PlagueWatch 2020-23 - Coronavirus

[MChambers]

I personally believe medical opinion is that if you are immune you can't be contagious -- or, at least, no known vaccine has had this problem. See quotes in my post above (big bold letters) and in the last post in "sticky." Also, Fauci has said that.

OTOH the State of California is still requiring quarantine for immunized individuals entering the state. There will be a lot of discussion on this topic.

What about the influenza vaccine? I thought that it didn't necessarily prevent one from getting the flu, but could reduce the severity of the infection. Does it prevent one from being contagious?

[niveklaen]

So last thursday I got my first shot. Last friday I did outdoor cross-fit. today I was informed that one member of our cross-fit crew tested positive. Asymptomatic. Looks like I am getting a 10 day quarantine after having been vaccinated. Our health unit is conferring with the regional CDC director to decide how long our quarantine will be.

[Bluedog]

Can I ask a question (and I hope this doesn’t sound too judge):

Why not just wear a mask anyway?

To me, I want to see my family, be able to give my mom a hug, have them be able to be in the same room as their grandkids, etc. What does having to do that with a mask detract from the experience that is worth the additional risk (even if small)?

Why don't we wear a mask during flu season? Not trying to be dismissive. Merely pointing out the fact that risk reduction isn't typically the only factor in determining behaviors. Masks could prevent a lot of various transmission of diseases, yet we still haven't done it historically. (And, yes, I recognize that the Flu and COVID are NOT comparable, simply using it as an example of health/risk reduction. Certainly, there is risk of death from the flu as well which is higher for particular cohorts of individuals). Although I think now that masks have become so entrenched, we will see their use A LOT more even if COVID goes away. I could see mask-wearing on planes for like a decade or more possibly. But, yes, I don't think wearing a mask detracts that much from experience but grandparents perhaps like to kiss a newborn baby on the cheek or something...and can't do that with a mask. Also can't eat with a mask. So, there is some difference. It's also harder to understand 2-year olds talking in my experience (and I have one who wears a mask 8+ hours a day). Harder to read body cues/facial expressions, etc.

(And for the record, I wear a mask when in public/anytime outside my home universally. So, I'm certainly a proponent of masks during this pandemic...).

[sagegrouse]

Why don't we wear a mask during flu season? Not trying to be dismissive. Merely pointing out the fact that risk reduction isn't typically the only factor in determining behaviors. Masks could prevent a lot of various transmission of diseases, yet we still haven't done it historically. (And, yes, I recognize that the Flu and COVID are NOT comparable, simply using it as an example of health/risk reduction. Certainly, there is risk of death from the flu as well which is higher for particular cohorts of individuals). Although I think now that masks have become so entrenched, we will see their use A LOT more even if COVID goes away. I could see mask-wearing on planes for like a decade or more possibly. But, yes, I don't think wearing a mask detracts that much from experience but grandparents perhaps like to kiss a newborn baby on the cheek or something...and can't do that with a mask. Also can't eat with a mask. So, there is some difference. It's also harder to understand 2-year olds talking in my experience (and I have one who wears a mask 8+ hours a day). Harder to read body cues/facial expressions, etc.

(And for the record, I wear a mask when in public/anytime outside my home universally. So, I'm certainly a proponent of masks during this pandemic...).

The issue on "wearing a mask" in public once vaccinated is to inspire others to do so -- "conformity." Works for me.

[Bluedog]

The issue on "wearing a mask" in public once vaccinated is to inspire others to do so -- "conformity." Works for me.

Yep, I would agree with that.

[MChambers]

Manaus was hit very hard by the coronavirus back in the spring. Hospitals were overwhelmed. One paper was published claiming that 76% of the population had contracted the coronavirus and that Manaus had achieved herd immunity. Not so fast, the coronavirus says: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...ariant-manaus/

"But the new surge, when it came, was different. The virus had mutated, with a suite of alterations that probably made it more transmissible — and perhaps more lethal. Manaus was hit by what scientists call the P.1 variant. This time, it didn’t take 10 days to overwhelm Galvão’s hospital. It took 24 hours.

Even in a city as traumatized as Manaus, the horror has been unlike anything doctors have seen. The oxygen quickly ran out. Dozens of hospital patients have died of asphyxiation. Scores more, unable to get care, have died at home. Every half-hour, one doctor said, a funeral procession rumbled toward the cemetery."

[Bluedog]

Manaus was hit very hard by the coronavirus back in the spring. Hospitals were overwhelmed. One paper was published claiming that 76% of the population had contracted the coronavirus and that Manaus had achieved herd immunity. Not so fast, the coronavirus says: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...ariant-manaus/

"But the new surge, when it came, was different. The virus had mutated, with a suite of alterations that probably made it more transmissible — and perhaps more lethal. Manaus was hit by what scientists call the P.1 variant. This time, it didn’t take 10 days to overwhelm Galvão’s hospital. It took 24 hours.

