CORONA Main Coronavirus thread

marsh

On TB every waking moment
(Italy)


Italy to Restrict Unvaccinated More with Introduction of ‘Super Green Pass’
A bar owner shows a valid Green Pass on the VerifyC19 mobile phone application in central Rome on August 6, 2021, as Italy made the Green Pass, which is an extension of the EU's digital Covid certificate, required from today to enter cinemas, museums and indoor sports venues, or eat …
ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP via Getty Images
CHRIS TOMLINSON25 Nov 2021146

The Italian coalition government under Prime Minister Mario Draghi has approved a new decree restricting the activities of unvaccinated people and creating what has been called a “Super Green Pass”.

Italy’s current vaccine passport system, known as the Green Pass, is eligible for those who have taken a Wuhan coronavirus vaccine, have recovered from the Chinese virus, or have tested negative for Covid-19 within a certain timeframe.

But the new “Super Green Pass” will only be granted to those who are considered fully vaccinated and those recovered from the virus, a report from the Italian news agency ANSA stated, with the country’s council of ministers approving the degree on Wednesday.

Those with the Super Green Pass will be allowed to engage in various activities, such as indoor dining, sports, and other activities, while unvaccinated people would be barred, even in regions that are deemed low-risk, according to the country’s colour-code system.

If a region goes into the most severe colour code — red — then all people, regardless of vaccination status, will have restrictions imposed. That means that all non-essential shops will be closed and other non-essential services will be halted, much like they were before the introduction of the vaccine passport system.

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Matteo Bassetti, head of Infectious Diseases at the San Martino hospital in Genoa, commented on the new decree, telling newspaper Il Giornale: “This decision aims at two objectives: to make the places where the new measure will be applied safer and to encourage vaccinations. It’s a way to motivate people to immunise themselves.”

The newspaper notes that there have been several other changes in the Super Green Pass, including making the Super Green Pass only valid from December 6th to January 30th in low-risk zones, which will mean that only those with the pass will be able to stay in hotels during the holiday season, as well as enter bars and restaurants.

Vaccine mandates will also be introduced for teachers, school staff, health service administration workers, police, and member of the Italian armed forces. Workplaces that require the basic Green Pass will still be allowed to present negative coronavirus tests.

National-Conservative Brother of Italy (FdI) leader Giorgia Meloni, the head of the only major party in opposition to Draghi’s grand coalition government, slammed the new decree.

“Draghi and [Health Minister Roberto] Speranza admit that they were mocking Italians when they promised that using the government pass even to work would ensure freedom. They do not exclude the extension of the state of emergency, they still change the duration of the Green Pass without providing any scientific data, and there is no doubt about vaccination of children,” Meloni said on Facebook.

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“We would expect excuses and acceptance that the strategy used so far hasn’t worked, but it hasn’t worked out that way,” she added, and claimed Draghi was introducing “more penalties and more restrictions on citizens’ rights, no concrete intervention to solve the structural problems Italy has been burdened with since the beginning of the pandemic”.

The introduction of the Green Pass to workplaces last month spark protests, some of them turning violent. Earlier this month, the government raided the homes of anti-vaccine passport protesters, arguing that dangerous elements were attempting to cause violence and chaos at demonstrations.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment
(Europe)


COVID-19: WHO Says Countries Should Have ‘Healthy Debate’ About Mandatory Vaccination
BYJOE MARTINO
NOVEMBER 25, 2021

shutterstock_1908980524-800x500.jpg
Image By Sonia Bonet via Shutterstock
IN BRIEF
  • The Facts:
    • Robb Butler, executive director for WHO Europe, feels countries need to have healthy debate around mandating vaccines for all.
    • He feels that every single person in every country needs to be vaccinated.
    • Science indicates vaccines don't stop transmission or infection, manking vaccine mandate policy out of touch with science.
  • Reflect On:
    Why is there constant fear associated with COVID without presenting statistics like infection fatality rate which indicate only a small subset of the poulation is at risk to COVID?
Pause - set your Pulse...
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The World Health Organisation suggests countries should begin having a healthy conversation about COVID-19 vaccines.

Robb Butler, executive director for WHO Europe, said during an interview with Sky News “Mandatory vaccination can, but doesn’t always increase uptake.”

He added:
“There are lessons of history here where mandates have come at the expense of trust, social inclusion. So it is very delicate, but we believe it is time to have that conversation, from an individual and population-based perspective.”
Robb Butler, executive director for WHO Europe
As we head into winter months, cases are rising again in Europe, pushing people like Butler to offer comment. But if we have learned one thing since the beginning of vaccine rollout, vaccines wane, and many physicians agree that not everyone in the poulation should be vaccinated nor needs to be, so why is policy always focused on mandates?

By February in Austria, if people are not vaccinated they can face fines or even jail time. We’re already seeing these policies play out and they are clearly authoritarian. Further, they seem out of touch with science and reality.

For example, a new Lancet study, “Community transmission and viral load kinetics,” looked at the transmission of COVID-19 among the vaccinated vs. unvaccinated indicated.

When it comes to the Delta variant in both the vaccinated and unvaccinated in the UK, both were just as likely to spread COVID-19 in their household.

The vaccinated also had a similar viral load as the unvaccinated.
“Although vaccines remain highly effective at preventing severe disease and deaths from COVID-19, our findings suggest that vaccination is not sufficient to prevent transmission of the Delta variant in household settings with prolonged exposures.”
Lancey Study – Community transmission and viral load kinetics
Vaccines we’re using today were designed for the Alpha variant. But the primary variant now is the Delta, and the paper indicated that the current vaccines are not effective at reducing transmission of the Delta variant.

This raises questions about the necessity for vaccine mandates. Why mandate something that does not stop infection or transmission, but is instead merely a drug for symptom management? Do we want to cross the line and set a precedent for mandating a drug?

Keep in mind, the overall infection fatality rate of COVID remains low globally. Some portions of the population are more vulnerable, while others (like children), face almost no risk from COVID, including longhaul COVID.

A study from July 2021 by John P.A. Ioannidis concluded that,
“Across all countries, the median IFR in community-dwelling elderly and elderly overall was 2.4% (range 0.3%-7.2%) and 5.5% (range 0.3%-12.1%).
IFR was higher with larger proportions of people >85 years.
Younger age strata had low IFR values (median 0.0027%, 0.014%, 0.031%, 0.082%, 0.27%, and 0.59%, at 0-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60-69 years).”
This data indicates that your chances of dying from COVID if you are infected with it, in the following age groups is:

0-19 = 0.0027%
20-29 = 0.014%
30-39 = 0.031%
40-49 = 0.082%
50-59 = 0.27%
60-69 = 0.59%
70+ = 2.4%

That said, people with multiple comorbidities are more vulnerable to COVID, something that has been clear since the beginning of the pandemic. People with comorbidities like heart disease, obesity, diabetes, immune system illnesses etc, should have more focused protection.

Helping them manage their comorbidites also goes a long way in preventing death from COVID.

When it comes to long haul COVID, children were found to experience it significantly less than adults. Long haul COVID can be as simple as it taking a week or so longer to get over COVID, or as extreme as having symptoms like brain fog or fatigue stick around for many weeks. the rate of long haul COVID appears to be about 2% in children, but with little clarity about how common more extreme cases are.

Yet, governments are rolling out vaccine programs for kids who are at virtually no risk from COVID. According to the data above, a child has a 0.0027% of dying from COVID, it’s almost immeasureable. Instead of putting children at risk with these vaccines, money spent on these doses could be better spent handing out vitamin D to the more vulnerable or educating the more vulnerable to manage their comorbidities.

Policy is instead, “vaccinate everyone” which provides a false sense of security and lines the pockets of pharmaceutical companies, the largest government lobby that exists – bigger than Big Oil.

Regardless of the statistics and the clear indication that vaccines are only helpful for a subset of the population who are vulnerable, Robb Butler from the WHO feels that “what we need is every member of society vaccinated.”

Our society is faced with a deep moment of questioning. Can we take a step back, beyond the fear, beyond the voices of the ‘authority’ who have been platformed at all costs, and ask: what is really happening here? How can we stand side by side, not against each other, and make sense of what is going on?

This of course would require us to set aside pajoratives like ‘anti-vaxxer’ and simply look at what the story tells us. This is a moment calling for emotional regulation, a look at our bias’ and an engagement in asking questions that can lead us in a direction of unity as opposed to war.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

Dr. Peter McCullough: Booster Shot So Much Worse Than First 2 Doses [VIDEO]

BY ZACH HEILMAN
NOVEMBER 25, 2021

Dr. Peter McCullough has been at the forefront of the battle for the truth surrounding COVID-19, Big Pharma’s jabs, and the government’s responses to the so-called pandemic since the beginning.

In the video below, he recalls an entertaining story of his flight from Florida to Texas where he encountered a couple, one of which had just recently taken one of the COVID booster jabs.

WATCH:
https://tv.gab.com/media/619f87a44d...=cee64811-61ea-4ed0-b020-56106820bf6e&r=1080p 1:09 min

“I flew here this morning from Florida. And I sat next to a couple. And they were looking at my slides as I was working on them/ You know, people kind of look on the airplane.

And they said, they said, Well, are you a COVID? Expert? I thought, well, yeah, sort of. And then the woman was sitting in the middle, she was thinner, you know, how do you know southwest when you kind of negotiating? So she said in the middle, and the husband was inside, and he was kind of in a fetal position. He didn’t look too good. And she said, well, my husband just took the booster. And I said, oh. So I had a chance to talk to him when he kind of was in semi-conscious, you know, he kind of came up and I said, Well, what does it feel like? I said, is it you know, is it about the same as shot one and shot two? He goes, it’s so much worse. And I said, Well, what do you mean? He goes, Well, you know, I’ve got fever, I feel terrible. I got body aches, and he goes, and the ringing in my ears is incessant, a headache. And the wife is like why? And I said, well, it must be that it makes sense wherever the local production of the spike protein is. Those are the organs that are being damaged. We know that there are great concerns regarding the spike protein and where it goes in the body.” – Dr. Peter McCullough


The short clip above was taken from a longer speech given by Dr. Peter McCullough at the Texas COVID-19 Summit. You can see the full speech below.

Rumble video on website 40:12 min
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

New Botswana variant with 32 'horrific' mutations is the most evolved Covid strain EVER and could be 'worse than Delta' — as expert says it may have emerged in an HIV patient
  • Only 10 cases of the strain — dubbed B.1.1.529 — have been spotted to date
  • Variant has 32 mutations, many of which suggest it is more vaccine resistant
  • Scientists warn the variant could be worse 'than nearly anything else about'
By LUKE ANDREWS HEALTH REPORTER FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 11:11 EST, 24 November 2021 | UPDATED: 22:33 EST, 25 November 2021

50921751-10238113-image-a-456_1637891404790.jpg


British experts have sounded the alarm over a new Covid variant believed to have emerged in Botswana that is the most mutated version of the virus yet.

