PlagueWatch 2020-23 - Coronavirus

[Ultrarunner]

Hmmm, there's an idea. Maybe we should buy Greenland.

My Mercator projection map (flat earth) shows it's pretty big and could house quite a few people.

Nice of you to volunteer to move.

[budwom]

Only a bit surprising to go to Trader Joe's today and see a majority of shoppers wearing masks.

Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.

[Acymetric]

Almost everyone was wearing a mask (despite it not being required) when I went to the DMV last week. Although we were packed together in chairs, some 30-40 people packed together in a corner of the building while looking at the big TV monitor saying things like "we are following social distancing guidelines" which felt a bit silly. But I got sidetracked, the point was that almost all of those people were voluntarily wearing their masks (although some of them may have initially assumed they were required, as I did).

[jimsumner]

Most Americans are not being pigheaded about this. It is a small group. I do not want to be associated with them. Hence "their" rather than "our." Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely disassociate myself from them, which is why we have the problem we do.

I wish it was a small group. But if it were a small group, then we would have achieved herd immunity by now. Depending on which source one uses, somewhere between 20, maybe 25, even 30 percent of American adults tell pollsters they simply are not going to get vaccinated. Maybe the mounting death toll will change some minds but I wouldn't count on it, at least not in numbers large enough to matter. I don't see how we avoid another shutdown this winter and I agree that it will get messy.

[Bluedog]

I wish it was a small group. But if it were a small group, then we would have achieved herd immunity by now. Depending on which source one uses, somewhere between 20, maybe 25, even 30 percent of American adults tell pollsters they simply are not going to get vaccinated. Maybe the mounting death toll will change some minds but I wouldn't count on it, at least not in numbers large enough to matter. I don't see how we avoid another shutdown this winter and I agree that it will get messy.

The states most likely to see surges are also the ones most likely to NOT shutdown typically. Not saying you're wrong, I just find that somewhat ironic.

Of course, state boundaries aren't magical and there is spillover/regional impacts. So, the states more likely to impose restrictions are not immune to the surge in all likelihood.

[CameronBornAndBred]

I went to the doctor's office today, and on the front door was a sign was a saying that masks are required. I had assumed as much.

Went in and checked in with the receptionist, who had her mask on. Around her chin.

[Skydog]

I feel for the ICU docs and nurses. No rest for the weary.

One issue that I’m not hearing about so far (thankfully) is “breakthrough breakouts” in nursing homes. I imagine 98%+ of residents have been vaccinated but they were also the earliest to get the shots and likely had the weakest immune responses. Not to sound crass about it but this seems to make nursing homes the “canary in the coal mine” for breakthrough case spread, if that turns out to be a thing. Closely monitoring the residents should tell us a lot about how quickly immunity fades among the most vulnerable populations.
Unless I’m missing them, the dearth of scary new outbreaks is a good sign so far, right?

[CrazyNotCrazie]

I feel for the ICU docs and nurses. No rest for the weary.

One issue that I’m not hearing about so far (thankfully) is “breakthrough breakouts” in nursing homes. I imagine 98%+ of residents have been vaccinated but they were also the earliest to get the shots and likely had the weakest immune responses. Not to sound crass about it but this seems to make nursing homes the “canary in the coal mine” for breakthrough case spread, if that turns out to be a thing. Closely monitoring the residents should tell us a lot about how quickly immunity fades among the most vulnerable populations.
Unless I’m missing them, the dearth of scary new outbreaks is a good sign so far, right?

The question is whether the nursing home residents in these parts of the country where there is more skepticism have been vaccinated. I would really hope so but old people are often the main audience for some of those who have been spreading doubt.

[rsvman]

The question is whether the nursing home residents in these parts of the country where there is more skepticism have been vaccinated. I would really hope so but old people are often the main audience for some of those who have been spreading doubt.

I don't know that the actual nursing home residents were given a choice.

[mpj96]

It is not a small group where I live unfortunately.

But they are as American as I am.

Hear, hear. There are some very siloed people on this thread. I agree that everyone ought to get vaccinated but until it is mandated by law it is not going to happen. These people aren't evil or even stupid in many cases, they just don't trust people who are dealing with them like they are evil or stupid. Weird, huh?

Long winter coming. Anyone else ready to get their booster? I can't wait.

[PackMan97]

Hear, hear. There are some very siloed people on this thread. I agree that everyone ought to get vaccinated but until it is mandated by law it is not going to happen. These people aren't evil or even stupid in many cases, they just don't trust people who are dealing with them like they are evil or stupid. Weird, huh?

Long winter coming. Anyone else ready to get their booster? I can't wait.

My 83 year old father is in hospice care and has chosen not to get the vaccine.

1) He is essentially home bound, so have no risk himself.
2) everyone he comes in contact with is vaccinated
3) He'd rather not deal with the vaccine side effects for whatever time he's got left.

I have no doubt if he caught COVID-19, it would be the end for him. I don't think he'd particularly enjoy going out that way, but at this point there is no enjoyable way to escape this mortal coil. He's 83 and can decide for himself.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Hear, hear. There are some very siloed people on this thread. I agree that everyone ought to get vaccinated but until it is mandated by law it is not going to happen. These people aren't evil or even stupid in many cases, they just don't trust people who are dealing with them like they are evil or stupid. Weird, huh?

