BlackMask Breaking News

United States to follow. 200,000 new omicron infections per day in the UK now.

https://youtu.be/jOzYOvUQE1I

(Reuters) – The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the findings and that has yet to be certified by peer review. Omicron multiplies faster in airways, slower in lungs Major differences in how efficiently Omicron and other variants of the coronavirus multiply may help predict Omicron’s effects, researchers said on Wednesday. Compared to the earlier Delta variant, Omicron multiplies itself 70 times more quickly in tissues that line airway passages, which may facilitate person-to-person spread, they said. But in lung tissues, Omicron replicates 10 times more slowly than the original version of the coronavirus, which might contribute to less-severe illness. A formal report of the findings is under peer review for publication and has not been released by the research team. In a news release issued by Hong Kong University, study leader Dr. Michael Chan Chi-wai said, “It is important to note that the severity of disease in humans is not determined only by virus replication” but also by each person’s immune response to the infection, which sometimes evolves into life-threatening inflammation. Chan added, “By infecting many more people, a very infectious virus may cause more severe disease and death even though the virus itself may be less pathogenic. Therefore, taken together with our recent studies showing that the Omicron variant can partially escape immunity from vaccines and past infection, the overall threat from Omicron variant is likely to be very significant.” Omicron grips cells more tightly, withstands some antibodies A structural model of how the Omicron variant attaches to cells and antibodies sheds light on its behavior and will help in designing neutralizing antibodies, according to researchers. Using computer models of the spike protein on Omicron’s surface, they analyzed molecular interactions occurring when the spike grabs onto a cell-surface protein called ACE2, the virus’s gateway into the cell. Metaphorically, the original virus had a handshake with ACE2, but Omicron’s grip “looks more like a couple holding hands with their fingers entwined,” said Joseph Lubin of Rutgers University in New Jersey. The “molecular anatomy” of the grip may assist in explaining how Omicron’s mutations cooperate to help it infect cells, Lubin added. The research team also modeled the spike with different classes of antibodies trying to attack it. The antibodies attack from different angles, “like a football team’s defense might tackle a ball carrier,” with one person grabbing from behind, another from the front, Lubin said. Some antibodies “appear likely to get shaken off” while others are likely to remain effective. Booster vaccines raise antibody levels, resulting in “more defenders,” which might compensate to some extent for “a weaker grip of an individual antibody,” Lubin said. The findings, posted on Monday on the website bioRxiv ahead of peer review, need to be verified, “particularly with real-world samples from people,” Lubin said. “While our molecular structure predictions are by no means a final word on Omicron, (we hope) they enable a faster and more effective response from the global community.” Four in 10 infected people may unknowingly spread virus Infected people who show no symptoms might be contributing significantly to transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, given that they account for 40.5% of confirmed infections worldwide, according to a study published online Tuesday in the journal JAMA Network Open. The researchers pooled data from 77 earlier studies involving a total of 19,884 individuals with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections. They found that among infected people in the general community, about 40% were asymptomatic, as were 54% of infected pregnant women, 53% of infected air or cruise travelers, 48% of infected nursing home residents or staff and 30% of infected healthcare workers or hospitalized patients. The pooled percentage of asymptomatic infections was about 46% in North America, 44% in Europe and 28% in Asia. “The high percentage of asymptomatic infections highlights the potential transmission risk of asymptomatic infections in communities,” wrote Min Liu and colleagues at Peking University in China. Officials should screen for asymptomatic infections, and those who are identified “should be under management similar to that for confirmed infections, including isolating and contact tracing.” NN: Prepare yourself shutdowns are coming. It is the height of insanity.If it were not for Christmas governments would be more aggressive. Thieir will be hell to pay in January..

(Reuters) – New York City this week said it will join a growing list of U.S. cities banning natural gas hookups in new buildings. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Thursday as part of his State of the City address that New York will “ban new fossil fuel connections in new construction by at least 2030.” That follows moves to ban new hookups by several cities in California, including Berkeley and San Francisco, and in the U.S. Northeast as part of a local movement away from fossil fuels and toward cleaner forms of energy to stop global warming. Municipal bans, however, have been met by legislation in several states, including Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Mississippi and Missouri that prevents cities from prohibiting new gas hookups. De Blasio said New York City will establish intermediate goals in the short-term and seek to ensure the ban does not negatively affect renters and low-income residents. NN: Insanity…… Their is no logic to support this decision.  A bunch of tree hugers against fossil fails have another shoot yourself in the dick mindless decision

GENEVA (Reuters) – Preliminary evidence indicates that COVID-19 vaccines may be less effective against infection and transmission linked to the Omicron coronavirus variant, which also carries a higher risk of reinfection, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday. The WHO, in its weekly epidemiological update, said that more data was needed to better understand the extent to which Omicron may evade immunity derived from either vaccines or previous infection. “As a result of this, the overall risk related to the new variant of concern Omicron remains very high,” it said, echoing comments made by WHO officials at an online briefing on Tuesday. For the first time since the dominant Delta variant was classified as a variant of concern in April, the percentage of Delta sequences registered on the GISAID global science database has declined this week compared with other variants of concern, it said. This needs to be interpreted with caution as countries may perform targeted sequencing for Omicron and therefore upload fewer sequences on all other variants, including Delta, it said. The Delta variant is still dominant, however, accounting for 99.2% of the almost 880,000 sequences uploaded to GISAID with specimens collected in the last 60 days. But the trend is declining in the proportion of Alpha, Beta and Gamuma, and with the emergence of Omicron variant. Out of the total, some 3,755 – or 0.4% – were Omicron and the other three variants of concern together numbered 401, less than 0.1% each. NN: Its a unknown. We just do not know what we are facing. So the way i play the game is take the maximum precautions. And as we learn more i can adjust the measures we are taking.