Only 10 cases of the strain, which could eventually be named 'Nu', have been detected so far.
But it has already been spotted in three countries, suggesting the variant is more widespread.
It carries 32 mutations, many of which suggest it is highly transmissible and vaccine-resistant, and has more alterations to its spike protein than any other variant.

Professor Francois Balloux, a geneticist at University College London, said it likely emerged in a lingering infection in an immunocompromised patient, possibly someone with undiagnosed AIDS.

Changes to the spike make it difficult for current jabs to fight off, because they train the immune system to recognise an older version of this part of the virus.

Dr Tom Peacock, a virologist at Imperial College who first picked up on its spread, described the variant's combination of mutations as 'horrific'.

He warned that B.1.1.529, its scientific name, had the potential to be 'worse than nearly anything else about' — including the world-dominant Delta strain.

Scientists told MailOnline, however, that its unprecedented number of mutations might work against it and make it 'unstable', preventing it from becoming widespread.

They said there was 'no need to be overly concerned' because there were no signs yet that it was spreading rapidly.

Three infections have been detected in Botswana to date and six in South Africa — where variant surveillance is more robust.

One case has also been spotted in a 36-year-old man in Hong Kong who recently returned from the continent.

There are no cases in Britain. But the UK Health Security Agency, which took over from Public Health England, said it was monitoring the situation closely.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said the variant was 'not seen as something that is an issue' for the UK at present.

(Long article with graphs and videos here: New Botswana variant with 32 'horrific' mutations
 

TammyinWI

Talk is cheap
Loss of Medical Staff due to Mandatory Vaccines Affecting Care of Children in Wisconsin Critically Injured in Parade Attack as ERs Nationwide Begin to Close

By Brian Shilhavy
Editor, Health Impact News


18 children were injured, some critically, in the recent Christmas parade attack in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

Local news is reporting that Wisconsin’s largest Children’s hospital is having a difficult time caring for these children due to medical staff shortages caused by a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, and their refusal to honor most religious exemption requests.

WISN News Talk 1130 reports:

Wisconsin’s largest children’s hospital has been struggling to care for patients in the wake of the Waukesha Christmas Parade attack in large part because of staffing issues stemming from its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, multiple sources tell “The Dan O’Donnell Show.”
18 children were brought to the Children’s Wisconsin Milwaukee Hospital with injuries suffered when a driver plowed into parade-goers Sunday afternoon. One of those children was among the six people killed when he succumbed to his injuries Tuesday afternoon. Several of the young victims remain in critical or serious condition, and sources say the hospital simply did not have enough nurses or support staff to adequately handle the sudden rush.
“It was a nightmare,” said one nurse, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she is not authorized to speak on the record. “We just don’t have enough people and [supervisors] were frantically calling in everyone they could, but it wasn’t enough. We are taking care of everyone the best we can, but it’s hard.”
A high-ranking official at Children’s, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said the hospital currently has hundreds of open positions and attributes much of the staffing shortage to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
The Children’s Wisconsin website lists 239 open positions at its Milwaukee hospital and more than 450 across all of its campuses.
Religious exemption requests were due September 15, and The MacIver Institute reported that more than 70 percent of them were denied.
On October 14, Children’s was forced to close its Delafield clinic until the end of December because of severe staffing shortages.

“This is because of the mandate,” one source said flatly. “People either quit because their exemptions were denied or didn’t even bother to apply. They just started looking for other jobs.”
A nurse who was working Sunday night said the staffing shortage was so severe that even Children’s President and CEO Dr. Peggy Troy was working the Emergency Department floor.
“I know it was partly ceremonial to say ‘We’re all in this together,’ but it was also because we just needed all the help we could get,” the nurse explained. “Dr. Troy was there until at least 2 am.”

The shortages continue, the nurse said, and are so severe that she and other nurses who volunteer to work an additional 12 hours over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend will be given $4,500 bonuses.
The hospital official confirmed that administrators were giving out $1,000 bonuses to get nurses and other employees to work Sunday night into Monday morning.

Children’s Wisconsin has not yet responded to a request for comment on its staffing issues or the desperate measures it has undertaken to deal with the sudden influx of new, seriously injured patients.
This nursing shortage is not unique to Children’s, as hospitals across the country have reported significant issues since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the issue seems to have been dramatically exacerbated once hospital systems began requiring employees to be vaccinated. (Source.)
This follows a trend nationwide where Emergency Rooms are beginning to close down due to staffing issues and so many medical staff being fired or quitting due to the COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

This week it was announced that Mount Sinai South Nassau-operated Long Beach Emergency Department in New York was forced to close after more than 70 of their staff who had “temporary religious exemptions” to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate were denied their exemptions and fired.

NBC News 4 reports:

The Mount Sinai South Nassau-operated Long Beach Emergency Department was forced to close Monday afternoon due to nursing staff shortages occurring as a result of the state vaccine mandate, according to the hospital.
The decision to temporarily close the facility, the only emergency room in the 50,000 resident city of Long Beach, was made after all other options were exhausted, according to the hospital.
A hospital official said an ambulance will be stationed around the clock at the closed location for the duration of the closure to take patients in need of emergency care to the hospital’s main campus in Oceanside — a trauma center designated facility five miles away, which takes about 15-20 minutes to reach by car.
The hospital said that the staffing shortage and subsequent closure is a result of the hospital’s compliance with the NYSDOH’s mandate issued Thursday which requires the suspension of any staff working under temporary religious exemptions who cannot show proof of receiving a first dose of COVID-19 vaccination or a valid medical exemption from receiving it.
The hospital lost six dozen employees. According to the hospital, all were unvaccinated but working with a religious exemption — an exemption that ended last week. Some of these six dozen employees are ER nurses who the hospital said are not easily replaced due to training and other factors, the hospital went on to say.
The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) was notified of the need to close the free-standing Long Beach Emergency Department (LBED) on Friday and granted verbal approval, according to Mount Sinai South Nassau. The emergency department, which sees about 10,000 visitors annually, will be closed for at least a month.

Here are some more media reports of ERs and hospitals closing down around the country due to staffing shortages.

ED service to remain closed at Catholic Health Orchard Park center amid staffing shortages
Catholic Health’s Mercy Hospital of Buffalo (N.Y.) will keep the emergency department at the Mercy Ambulatory Care Center in Orchard Park, N.Y., closed for the next several weeks, the health system announced Nov. 18.
Nursing shortage forces Syracuse’s biggest hospital system to shut down 20% of patient beds

Continued here:

 
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marsh

On TB every waking moment
war room.JPG

‘Nu’ Super Covid Variant Originated Out Of Botswana 3:08 min

‘Nu’ Super Covid Variant Originated Out Of Botswana
Bannons War Room Published November 26, 2021 [Dr. Robert Malone]

^^^^

Malone: Signs Point To Highly Infectious New Variant Not Resistant To The Vax 3:54 min

Malone: Signs Point To Highly Infectious New Variant Not Resistant To The Vax
Bannons War Room Published November 26, 2021

*******

The Vaccine Has Possibly Created Recent Mutation 2:29 min

The Vaccine Has Possibly Created Recent Mutation
Bannons War Room Published November 26, 2021

********

We’re Back To Square One Right Now 3:19 min

We’re Back To Square One Right Now
Bannons War Room Published November 26, 2021 (Dr. Peter Navarro]

**********
Whole show segment
Episode 1,441 – Malone, Navarro On Vaccine Resistant Variants/Supervirus 54:14 min

Episode 1,441 – Malone, Navarro On Vaccine Resistant Variants/Supervirus
 
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Reactions: bev

Heliobas Disciple

TB Fanatic
This is moving very rapidly. Just this morning Fauci said no travel ban yet and within a few hours they ordered it. Here is a video of Fauci discussing the variant with CNN this morning. I am assuming, ymmv, that the questions he was given were scripted because they're too 'perfect' and I doubt this anchor thought these up on her own. So this is the script they want to introduce to the public.


VIDEO OF INTERVIEW WITH FAUCI THIS MORNING ON CNN:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdgeEm0u2qM

BRIANNA KEILAR ONE-ON-ONE WITH DR ANTHONY FAUCI
12 min 52sec
 
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Heliobas Disciple

TB Fanatic


MORE ON THIS:

(fair use applies)

Omicron COVID variant: US banning travel from South Africa, 7 other African nations by non-US citizens
by: The Associated Press
Posted: Nov 26, 2021 / 02:25 PM EST / Updated: Nov 26, 2021 / 02:29 PM EST


NANTUCKET, Mass. (AP) — Starting Monday, the United States will ban travel from South Africa and seven other African nations by non-US citizens due to a new COVID-19 variant.

The risks of the variant, called omicron, are largely unknown. But the World Health Organization has called it a “variant of concern” and governments around the world are not waiting for scientists to better understand the variant to impose flight bans and other travel restrictions.

“As a precautionary measure until we have more information, I am ordering additional air travel restrictions from South Africa and seven other countries,” President Joe Biden said. “These new restrictions will take effect on November 29. As we move forward, we will continue to be guided by what the science and my medical team advises.”

Earlier Friday, European Union nations agreed to impose a ban on travel from southern Africa to counter its spread. The 27-nation bloc acted within hours upon the advice of the EU executive, which said all countries needed to be extra cautious in dealing with the variant until it was clear how serious a threat the variant posed.

The U.K. also banned flights from South Africa and five other southern African countries and announced that anyone who had recently arrived from those countries would be asked to take a coronavirus test.

The moves have renewed a debate over whether flight bans and other travel restrictions work to prevent the spread of new variants. Some say at best the restrictions can buy time for new public health measures to be put in place. At worst, they do little to stop the spread and give a false sense of security.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said it strongly discouraged imposing travel bans on people coming from countries where the variant was reported.

Do travel restrictions slow the spread?

They might buy countries more time to speed up vaccination and introduce other measures, like masking and social distancing, but they are highly unlikely to prevent the entry of new variants, said Mark Woolhouse, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of Edinburgh.

“Travel restrictions can delay but not prevent the spread of a highly transmissible variant,” he said.

Johns Hopkins University infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja says the travel restrictions only give the public a false sense of security and should stop being the “knee-jerk” reaction by public officials. Adalja noted imposing restrictions makes politicians “look as if they’re doing something” but doesn’t make sense when countries now have countermeasures such as rapid tests and vaccines.

Meanwhile, Sweden’s chief epidemiologist, Anders Tegnell told a local news agency said he does not believe that a travel ban would have any major effect, other than for countries with direct flights to the affected areas.

“It is basically impossible to keep track of all travel flows,” Tegnell told the Expressen newspaper.

Could it be different this time?

Jeffrey Barrett, director of COVID-19 Genetics at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, thought that the early detection of the new variant could mean restrictions taken now would have a bigger impact than when the delta variant first emerged.
“The surveillance is so good in South Africa and other nearby countries that they found this (new variant), understood it was a problem and told the world very fast about it,” he said. “We may be at an earlier point with this new variant so there may still be time to do something about it.”

