can work together to save lives, to reduce the risk of variants, to prevent the undoing of years.

There is no hoax, 5g cause, de-vaccination or secret plan. No microchip, or mind control. Ivermectin is not a cure, nor the deepstate the cause. China is not after you, nor is Bill Gates. And no, masks do not suffocate you, and if they do, you already have a significant problem.

Please retweet. And if you feel angry enough to post a scathing reply below this, or mock me, feel free to do so. Use your anger, displace it, if time tells me I am wrong then I will be taught. But insults mean little when lives are saved.