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Effects of coronavirus on professional races

Page 106 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Covid is not 'just mild flu'.

It's people treating it like the mild flu that is *** it up for the rest of us & getting people killed.
I disagree. Like other flus, it will be mostly mild, and statistically this is irrefutable, with an extremely small percentage of cases becoming severe, overwhelmingly among those already clinically compromised with other medical issues.

Since I've been vaccinated three times and adheared to all the medical protocals throughout this protracted ordeal, I'm growing weary of the type of irrational discourse I read in your post.
 
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Flu kills around 300,000 people every year
So far, covid has killed over 6million in 2 & a half years. A number which would be far greater if not for the measures we've gone through.

In the UK, in 2018 1,600 people died of 'just the flu'
In the UK, in 2020, in the past three months, over 6,000 have died because of Covid.

& this is before we get into the damage done to the economy due to people missing work due to covid & the long term damage done to peoples health due to long covid.

COVID-19 infections continued to decrease in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland in the latest week (ending 16 August 2022).

The estimated percentage of the community population that had COVID-19 was:

  • 2.22% in England (1 in 45 people)
  • 2.15% in Wales (1 in 45 people)
  • 1.44% in Northern Ireland (1 in 70 people)
  • 2.56% in Scotland (1 in 40 people)
An estimated 1.8 million people in private households (2.8% of the population) were experiencing self-reported long COVID as of 2 July 2022.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...s/coronaviruscovid19latestinsights/infections

One country. Nearly 2 million people with long covid. Do you know what we've never heard of? long flu. That's because this is nothing like the flu.
 
I would say Covid is a mix of flu to tuberculosis in that it could not be severe for some but deadly to others. Even more so before the vaccines came out and people actually started taking them. In 2020 and 2021 there was 3-4 Covid related deaths each day at the hospital I worked at. Just like with the flu, you can still get sick with Covid even if you had the vaccine but the signs and symptoms are less severe. With being like tuberculosis in that it’s easier to transmit than the flu considering it’s airborne precautions vs droplet which a surgical mask would suffice. While airborne you need at least a negative pressure room and N95/PAPR.

Obviously it is more under control now worldwide than before, but it’s also being tested less. From a raiders stand point it stinks for those that could have continued but can not now if not as sick. But the crappy thing is Covid is easily transmissible, even worse since the riders are so close together. I don’t know what the viral load has to be in order for it to be transmissible but plenty have made it sound like UCI can have it higher. Riders withdraw every year when a stomach bug starts rolling around unfortunately. None of us like that the riders have to leave the race.


I disagree. Like other flus, it will be mostly mild, and statistically this is irrefutable, with an extremely small percentage of cases becoming severe, overwhelmingly among those already clinically compromised with other medical issues.

Since I've been vaccinated three times and adheared to all the medical protocals throughout this protracted ordeal, I'm growing weary of the type of irrational discourse I read in your post.
A 24 year old healthy male with no comorbidities went into cardiac arrest because of Covid and died because he refused to believe he was sick. That denial caused him to go AMA from two different hospitals when the second was upgrading him to the ICU to intubate him and he thought he was fine because of the high amount of noninvasive oxygen he was getting delivered to him. He than died in his mother’s car who had to take him to a third hospital. The virus just like any virus doesn’t care how young or old you are. It will try and take over causing you to get sick.
 
I would say Covid is a mix of flu to tuberculosis in that it could not be severe for some but deadly to others. Even more so before the vaccines came out and people actually started taking them. In 2020 and 2021 there was 3-4 Covid related deaths each day at the hospital I worked at. Just like with the flu, you can still get sick with Covid even if you had the vaccine but the signs and symptoms are less severe. With being like tuberculosis in that it’s easier to transmit than the flu considering it’s airborne precautions vs droplet which a surgical mask would suffice. While airborne you need at least a negative pressure room and N95/PAPR.

Obviously it is more under control now worldwide than before, but it’s also being tested less. From a raiders stand point it stinks for those that could have continued but can not now if not as sick. But the crappy thing is Covid is easily transmissible, even worse since the riders are so close together. I don’t know what the viral load has to be in order for it to be transmissible but plenty have made it sound like UCI can have it higher. Riders withdraw every year when a stomach bug starts rolling around unfortunately. None of us like that the riders have to leave the race.



A 24 year old healthy male with no comorbidities went into cardiac arrest because of Covid and died because he refused to believe he was sick. That denial caused him to go AMA from two different hospitals when the second was upgrading him to the ICU to intubate him and he thought he was fine because of the high amount of noninvasive oxygen he was getting delivered to him. He than died in his mother’s car who had to take him to a third hospital. The virus just like any virus doesn’t care how young or old you are. It will try and take over causing you to get sick.
To the last, the young and healthy also die from unexpected complications from common flu as well, with or without the patients denial of being sick (in the case of your patient, he probably was convinced it was all nonesence, such has been the capacity of fake news and conspiracy theories diffused on social media and the internet to convince the less sharp and discerning). The point is the chances of that happening are statistically negligible, precisely because any virus will enjoy greater succuss among those (like the aged or clinically compromised) less able to fend it off.