However, Barrett said harsh restrictions would be counter-productive and that the South African officials should not be punished for alerting the world to the new variant. “They’ve done the world a service and we must help them, not penalize them for this.”

What does science say?

Sharon Peacock, who has led the genetic sequencing in Britain at the University of Cambridge, said any decisions to restrict travel were political decisions, not scientific ones. She emphasized that there was still great uncertainty about the new variant, including whether it is actually more infectious or deadly. Although some of the mutations detected appeared worrying, she said there is still no proof that the new variant is any more lethal or transmissible than previous versions.

“It’s possible to keep infection out, but you would need very, very severe restrictions and only some countries would be willing to do this,” she said.

“Buying time is important and worthwhile, but this is a decision for policymakers,” she said. “At the moment, we won’t have any definitive scientific answers for a few weeks.”

What about economic impacts?

If there’s anything the global economy didn’t need, it’s more uncertainty.

A new highly transmissible coronavirus poses an economic as well as a health risk, threatening to disrupt the global economic recovery and worsen supply chain bottlenecks that are already pushing prices higher. Markets plummeted around the world over worries about the variant — and reaction from political leaders.

“The most worrying thing about the new strain at the moment is how little we know about it,’’ said Craig Erlam, senior market analyst for the currency trading firm OANDA.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

Missouri judge tosses COVID-19 health orders, calling them ‘naked lawmaking by bureaucrats’

BY JEANNE KUANG
UPDATED NOVEMBER 24, 2021 10:27 AM

As Missouri hits a wall in vaccinations, prompting a rapid spread of the deadlier COVID variant, health officials have turned to a painstaking and personalized outreach efforts. BY JILL

A Missouri judge has tossed out local health orders issued to slow the spread of COVID-19, in another restriction on the authority of public health officials this year.

Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled Monday that the orders, derived from a state health department rule allowing local public health agencies to issue orders to control the spread of disease, were unconstitutional. Green said the department did not have the authority to “permit naked lawmaking by bureaucrats across Missouri.”

Many of these rules, such as mask mandates and business capacity restrictions, have already been lifted. But Green also barred health departments from making any future rules — including quarantine requirements for school children.

“This case is about whether Missouri’s Department of Health and Senior Services can abolish representative government in the creation of public health laws, and whether it can authorize closure of a school or assembly based on the unfettered opinion of an unelected official,” Green wrote. “This Court finds it cannot.”

Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s office, which represented the state, indicated that it will not appeal the decision. Schmitt, who is running for U.S. Senate, has sought to overturn mask mandates in Kansas City, St. Louis and local school districts.

“We’re aware of the Court’s ruling and are prepared to enforce compliance with the Court’s order across the state,” spokesman Chris Nuelle said.

Many of the rules Green struck down were already limited this year by passage of a new state law that requires local public health rules to be approved by governing bodies such as county councils.

The state’s new health director, Don Kauerauf, said earlier this year that law “haunts” him and that he worried about eroding trust in public health officials. DHSS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling.

Jackson County’s last COVID-19 health order, a mask mandate, was lifted by the county legislature this month. Spokeswoman Marshanna Smith said the county could not comment on whether the ruling would impact its response to COVID or future public health emergencies.

“We are aware of the Cole County Circuit Court’s decision and are reviewing it now,” she said.

The ruling came in a lawsuit brought against COVID-19 health orders last year by St. Louis-area resident Shannon Robinson, Church of the Word and Satchmo’s Bar and Grill, a Chesterfield restaurant that had fought St. Louis County’s indoor dining restrictions.

The Satchmo’s owner, Ben Brown, is now running for a state Senate seat.

Green wrote that state law only gives DHSS the authority to identify infectious diseases and issue rules to control their spread, not local departments. The department’s rules delegating power to local health agencies date back decades and cover numerous other infectious diseases.

Early in the pandemic last year, Gov. Mike Parson refused to issue statewide business restrictions or a mask order, deferring to local agencies to set their own COVID-19 response rules.

But Republican lawmakers, angry at the restrictions some counties set, passed the public health law this year, and Parson signed it in June, agreeing that “there’s freedoms that outweigh consequences.”
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment
(Australia)


Aboriginals hunted by military…
Posted by Kane on November 26, 2021 12:15 pm
Rumble video on website 9:55 min
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment
(South Africa/Netherlands)


Passengers stuck on plane from South Africa as ‘super-mutant’ Covid panic spreads…
Posted by Kane on November 26, 2021 12:33 pm
View: https://twitter.com/i/status/1464209556855267341
.41 min

Passengers stuck on plane from South Africa as ‘super-mutant’ Covid panic spreads

Passengers on board two KLM flights from South Africa have been forbidden from disembarking at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. With authorities fearing the spread of the new variant of Covid, all on board are being tested.

The two flights touched down in Schiphol Airport on Friday morning, but passengers face a long wait to disembark, NOS reported. All 600 passengers will be given PCR tests and will have to remain on the plane or elsewhere in the airport until their results come back, with the final result expected around 8.30 on Friday evening.

The order was given shortly before the flights touched down, taking both crew and passengers by surprise.

“The Johannesburg flight and also our Cape Town flight cannot enter the Netherlands without any restrictions,” one of the pilots can be heard telling passengers on a video that appeared on social media. “What that means…that is what they are finding out right now.”

SOURCE

View: https://twitter.com/i/status/1464221274587205633
.45 min
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment
(Israel)


Israel is freaking out… Mass Vaccination Program could be worthless against new Variant…
Posted by Kane on November 26, 2021 1:22 pm

Israel warns of ‘emergency’ after detecting new virus strain

JERUSALEM (AP) — Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Friday that Israel is “on the threshold of an emergency situation” after authorities detected the country’s first case of a new coronavirus variant and barred travel to and from most African countries.

The Health Ministry said it detected the new strain in a traveler who had returned from Malawi and was investigating two other suspected cases. The three individuals, who had all been vaccinated, were placed in isolation.

A new coronavirus variant has been detected in South Africa that scientists say is a concern because of its high number of mutations and rapid spread among young people in Gauteng, the country’s most populous province.

At a Cabinet meeting convened Friday to discuss the new variant, Bennett said it is more contagious and spreads more rapidly than the delta variant. He said authorities were still gathering information on whether it evades vaccines or is deadlier.

“We are currently at the threshold of an emergency situation,” he said. “I ask everyone to be prepared and to fully join in the work around the clock.”

The government later said that all countries in sub-Saharan Africa would be considered “red countries” from which foreign nationals are barred from traveling to Israel. Israelis are prohibited from visiting those countries and those returning from them must undergo a period of isolation.

The Israeli military will work to locate all individuals who have been to red countries within the past week and instruct them to go into isolation while testing is carried out, it said.

SOURCE
 
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Heliobas Disciple

TB Fanatic
Here we go. New booster shipped out within 100 days. That brings us to early March. By then panic will have already ensued and there will be no choice but to lockdown. Ignore at your own peril - ie: get ready now. Avoid the rush like we all did back in March 2020 because we were weeks ahead of the mob discussing this here on this thread. This IS coming.


(fair use applies)

Pfizer/BioNTech expect data on shot's protection against new COVID-19 variant soon
By Ludwig Burger
November 26, 20211:31 PM EST Last Updated 2 hours ago
  • Looking for signs that warrant a vaccine redesign
  • BioNTech says it understands experts' concerns
  • BioNTech, Pfizer in effort to establish relaunch routine
FRANKFURT, Nov 26 (Reuters) - BioNTech SE (22UAy.DE) said on Friday it expects more data on a worrying new coronavirus variant detected in South Africa within two weeks to help determine whether its vaccine produced with partner Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) would have to be reworked.

Pfizer and BioNTech said that if necessary they expect to be able to ship a new vaccine tailored to the emerging variant in approximately 100 days.

"We understand the concern of experts and have immediately initiated investigations on variant B.1.1.529," BioNTech said in a statement when asked to comment.

"We expect more data from the laboratory tests in two weeks at the latest. These data will provide more information about whether B.1.1.529 could be an escape variant that may require an adjustment of our vaccine if the variant spreads globally," it added.

Escape variants are those that elude the targeted immune response brought about by vaccination. Pfizer and BioNTech would be able to redesign their shot within six weeks and ship initial batches within 100 days, BioNTech added.

BioNTech ADRs gained 14.2% to close at $348 on Friday and Pfizer shares gained 6.1% to close at $54.

Pfizer and BioNTech have already created versions of their established mRNA-based vaccine - based on the original virus found in the Chinese city of Wuhan - to target the so-called Alpha and Delta variants, with clinical trials ongoing.

Those efforts are not meant to yield commercial products; the exercise is carried out to establish a routine with regulators that will help speed up any future vaccine relaunch.

Analysts at Evercore ISI said data from Qatar on another recent variant showed a high level of initial efficacy by current vaccines that faded significantly four months after dosing.

Johnson and Johnson (JNJ.N) said it is also closely monitoring emerging strains of COVID-19 and is testing the effectiveness of its shot against the new variant.
 

Heliobas Disciple

TB Fanatic
(fair use applies)

A New Covid Variant Is Triggering Travel Restrictions Worldwide. What to Know.
Last Updated: Nov. 26, 2021 at 2:42 p.m. ET First Published: Nov. 26, 2021 at 5:39 a.m. ET
By Pierre Briançon

Starting on Monday, the U.S. will restrict travel for non-U.S. citizens from South Africa and seven other countries, according to media reports citing senior officials from the Biden administration.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The other affected countries are Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi, according to media reports. The decision comes less than three weeks after the U.S. lifted pandemic travel restrictions on visitors from more than 30 countries.

A newly identified, heavily mutated coronavirus strain is spreading in a few countries including South Africa. Health experts are worried that the variant might prove vaccine-resistant and possibly spread faster than previous mutations.

Many European and Asian governments are already imposing new restrictions for travelers from those countries. The U.K., Germany, Italy, and Singapore imposed bans on entry from South Africa and neighboring African states on Friday.

The European Commission urged EU member states to suspend all air travel from South Africa and other countries affected by the variant and to force “strict quarantine rules” on travelers returning from the region.

The strain, known as B.1.1.529, is “the most worrying that we’ve seen,” according to Dr. Susan Hopkins, the chief medical advisor to the U.K. Health and Security Agency. It has reproduction number of 2, meaning that each sick person, on average, infects two other people.

According to a South African scientist, 90% of the cases in the Gauteng region around Johannesburg are due to the new strain.

Hong Kong and Israel officials said they had already identified cases of the new variant in travelers that had been to South Africa.

The first European case of the new variant was detected Friday in Belgium
, where Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke confirmed to reporters that it had been identified in an unvaccinated person who traveled from abroad.

Nearly 100 sequences of the variant have been reported, and early analysis shows it has “a large number of mutations” requiring further study, World Health Organization spokesman Christian Lindmeier said. The WHO is due to meet Friday to decide whether to classify the new variant as one “of interest” or, more seriously, “of concern.”

The WHO cautioned against rushed travel bans and “recommends that countries continue to apply a risk-based and scientific approach when implementing travel measures,” Lindmeier told reporters.