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Washington, DC, December 14, 2021-The Producer Price Index for final demand increased 0.8% in November, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Final demand prices moved up 0.6% in each of the three prior months.

On an unadjusted basis, the final demand index rose 9.6% for the 12 months ended in November, the largest advance since 12-month data were first calculated in November 2010.

In November, the index for final demand services rose 0.7% and prices for final demand goods increased 1.2%.The index for final demand less foods, energy, and trade services moved up 0.7% in November, the largest rise since climbing 0.8% in July. For the 12 months ended in November, prices for final demand less foods, energy, and trade services increased 6.9%, the largest advance since 12-month data were first calculated in August 2014.

LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces a large rebellion among his Conservative lawmakers on Tuesday in a parliamentary vote over new restrictions to try to curb the spread of the new Omicron coronavirus variant.The measures, including ordering people to work from home, to wear masks in public places and use COVID-19 passes to enter some venues, are expected to be approved by parliament but with Johnson relying on the opposition Labour Party for votes. It’s yet another blow to a prime minister already under pressure over reported parties in his Downing Street office last year when such gatherings were banned, a pricey refurbishment of his apartment and the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. Many of his lawmakers say the restrictions are draconian, with several questioning the introduction of vaccination certification, dubbed COVID passports, to enter some venues, such as night clubs. Others are using the votes as an opportunity to vent their anger at Johnson, believing the man who helped the Conservatives win a large majority at a 2019 election is squandering the party’s successes by self-inflicted missteps and gaffes. But despite the grumblings of discontent, Conservative Party insiders say there is not enough of a groundswell against Johnson to dislodge him now, with no potential challenger commanding enough support to replace him. “Boris on a bad day is better than any of the other wannabes on a good day,” said one veteran Conservative. Lawmakers are due to start consecutive votes on the measures in turn from 1830 GMT. The government says the measures are necessary to stem the spread of Omicron, which accounts for more than 40% of infections in London and is expected to become the dominant strain in the British capital. One person has died after contracting the variant and 10 people have been hospitalised with Omicron across England. Ministers are moving to try to win over the Conservative rebels, saying that people who have not been double-jabbed can instead offer proof of a negative lateral flow test to gain access to indoor venues of more than 500 people. But several are not convinced. “It is quite wrong that people should be expected to produce what is essentially a health ID card before they can access services that should be available to all,” said Conservative lawmaker and former minister, David Jones. “People should certainly be encouraged to have the vaccine … but ultimately people have to take responsibility for their own health,” he told Reuters. NN: Reality is we just do not know how severe the new Omicron mutation is. And that is what fuels the debate. Proactive or reactive.It is conclusive the covid infections spread through the travel and leisure industry. And the flying incubation tubes are mas spreader events. But the trillion dollar industry wants the world to become reactive. If they were smart they would realize 2 weeks of a travel stop would put out the fire. In their greed they guarantee themselves months of escalating travel restrictions……

LONDON (Reuters) -Sterling traded lower on Monday as Britain braced for a “tidal wave” of the Omicron coronavirus variant and investors took the view the Bank of England would keep interest rates on hold to assess its economic impact before tightening monetary policy. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned of an incoming surge in infections and said at least one patient had died in the United Kingdom after contracting the Omicron variant. Before the death was announced, Britain said 10 people had been hospitalized with the Omicron variant in various parts of England. Their ages ranged from 18 to 85 years and most had received two vaccination doses. Health Secretary Sajid Javid also told parliament that the variant was spreading swiftly and would become the dominant variant in the British capital in the next 48 hours. BoE policy makers meet on Thursday to decide whether to tighten monetary policy to keep inflation in check but the resurgent COVID-19 pandemic has prompted traders to price in a status quo rather than a rise in interest rates. “Markets do not expect the Bank of England to move given the economic uncertainties created by omicron”, UBS Global Wealth Management Chief Economist Paul Donovan wrote in a note. The government wants to offer all adults a booster by New Year, an ambitious target because the Christmas holiday is approaching and vaccinating 1 million people per day is around double the current rate of 530,000 per day. The pound fell 0.30% to $1.3231 and was down 0.07%at 85.34 pence against the euro. Pressure on the pound is also due to political risk. Johnson faces a rebellion in his Conservative Party over measures to curb the spread of the Omicron variant and an outcry over alleged parties at his Downing Street office during last year’s lockdowns. “We now believe there is a 40% probability that Johnson is replaced at some point next year”, analysts at Eurasia group estimated.Since the first Omicron cases in the United Kingdom were detected on Nov. 27, scientists have lifted the COVID-19 alert level to four on a five-point scale and Johnson has imposed tougher restrictions. The Omicron variant, reported in more than 60 countries, poses a “very high” global risk, with some evidence that it evades vaccine protection, the World Health Organization says. NN: We are deferentially in uncharted territory. And the natives are not friendly.Now we need to find out if we are facing bow\and arrows or tanks.