Vaccine Failure in Antarctica

[Original Happy Camper]

Polar researchers in Antarctica have contracted COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated and living miles from civilization.

Two thirds of the 25 staff based at Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth Polar Station have caught the virus, the Le Soir newspaper reported, proving there is no escape from the global pandemic.

The outbreak took hold despite all staff passing multiple PCR tests, quarantining and living in one of the most remote places in the world.

COVID outbreak at Antarctic station among fully vaccinated researchers like a horror movie | National Post

There are studies that show that vaccines do not work, now we have another example in real life.

 

[SkyWriting]

Polar researchers in Antarctica have contracted COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated and living miles from civilization.

Two thirds of the 25 staff based at Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth Polar Station have caught the virus, the Le Soir newspaper reported, proving there is no escape from the global pandemic.

The outbreak took hold despite all staff passing multiple PCR tests, quarantining and living in one of the most remote places in the world.

COVID outbreak at Antarctic station among fully vaccinated researchers like a horror movie | National Post

There are studies that show that vaccines do not work, now we have another example in real life.

1. They are not living outside.
2. Emergency services are packed to the limits with unvaccinated people on ventilators.
3. The new variants are mostly harmless to vaccinated people who test positive. Some showing no symptoms.

 

[Aldebaran]

1. They are not living outside.
2. Emergency services are packed to the limits with unvaccinated people on ventilators.
3. The new variants are mostly harmless to vaccinated people who test positive. Some showing no symptoms.

If vaccines are what is supposedly making the new variants mostly harmless, then why has South Africa, which has a low vaccination rate (26.7%) and gave birth to and seen the greatest and longest impact from Omicron also seen no real increases in deaths?
Covid Updates: South Africa Says Its Omicron Wave Has Passed With No Big Spike in Deaths

 

[pescador]

Polar researchers in Antarctica have contracted COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated and living miles from civilization.

Two thirds of the 25 staff based at Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth Polar Station have caught the virus, the Le Soir newspaper reported, proving there is no escape from the global pandemic.

The outbreak took hold despite all staff passing multiple PCR tests, quarantining and living in one of the most remote places in the world.

COVID outbreak at Antarctic station among fully vaccinated researchers like a horror movie | National Post

There are studies that show that vaccines do not work, now we have another example in real life.

The vaccines do not prevent anyone from contracting COVID. They minimize the effects, so they actually do work. It helps to get your facts straight.

 

[A_Thinker]

If vaccines are what is supposedly making the new variants mostly harmless, then why has South Africa, which has a low vaccination rate (26.7%) and gave birth to and seen the greatest and longest impact from Omicron also seen no real increases in deaths?
Covid Updates: South Africa Says Its Omicron Wave Has Passed With No Big Spike in Deaths

Omicron is, quite likely, a positive development. Its appearance has nothing to do with the vaccination program.

It is many times more contagious than the previous variants, but doesn't cause as serious disease.

The current COVID vaccinations protect primarily against the earlier variants and the severe disease they can cause.

 

[Original Happy Camper]

Omicron is, quite likely, a positive development. Its appearance has nothing to do with the vaccination program.

It is many times more contagious than the previous variants, but doesn't cause as serious disease.

The current COVID vaccinations protect primarily against the earlier variants and the severe disease they can cause.

then why is the vacs being pudhed so hard now?

 

[bekkilyn]

then why is the vacs being pudhed so hard now?

Power.

 

[A_Thinker]

then why is the vacs being pudhed so hard now?

It will reduce the available pool of hosts for the virus, ... thus reducing the risks of more harmful variants arising ...

 

[Aldebaran]

It will reduce the available pool of hosts for the virus, ... thus reducing the risks of more harmful variants arising ...

It doesn't prevent people from getting the virus, remember? It also doesn't prevent transmission, which is why masking is also being pushed, along with isolation if you test positive. It doesn't reduce the available pool of anything. It simply increases the pool of money the manufacturer rakes in.

 

[A_Thinker]

It doesn't prevent people from getting the virus, remember? It also doesn't prevent transmission, which is why masking is also being pushed, along with isolation if you test positive. It doesn't reduce the available pool of anything. It simply increases the pool of money the manufacturer rakes in.

It does prevent some 3 of 4 vaccinated people from being reinfected.

From ... Omicron: Three vaccine doses key for protection against variant

"Early analysis of UK Omicron and Delta cases showed the vaccines were less effective at stopping the new variant.

But a third booster prevents around 75% of people getting any Covid symptoms."

From ... How effective are COVID-19 vaccines against omicron?

4. What about the omicron variant?
The preliminary data about omicron and vaccines is coming in quickly and is revealing lower vaccine effectiveness. Best estimates suggest vaccines are around 30%-40% effective at preventing infections and 70% effective at preventing severe disease.