The variant’s spike protein, through which the virus attacks human cells, is different from the coronavirus first detected in Wuhan, China, in 2019, with more than 30 mutations.

“We do know that mutations could lead to the emergence and spread of even-more-concerning variants of the virus that could spread worldwide within a few months,” European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said.

U.K. health minister Sajiv Javid said in a speech to Parliament that the strain posed “substantial risks” for public health as it “may be more transmissible than the Delta variant.”

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Friday that the country was “on the verge of a state of emergency” as he imposed a ban on travel to and from most of Africa.

BioNTech (ticker: BNTX), the German biotech company that developed the Covid vaccine marketed by Pfizer, (PFE), said Friday that it had “immediately initiated investigations” on the variant, which “differs significantly from previously observed” strains. would take two weeks to assess whether its shot works against the B.1.1.529 variant.

It added that the two companies “have taken actions months ago to be able to adapt the mRNA vaccine within six weeks and ship initial batches within 100 days,” if the need arises of a variant-specific vaccine. More data from the lab should be expected within two weeks, it said.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

A Scared Nu World: Here's What We Know About The New COVID Strain

FRIDAY, NOV 26, 2021 - 09:20 AM'

Summarizing of our post from last might (which we urge everyone to read) for those who are just now waking up to the global chaos resulting from the B.1.1.529 variant, which today got the Greek letter designation Omicron, skipping the widely expected letter Nu (and certainly the one following it, Xi), here is what we know, courtesy of Newsquawk, Credit Suisse and Citi.
Background
  • Regarded as the most heavily mutated variant of the Coronavirus, thus far, as it has 32 mutations in the spike protein and 50 overall. More specifically, scientists have highlighted that there are 10 mutations vs 2 in the Delta variant regarding the receptor binding domain, which is the portion of the virus that makes initial contact with cells.
  • The Nu variant was identified 5 days ago initially in Botswana with subsequent confirmation and sequencing in South Africa with about 100 confirmed cases. Cases have been detected in Israel and Hong Kong and as of this morning, in Belgium.
  • Sequencing data suggests 8.1.1.529 has a different evolutionary pathway, but shares a few common mutations with the C.1.2, Beta and Delta variants.
  • That said, as we cautioned last night, a significant number of mutations may not necessarily be a ‘negative’ as it is dependent on how these mutations function, which scientists are yet to establish. Then again, since it is the job of science to fearmonger so that Pfizer can buy an even bigger yacht, assume it will be "very very horrifying" until proven innocuous.

Is it more deadly
  • It is currently too early to determine if the new variant has higher mortality than previous variants. Reported cases only started rising in South Africa on 19 November, so any impact on hospitalizations and COVID-related deaths will not have yet emerged.
Testing and Detectability
  • Tulio de Oliveria, the Director of the Centre for Epidemic Response & innovation (CERI), South Africa, has written that the variant can be detected by a normal PCR test and as such it will be "easy for the world to track it". It wasn't immediately clear if this is one of those "excess false positive PCR tests" but it's safe to assume for now that it is.
  • According to Credit Suisse, "one silver lining may come in the ease of identifying this variant via qPCR tests. B.1.1.529 has a deletion within the s-gene which can be identified easily via widely-used PCR tests. More complex sequencing analysis is needed to differentiate the delta variant. This will help track the spread of B.1.1.529, both within Southern Africa and across the globe."
How widespread is it
  • As of Thursday there were almost 100 cases detected in South Africa, where it’s become the dominant strain among new infections. Early PCR test results showed that 90% of 1,100 new cases reported Wednesday in the South African province that includes Johannesburg were caused by the new variant, according to de Oliveira.
  • In neighboring Botswana, officials recorded four cases on Monday in people who were fully vaccinated. In Hong Kong, a traveler from South Africa was found to have the variant, and another case was identified in a person quarantined in a hotel room across the hall. Israel has also identified one case in a man who recently traveled to Malawi. Belgium has also reported two new cases.
  • According to de Oliveira, this new variant, B.1.1.529 "seems to spread very quick! In less than 2 weeks now dominates all infections following a devastating Delta wave in South Africa (Blue new variant, now at 75% of last genomes and soon to reach 100%)"
1637961927391.png1637961968821.png

Transmission
  • Oliveria, explains that the new variant is spreading very quickly, in under two-weeks it is now dominating all infections in South Africa following the Delta waves domination – writing that it the variant is “now at 75% of last genomes and soon to reach 100%”.
  • Additionally, the virus contains mutations that have been seen in other variants and appear to make transmission easier.
  • Outside of Africa, two cases have been reported in Hong Kong, one from a traveller from the region and another who was quarantining in the adjacent hotel room. Most recently, a case has been reported in Israel.
  • In response to this, the UK has placed much of southern Africa on the red list, with Israel India, Japan and Singapore also taking similar measures. Additionally, EU Commission President von der Leyen is to propose activation of the emergency air brake, to halt travel from southern Africa.
Vaccines
  • It is too early to accurately determine the vaccine response to the new variant. However, the significant number of variants increase the likelihood that current vaccines, which were designed with the original COVID-19 strain in mind, may be less effective.
  • Known variants include those that make it more challenging for antibodies to recognise their presence.
  • Laboratory testing is already underway according to the South Africa National Institute for Communicable Diseases Initial thoughts from the institute are that partial immune escape is likely, a view that seems possible given the numerous mutations in comparison to the sequence that existing vaccines were designed against. The first view on this to be from in vitro immunogenicity test or perhaps from computer modelling of the sequence. Credit Suisse estimates initial lab data could take less than 1 week to generate given the sequence is already known and work is already ongoing.
New Vaccine Would be Available in 100 days
  • According to Pfizer, if a vaccine-escape variant emerges, the company expects to develop, produce a tailor-made vaccine against that variant in 100 days.
Impact of efficacy of existing drugs antibodies is unknown.
  • There have been significant advances in treatment of COVID since it emerged in the disease waves of 2020: the use of widely-available steroids, and anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Roche's Actemra have significantly improved survival outcomes.
  • More recently, antibody therapies targeting COVID (LLY, REGN/Roche, AZN) have significantly improved outcomes against COVID variants to date. It will need to be seen if their efficacy is equal against the new B1.1.529 variant.
  • Lastly the recent positive data from oral anti-viral agents (PFE, MRK/Ridgeback) may also have the potential to slow the spread of any new waves of COVID. The effectiveness of these treatments against new variants of concern will need to be tested, but lab results should be expected relatively quickly. In-human studies should also yield results relatively quickly if they are run in areas where the prevalence of 8.1.1.529 is high.
What's next
  • According to Citi, concern over Nu needs to be balanced against the failure of other concerning variants such as Beta (also first identified in Africa) to out-compete delta.
  • The next two weeks will be critical to: (i) determine whether Nu outcompetes delta in high delta prevalence countries (2-3 weeks), (ii) engineered pseudoviruses for Nu to determine neutralization by serum of vaccination and previously infected patients (2-4 weeks), and (iii) real world data to determine rates of hospitalisation and death (c. 6-8 weeks). The implementation of travel restrictions and public health measures may push back some of the above timeline estimates. Novel oral anti-virals should retain activity against Nu but resistance may emerge with time.
 

Heliobas Disciple

TB Fanatic
Looks like it's not going to be labeled Nu. It's been designated as OMICRON. And the WHO has now officially designated it a concern.

The press release from the WHO page:

(fair use applies)

Classification of Omicron (B.1.1.529): SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern
26 November 2021

Statement

The Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE) is an independent group of experts that periodically monitors and evaluates the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and assesses if specific mutations and combinations of mutations alter the behaviour of the virus. The TAG-VE was convened on 26 November 2021 to assess the SARS-CoV-2 variant: B.1.1.529.

The B.1.1.529 variant was first reported to WHO from South Africa on 24 November 2021. The epidemiological situation in South Africa has been characterized by three distinct peaks in reported cases, the latest of which was predominantly the Delta variant. In recent weeks, infections have increased steeply, coinciding with the detection of B.1.1.529 variant. The first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on 9 November 2021.

This variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning. Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other VOCs. The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa. Current SARS-CoV-2 PCR diagnostics continue to detect this variant.

Several labs have indicated that for one widely used PCR test, one of the three target genes is not detected (called S gene dropout or S gene target failure) and this test can therefore be used as marker for this variant, pending sequencing confirmation. Using this approach, this variant has been detected at faster rates than previous surges in infection, suggesting that this variant may have a growth advantage.

There are a number of studies underway and the TAG-VE will continue to evaluate this variant. WHO will communicate new findings with Member States and to the public as needed.

Based on the evidence presented indicative of a detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology, the TAG-VE has advised WHO that this variant should be designated as a VOC, and the WHO has designated B.1.1.529 as a VOC, named Omicron.

As such, countries are asked to do the following:
  • enhance surveillance and sequencing efforts to better understand circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants.
  • submit complete genome sequences and associated metadata to a publicly available database, such as GISAID.
  • report initial cases/clusters associated with VOC infection to WHO through the IHR mechanism.
  • where capacity exists and in coordination with the international community, perform field investigations and laboratory assessments to improve understanding of the potential impacts of the VOC on COVID-19 epidemiology, severity, effectiveness of public health and social measures, diagnostic methods, immune responses, antibody neutralization, or other relevant characteristics.
Individuals are reminded to take measures to reduce their risk of COVID-19, including proven public health and social measures such as wearing well-fitting masks, hand hygiene, physical distancing, improving ventilation of indoor spaces, avoiding crowded spaces, and getting vaccinated.

For reference, WHO has working definitions for SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Interest (VOI) and Variant of Concern (VOC).
A SARS-CoV-2 VOI is a SARS-CoV-2 variant:
  • with genetic changes that are predicted or known to affect virus characteristics such as transmissibility, disease severity, immune escape, diagnostic or therapeutic escape; AND
  • that has been identified as causing significant community transmission or multiple COVID-19 clusters, in multiple countries with increasing relative prevalence alongside increasing number of cases over time, or other apparent epidemiological impacts to suggest an emerging risk to global public health.
A SARS-CoV-2 VOC is a SARS-CoV-2 variant that meets the definition of a VOI (see above) and, through a comparative assessment, has been demonstrated to be associated with one or more of the following changes at a degree of global public health significance:
  • increase in transmissibility or detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology; OR
  • increase in virulence or change in clinical disease presentation; OR
  • decrease in effectiveness of public health and social measures or available diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

New York ER Closes As Employees Refuse To Comply With Vaccine Mandate

FRIDAY, NOV 26, 2021 - 02:15 PM
Authored by Steve Watson via Summit News,

An emergency room in a hospital in New York ceased operation as staff walked out, refusing to go along with the COVID vaccine mandate.



A statement released by the Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital notes that workers were given an ultimatum to either get vaccinated or be banned from coming to work.

A significant number of staff chose the latter, leading to the ER in Long Beach to shut down.

