Cases are now still high but on the way down. I expect the US to follow this trend in about 2 to 3 weeks.
Link to free download of my 2 textbooks
http://159.69.48.3/
China
Zero covid policy
Quebec stops PCR tests for general public
Omicron, up to 60,000 tests per day
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/pcr-tests-stopped-omicron-quebec-1.6304313
(Ontario already limiting)
PCR tests reserved,
high risk settings, hospitals, long-term care homes, prisons, homeless shelters, remote communities
Dr. Marie-France Raynault, Quebec public health
We are absolutely overwhelmed by the Omicron wave
Advice
Use rapid tests (if available)
Isolate if symptomatic
After 2 vaccine doses, isolate for 5 days
Sickness
HCWs, 11,712 on Monday
Montreal police, 550 to 650, New Year’s Day
British Colombia
Zuher
British Columbia, reserved for First Responders, critical care
Public, just isolate, no LFTs either
Leroy
http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/testing/when-to-get-a-covid-19-test
British Columbia we are asked NOT to get tested if we have symptoms and we have been vaccinated.
Isolate and return to normal work if asymptomatic after 5 days
US
Daily case reports have been falling, Cleveland, Newark, Washington, D.C.
Peaked, Chicago, NY, Puerto Rico, areas of Colorado
Zoe
Symptomatic cases down 12% on the week
Omicron is more infectious than common colds and influenza
Prevalence in UK
UK, 1 in 24
London, 1 in 18
NE, 1 in 17
Omicron Symptoms
Omicron incubation 2 days
Symptomatic disease with omicron is shorter
Most people could leave isolation at 5 days
Long covid, probably less than with delta
Current symptoms
Runny nose, 73%
Headache, 68%
Fatigue, 64%
Sneezing, 60%
Sore throat, 60%
Persistent cough, 44%
Hoarse voice, 36%
Chills or shivers, 30%
Fever, 29%
Dizzy, 28%
Brain fog, 24%
Altered smell, 23%
Sore eyes, 23%
Unusual muscle pains, 23%
Skipped meals, 21%
Loss of smell, 19%
Chest pain, 19%
Swollen glands, 19%
Feeling down, 16%
Professor Tim Spector
https://covid.joinzoe.com/post/omicron-waves-had-finally-peaked
The ZOE data suggests the Omicron wave has peaked, and cases are starting to come down in almost all regions of the UK.
Hospitalisation, deaths and early data on the severity of Omicron is also looking positive.
The other reassuring sign is that cases in the elderly are plateauing at a low level, sparing this more vulnerable group from the worst of the Omicron wave.
This is likely because this group has been more careful and others are being careful around them.
However, we can’t rule out an uptick in children, which could then have a knock on effect on the other age groups.
In terms of guidance, working from home remains an easy thing many of us can do to slow spread, and wearing high quality masks on public transport to me still feels sensible.
Covid symptoms are now for the first time this winter more common than colds and flu and are indistinguishable.
I don’t expect these rates to go down to zero as Omicron is so infectious that it will probably continue to circulate at manageable levels in the population until late spring
Latest ONS data
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/articles/coronaviruscovid19/latestinsights
Elias Balderas
Got Alpha in April. Was Ill for 2 weeks.
Just got omicron last week. Was very mild for me this time around. First 24 hours felt like a cold.
Had the chills over night with slight cough. 72 hours later all is pretty much normal now.
Not vaccinated BTW. I believe prior infection probably made it more mild for me this time.
Source