New Covid variant named Mu

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

So all 40 Million... knuckle dragging... Mouth breathing... Less than 6 foot elbow rubbers... up there on your high horse.

It's one thing to describe 40 million Americans as you do, incredibly demeaning and rude, but leave the paniolos out of it.

[TomK]

Mu may have been around since January (I'm assuming in it's origin country) but it was not discovered in Los Angeles until June.  That the WHO only just added it to their list of VOIs on August 30th made it worthy of discussion IMHO.

Sorry, but most people who want to bring up a topic to discuss don't start by making a dishonest, deceitful, and untrue claim about what they want to be discussed. There are far better ways to start a discussion.

[AaronM]

"Although a lot about the Mu variant is unknown right now, initial studies suggest the strain is more resistant to antibodies from the vaccines currently on the market."

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/...21256619v2

It might be time to start being proactive with these new variants by getting ahead of the curve. You know preparing for the worst yet praying for the best? Or we could just keep our heads in the sand. To each his own.

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"Researchers in Japan have warned that the Mu (B.1.621) variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – appears to be highly resistant to neutralization by sera from convalescent or vaccinated individuals."

https://www.news-medical.net/news/202109...-sera.aspx

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"Pfizer CEO says a vaccine-resistant coronavirus variant is 'likely' to emerge"

"Bourla added that Pfizer could produce new versions of its vaccine to combat a variant within three months of its discovery."

https://www.insider.com/pfizer-ceo-vacci...ely-2021-8

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Now some will say that the words "initial studies suggest" and "appears to be highly resistant" are not definitive enough for them to be concerned. Those people have a right to their opinion.

[kalakoa]

start being proactive with these new variants by getting ahead of the curve

Perhaps by getting vaccinated, or moving to a "natural immunity" state like Florida or Texas?

words ... not definitive enough for them to be concerned

Depends who is using the words, and how big their armchair is.

If only one creates and mutates a more deadly strain of COVID

There is an upper limit on fatality simply because it's not in the virus' best interest to kill its hosts.

[TomK]

"Now some will say that the words "initial studies suggest" and "appears to be highly resistant" are not definitive enough for them to be concerned.  Those people have a right to their opinion.

What is it that compels you to put words in other people's mouths?

[randomq]

I think it's important to separate the alarmist headlines from the facts available, particularly since there are people on the fence about vaccination looking for any bit of information to convince them one way or the other. Mu has been in South America since January and the Vaccines are still protecting people:

https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20210909...variant-qa

When we talk about vaccine escape, we have to be very careful to specify this is escape from infection, not from serious disease. Even against the most vaccine resistant variant out there, the vaccines still protect against disease.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/scien...h-to-worry

The COVID-19 vaccines—Pfizer, Astra Zeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Sinovac, all of which are available in Colombia—still seem to offer good protection against Mu

I think it's our responsibility to ensure our family and friends get the best information possible, and encouragement to get vaccinated. It's shocking to me that there is literally peer pressure and shaming among locals to not get vaccinated. We have to push back against that.

[AaronM]

By pushing back with peer pressure and shaming to get vaccinated?

[randomq]

Unfortunately yes. Particularly when the anti-vaxxers are spreading FUD and disinformation. I wouldn't shame a friend that's just misinformed, but I would shame an anti-vaxxer that is out in public misleading others.

I don't expect to change your mind, but I want others reading these threads to get good information, and know there are plenty of people (the majority in Hawaii) that do support them getting the vaccine and protecting their families.

[AaronM]

Majority rules I guess. Have fun with that.

[kalakoa]

By pushing back with peer pressure and shaming to get vaccinated?

Perhaps you would prefer a government edict, or restrictions applied to non-essential activities?