1637962309649.png

“The Emergency Department in Long Beach operated by Mount Sinai South Nassau, will be closed temporarily as of 3 PM today due to nursing staff shortages,” the statement announced.

It continues, “The staffing shortage and closure of the LBED is a result of the Hospital’s compliance with the NYSDOH’s mandate… requiring the suspension of all staff working under temporary religious exemptions who could not show proof today of receiving a first dose of COVID-19 vaccination or a valid medical exemption from receiving it.”

“We regret having to take this step but the safety of our patients is always our No. 1 priority,” the statement continues, adding “This closure should not be interpreted as anything beyond what it is – a temporary measure designed to relieve current staffing challenges in our Emergency Department.”

Reports have suggested that the ER is set to reopen after the shortages were resolved, however the incident highlights the impact that enforced vaccination is having on health services.

Presumably those workers who continue to refuse to comply with the mandate will simply be replaced by new workers who will.

1637962365986.png

The vaccine mandate for health workers was announced in August by the New York State Department of Health, with religious exemptions on the whole not being granted.

The latest closure of this emergency room comes as nurses and officials at the Children’s hospital where all the kids injured in the horrific Waukesha car attack were taken revealed that treatment is being hampered by a staff shortage brought on by the COVID vaccine mandate.
 
Here we go. New booster shipped out within 100 days. That brings us to early March. By then panic will have already ensued and there will be no choice but to lockdown. Ignore at your own peril - ie: get ready now. Avoid the rush like we all did back in March 2020 because we were weeks ahead of the mob discussing this here on this thread. This IS coming.


(fair use applies)

Pfizer/BioNTech expect data on shot's protection against new COVID-19 variant soon
By Ludwig Burger
November 26, 20211:31 PM EST Last Updated 2 hours ago
  • Looking for signs that warrant a vaccine redesign
  • BioNTech says it understands experts' concerns
  • BioNTech, Pfizer in effort to establish relaunch routine
FRANKFURT, Nov 26 (Reuters) - BioNTech SE (22UAy.DE) said on Friday it expects more data on a worrying new coronavirus variant detected in South Africa within two weeks to help determine whether its vaccine produced with partner Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) would have to be reworked.

Pfizer and BioNTech said that if necessary they expect to be able to ship a new vaccine tailored to the emerging variant in approximately 100 days.

"We understand the concern of experts and have immediately initiated investigations on variant B.1.1.529," BioNTech said in a statement when asked to comment.

"We expect more data from the laboratory tests in two weeks at the latest. These data will provide more information about whether B.1.1.529 could be an escape variant that may require an adjustment of our vaccine if the variant spreads globally," it added.

Escape variants are those that elude the targeted immune response brought about by vaccination. Pfizer and BioNTech would be able to redesign their shot within six weeks and ship initial batches within 100 days, BioNTech added.

BioNTech ADRs gained 14.2% to close at $348 on Friday and Pfizer shares gained 6.1% to close at $54.

Pfizer and BioNTech have already created versions of their established mRNA-based vaccine - based on the original virus found in the Chinese city of Wuhan - to target the so-called Alpha and Delta variants, with clinical trials ongoing.

Those efforts are not meant to yield commercial products; the exercise is carried out to establish a routine with regulators that will help speed up any future vaccine relaunch.

Analysts at Evercore ISI said data from Qatar on another recent variant showed a high level of initial efficacy by current vaccines that faded significantly four months after dosing.

Johnson and Johnson (JNJ.N) said it is also closely monitoring emerging strains of COVID-19 and is testing the effectiveness of its shot against the new variant.
Notice this is from Reuters. Reuters’ previous CEO is now on the Board of Pfizer. No collusion here.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

WHO Classifies "Omicron" As A "Variant Of Concern"; South Africa Lashes Out At Travel Restrictions

FRIDAY, NOV 26, 2021 - 12:58 PM
Update (1255ET): And with minutes to go before the market close, the WHO has just confirmed that it has just confirmed the "Nu" variant, aka variant B.1.1.529, has just been declared a "variant of concern" to henceforth be known as "Omicron".

1637970326709.png

Here's more on what vax makers are saying, per CNBC.

1637970375963.png

The agency is also proclaiming that preliminary evidence suggests the variant carries "an increased risk of reinfection." Meanwhile, in the span of 3 hours, US markets have endured the biggest sell program since Sept. 23, and the biggest buy program since Nov. 3.

Meanwhile, SA Health minister Phaala, who has been speaking in a live Q&A Friday afternoon, insisted that reflexive travel restrictions that have been slapped on South Africa by a handful of western and other nations (and potentially soon the US). The travel bans "are completely against the norms and standards" advised on by the WHO, he said on an online press conference on Friday: "That kind of action is knee-jerk and panic...it is a risk to disclose what you have found," he said, adding that his country is being 'scapegoated.'

And the Netherlands is asking its people to stay home 'as much as possible' over the next three weeks, the minimum length of its latest lockdown.

Read the full WHO statement below:
The Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE) is an independent group of experts that periodically monitors and evaluates the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and assesses if specific mutations and combinations of mutations alter the behaviour of the virus.

The TAG-VE was convened on 26 November 2021 to assess the SARS-CoV-2 variant: B.1.1.529.

The B.1.1.529 variant was first reported to WHO from South Africa on 24 November 2021. The epidemiological situation in South Africa has been characterized by three distinct peaks in reported cases, the latest of which was predominantly the Delta variant. In recent weeks, infections have increased steeply, coinciding with the detection of B.1.1.529 variant. The first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on 9 November 2021.

This variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning. Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other VOCs.

The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa. Current SARS-CoV-2 PCR diagnostics continue to detect this variant. Several labs have indicated that for one widely used PCR test, one of the three target genes is not detected (called S gene dropout or S gene target failure) and this test can therefore be used as marker for this variant, pending sequencing confirmation. Using this approach, this variant has been detected at faster rates than previous surges in infection, suggesting that this variant may have a growth advantage.

There are a number of studies underway and the TAG-VE will continue to evaluate this variant. WHO will communicate new findings with Member States and to the public as needed.
  • Based on the evidence presented indicative of a detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology, the TAG-VE has advised WHO that this variant should be designated as a VOC, and the WHO has designated B.1.1.529 as a VOC, named Omicron.
  • As such, countries are asked to do the following:
  • enhance surveillance and sequencing efforts to better understand circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants.
  • submit complete genome sequences and associated metadata to a publicly available database, such as GISAID.
  • report initial cases/clusters associated with VOC infection to WHO through the IHR mechanism.
where capacity exists and in coordination with the international community, perform field investigations and laboratory assessments to improve understanding of the potential impacts of the VOC on COVID-19 epidemiology, severity, effectiveness of public health and social measures, diagnostic methods, immune responses, antibody neutralization, or other relevant characteristics.

Individuals are reminded to take measures to reduce their risk of COVID-19, including proven public health and social measures such as wearing well-fitting masks, hand hygiene, physical distancing, improving ventilation of indoor spaces, avoiding crowded spaces, and getting vaccinated.

For reference, WHO has working definitions for SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Interest (VOI) and Variant of Concern (VOC). A SARS-CoV-2 VOI is a SARS-CoV-2 variant:

with genetic changes that are predicted or known to affect virus characteristics such as transmissibility, disease severity, immune escape, diagnostic or therapeutic escape; AND that has been identified as causing significant community transmission or multiple COVID-19 clusters, in multiple countries with increasing relative prevalence alongside increasing number of cases over time, or other apparent epidemiological impacts to suggest an emerging risk to global public health.

A SARS-CoV-2 VOC is a SARS-CoV-2 variant that meets the definition of a VOI (see above) and, through a comparative assessment, has been demonstrated to be associated with one or more of the following changes at a degree of global public health significance:
  • increase in transmissibility or detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology; OR
  • increase in virulence or change in clinical disease presentation; OR
  • decrease in effectiveness of public health and social measures or available diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics
* * *
Update (1200ET): We're still waiting on the final word from the WHO, but it appears the vaccine race is on. J&J is claiming that it has already started testing its jab's efficacy against the "Nu" variant, which was first identified in South Africa.

Meanwhile, Pfizer director and former FDA chief Dr. Scott Gottlieb warned Friday morning that the "Nu" variant has major escape mutations that could help it evade natural immunity.

Essentially, Dr. Gottlieb's take is a wrap of what we already know: "What it is going to do is increase the importance of getting boosters"...but ultimately, the conclusion is this is nowhere near as bad as people are making it out to be.

However, now there are reports claiming the White House is weighing to follow suit with its own travel restrictions against South Africa.

That sends a pretty clear message: alert us to a potentially vaccine-defying new variant and we will...immediately cut off travel links with you.

But at least Pfizer shares are soaring, which tells us one thing: vaccines are now more important than ever since the "Nu" variant is showing us that natural immunity might not be enough.

For those who are still anxious, South Africa's Health Minister is holding a Q&A live now, appearing to say the same thing.

https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1lDxLLDnyabxm 1:38:40 min


Despite the facts on the ground.



However, the South Africans are saying that the new variant will soon have its very own official WHO "greek" (which means "Nu" might be temporary?)

And 'stay at home' stocks are bumping.



But within the last hour, it seems the SA health minister has confirmed one thing: while "there are breakthrough infections" and adds that the ratio of hospital admissions is "1 vaccinated for every 4 unvaccinated."

* * *
Update (1145ET): As European stocks wrap up their worst daily drop in more than a year, is it too late for US markets to see a major daily turnaround? We hope not...

Right now, it appears this is what they're going with: while a breakthrough infection has been documented, there's yet to be any proof that the variant causes "severe" breakthrough infections.

  • S. AFRICA SAYS BREAKTHROUGH INFECTIONS SEEN WITH VARIANT
  • S. AFRICA SAYS NO INDICATION THAT THOSE CASES ARE SEVERE
In the first sign of a major turnaround, South African scientist Sanne has reportedly told the press that there's every indication that vaccines will continue to protect against "Nu", the COVID variant of the moment.

Here's more:

1637970570929.png
1637970606733.png1637970642192.png
1637970678617.png

Meanwhile, South Africa Health Department Acting Director-General has reportedly received a message earlier today from the WHO claiming the agency will in fact designate the new variant as one of "concern."

Get ready for this short-term dip to get aggressively bought.

* *
Update (1000ET): In the latest sign that the word will be at defcon four over the "Nu" variant before dinner - or perhaps even before the US market's early Friday close at 1300ET - an EU agency has just labeled "Nu" a "variant of concern".

The decision has apparently prompted the WHO to call an emergency meeting Friday to consider whether or not to do the same. As we reported earlier, public health officials are sounding the alarm as a new strain of the coronavirus has been detected.



According to the latest reports, Hong Kong and the Netherlands have stepped up border restrictions. Hong Kong has barred non-residents from 8 different south African countries, from entering.

The new strain doesn't have an official name yet, but scientists first confirmed the apparently fast-spreading variant in South Africa. They say it is highly contagious, and shows signs that it might be able to easily overpower vaccines.