I have regular conversations with a nurse at the Policlinico of Rome (we frequent the same caffè for the morning cappuccino ritual), who has worked in the Covid ward since the pandemic began. Over the course of our conversations, he has explained to me the clinical developments among patients since the 2020 outbreak, as he experiencd them. Much of what you write sounds familiar, with a continued trickling in of cases needing hospitalization, mostly among the elderly with other compromising medical conditions, some of whom die, but to the same percentage as those admited with complications from common flu. Occasionally young adults and even children need to be hospitalized, albiet much less frequently, just as with flu turned pneumonia, but they mostly make out all right. Basically he says it's like what you say, if not in so many words, a mix of flu and tuberculosis, but that through vaccination more like the former.
 
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To the last, the young and healthy also die from unexpected complications from common flu as well, with or without the patients denial of being sick (in the case of your patient, he probably was convinced it was all nonesence, such has been the capacity of fake news and conspiracy theories diffused on social media and the internet to convince the less sharp and discerning). The point is the chances of that happening are statistically negligible, precisely because any virus will enjoy greater succuss among those (like the aged or clinically compromised) less able to fend it off.

I have regular conversations with a nurse at the Policlinico of Rome (we frequent the same caffè for the morning cappuccino ritual), who has worked in the Covid ward since the pandemic began. Over the course of our conversations, he has explained to me the clinical developments among patients since the 2020 outbreak, as he experiencd them. Much of what you write sounds familiar, with a continued trickling in of cases needing hospitalization, mostly among the elderly with other compromising medical conditions, some of whom die, but to the same percentage as those admited with complications from common flu. Occasionally young adults and even children need to be hospitalized, albiet much less frequently, just as with flu turned pneumonia, but they mostly make out all right. Basically he says it's like what you say, if not in so many words, a mix of flu and tuberculosis, but that through vaccination more like the former.
Who knows what his thought process was or where he stood but with the machines that were hooked up to him helping him breath should have gave him a clue. My point was anyone can get sick and have it end badly with the vaccines helping, especially with more people getting it. Constantly pointing out what everyone knows in that the older or immunodeficient populace is more likely to have worse outcomes is ignoring those that it didn't. I know in our hospital 1/4 are Covid positive currently of 364 beds. I think I've taken care of maybe 10-20 patients who have had the flu. Obviously the pro peleton is in far better shape than the vast population that is getting sick. I think the rules should be looked at because it stinks having so many riders leave the race from the same issue. Like someone said, what is stopping a team from sitting on a positive result for the rider so they can finish the race.

Maybe one of these days Tb can have a vaccine as well.
 
Who knows what his thought process was or where he stood but with the machines that were hooked up to him helping him breath should have gave him a clue. My point was anyone can get sick and have it end badly with the vaccines helping, especially with more people getting it. Constantly pointing out what everyone knows in that the older or immunodeficient populace is more likely to have worse outcomes is ignoring those that it didn't. I know in our hospital 1/4 are Covid positive currently of 364 beds. I think I've taken care of maybe 10-20 patients who have had the flu. Obviously the pro peleton is in far better shape than the vast population that is getting sick. I think the rules should be looked at because it stinks having so many riders leave the race from the same issue. Like someone said, what is stopping a team from sitting on a positive result for the rider so they can finish the race.

Maybe one of these days Tb can have a vaccine as well.
It's not about ignoring those that didn't, but about placing it within it's due clinical context and stop treating it (those cases) with alarmism. Beyond unhelpful to coexisting with endemic Covid, it's irrational. In the post-pandemic age, we all need to accept a bit of fatalism in life and just get on with it, otherwise we're in a constant state of unjust concern, if not induced paranoia.
 
The only category of moderate "statistical relevance" still experiencing fatal or serious consequences from Covid are the feable, with a series of adverse preexisting medical conditions, like the old and infirm. For the rest of the healthy, better still healthy and vaccinated population, Covid is by now just mild flu. Been vaccinated thrice, had Covid twice (each time after having been vaccinated, with 2 boosters), the first time mild fever for 24 hours (38 c) and then a week of tiredness that's it. The second time I was practically asymptomatic. And everyone I'm aware who have gotten it reported more or less the same. By now Covid is endemic, like other versions of flu, as many if not the majority who have caught it no longer get tested, because they aren't that sick and need to work, pick the kids up from school, buy food, etc., in short get on with their lives, with no quarantine. And so, by now, the disease has spread diffusely among us. Mind you all this after having been vaccinated, missed work, stayed at home, wore a mask off an on for almost three years and come through, along with the overwhelmingly vast majority of the population, still alive. It is thus time to move on and they really shouldn't make riders get tested, when the race organization allows them to be exposed to a roadside general public in the tens and hundreds of thousands. How is this fair? It's like, we'll hold the race for the crowds as if it were pre-Covid days, but if you, a rider, catches it, we'll throw you out of the race.