Even in a city as traumatized as Manaus, the horror has been unlike anything doctors have seen. The oxygen quickly ran out. Dozens of hospital patients have died of asphyxiation. Scores more, unable to get care, have died at home. Every half-hour, one doctor said, a funeral procession rumbled toward the cemetery."

Very sad...And Brazil has no effective vaccines to give as they didn't purchase Pfizer/Moderna ahead of time...(Have authorized the Chinese one, which they have started giving, as well as AZ/Oxford which I don't think they've started yet).

[wavedukefan70s]

Some good news atleast for us south Carolinians.
SC to receive 10,000 additional Moderna vaccine doses per week from US government.

[devildeac]

More hope (from yesterday):

https://news.yahoo.com/johnson-johns...163937230.html

"The world is days away from getting crucial results on one of the most important coronavirus vaccines in development.

Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky said Tuesday the healthcare giant will have results from a 45,000-person study testing its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine by early next week."

[Furniture]

Very sad...And Brazil has no effective vaccines to give as they didn't purchase Pfizer/Moderna ahead of time...(Have authorized the Chinese one, which they have started giving, as well as AZ/Oxford which I don't think they've started yet).

Their President Bosonaro thinks the virus is a hoax. He once called it a “pequena resfiada” or a “small flu”. He has said that he will not take the vaccine and he calls the use of masks “the last taboo to fall”.

[niveklaen]

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/...ronavirus.html

Would a swab from that place really provide more accurate results?

[Lord Ash]

Interesting to read some of the posts here, regarding masks post-vaccine.

My mom is getting her second dose on Feb 15, and I am scheduled to get my first dose on Feb 16. We have a date on March 1 at her house to get takeout and watch Westworld, which we had started almost a year ago. She does not go out at all. I only go to work, where we are masked and distanced at all times. I am not expecting us to wear masks...? I mean, she will be as safe as she will ever be, and I’ll be close, especially because I’ll be with someone who isn’t going anywhere and who has had both doses.

I don’t quite get why we would need masks, unless you are a person who thinks everyone should wear masks all the time?

Am I crazy?

[aimo]

Their President Bosonaro thinks the virus is a hoax. He once called it a “pequena resfiada” or a “small flu”. He has said that he will not take the vaccine and he calls the use of masks “the last taboo to fall”.

Brazil was hit very hard during the 1918 Flu, in pretty much the same way, for pretty much the same reasons. The parallels between these two epidemics are staggering and sad. We never learn.

[CDu]

What about the influenza vaccine? I thought that it didn't necessarily prevent one from getting the flu, but could reduce the severity of the infection. Does it prevent one from being contagious?

Not a virologist, but I think the idea of all vaccines is that they don't prevent acquisition, just severity (and, relatedly, typically the ability to spread). If your body fights it off quickly, you don't give the virus a chance to replicate enough to shed the virus to others.

The biggest issue for the flu vaccine is that it simply isn't very effective at preventing serious infection (and, thus, is also not great at preventing spread).

[camion]

Some good news atleast for us south Carolinians.
SC to receive 10,000 additional Moderna vaccine doses per week from US government.

As an SC Moderna vaccinee* I am happy to hear that. Here's hoping my second shot goes as scheduled.


*That's a word.

[MChambers]

Brazil was hit very hard during the 1918 Flu, in pretty much the same way, for pretty much the same reasons. The parallels between these two epidemics are staggering and sad. We never learn.

John Barry says the new Manaus outbreak "strongly suggests the virus has acquired the ability to evade naturally acquired immunity." And "covid-19 will become much like influenza, requiring year-round, worldwide, surveillance of new strains and regular updating and administration of vaccines. We may not need a new vaccine every year, but we will need new vaccines, nonetheless."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...s-new-strains/

[aimo]

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/...ronavirus.html

Would a swab from that place really provide more accurate results?

covid sign.jpg

[PackMan97]

John Barry says the new Manaus outbreak "strongly suggests the virus has acquired the ability to evade naturally acquired immunity." And "covid-19 will become much like influenza, requiring year-round, worldwide, surveillance of new strains and regular updating and administration of vaccines. We may not need a new vaccine every year, but we will need new vaccines, nonetheless."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...s-new-strains/

Awesome! Makes me want to punch some people in the face. It was said very early on that we'll never know if did too much to respond and stop this pandemic but we will certainly know if we didn't do enough.

[LasVegas]

The southern Nevada health district says we are only getting about 22,000 vaccinations a week. Not even close to enough for a metro area of over 2 million people.

[acdevil]

Vaccinations or doses of vaccine?