The World Health Organization is calling a meeting Friday to determine if they will declare the new strain a 'variant of concern'.

Even without the new strain, COVID cases have been on the rise for about a month, nearing an average of 100,000 per day, and experts worry it could be the start of a new wave.

The Dutch are already using "Nu" as a reason to tighten their lockdown restrictions on businesses. Starting Sunday, restaurants and other businesses will be subject to a 0500ET to 1700ET curfew. Schools will remain open, and the measures will be in place provisionally for 3 weeks, at least.

The CDC's latest forecast predicts between 4,100 and 12,000 people will be hospitalized with COVID in the US by mid-December.

Wall Street sell-side analysts are going all-in on "Nu" fearmongering: One Citi analyst note says the "accumulation of variations" in Nu suggest that "our fears have been realized". Then again, "concern over Nu" needs to be balanced with the failure of other variants to outmuscle delta as the world's most prevalent variant. However, Europe has been struggling with a resurgence of cases, while the US follows a similar path.

Although, in the US, Dr. Anthony Fauci is already telling cable news networks that the US has no plans to restrict travel from South Africa. At least, not yet.

* * *
In what is becoming a nightmare for thousands of traders (and an even larger number of public health officials, we imagine), the latest COVID variant to elicit a hysterical response - the ironically named "nu" variant" - has just been confirmed in Belgium, the first European country to confirm cases of the new strain.



Two suspected cases of the new variant have been detected and confirmed in Belgium, according to local media reports. The strain was initially found in South Africa, Hong Kong, Botswana and Israel.

It's early days, but according to some the variant has already elicited major surges in infections.

Enough so that news about the variant and panic about a more chaotic outlook for interest rates and the broader global economy has sent S&P 500 futures tumbling, and the VIX surging, in premarket trading, on an otherwise quiet post-Thanksgiving Friday morning, a day where markets close at 1300ET.



And rate-hike odds are already tumbling.



Finally, these charts should help readers put this all into context...



...and...



The Nu variant, formerly referred to as B.1.1529, was initially identified five days ago, first in Botswana, with subsequent confirmation and sequencing in South Africa where 100 cases have been confirmed. The variant has also spread to Israel and Hong Kong, according to Citi analyst Andrew Baum.

Of course, all of this comes with a pretty big asterisk: The analyst believes concern over Nu needs to be balanced against the failure of other concerning variants such as Beta to out-compete delta.

Belgium also confirmed that the "nu" cases involved a traveler who had just arrived in the country from "abroad". Already, Spain, the U, India and a handful of other nations have imposed new border restrictions, citing the new variant as the motive. Advisors in the UK have already declared the variant a serious threat (although they said the same thing about the last variant boogeyman, delta-plus).

One trader has some pretty interesting thoughts about where this is all going.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

Pfizer CEO Warns New Vaccine To Combat Heavily-Mutated Coronavirus Could Take 100 Days

FRIDAY, NOV 26, 2021 - 09:03 AM
Update (1008ET): Reuters reports BioNTech, Pfizer is expecting laboratory results of the recently discovered Nu variant in two weeks.

"We understand the concern of experts and have immediately initiated investigations on variant B.1.1.529," BioNTech said.
"We expect more data from the laboratory tests in two weeks at the latest. These data will provide more information about whether B.1.1.529 could be an escape variant that may require an adjustment of our vaccine if the variant spreads globally," it added.
Reuters notes, "escape variants are virus versions that elude the targeted immune response brought about by vaccination."

Citi analyst Andrew Baum was the first to note that it could take Pfizer, BioNTech upwards of 100 days to develop a new vaccine to combat Nu.

Pfizer and BioNTech confirmed the redesigned timeline of the new vaccine.

* * *
Several countries -- including Britain, France, Israel, Italy, and Singapore are moving fast to restrict travel from South Africa and other countries after a new coronavirus variant with mutations was discovered five days ago. The new variant is so concerning that Pfizer's CEO confirmed a new vaccine would take more than three months to develop.

According to a research note published by Citi analyst Andrew Baum, the Nu variant, referred to as B.1.1529, was discovered in Botswana with at least 100 confirmed cases in South Africa and detection in Israel and Hong Kong. We noted Friday morning Belgium, the first European country, has documented cases of the new strain.

Baum said the next few weeks of testing would be essential to determine whether Nu is more aggressive than delta. Lab tests could conclude BioNTech, Pfizer would have to reformulate their vaccine.



He noted one Hongkonger who was double Pfizer vaccinated experienced a breakthrough infection with Nu. The breakthrough cases are concerning as waning immunity from the COVID-19 vaccine continues as governments offer booster shots.

So here's the most troubling part.
Baum spoke with Pfizer's CEO, Albert Bourla, who said it could take scientists 100 days to develop a novel variant vaccine to combat Nu.

In the meantime, global stock and futures markets are plunging as treasury yields sink lower.

Brent and WTI dropped more than 5%. Already, countries are halting flights from South Africa and Botswana as the new variant appears to be spreading.

Talk about perfect timing for central bankers who were embarking on the most aggressive tapering and rate hike cycle in years to curb out-of-control inflation. US money markets show traders are pushing back their tightening wagers.



Peter Chatwell, head of the multi-asset strategy at Mizuho International, offered his thoughts on Nu in a new research note.

So the question heading into the weekend is if bad news is good news (delays the taper so BTFD!), or if bad news is bad news (Fed is cornered and can't re-up QE due to inflation, the vaccine premium in the market needs to come out).
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

All Four Botswana “Omicron” Variant Patients Were Fully Vaccinated
By Jim Hoft
Published November 26, 2021 at 9:45am

covid-country-map.jpg

Guest post by Bill Hennessy

Nu COVID Variant Found ONLY in Fully Vaccinated
All four Botswana Nu variant patients were fully vaccinated


The “Nu” variant of COVID arrived just in time to ruin Christmas. (Who didn’t see this coming?)

The variant with “more mutations than you shake a spike protein at” was first identified in Botswana and quickly became the most prevalent variant in South Africa. But before you succumb to “pandemic of the unvaccinated” nonsense, consider this:

From the President of Botswana, where the variant was first discovered:

The preliminary report revealed all four [patients] had been previously vaccinated for COVID-19.
Here’s the letter:

letter-doctor.jpeg


Please bookmark this important story. You’ll need to share with your covidian friends who blame this Nu variant on the unvaccinated.

Update: The Gateway Pundit has more information on Omicron. Check it out.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

Yesterday’s Conspiracy Is Today’s Medical Journal Headline: NEJM Explains How COVID Vaccines May Produce Spike Proteins that Lead to Myocarditis

By Jim Hoft
Published November 26, 2021 at 3:20pm
covid-vaccine-study-nejm.jpg

NEJM image – Figure 1. Anti-idiotype Antibodies and SARS-CoV-2.

For several weeks “fringe” doctors have argued that the spike proteins produced by the COVID-19 vaccines may result in numerous deaths this winter season.

Now, weeks later, the New England Journal of Medicine is suggesting a similar situation.

The spike proteins produced by the COVID-19 vaccines may lead to myocarditis and neurological concerns.


Alex Berenson reported:
Downstream effects of the antibodies that people produce against the coronavirus spike protein may lead to myocarditis and even neurological concerns, two veteran medical researchers have written in the top medical journal in the United States.

Our immune systems produce these antibodies in response to both vaccination and natural infection with Covid. However – though the researchers do not say so explicitly, possibly because doing so would be politically untenable – spike protein antibody levels are MUCH higher following vaccination than infection. Thus the downstream response to vaccination may be more severe.
The NEJM published the short paper Wednesday in its Basic Implications of Clinical Observations series. One of the writers is an oncologist and professor at Harvard Medical School; the other is a cancer researcher who has his own lab at the University of California, Davis.
Here is the NEJM report — A Possible Role for Anti-idiotype Antibodies in SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Vaccination
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

Joe Biden Bans Travel From South Africa, 7 Other African Nations Due to New “Highly Transmissible” Covid Variant

By Cristina Laila
Published November 26, 2021 at 1:45pm
APP-012121-Biden-COVID-CORONA-222-1.jpg

Why is Joe Biden so xenophobic and racist?

A new variant of the COVID virus identified in Southern Africa is “highly transmissible and vaccine-resistant.”

The variant may have come from someone with undiagnosed AIDS.

Joe Biden on Friday announced plans to restrict travel from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.

According to reports, Biden’s decision to ban travel from several African nations was in response to advice from Dr. Fauci and the CDC.

Joe Biden previously called Trump a xenophobe for imposing travel moratoriums on non-citizens from China, Europe and other countries deemed Covid hot spots.

Biden also attacked Trump for his “Africa ban” in February 2020.

“Trump further diminished the U.S. in the eyes of the world by expanding his travel ban. This new “African Ban,” is designed to make it harder for black and brown people to immigrate to the United States. It’s a disgrace, and we cannot let him succeed,” Biden said in February of 2020.

1637972088368.png
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

New COVID Virus Variant Identified in Africa Is “Highly Transmissible and Vaccine-Resistant”

By Joe Hoft
Published November 26, 2021 at 8:00am
9EBFFABA-21DB-4C9E-BD1C-98B8DE8E490B-scaled.jpeg


A new variant of the COVID virus identified in Southern Africa is “highly transmissible and vaccine-resistant”. The variant may have come from someone with AIDS.

Daily Mail reports:
British experts have sounded the alarm over a new Covid variant believed to have emerged in Botswana that is the most mutated version of the virus yet.

Only 10 cases of the strain, which could eventually be named ‘Nu’, have been detected so far.

But it has already been spotted in three countries, suggesting the variant is more widespread.

It carries 32 mutations, many of which suggest it is highly transmissible and vaccine-resistant, and has more alterations to its spike protein than any other variant.

Professor Francois Balloux, a geneticist at University College London, said it likely emerged in a lingering infection in an immunocompromised patient, possibly someone with undiagnosed AIDS.

Changes to the spike make it difficult for current jabs to fight off, because they train the immune system to recognise an older version of this part of the virus.
So much for those vaccines. They do nothing to stop this new variant.

Read the update here:

 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the Building Totalitarian State: “This Is Armageddon. This is the Final Battle. We Need to Win This One.” (VIDEO)

By Jim Hoft
Published November 26, 2021 at 8:15am
rfk-jr-armegeddon.jpg

James Corbett recently talked with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr of ChildrensHealthDefense.org about his new bestselling book, The Real Anthony Fauci.
James Corbett argued, “We are in the fight for our life. We are in the most profound peril towards human liberty that we have seen in our lifetime.”
Robert Kennedy Jr. responded: “I will go even further than you just went. I think this is historical jeopardy to humanity than we’ve ever seen before. We’ve seen the Black Plague and World War II, arguably rivals for it. I would argue that this is the worst thing that ever happened to humanity because the essential ambition of the totalitarian state is to control not just conduct but self-expression and thought. And for the first time in history because of the technological revolution, the capacity for totalitarian forces to literally control every aspect of human expression and even human thought is now unprecedented… This is Armageddon… This is the final battle. We need to win this one.”
View: https://twitter.com/i/status/1464064578720043008
2:17 min

** The full interview is here.

INTERVIEW: The REAL Anthony Fauci with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 1:03:12 min
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

“Ignore the Lunatic Fringe that Exists in Every Society” – Tyrannical St. Louis Health Director on the People Who Oppose Regime’s COVID Policies

By Joe Hoft
Published November 26, 2021 at 7:35am

Faisal-Khan.jpg


St. Louis lunatic Health Director, Faisal Khan, connected at the hip to corrupt St. Louis County Commissioner Sam Page, is caught again showing his hate for the people he is hired to help.