It is amazing how you can post this nonsense. Just because it didn't hurt you doesn't mean it's probelmatic and it doesn't still have potential consequences. Again please stop minimizing the effects of theis disease as that's how this disease spread to begin with ... a failure to acknowlege its severity.

As I mentioned the bigger issue is the toll that Covid-19 has had on both supplies and personnel. We are going to see numerous pandemics as the world's temperatures continue to increase.
 
It is amazing how you can post this nonsense. Just because it didn't hurt you doesn't mean it's probelmatic and it doesn't still have potential consequences. Again please stop minimizing the effects of theis disease as that's how this disease spread to begin with ... a failure to acknowlege its severity.

As I mentioned the bigger issue is the toll that Covid-19 has had on both supplies and personnel. We are going to see numerous pandemics as the world's temperatures continue to increase.

The current mutation is way less deadly and severe than the previous ones. The reasons for that include: less aggressive variant, better population response and widespread vaccination. It's definitely more endemic now.
 
It is amazing how you can post this nonsense. Just because it didn't hurt you doesn't mean it's probelmatic and it doesn't still have potential consequences. Again please stop minimizing the effects of theis disease as that's how this disease spread to begin with ... a failure to acknowlege its severity.

As I mentioned the bigger issue is the toll that Covid-19 has had on both supplies and personnel. We are going to see numerous pandemics as the world's temperatures continue to increase.
My point was not to minimize the severity, but to gain some historical perspective and cultural insight. But go on.
 
It is amazing how you can post this nonsense. Just because it didn't hurt you doesn't mean it's probelmatic and it doesn't still have potential consequences. Again please stop minimizing the effects of theis disease as that's how this disease spread to begin with ... a failure to acknowlege its severity.

As I mentioned the bigger issue is the toll that Covid-19 has had on both supplies and personnel. We are going to see numerous pandemics as the world's temperatures continue to increase.
Edit: Below are the stats for Spain. Stats for most developed nations show similar trends.

Nobody denies the problems and disasters of the past - pre vaccination. Time to live with the virus. The problems you mention are because we are still jumping at shadows. Post vaccination and post omicron. I’ve caught Covid was sick for three days and tired for another week. Since I am also triple vaccinated I’m not jumping at shadows.

Death is a fact of life. Nobody can avoid it. I am no more frightened on Covid today than influenza. Your last sentence is nonsense.
Two years ago I said differently.

 
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I’ve caught Covid was sick for three days and tired for another week. Since I am also triple vaccinated I’m not jumping at shadows.

That pretty much reflects my experience (and I am nearly 60), but keep myself reasonably fit.

My wife also got it but was much milder as she has had it previously, (I didn't get it then and erronously believed I would never get it because of that)

Strangely (due to where I work at PCR testing) I was still testing positive on PCR long after negative of lateral flow tests.

Even after negative PCR tests I got a positive PCR (CT32) then negative the next day which seems to be down to dead virus.
 
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It's not about ignoring those that didn't, but about placing it within it's due clinical context and stop treating it (those cases) with alarmism. Beyond unhelpful to coexisting with endemic Covid, it's irrational. In the post-pandemic age, we all need to accept a bit of fatalism in life and just get on with it, otherwise we're in a constant state of unjust concern, if not induced paranoia.

Pretending Covid doesn't exist is the best way to ensure it remains hugely disruptive to daily life.

Teams spend a fortune preparing riders for big races. Riders spend all year preparing for a race. Then some 'covid is just the flu' peep takes zero precautions and gives them covid & destroys their race/season.
 
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Pretending Covid doesn't exist is the best way to ensure it remains hugely disruptive to daily life.

Teams spend a fortune preparing riders for big races. Riders spend all year preparing for a race. Then some 'covid is just the flu' peep takes zero precautions and gives them covid & destroys their race/season.
Simply not true. Vaccination and lower virulence mean there is no need to set rules that are
hugely disruptive to daily life. In my country (Australia) few bother with masks unless in crowded places. According to the stats half our population has tested positive now.

Yet after the brief spike, cases in my country are hugely lower. Hospitalizations are down by nearly half since the delta variant peak. Plus because case counts exploded with omicron it means a large proportion of those admitted to hospital for all other reasons - including broken bones, get recorded as a Covid case.
 
