Changing nature of Covid: Is it just a regular winter bug now?

[Nearly Sane]

A couple of friends tested positive on Friday, and my reaction was why are you testing.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-66994137

[Steve H]

The general evolutionary tendency is for bugs to get milder in the symptoms they produce. A bug which kills everyone in short order, or which makes them feel so ill that they stay indoors and go to bed, and thus isolate themselves, will not be very good at transmitting itself from host to host. The ideal. from the bug's' point of view. is to produce coughing and sneezing which transmits the bug, but not to make the victim feel so ill that they isolate themselves.

[Aruntraveller]

Or alternatively:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/oct/16/covid-deaths-rise-scrap-mask-wearing-hospitals

[SqueakyVoice]

Or alternatively:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/oct/16/covid-deaths-rise-scrap-mask-wearing-hospitals

I went to a hospital appointment,  while a Significant Other stayed at home, after catching Covid from a son, who caught it in school.
I wore my mask over to the hospital, none of the reception  team were wearing  a mask and my appmt was with a Dr, not wearing one either. I did explain why I was wearing mine and his first response, "Yes, there seems to be a lot of covid now(/ a days/ coming back)".
His face looked like he was giving me some hint there as well.
I suspect the tories are trying to privatise Covid (and not lose a landslide election).