Conavirus......

[ApatheticNoMore]

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!!

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.

[bae]

Interesting article:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/05/o...gtype=Homepage

[Jane v2.0]

Interesting article:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/05/o...gtype=Homepage

"Live free and die coughing" is pretty pithy.

[Teacher Terry]

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.

[happystuff]

With the vaccine available for anyone that wants it I think masks should be a individual decision now.

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!

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.

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.

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!

[jp1]

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/

[Teacher Terry]

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.

[iris lilies]

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 can’t read the WaPo article because I have no paid subscription.

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.

[jp1]

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.

[Klunick]

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.