Jimmy_D

https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4857 Info about the new variant that's been in the news. Initial data suggests infection rates of the variant are high, based on how prevalent it's become quickly. It's also prevalent in areas that have seen a higher than expected uptick in cases. There's not enough data yet, though, to say for certain that it's one of the causes for it. There are changes to the spike protein, but they're not expected to make the vaccine less effective as the vaccine has been designed to train the immune system against several different targets on the spike protein. It's unlikely that COVID-19 will be able to mutate enough to completely evade a vaccinated immune system AND remain infectious, but if it does, it's relatively simple to update the vaccine to train against the new targets.

I didn't know him, but always sad to hear of a fellow Saints fan passing. RIP

Chelsea's second half against us shows why they won't win the league... Liverpool's second half against Everton shows why they won't win the league... Spurs second half against Palace shows why they won't win the league... City's second half against Leeds shows why they won't win the league... If we're not careful no-one's going to end up winning it!

Bloody hell, what a goal for West Ham there! Glad the Liverpool - Spurs match wouldn't load up for me now!

He wasn't, it was Ings that got the yellow. He is however on 4 yellows for the season and a potential 1 game suspension though.

Disappointed with a point at the Emirates. We're having a good season. How that wasn't a penalty I don't know. He's body-checked him off the ball!

Seething at the non-penalty after that.

How is that not a penalty!?

OHHHHH! Unlucky Redmond!

Walcott would have been clean through then!

Looking better now, need Ings to get on the scoresheet now

Dammit. Come on Saints, get yourselves back into this...

Decent first half! Live table doesn't look too bad either

Just giving up a bit too much space at the moment...

Promising so far, need to keep this level up and hope we don't get caught by a sucker punch...

Feels like we've got a team and tactics, as well as form and confidence, that are capable of beating anyone in the league this season. Right now we're almost a third of the way through the season and actually still in the title fight. I'm looking for the teams at the top to drop points every game at the moment, and I'm going to enjoy being in the title fight until we're not! Who knows, might even be able to keep enjoying that to the end of the season?

With that Chelsea result, we've got a fantastic chance to consolidate our top four position tomorrow. Have to be careful though, relegation battling teams are always a potential banana skin...

Unfortunately it's a common feature of coronaviruses in general that they mutate, regardless of how they first came about. With COVID 19 there have literally been thousands of variants already identified. The vast majority of mutations will immediately kill the virus it occurs in, the vast majority of those remaining won't really have an effect, and some, like this one, will make it more survivable in some way. In this case it's more contagious. Once that happens it'll generally end up being the dominant strain.

I just wish Markus Liebherr was still around to see us playing like this, and doing this well in the league. After he'd set us on the path towards it, would have been fantastic to see his reaction to us going top for a while!

Up to third, Ings gets 90 minutes, Redmond gets off the mark, clean sheet, and all in front of the fans

Ings sounds like he's had more media training than the pundits

Sign of title winning teams is to win when not playing well

Jeez, can tell this ref isn't used to being in front of a crowd.

Oh that should help our shape! If he's retained any of his form we should go on and win now

Poor showing from both teams tonight, neither team deserved to be in front, but did look like we were finding our feet in the last 10-15 minutes. Need to come out in the second half and build on that now.