I guess at this point everyone ignores the CDC no matter who is president (wearing masks when advised not to etc.). The CDC under both Trump and Biden have been pretty bad, it's just consistent static.
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I guess at this point everyone ignores the CDC no matter who is president (wearing masks when advised not to etc.). The CDC under both Trump and Biden have been pretty bad, it's just consistent static.
I acknowledge that I must be in the minority to think that the CDC and Fauci have done a fairly reasonable job. Certainly not perfect, but reasonable. The rules have changed when they've learned more or collected more data, or now with the variants, but it comes off as crying wolf. They've given the best case rules and guidelines as things have changed. It's more the people who have failed, either by expressing some form of personal freedom or subscribing to disinformation. Most of the restrictions on masks or social gatherings have been up to local authorities.
I do think it might be time for Fauci to step down. Under the theory you can't please all of the people all of the time he's pretty much disappointed everyone at some time and is starting to come off as a government figurehead. It would be good to wipe the slate clean with a new face and fresh presentations.
I heard speculation today that the timing of the increased concern about covid is teacher's unions not wanting to go back to the classroom this fall but desiring to work from home for another year.
... lawn gnomes are behind it all!Quote:
Originally Posted by Yppej
Aha! I was wondering who was behind having me work 10 hours day to deep clean, disinfect, and otherwise prepare classrooms, bathrooms, cafeteria, etc. - with me all the while thinking it was for the return of students and teachers alike!Quote:
Originally Posted by bae
I don't think the CDC gave people a fair chance to get vaccinated before removing mask mandates (they didn't give the 6 weeks from vaccine availability to all adults). So I wore masks a few weeks after the CDC said they were not necessary, because everyone deserves a chance to get vaccinated before being exposed to the maskless hoards.
Then I dumped masks too, figuring people have had their chance to get a vax if a vax was what they wanted (never 100% true as people will always have extraordinary circumstances, but kinda). And I LIKED IT. No more masks!
Then weeks ago masks became mandated again here. So I wore them again, annoyed but law-abiding, "oh I'm so virtuous, I obey the law", all along figuring our public health authorities were dofuses since they were neither aligned with the CDC nor state policy, but what can you do (I also think poorly of them because they had handled the pandemic very poorly before that).
But I don't really think the CDC has done well, mask messaging errors early on, screwing up testing early on, aresols errors, removing masks mandates before people had a good faith chance to get vaccinated etc..
And for weeks now it seems there have been rising stories of Delta and increased threats. Weeks before the latest from the CDC. But personally, I was sick of thinking about covid. And if I heard another invermectin pusher blabbing about Delta and vaccines not working, I would just lose it :0!. But eventually I figured maybe I should try to figure out what was going on, grumble so sick of covid, I want to panic about something else instead. Well it was none too clear what if anything was going on. But here we are.
The huge jump in cases in several states, hospitals being overwhelmed, skilled nurses in short supply, the likelihood of yet more emergent variants--those elements are clearly no match for overreaching union bosses...I think Jeppy is f**king with us.Quote:
Originally Posted by bae
But I've long thought there was something sinister about lawn gnomes.:devil:
Vermont is the best state in the country - best vaccination percent, best adolescent vaccination percentage, lowest hospitalizations, so few cases no restrictions have been put back in place, and the only part of the state with substantial transmission is Burlington. Some parts of the state are rated low risk and most are !moderate. But instead of celebrating since the CDC is only warning about areas of substantial or high risk, this week the Vermont Department of Education recommended universal masking in schools. Who do you think is behind that? Hint: if you're following evidence and facts then it sure ain't the scientists.
Lawn gnomes. Better than whatever nutball conspiracy theory you're selling.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yppej
Are you saying lawn gnomes because they "work" from home? Yeah, I see how hard those working from home work. About as hard as a lawn gnome. Gnome is a good term for those who don't want to go back to the classroom but sit on their lawn with a laptop, though zoombie is pretty good too.Quote:
Originally Posted by bae
You know... I spent the last teaching year, during the pandemic, sitting next to a 4th grade teacher who was working from my home, teaching in a bilingual program. Watching the trials and tribulations of the class and the teaching staff was quite educational. None of these teachers want to "sit on the lawn with a laptop", and almost all were quite keen to return to in-person instruction ASAP (except one of the teaching staff who was immunocompromised).Quote:
Originally Posted by Yppej
I spent the last 3 weeks on a road trip with one of these teachers, and a frequent cause of concern and anxiety was getting back to in-person instruction this coming year, and how that would happen. Almost no conversation along the lines of "gee, it'd be nice to drink fruit drinks on the deck while pretending to work).
You should try facts someday, they are pretty enlightening.