This past summer St. Louis Health Director, Dr. Faisal Khan, claimed his constituents called him racial slurs but video proved he lied. He made it all up.


Dr. Faisal is close to the much-hated tyrannical St. Louis County Commissioner, Sam Page, who initiated insane COVID lockdowns despite them being voted down by his County Council.


On Tuesday Dr. Khan, who lacks any long-term tenure on his resume and who is unlicensed himself, claimed in an email that the people who oppose his insane policies are ‘lunatics’.

Dr. Bob Onder, a physician who also serves as a Missouri State Senator, reported on the outburst.

1637972796707.png

FOX News reports:
Dr. Faisal Khan, the acting health director in St. Louis County, faced criticism after an email emerged where he called opponents of COVID-19 restrictions “a lunatic fringe,” according to a report.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that it obtained the Tuesday email from Khan to staffers at the department. His email praised the employees for their efforts during the pandemic, and he urged them to “ignore the lunatic fringe that exists in every society.”
“They were there one hundred years ago and will likely be around 100 years in the future,” he wrote, according to the report. “They are irrelevant fools.”
It’s time for Dr. Khan to update his resume again.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

Wayne Root One-on-One with Robert F Kennedy Jr: Dr. Fauci and the Disaster of the Covid Vaccine (VIDEO)

By Assistant Editor
Published November 26, 2021 at 3:00pm
IMG_7713.jpg

Wayne Root

Wayne Root’s one-on-one with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: The two discuss Fauci the fraud and the disaster of the Covid vaccine.

VIDEO:

Link to video on website 30:10 min

Wayne Allyn Root talks with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. - November 19, 2021
 
Last edited:

marsh

On TB every waking moment

BREAKING EXCLUSIVE HUGE: National Institutes of Health Funding Connected to Chinese Military and Organ Harvesting

By Joe Hoft
Published November 26, 2021 at 5:10pm
China-Organ-Harvesting.jpg

Guest post by Lawrence Selin and Anna Chen

The National Institutes of Health Funding Is Linked to the Chinese Military and Organ Harvesting

Numerous news articles are still appearing describing the continuing problem of human organ harvesting in China, including forced organ harvesting in Chinese military concentration camps, where human rights abuses are considered a for-profit industry.

One center accused of organ harvesting is The First Hospital of Jilin University, until 2000 it was known as The Affiliated Hospital of the First Military Medical University of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in Changchun, China.

It is important to note that the laboratories of pathobiology and zoonosis research at Jilin University are associated with the PLA’s Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, representing one element of the military-civilian fusion mandated by the 2016 13th Five Year Plan of the Chinese Communist Party.

On October 11, 2021, a scientific article was published by Megan Sykes of Columbia University in New York and Yong-Guang Yang, who listed his affiliations as Columbia University and the Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of The First Hospital of Jilin University.

That scientific study was funded by Anthony Fauci’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) grant AI045897 and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Shared Instrumentation Grant 1S10RR027050 for the CCTI Flow Cytometry Core.

It represents the culmination of what could be considered just one example of thousands describing how Chinese scientists come to the United States, access American knowledge, skills, technology and funding, but maintain their allegiance to and support for the goals of the Chinese Communist Party.

Between 2006 and 2018, Yong-Guang Yang received $6.6 million in NIH funding, most of which from Anthony Fauci’s NIAID.

According to his publication record, Yong-Guang Yang officially began working with The First Hospital of Jilin University in 2010, research supported by grants from Anthony Fauci’s NIAID to Yong-Guang Yang (AI064569) and Megan Sykes (AI045897).

Chinese-Military-and-Organ-Harvesting.jpg


In a 2011 study, also funded by Anthony Fauci’s NIAID, Yong-Guang Yang worked with Chunfeng Wang of Jilin University, a collaborator (2014 and 2020) with the PLA’s Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, a center reportedly connected to China’s biowarfare program.

Around 2012, Yong-Guang Yang began training Chinese scientists from The First Hospital of Jilin University in his Columbia University laboratory, using NIH funding to do so.

Yong-Guang Yang also conducted a scientific study with the PLA in 2018, funded by NIH grants AI079087 and HL130724.

By 2019, Yong-Guang Yang became an official member of the Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation, The First Hospital of Jilin University; the International Center of Future Science; and China’s National Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, all while he maintained his affiliation with Columbia University.

The research leading to a 2020 scientific publication by Yong-Guang Yang and his Chinese colleagues at Jilin University was supported by Anthony Fauci’s NIAID grant AI 064569 and the CCTI Flow Cytometry Core funded in through an NIH Shared Instrumentation Grant (1S10RR027050).

At a yet undetermined point in time, Yong-Guang Yang became a scientific advisor to the Jilin Zhongke Bio-Engineering Co., Ltd in Changchun, Jilin, China, a biotechnology company focused on organ transplantation and regeneration.

According to a November 23, 2020 Chinese language article, Jilin Zhongke Bio-Engineering:
“has established an “Academician Workstation” in cooperation with Academician Jin Ningyi, and hired a tenured professor from Columbia University and a national Professor Yang Yongguang, an expert in the “Thousand Talents Program”, serves as the chief expert in the research and application of immune cells;”
Ningyi Jin is a PLA major General and head of the PLA’s Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, whose activities are linked to China’s biowarfare program.

Other information about the Jilin Zhongke Bio-Engineering is revealing.

Another of its scientific advisors is Major General Wei-min Wang of the Standing Committee of the Medical Science and Technology Committee of PLA’s Guangzhou Military Region.

One of the key technologies acquired by Jilin Zhongke Bio-Engineering is flow cytometer, the same technology defined in the NIH Shared Instrumentation Grant 1S10RR027050 for the CCTI Flow Cytometry Core, cited by Yong-Guang Yang and Megan Sykes in the collaborations with The First Hospital of Jilin University.

According to his profile provided by Jilin Zhongke Bio-Engineering, Yong-Guang Yang, while working at Columbia University and being funded by NIH, has been leading a secret life, apparently as an operator for the Chinese Communist Party, where he is listed as:
  • Chief Scientist of National 973 Program, also known as National Basic Research Program, a basic research program initiated by the People’s Republic of China to achieve technology and strategic edge in various scientific fields.
  • Distinguished expert of the National “Thousand Talents Plan,” to recognize and recruit leading international experts in scientific research, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Both the United States and Canada have warned that China intends to use scientists who are involved with this plan to gain access to new technology for economic and military advantage.
  • Winner of China’s National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars
  • Chief Scientist of the National “Twelfth Five-Year Plan” (2011-2015) Special Program for Major Infectious Diseases in Science and Technology
  • Deputy Dean of the Institute of Translational Medicine, Bethune First Hospital, Jilin University
  • Director, Institute of Immunology, Jilin University
  • Director of the International Joint Research Center for Genetic Medicine and Animal Models of Human Diseases
  • Director of National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Animal Models of Human Diseases
  • Director of the Key Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Human Disease Animal Models of Jilin Province
U.S.-based scientists, both Chinese nationals and Americans, are directly or indirectly subsidizing China’s economy and military and possibly contributing to human rights abuses.

Unfortunately, there is absolutely no national security accountability for U.S. research funding involving China.

Lawrence Sellin, Ph.D. is retired U.S. Army Reserve colonel and a veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq. He had a civilian career in international business and medical research. His email address is lawrence.sellin@gmail.com. Anna Chen can be followed on Twitter @2020Gladiator
 

bev

Has No Life - Lives on TB

Dr. Peter McCullough: Booster Shot So Much Worse Than First 2 Doses [VIDEO]

BY ZACH HEILMAN
NOVEMBER 25, 2021

Dr. Peter McCullough has been at the forefront of the battle for the truth surrounding COVID-19, Big Pharma’s jabs, and the government’s responses to the so-called pandemic since the beginning.

In the video below, he recalls an entertaining story of his flight from Florida to Texas where he encountered a couple, one of which had just recently taken one of the COVID booster jabs.

WATCH:
https://tv.gab.com/media/619f87a44d...=cee64811-61ea-4ed0-b020-56106820bf6e&r=1080p 1:09 min

“I flew here this morning from Florida. And I sat next to a couple. And they were looking at my slides as I was working on them/ You know, people kind of look on the airplane.

And they said, they said, Well, are you a COVID? Expert? I thought, well, yeah, sort of. And then the woman was sitting in the middle, she was thinner, you know, how do you know southwest when you kind of negotiating? So she said in the middle, and the husband was inside, and he was kind of in a fetal position. He didn’t look too good. And she said, well, my husband just took the booster. And I said, oh. So I had a chance to talk to him when he kind of was in semi-conscious, you know, he kind of came up and I said, Well, what does it feel like? I said, is it you know, is it about the same as shot one and shot two? He goes, it’s so much worse. And I said, Well, what do you mean? He goes, Well, you know, I’ve got fever, I feel terrible. I got body aches, and he goes, and the ringing in my ears is incessant, a headache. And the wife is like why? And I said, well, it must be that it makes sense wherever the local production of the spike protein is. Those are the organs that are being damaged. We know that there are great concerns regarding the spike protein and where it goes in the body.” – Dr. Peter McCullough


The short clip above was taken from a longer speech given by Dr. Peter McCullough at the Texas COVID-19 Summit. You can see the full speech below.

Rumble video on website 40:12 min

And why did he feel like it was ok to fly with those symptoms? Idiot! :gaah:
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

Joe Biden Not Considering Any New Vaccine Mandates…. For Now (VIDEO)

By Cristina Laila
Published November 26, 2021 at 6:15pm
IMG_7716.jpg

Biden speaks to well-wishers in Nantucket

Joe Biden on Friday told reporters in Nantucket that he is not considering any new vaccine mandates… for now.

A new variant of the COVID virus identified in Southern Africa is “highly transmissible and vaccine-resistant.”

Biden on Friday announced plans to restrict travel from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi due to the new highly transmissible ‘Omicron’ Covid variant.

Joe Biden said he’s not considering any new mandates after imposing a travel restriction on several African nations.

“We don’t know a lot about the variant except that is of great concern,” Biden told reporters. “I decided that we are going to be cautious.”
VIDEO:

View: https://twitter.com/i/status/1464364669813112842
.37 min

Joe Biden and the Democrats will wait until 2022 to impose new mandates just in time for the midterm elections.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

US Stocks Suffer on Black Friday As Markets React to Travel Bans with South Africa and Other African Countries

By Joe Hoft
Published November 26, 2021 at 6:00pm
market-down.jpg


The US Markets took a huge hit on Black Friday as the world reacts to news of a new type of COVID coming out of Africa.

