Mpox: did the world learn anything from Covid ?

[raptalia]

The World Health Organisation has got around to issuing a Health warning over the latest outbreak of mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This is a new and more fatal strain of mpox. The new strain designated clade 1b, has become the dominant strain. Overnight the first case of the new 1b strain was reported outside of Africa when an infection was detected in Sweden . Mpox has been around since 1958 and was formerly know as monkey pox but as stated this is a new variant and apparently more deadly.

Unlike the first signs of Covid there is a vaccine for mpox but alas there is not enough of it to effectively treat the DRC population. At present only two companies produce the vaccine and the WHO appears unable to interest more vaccine manufacturers in producing vaccine. The other difference between mpox and Covid is that mpox is spread through close personal contact including sexual activity where as covid was airborne.

This may be a storm in a teacup but Covid started in an obscure wet market in Wusan China and no one was too bothered while it stayed in China.

If there are further cases reported outside of Africa it will be interesting to see how the world reacts.

Mpox is now a global health emergency. Here's what that means for Australia

The latest outbreak of mpox is different to the one that spread around the world in 2022 — and has experts on high alert

www.abc.net.au

 

[EskimoPAFC]

I think one of the biggest things learned was that the more deadly a virus is, the less of an existential threat it is. The biggest threat to the current world is a virus that can spread asymptomatically and only kills around 1-2% of those who get it. Those are the ones that are impossible to stop spreading and which have exponential impacts on populations, as well as the potential to decimate healthcare systems.

So now when I hear "this is more deadly", my first thought is that, shit its terrible and we should fund whatever we can to help those suffering, but realistically we should also probably be far less afraid of it as humans globally.

 

[OneGreatClub]

We learned from the covid pandemic that the personal freedom at all costs crowd will likely not care about any efforts to mitigate the next pandemic, be it MP or H5N1 or something else.

 

[raptalia]

I am, not sure why the Covid thread was closed down for further replies. Covid is still with us and in fact a new variant has come out of China and Hong Kong and is widespread in Australia.

Professor Nicola Spurrier was on TV yesterday warning about the new variant which is the most contagious to date. The new strain has been labelled NB.1.8.1. According to Prof Spurrier only 7% of the Australian population has their boosters up to date. Getting vaccinated will not stop you from contracting the Covid virus but it will help your immune system fight the infection and reduce the effects. The booster is free and I have had no side effects in over four years of getting a booster therefore I do not see any problem but I was born into an age when kids at school lined up to get a jab.

New COVID-19 strain 'pretty much everywhere' in Australia

The World Health Organization designated the new NB.1.8.1 strain as a "variant under monitoring" and it's now the dominant variant in China and Hong Kong.

www.abc.net.au

Then there is this...

Anti-vaccine protester who assaulted pregnant police officer taken into custody

An anti-vaccine protester who assaulted a pregnant police officer and two security guards in October 2021, has been taken into custody after her suspended sentence was overturned on appeal.

www.abc.net.au

Society is safe from Ms Cruise for the next three years.

 

[OneGreatClub]

It’s closed is it?
Anyway I agree
People prefer to think it isn’t happening.
I still see it as a concern and believe it is worth posting relevant updated info in this thread. Not to mention how likely sub optimal the response will be to future pandemics as certain people don’t like to be inconvenienced.
As for the crazy woman that scalped the police officer I am glad she imis now in jail.
Keep posting.
Those not interested don’t need to read the thread.

 

[Andre]

A lot of wrong lessons were learnt. As many countries shut down and COVID had minimal effect because of it, a lot of nuts took that as 'COVID wasn't dangerous so they shouldn't have shut down'. Though the bigger one, is even if in hindsight COVID could have been a lot worse, is governments were meant to somehow know in advance how deadly it would be and act accordingly.

Lockdowns can suck, but with the next pandemic I'd rather a government that locked down too much and it ended up as not having being required, then they say '**** it, this time you can all wander around freely' and it ends up more transmissible and lethal.

 

[raptalia]

It isn't just Covid as the world is faced with a growing measles epidemic which has now appeared in Australia. We also have a rise in whooping cough infections so there is still plenty to keep up with. People going overseas are being advised to make sure they are immunised against the measles virus. I will bet that few people are bothering.