Chris Hayes had a piece on the governor of Vermont, Phil Scott, a popular Republican governor in a liberal state. It's heartening that old-timey pols like him exist in today's GOP.
I can’t imagine teaching a classroom of kids through a laptop. Oy. And then all the variations have to be even worse such as some are being taught long distance and some in class. I’m sure classroom teachers want to get back into the classroom. That’s why vaccines and masks are essential so that they can educate kids the most effectively.
If they try to make me teach online again I will quit.
It's vermont. Duh. It must be ben and jerry. As long as they let me have a good chocolate ice cream and don't make me eat chunky monkey with the nasty banana flavor, I'm good.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yppej
But seriously, 18 months into this and you refuse to accept that masks matter just because you effing hate them. You should just admit that you HATE MASKS AND DONT CARE IF THEY SAVE PEOPLES LIVES.
Honesty is the best policy Jeppy. Admit that you don't care about other people's health and you will be much happier. We will all probably choose to stay far away from you but maybe you will be good with that.
I have observed that the sort of Jeppy-behaviour in my community has discouraged first responders and front-line medical folks from having any enthusiasm in their jobs, and has contributed to a reduction in our numbers.Quote:
Originally Posted by jp1
I myself am also about to wash my hands of the whole thing, and just enjoy my life. This is of course a tremendously privileged position to take. I'm OK with that.
Masks don't save lives, distancing does. When my governor aka dictator ordered me to wear a mask when walking by myself in the woods how many lives did it save? None. Squirrels and other animals are smart enough to keep six feet away from people and humans could master this skill too if they wanted to. But they want to crowd together in airplanes for nonessential travel, etc. Study the size the covid particles and the porousness of masks. Then look at how people actually wear masks, under their noses or tucked under their chins. It's no surprise that by relying on masks we have recurring covid outbreaks.
It is the maskers who need to be honest and face reality, but they can't resist the urge to crowd up against other people. Employer vaccine mandates are coming into play. That and not masks should get us to the end of this.
This is why we can't have nice things.
That's the thing. I only wore one for 30 minutes once a week when I went to the grocery store. Didn't wear one at work and didn't go any place that required one. I think stores will have a hard time getting people to put masks back on and they know it so they won't say anything. At least where I live. People in my County and the neighboring one weren't subjected to wearing masks very much.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rogar
I would love if Dr Ashish Jha would replace Fauci. He tells it like it is and is honest when he thinks the media/CDC/Biden/anyone is over-reacting. He is also the only one who my husband doesn't scream at through the TV so the more I can see of him, the better for me. Haha!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Rogar
He seems alright. I've read his twitter from time to time among many. The role that public health authorities in an ideal world should have fulfilled was taken up by #@$# twitter. But there's no lack of trust in institutions, not at all, everything worked perfectly, the CDC was never wrong much less political etc. (Biden pushed the repeal of mask mandates, who can doubt it). And surely there will be no long term repercussions to such failures, had there been any.Quote:
Originally Posted by Klunick
Interesting article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/05/o...gtype=Homepage
"Live free and die coughing" is pretty pithy.Quote:
Originally Posted by bae
With the vaccine available for anyone that wants it I think masks should be a individual decision now. Many businesses here said that they won’t enforce it because people are acting too crazy and they aren’t risking their employees lives over this.
I agree that in most cases it should be an individual decision, but folks should also abide by the decisions of the business/organizations/etc that they wish to frequent - or simply not frequent them AND NOT complain about THEIR rules and choices!Quote:
Originally Posted by Teacher Terry
This is so sad! But, then, there are so many selfish people who are turning to anger, violence, insane and far-fetched "if" scenarios to support their perpetual fallacies, etc. - all so they can feel justified and self-righteous in their uncompassionate and "all about me" behaviors - with something as simple as wearing/not wearing a mask for not only the protection of others but also for their OWN protection. And I'm not talking about fanatically wearing a mask 24/7, as some tend to exaggerate and rant fanatically against wearing ANY mask at ANY time. There IS a common sense happy medium! Some folks simply don't have or are not using any common sense.Quote:
Originally Posted by Teacher Terry
The sad part to this whole mask/no mask conversation is summed up in those that are getting sick. Period. Vaccinated/non-vaccinated/mask/no mask - people are STILL getting sick!
I continue with my prayers to all to stay healthy AND happy! It is possible! Even when wearing a mask! :D
This article does a good job of breaking down what happened with Provincetown. And probably about as good of a "real world" scenario of actual results as we'll get. They've been doing significant contact tracing and a group of middle to upper middle class gay men are very likely to follow up this situation by getting tested since HIV has made most of us very big fans of medicine and the importance of proactively looking after one's health.