Market Watch reports:
Wall Street stocks skidded sharply lower on Black Friday as investors reacted to fresh travel bans resulting from the discovery in South Africa of a new variant of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, -2.53%, the S&P 500 index SPX, -2.27% and the Nasdaq Composite COMP, -2.23% were all down by at least 2% for the day, the major U.S. shopping day known as Black Friday on which retailers are traditionally perceived to enter the black for the year.

Looking beneath the hood, the damage was widespread.
We reported earlier today on the NU Covid court of Africa:


Biden put in place a travel ban from Africa today.


The uncertainty of this Omicron variant is causing more fear and panic and it shows in the markets today.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

WHO Skips Next Greek Letter After “Nu” in Naming New COVID Variant – The Next Letter “Xi” Might Draw Attention to China – So They Nam

Letter After “Nu” in Naming New COVID Variant – The Next Letter “Xi” Might Draw Attention to China – So They Named it “Omicron” Instead

By Jim Hoft
Published November 26, 2021 at 7:08pm

2377F60D-659D-456D-8653-ECDE32703692.jpeg


Unreal.

The World Health Organization (WHO) continues to make protecting the Communist Chinese their primary mission.

The WHO decided to skip the next letter of the Greek Alphabet in naming the latest COVID-19 Variant.

“Xi” may be embarrassing to China.

So they skipped Xi and named it Omicron.

Wow.


Via Jonathan Turley.

1637979613069.png
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

Belgium confirms first case of new coronavirus variant

New restrictions have been announced to curb the nationwide rise in infections.
TOPSHOT-BELGIUM-HEALTH-VIRUS-HOSPITAL

Hospitals in Belgium are already struggling to cope with the growing infection rate | Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP via Getty Images

BY HELEN COLLIS
November 26, 2021 3:28 pm

Belgium has confirmed it has detected one case of the new variant of coronavirus that has prompted Europe and the U.K. to issue travel restrictions for parts of Africa over the last 24 hours.

Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke told reporters the variant was detected in an unvaccinated person who traveled from abroad.

The individual first tested positive for COVID-19 on November 22, he said.

The variant, known as B.1.1.529 and to be given the name Nu, has seen a steep spike in cases in South Africa over the last week.

Urgent research is now under way in South Africa and the U.K. to understand if the variant is more transmissible and dangerous.

Scientists have predicted it is likely to bypass immunization from vaccination or infection since it has so many mutations to the spike protein. But it is not yet known whether vaccines will remain effective against it.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

Fears new Botswana Covid variant could evade vaccines
By
Laura Sharman

Fears are growing about the new Botswana Covid-19 variant which experts believe is the most mutated version of the virus to date.

The B.1.1529 strain, which could soon be named Nu, carries 32 mutations of which many are highly transmissible and vaccine resistant.

So far, only 10 cases of the strain have been recorded worldwide but it has already been identified in three countries.

The first infections were spotted in Botswana, followed by another six cases in South Africa and one in Hong Kong involving a traveller returning from South Africa.

Scientists say the variant has more changes to its spike protein than any other and that it possibly emerged from a person with undiagnosed AIDS.

Professor Francois Balloux, a geneticist at University College London, said: “B.1.1529 is a new lineage that has been found in Botswana that carries an unusual constellation of mutations.

“Given the large number of mutations it has accumulated apparently in a single burst, it likely evolved during a chronic infection of an immunocompromised person, possibly in an untreated HIV/AIDS patient.”

He said the variant is difficult to predict at this stage. He suggested this new variant would not necessarily be recognised by the immune systems of those infected by Alpha or Delta variants.

Spike mutations generally allow viruses to adapt and become more severe and better at resisting natural and vaccine immunity.

Dr Tom Peacock, of Imperial College London, warned that the variant “very very much should be monitored due to that horrific spike profile”.

1637980081830.png

Key mutations of the Botswana variant include E484A, K417N and N440K, which can escape antibodies.

The N501Y mutation is also of concern and speeds up the spread of the virus.

Prof Balloux added: “So far, four strains have been sequenced in a region of Sub-Saharan with reasonable surveillance in place. It may be present in other parts of Africa.

“For the time being, it should be closely monitored and analysed, but there is no reason to get overly concerned, unless it starts going up in frequency in the near future.”

There are no cases in the UK but the Health Security Agency said it was monitoring the situation closely.

A Number 10 spokesman said: "We continue to monitor new variants as they emerge with our partners around the world.

"We have one of the largest genomic sequencing programmes here in the UK that allows us to spot and track variants as they emerge and, as we have done throughout the pandemic, we will continue to keep an eye and keep this particular variant under investigation."

Asked whether travel restrictions would be needed before Christmas as a result of the variant, the spokesman said: "We will continue to keep the latest situation, the latest scientific evidence and data, under review, as we have done throughout the pandemic.

"We have said before if we believe we need to take action we will, but we will continue to monitor this variant and other variants in the same way that we have done throughout the pandemic."

Prof Ewan Birney, Deputy Director General of the leading European Molecular Biology Laboratory and Director of the European Bioinformatics Institute, said: “Early evidence from genomic surveillance in South Africa suggests that B.1.1.529 is a serious cause for concern. The South African surveillance and epidemiology groups should be commended for their timely data collection, analysis and transparency.

“Armed by our experience and understanding of the Alpha and Delta variants, we know that early action is far better than late action. It may turn out that this variant is not as large a threat as Alpha and Delta, but the potential consequences of not acting on the possibility it could be are serious.

“Measures to prevent this variant of concern from spreading include implementing appropriate quarantine and PCR testing measures and sequencing on international travel from Southern Africa and continue careful monitoring of the circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants. The international community should get drugs and vaccines to South Africa as soon as possible. All countries should remain vigilant and share SARS-CoV-2 genomes.”

Botswana recorded 207 new Covid infections and zero deaths in the last seven day period up to November 22, according to the World Health Organization.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

New COVID-19 variant triggers global alarm as WHO urges caution

by Reuters
Friday, 26 November 2021 15:41 GMT

* UK bans flights from South Africa region, EU plans similar
* Variant has a protein dramatically different to original
* Fauci says no decision yet on U.S. travel ban
* Epidemiologist warns travel curbs may be too late
* Scientist says bans a symptom of 'vaccine apartheid'

By Costas Pitas and Stephanie Nebehay

LONDON/GENEVA, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Global authorities reacted with alarm on Friday to a new coronavirus variant detected in South Africa, with the EU and Britain among those tightening border controls as researchers sought to find out if the mutation was vaccine-resistant.

Hours after Britain Britain says new COVID-19 variant is the most significant yet found banned flights from South Africa and neighbouring countries and asked travellers returning from there to quarantine, the World Health Organization (WHO) cautioned against hasty travel bans.

The head of the UN World Tourism Organisation called for a quick decision UN tourism body chief calls for swift, uniform decisions on COVID travel curbs.

"It depends on WHO recommendations, but my recommendation will be to take decisions today, not after one week, because if it continues to spread as we are expecting then it will be late and will make no sense to apply restrictions," organisation chief Zurab Pololikashvili told Reuters.

One South African scientist expert labelled London's ban a symptom of "vaccine apartheid", though European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said the EU also aimed to halt air travel from the region and several other countries including India, Japan and Israel toughened curbs.

"It is now important that all of us in Europe act very swiftly, decisively and united," von der Leyen said. "All air travel to these countries should be suspended until we have a clearer understanding about the danger posed by this new variant."

In Washington, top U.S. infectious disease official Anthony Fauci said no decision had been made on a possible U.S. travel ban. There was no indication that the variant was in the United States, and it was unclear whether it was resistant to current vaccines, he told CNN.

The WHO WHO names new COVID variant omicron, cautions against travel measures said it would take weeks to determine how effective vaccines were against the variant, which was first identified this week.

The news pummelled global stocks Stocks, oil tumble on virus variant fears, safe havens gain and oil amid fears about what new bans would do to the global travel industry and already shaky economies across southern Africa.

'MOST SIGNIFICANT VARIANT'
The variant has a spike protein that is dramatically different to the one in the original coronavirus that vaccines are based on, the UK Health Security Agency said, raising fears about how current vaccines will fare.

"As scientists have described, (this is) the most significant variant they've encountered to date," British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told Sky News.

In Geneva the WHO - whose experts on Friday discussed the risks that the variant, called B.1.1.529, presents - warned against travel curbs for now.

"At this point, implementing travel measures is being cautioned against," WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told a U.N. briefing.

It would take several weeks to determine the variant's transmissibility and the effectiveness of vaccines, Lindmeier said, noting that 100 sequences of it had been reported so far.

British health minister Sajid Javid said the sequence of the variant was first uploaded by Hong Kong from someone travelling from South Africa.

"It is highly likely that it has now spread to other countries," Javid told lawmakers.

The head of the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium said it was likely the new variant will arrive in Britain.

South African scientists suspect the sudden spike in infections in the country is linked to the new variant, but it is not clear how far it has spread beyond its borders.

Belgium identified Europe's first case, adding to those in Botswana, Israel and Hong Kong.

Denmark has sequenced all COVID-19 cases and found no sign of the new mutation, Danish health authorities said on Thursday.

Israel imposed a travel ban covering most of Africa.

"We are currently on the verge of a state of emergency Israel bans arrivals from most of Africa over new coronavirus variant, " Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement. "Our main principle is to act fast, strong and now."

Brazilian health regulator Anvisa recommended that travel be restricted from some African countries, but President Jair Bolsonaro appeared to dismiss such measures.

Bolsonaro has been widely criticized by public health experts for his management of the pandemic, railing against lockdowns and choosing not to get vaccinated. Brazil has the world's second-highest death toll from the virus, behind only the United States.

TOO LATE FOR TRAVEL CURBS?
One epidemiologist in Hong Kong said it may be too late to tighten travel curbs.

"Most likely this virus is already in other places. And so if we shut the door now, it's going to be probably too late," said Ben Cowling of the University of Hong Kong.

European states had already been expanding booster vaccinations and tightening curbs as the continent battles a fourth COVID-19 wave, with many reporting record daily rises in cases.

Discovery of the new variant comes as Europe and the United States enter winter, with more people gathering indoors in the run-up to Christmas, providing a breeding ground for infection.

Italy imposed an entry ban on people who have visited southern African states in the last 14 days, while France suspended flights from southern Africa and Bahrain and Croatia will ban arrivals from some countries.

India issued an advisory to all states to test and screen international travellers from South Africa and other "at risk" countries, while Japan tightened border controls.

The coronavirus has swept the world in the two years since it was first identified in central China, infecting almost 260 million people and killing 5.4 million. Interactive graphic tracking global spread of coronavirus: open COVID-19: the latest global statistics, charts and maps in an external browser. Eikon users can click Sign In for a case tracker.
 
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