⁣China, the first and the last, alpha and omega of the covid pandemic with omicron

Abrupt U-turn on COVID controls on 7th December

Cases + 5,000

December, 248 million infections, (18%)

Deaths, + 3 = 5,253

When is a covid death a covid death?

http://www.nhc.gov.cn/xcs/s3574/20221...

Prof Wang Guiqiang, National Health Commission

Only fatalities caused by pneumonia and respiratory failure

Not deaths caused by cardiovascular, cerebrovascular diseases, blood clots, sepsis

the main cause of death from infection with Omicron is the underlying diseases

UK Department of Health

Covid pre-departure, 48 hours, as from 5th January

(Spain, the US, Italy, India, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan)

Health Security Agency, surveillance of arrivals from 8th January

Fitter variants have always got through in the past

Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, Professor Andrew Pollard

Imposition of travel curbs was unlikely to stop variants reaching the UK

Health Secretary Steve Barclay

to gain rapid insight into potential new variants circulating in China

The best defence against the virus, however, remains the vaccine

Direct from China

I can confirm a lot of what you said in your broadcast

Many being treated at home due to very busy hospitals

Crematoriums are backed up by about two weeks in many cities

More than 60% of my work and social contacts, young and old have had COVID in the last three weeks.

All has symptoms lasting 7 to 10 days

Last round of vaccinations in some areas 6 to 12 months ago

Body aches/headache - usually one of the first symptoms

Most people have a fever lasting 2-5 days

Cough - dry with no phlegm – (Lasting up to two weeks)

Running nose and congestion lasting about 5-7 days

Sore throat lasting 5-7 days

Some people suffering from diarrhea

(Chinese and other home remedies)

Most major symptoms are gone within 5-7 days

Tiredness/fatigue/dizziness lasting another 5-7 days.

Global times, official Chinese release

Most infections symptomatic

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/20230...

About 1.75% of infections asymptomatic

N = 16,000

Attack rate

70% of Shanghai 70 % (25m)

Southwest China, Sichuan Province, more than 60%

South China, Hainan Province, more than 50%

Ordos, Inner Mongolia, 60%

N = 16,000

Fever, 79%

Headache, 69%

Cough, 65%

Muscle aches, 62%

Asymptomatic, 1.75%

Numbers seen

Seen in hospital clinics, 0.19%

Seen online, 0.78%

Took their own meds, 85%

Did not see a doctor or take meds, 85%

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/c...

People's Daily, CCP official newspaper

Tong Zhaohui, vice president of the Beijing Chaoyang Hospital

Illness caused by the virus, relatively mild for most people

Severe and critical illnesses account for 3% to 4% of infected patients currently admitted to designated hospitals in Beijing

Kang Yan, West China Tianfu Hospital of Sichuan University

In the past three weeks, a total of 46 patients had been admitted to intensive care units,

about 1% of symptomatic infections.

Emergencies area, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai

Packed

Beds in the corridor

WHO asking for detailed information, hospitalizations, deaths, vaccinations, variants.

Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at National University of Singapore

but the problem is China’s transparency issue is always there

Lunar New Year holiday

Starts 22nd January

Infections will have already peaked in many places