My takeaway from the data from Provincetown is actually quite good:
Almost everyone was vaccinated, both local residents and vacationers. Estimated that as low as 1% weren't. All the venues where crowded parties were happening were requiring proof of vaccination.
60,000 tourists bringing germs from all over and swapping them in close ("carnival") quarters;
1,000 total cases, almost all mild or symptomless, so Pr(+ test) = 1.7%
750 cases among vaxed, so Pr("Breakthrough") = 1.25%
250 cases estimated among unvaxxed, so roughly 50%
7 hospitalized, so Pr(serious) = 0.0117%
And most importantly ZERO DEATHS
The ultimate takeaway is that the vaccines absolutely worked, and worked quite well.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/healt...ovid-outbreak/
I am obeying all the rules without complaining. The governor is making the rules not the businesses so people are misdirecting their anger. The casinos have been vigilant about enforcing the rules. The fines can be huge. At most restaurant if you have food or drink in front of you then a mask is not required. At casinos you have to lower your mask each time you drink and can’t linger over your food because they tell you to put your mask on. I am staying out of casinos until the mandate is done. I don’t blame them but don’t enjoy socializing with masks.
I can’t read the WaPo article because I have no paid subscription.Quote:
Originally Posted by jp1
This is the same CDC study we reviewed on another thread. WaPO Included an estimate of the total population studied not just the population with Covid. I have been wondering about that but the CDC won’t be estimating the number of tourists in one area, That’s good, that’s not their role.
I agree that If those numbers are correct and that’s a low infection rate. I don’t know if the 60,000 number is true. But I also think it’s true that there are people in that population who had Covid who were not counted among the Covid persons because They can’t be testing everyone. Again I can’t read the article so I don’t know how they segregated their 60,000 people in order to get all the statistics.There’s some guesswork going into this.
But I agree, the vaccine is useful. It may stay that way or it may become diminishing in effectiveness.
After hospitalization/intubation, I worry about long Covid effects. Tammy here on this site has long Covid and can no longer work. I’m not sure she was hospitalized, I don’t think she was. does anyone remember? The other person I know who is debilitated with long Covid was not hospitalized either.
My point is that death is not the only serious outcome of Covid to look at. But it’s a very easy one to measure.
One of the things I have noted is that anecdotally a lot of the vaccinated covid infections seem to include loss of taste/smell. I had read in pre-vax times that that was believed to be an indication that the virus got into the brain. I have no idea if that idea still holds.
I'm also curious how common long covid is happening with breakthrough infections. Hopefully not often, but time will tell. The one person I know with long covid besides Tammy, has now had it for a year. The symptoms are less, but nowhere near zero. And for her the symptoms of long covid didn't start until about a month after the initial infection had subsided. And the initial infection only presented as loss of taste/smell. No fever, cough, or any of the other symptoms.
And since my last post I just found out that two very good friends (a couple) now both have covid. Both vaccinated for 3 months with no comorbidities other than well treated HBP for one, and both only having minor symptoms including loss of taste/smell. One had to go to a conference for work and believes he caught it there and brought it home. The other one works from home and both have been among the most cautious of our friends with regard to covid. For now they are staying isolated and will hopefully make full recoveries.
I do have to say there has been at least two positives that have come about because of Covid and I hope they stick around. One being the 6 feet apart thing in stores. Nothing like standing in line with the person behind you so close you can feel their breath on your neck. Second is doctors limiting appointments so their waiting rooms don't get crowded. Son had check up yesterday and we were in and out in about 35 minutes.
Public health authorities here in IL are urging people who were at Lollapolooza last weekend to get tested. Doubt that will happen much, but it will be interesting by mid next week (10 days after event) to see what’s going to happen with cases locally.
I've been wondering how Tammy is doing; I hope she is improving.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Klunick
There are several good outcomes of Covid. I think we had a thread on that. I will look for it and if I can’t find it I’ll start one.
Lollapalooza attendee came back, developed a cough and sore throat, got tested negative for COVID. He's fully vaccinated, but that experience shook him a bit.
I have been in touch with Tammy. She is currently on LTD. Some of her symptoms resolved when she got vaccinated, which is very cool, but others remain.Quote:
Originally Posted by happystuff
Thanks, Rosa! Please pass on my regards and wishes for quick and complete healing!Quote:
Originally Posted by rosarugosa
Some recovery is good to hear.Quote:
Originally Posted by rosarugosa
That’s good news about Tammy. I hope she makes a full recovery.
DH and I went to our local Stop & Shop on Sunday to pick up a couple of things. Some idiot with a BULLHORN driving around the parking lot started following us and was hollering "take off the masks a$$hole$!" I still can't decide if it was more disturbing or hilarious!
That would be a call to the police for me.