Pretending Covid doesn't exist is the best way to ensure it remains hugely disruptive to daily life.
Are we still so unhabituated to endemic Covid that we continue to pretend it is disruptive to our daily lives? I'm only reminded of the good old days of lockdown when I see folks driving alone, windows closed, with masks on. Evidently these poor bastards don't know Covid is so passé, bless their hearts, and has been in the fickle mass media ever since the war in Ukraine broke out. The changeover was striking even for someone aware that there was simply a new cash cow to milk.

And then I think of Africa. Why was Africa never in the news reports during the hight of the pandemic? I asked an African this once at the time. The response was, sir, do you think Africans have time to worry about Covid when deaths caused by malaria are up 35 percent?
 
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Edit: Below are the stats for Spain. Stats for most developed nations show similar trends.

Nobody denies the problems and disasters of the past - pre vaccination. Time to live with the virus. The problems you mention are because we are still jumping at shadows. Post vaccination and post omicron. I’ve caught Covid was sick for three days and tired for another week. Since I am also triple vaccinated I’m not jumping at shadows.

Death is a fact of life. Nobody can avoid it. I am no more frightened on Covid today than influenza. Your last sentence is nonsense.
Two years ago I said differently.


Weird how you claim so stridnely that my last nonsense is wrong and yet ... there's a weird mysterious virus popping up in Argentina.

https://www.paho.org/en/documents/i...pneumonia-due-unknown-cause-tucuman-argentina
 
Simply not true. Vaccination and lower virulence mean there is no need to set rules that are
hugely disruptive to daily life. In my country (Australia) few bother with masks unless in crowded places. According to the stats half our population has tested positive now.

Yet after the brief spike, cases in my country are hugely lower. Hospitalizations are down by nearly half since the delta variant peak. Plus because case counts exploded with omicron it means a large proportion of those admitted to hospital for all other reasons - including broken bones, get recorded as a Covid case.
Simply not true. Vaccination and lower virulence mean there is no need to set rules that are
hugely disruptive to daily life. In my country (Australia) few bother with masks unless in crowded places. According to the stats half our population has tested positive now.

Yet after the brief spike, cases in my country are hugely lower. Hospitalizations are down by nearly half since the delta variant peak. Plus because case counts exploded with omicron it means a large proportion of those admitted to hospital for all other reasons - including broken bones, get recorded as a Covid case.

This is propagandra at its finest. Iwork in health insurance and reporting a broken bones case as Covid is fraud and it would take all of two seconds for it to be discovered. So, plase stop lying,
 
Simply not true. Vaccination and lower virulence mean there is no need to set rules that are
hugely disruptive to daily life. In my country (Australia) few bother with masks unless in crowded places. According to the stats half our population has tested positive now.

Yet after the brief spike, cases in my country are hugely lower. Hospitalizations are down by nearly half since the delta variant peak. Plus because case counts exploded with omicron it means a large proportion of those admitted to hospital for all other reasons - including broken bones, get recorded as a Covid case.

That's the thing. It won't stay in decline if you pretend its 'just the flu' and ignore it. It'll keep spiking. Meaning more disruption. And here's the thing: The sole reason cases are declining at the moment is because the majority still take it seriously. It should never be acceptable to go to work if you have covid (or any infectious illness for that matter) & that applies to everyone including pro athletes.
 
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That's the thing. It won't stay in decline if you pretend its 'just the flu' and ignore it. It'll keep spiking. Meaning more disruption. And here's the thing: The sole reason cases are declining at the moment is because the majority still take it seriously. It should never be acceptable to go to work if you have covid (or any infectious illness for that matter) & that applies to everyone including pro athletes.
You are wrong, feel free to check the stats. In Australia restrictions are being relaxed. We had lockdowns too and TDU was impacted. But there is no rebound. Feel free to check.

Another thing I haven’t mentioned? You have heard of The Great Depression? Governments have printed trillions of dollars to keep economies moving during lockdowns. This debt is a ticking time bomb. If it explodes it will make 1929 seem mild and nobody will give two hoots about what is now a mild virus in the overwhelming majority.

Covid-19 is now endemic. Just as Spanish Flu became endemic. Vaccines and mutations changed the game. Get back to living.
 
Weird how you claim so stridnely that my last nonsense is wrong and yet ... there's a weird mysterious virus popping up in Argentina.

https://www.paho.org/en/documents/i...pneumonia-due-unknown-cause-tucuman-argentina
Your comment was unscientific nonsense. Fringe conjecture at best. If you bother looking objectively you will find far more science which does not support that.

There are “weird mysterious virus’s” popping up for most of the last 100 years. That doesn’t mean a new pandemic. The consequences for the world are far far worse if we don’t move on - has this crossed your mind? Deal with challenges if they eventuate.

Pulling riders out of races who are asymptomatic was right pre vaccine and pre omicron but is lunacy now.
 

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