Long winter coming. Anyone else ready to get their booster? I can't wait.

They have been asked kindly and given all sorts of evidence for months. As I said above, I'm not giving them an engraved invitation. It's time for them to suck it up and help society. At this point, I would consider them to be evil and/or stupid. And if they would stop making everything so confrontational that might also help people's opinion of them. Before someone jumps on me, there are obviously plenty of exceptions to this rule. But not many millions of exceptions for all those who have not gotten vaccinated.

In my little "siloed" corner of the world, my wife's company just had its second positive case in a week of someone who is vaccinated. They are a floor of a Manhattan office building - maybe 75-100 people. She has been going in a few days a week but is likely going to ramp that back.

[CameronBornAndBred]

I want to exercise my personal freedom to travel again, to eat in restaurants again, to go to movies and concerts and sporting events again.

I agree with everything you posted, but here's the maddening truth. If you say that to someone, I guarantee you their reply will be "But that's exactly what we are doing!"

They will say their actions, in which they believe are their expression of their own personal freedoms, are in no way infringing on yours. And you will suffer a concussion banging your head against their wall.

Here's a take that a facebook friend of mine just posted. Reasoning is 100% impossible when you see this attitude, and it's beyond aggravating that it is so prevalent.

"If vaccinated people have to wear a mask again,
Why should I get a vaccination?
(asking for a friend)"

[sagegrouse]

I agree with everything you posted, but here's the maddening truth. If you say that to someone, I guarantee you their reply will be "But that's exactly what we are doing!"

They will say their actions, in which they believe are their expression of their own personal freedoms, are in no way infringing on yours. And you will suffer a concussion banging your head against their wall.

Here's a take that a facebook friend of mine just posted. Reasoning is 100% impossible when you see this attitude, and it's beyond aggravating that it is so prevalent.

"If vaccinated people have to wear a mask again,
Why should I get a vaccination?
(asking for a friend)"

I think the CDC should have thought long and hard before making that announcement. Sometimes blurting out a truth that seriously undermines our most important policy to fight COVID (all should be vaccinated) is really bad public policy.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I think the CDC should have thought long and hard before making that announcement. Sometimes blurting out a truth that seriously undermines our most important policy to fight COVID (all should be vaccinated) is really bad public policy.

CDC is danged if they do, danged if they don't. If they offer honest truth, they are chastised for not considering the implications of their words. If the temper or couch their message, they are accused of politicizing their office.

Given a choice, I'll take the truth. But you could make a fair argument for the opposite.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Biden is going to announce a mandate for federal employees to be vaccinated.

The GOP must be salivating over '22. It's gonna be a bloodbath.

President Joe Biden will announce on Thursday a requirement that all federal employees and contractors be vaccinated against Covid-19, or be required to submit to regular testing and mitigation requirements, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/27/polit...ion/index.html

[rsvman]

Hear, hear. There are some very siloed people on this thread. I agree that everyone ought to get vaccinated but until it is mandated by law it is not going to happen. These people aren't evil or even stupid in many cases, they just don't trust people who are dealing with them like they are evil or stupid. Weird, huh?

Long winter coming. Anyone else ready to get their booster? I can't wait.

Many people who are refusing vaccination are not stupid in the traditional sense. It's more like they are brainwashed. Seriously. They have been fed a pack of lies incessantly for almost a year and a half now, and they have internalized all that to the point that it cannot be dislodged. Many of them are paranoid. Many of them are selfish. I don't think they are evil, at least not intentionally so, but they are potentially going to cause everybody to have to suffer a lot more than was actually necessary. They have also unnecessarily politicized a virus, which doesn't make any sense whatsoever to me.

[sagegrouse]

Biden is going to announce a mandate for federal employees to be vaccinated.

The GOP must be salivating over '22. It's gonna be a bloodbath.



https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/27/polit...ion/index.html

We'll find out how high the vaccination rate is among federal employees -- I expect very high.

[sagegrouse]

CDC is danged if they do, danged if they don't. If they offer honest truth, they are chastised for not considering the implications of their words. If the temper or couch their message, they are accused of politicizing their office.

Given a choice, I'll take the truth. But you could make a fair argument for the opposite.

No, they are dunderheads that didn't fully explain the situation and recognize they were undermining a far more important policy. I believe the wizards in the public health community at HHS HQ, NIH and the White House could have helped craft something far better.

Do I have ''tude toward CDC. Yes. I do recognize that the Center has a tough job, and its job is made more complicated by the need to coordinate with a huge number of state and local public health entities, as well as its bosses and other federal health entities.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

No, they are dunderheads that didn't fully explain the situation and recognize they were undermining a far more important policy. I believe the wizards in the public health community at HHS HQ, NIH and the White House could have helped craft something far better.

Do I have ''tude toward CDC. Yes. I do recognize that the Center has a tough job, and its job is made more complicated by the need to coordinate with a huge number of state and local public health entities, as well as its bosses and other federal health entities.

So they should not have advised vaccinated people to wear masks in public? That sounds like an even worse choice.