A preprint study – one not formally reviewed by other scientists yet – that was conducted in Germany found that antibodies in blood collected from people fully vaccinated with Moderna and Pfizer showed reduced efficacy in neutralizing the omicron variant. Other small preprint studies in South Africa and England showed a significant decrease in how well antibodies target the omicron variant. More breakthough infections are expected, with decreased immune system ability to recognize omicron compared with other variants.

5. Do boosters boost immunity against omicron?
Initial data reinforces that a third dose would help boost immune response and protection against omicron, with estimates of 70%-75% effectiveness.

 

[Aldebaran]

It does prevent some 3 of 4 vaccinated people from being reinfected.

From ... Omicron: Three vaccine doses key for protection against variant

"Early analysis of UK Omicron and Delta cases showed the vaccines were less effective at stopping the new variant.

But a third booster prevents around 75% of people getting any Covid symptoms."

From ... How effective are COVID-19 vaccines against omicron?

4. What about the omicron variant?
The preliminary data about omicron and vaccines is coming in quickly and is revealing lower vaccine effectiveness. Best estimates suggest vaccines are around 30%-40% effective at preventing infections and 70% effective at preventing severe disease.

A preprint study – one not formally reviewed by other scientists yet – that was conducted in Germany found that antibodies in blood collected from people fully vaccinated with Moderna and Pfizer showed reduced efficacy in neutralizing the omicron variant. Other small preprint studies in South Africa and England showed a significant decrease in how well antibodies target the omicron variant. More breakthough infections are expected, with decreased immune system ability to recognize omicron compared with other variants.

5. Do boosters boost immunity against omicron?
Initial data reinforces that a third dose would help boost immune response and protection against omicron, with estimates of 70%-75% effectiveness.

Even before there were any vaccines, people were testing positive and very often showing little to no symptoms. There's no reason to assume that such cases now are the result of vaccines.

 

[jacks]

If vaccines are what is supposedly making the new variants mostly harmless, then why has South Africa, which has a low vaccination rate (26.7%) and gave birth to and seen the greatest and longest impact from Omicron also seen no real increases in deaths?
Covid Updates: South Africa Says Its Omicron Wave Has Passed With No Big Spike in Deaths

This is a good question, I wish someone would answer it. I have 2 shots and a booster at this point, hopefully they are doing some good.

 

[A_Thinker]

Even before there were any vaccines, people were testing positive and very often showing little to no symptoms. There's no reason to assume that such cases now are the result of vaccines.

The vaccines are keeping 75% of the vaccinated from being reinfected with COVID (i.e. testing positive for the virus). That's different than being asymptomatic ...

 

[Aldebaran]

The vaccines are keeping 75% of the vaccinated from being reinfected with COVID (i.e. testing positive for the virus). That's different than being asymptomatic ...

In order to know that, one would have to know when someone would get infected.

 

[High Fidelity]

There are studies that show that vaccines do not work, now we have another example in real life.

Are you being wilfully ignorant or are you just seriously unaware of what the vaccines do?

They're there to reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death, something they do exceedingly well.

The vaccines work. Stop your dangerous misinformation. It's people such as yourself that are costing lives.

 

[High Fidelity]

then why is the vacs being pudhed so hard now?

Because a booster jab helps reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death significantly. By around 90%.

Do you wear a seatbelt? It's not going to save your live in every single instance, but you'd be a fool to not wear it because it isn't 100% effective against death.

 

[jacks]

Because a booster jab helps reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death significantly. By around 90%.

I was going to ask you for a reference, but thought asking might seem antagonistic. (I'm not trying to argue with anyone, just get information.) Looked for myself and found THIS and THIS. Looks like your 90% is about right, good news!

 

[A_Thinker]

In order to know that, one would have to know when someone would get infected.

Not testing positive for COVID would be a good indication ...

 

[Aldebaran]

Not testing positive for COVID would be a good indication ...

Plenty of people who never got a shot have not tested positive. That's an indication of something too, as is the fact that many people are testing positive after getting 2 shots of the MRNA vax, plus a booster. In fact, the first people in this country who were tested positive for Omicron were fully vaxxed and boosted. There's even a member on this site who was double vaxxed and boosted and got sick. But those things remain ignored.

 

[Ponderous Curmudgeon]

Plenty of people who never got a shot have not tested positive. That's an indication of something too, as is the fact that many people are testing positive after getting 2 shots of the MRNA vax, plus a booster. In fact, the first people in this country who were tested positive for Omicron were fully vaxxed and boosted. There's even a member on this site who was double vaxxed and boosted and got sick. But those things remain ignored.

No, none of those things are ignored. However to your other question, that is what statistics are for, to get answers about a wider population from a subset. Unless of course you are lucky to have a population of 40 thousand that gets tested every week like we have locally and then you can confirm your models with exact numbers.