COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[It’s so Joever]

Honestly if I didn’t have to go to in-person school, I would be fine with people ignoring the virus. I’m safe and I am taking precautions as is my family, why should I even care if millions of people get long term organ damage? I’m serious, Americans are so stupid, I don’t even care if they get sick anymore.
As long as it doesn’t hurt me or my immediate family, I don’t care at this point.

Maybe that’s just me pissed with people for being such idiots, but I honestly am beginning to despise the general public.
Shutdowns are a real thing we can argue about, as they actually hurt people. I have yet to see basic social distancing, basic hygiene, and basic face coverage having hurt someone at all.

I will wear my goddamn mask as long as needed. It’s not difficult and I am wearing far more “heavy” stuff than 90% of you, so I don’t want to hear about how it’s uncomfortable or so “difficult to breathe in”.

I say people who don’t wear masks and don’t social distance (when possible!) should be cut off from any future government healthcare support forever. Whether it’s Medicaid, Medicare, I don’t care.

You can pay for your own stupidity.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

With Florida throwing its doors back open, how long will it take before we start noticing a spike in cases? About two weeks?

Not gonna happen. Guaranteed.

Tennessee also ended all remaining restrictions this week.  But, the thing in Tennessee (and probably Florida) is that there haven't been any significant restrictions in a while.  Large, maskless gatherings have been happening.  Restaurants have been bustling like there was no covid.  My church's attendance is almost back to pre-covid levels (and 99% don't wear masks).  Groups of friends will play sports with each other, inherently coming in contact with others.  People hug and shake hands when they see each other.  Other than my work (by national corporate policy) still being work-from-home, my life is basically back to where it was in February (and actually, I'm probably seeing more people due to prioritizing community more).  That's the same for most people I know.

So, these liftings of the handful of restrictions that still remain might get press, but people's behavior has long shown that covid is over (not in terms of virus spread, but in terms of people being willing to forego living normally) in large swaths of America.  In my bubble of young evangelicals in suburban Tennessee, you would never even know that there was a virus.

One thing I've continued to notice-and which I've made note of-is that the numbers of maskless customers at my job have increased, and are increasing. The breakdown is probably closer to 75-25% at this point. I am starting to seriously doubt whether or not all of this can be sustained for another six or seven months. Yes, I'm aware of the deaths and illnesses attributable to this virus, but I've grown increasingly frustrated with the masks and all of the other dystopian restrictions which has been brought out because of the virus.

Grocery stores seem to be pretty much masked up (even though we have no mask mandate in my county), but it kind of feels like a front because grocery stores are really the only place people actually seem to be wearing them.  Although, I suppose you could make an argument that everyone has to eat, but by choosing to go to some other place, you are implicitly accepting the (small) increase in risk.

I've taken a step back from this thread because I find debating covid to be uniquely unproductive, but I was just wanting to say that people who don't want to be social distancing (which is probably most people in terms of actions, if not in stated poll responses) haven't been social distancing in months and that this isn't going to suddenly take a bunch of people from quarantine to normal life.  People have already divided into one camp or the other.

[Calthrina950]

With Florida throwing its doors back open, how long will it take before we start noticing a spike in cases? About two weeks?

Not gonna happen. Guaranteed.

Tennessee also ended all remaining restrictions this week.  But, the thing in Tennessee (and probably Florida) is that there haven't been any significant restrictions in a while.  Large, maskless gatherings have been happening.  Restaurants have been bustling like there was no covid.  My church's attendance is almost back to pre-covid levels (and 99% don't wear masks).  Groups of friends will play sports with each other, inherently coming in contact with others.  People hug and shake hands when they see each other.  Other than my work (by national corporate policy) still being work-from-home, my life is basically back to where it was in February (and actually, I'm probably seeing more people due to prioritizing community more).  That's the same for most people I know.

So, these liftings of the handful of restrictions that still remain might get press, but people's behavior has long shown that covid is over (not in terms of virus spread, but in terms of people being willing to forego living normally) in large swaths of America.  In my bubble of young evangelicals in suburban Tennessee, you would never even know that there was a virus.

One thing I've continued to notice-and which I've made note of-is that the numbers of maskless customers at my job have increased, and are increasing. The breakdown is probably closer to 75-25% at this point. I am starting to seriously doubt whether or not all of this can be sustained for another six or seven months. Yes, I'm aware of the deaths and illnesses attributable to this virus, but I've grown increasingly frustrated with the masks and all of the other dystopian restrictions which has been brought out because of the virus.

Grocery stores seem to be pretty much masked up (even though we have no mask mandate in my county), but it kind of feels like a front because grocery stores are really the only place people actually seem to be wearing them.  Although, I suppose you could make an argument that everyone has to eat, but by choosing to go to some other place, you are implicitly accepting the (small) increase in risk.

I've taken a step back from this thread because I find debating covid to be uniquely unproductive, but I was just wanting to say that people who don't want to be social distancing (which is probably most people in terms of actions, if not in stated poll responses) haven't been social distancing in months and that this isn't going to suddenly take a bunch of people from quarantine to normal life.  People have already divided into one camp or the other.

I don't work at a grocery store; I work at a hardware store (Home Depot). But I understand the point which you're trying to make. And even at my job, social distancing has been nonexistent throughout this. Sure, they have the distancing markers, but people tended to keep apart when waiting in lines even before the pandemic started, and it's virtually impossible to keep your distance from the cashier, with or without a physical barrier, or from nearby individuals, when you are at an actual register. And of course, there's many people who simply don't care about the guidelines: I've had people give me handshakes or "high-fives", in complete disregard of those guidelines.

[Hnv1]

What's up with WI and IL numbers? seem to be on a steady rise, inbound second wave?

[Bandit3 the Worker]

What's up with WI and IL numbers? seem to be on a steady rise, inbound second wave?

Illinois is doing decently for a big state, and Wisconsin never really had a first wave.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

https://twitter.com/DoctorYasmin/status/1311524415948099585

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

https://twitter.com/JamesGleick/status/1311349170511450112

[jimrtex]

Grocery stores seem to be pretty much masked up (even though we have no mask mandate in my county), but it kind of feels like a front because grocery stores are really the only place people actually seem to be wearing them.  Although, I suppose you could make an argument that everyone has to eat, but by choosing to go to some other place, you are implicitly accepting the (small) increase in risk.

If you are at high risk (75+) you've probably figured out how to get groceries delivered to you, or have someone else get your groceries.

If you at moderately high risk, the only place you go to is the grocery store and the drug store. You and everyone else is going up and down the aisles, so there is actually a lot of close contact not to mention all the fondling of the fruit and cans of tuna, so you have a lot of feedback from others even if you are young and stupid.

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/JenniferJJacobs/status/1311820562587619333

[Calthrina950]

https://twitter.com/JenniferJJacobs/status/1311820562587619333

Yet another Trump associate has the virus. I'm just hoping that Trump himself-loathsome human being that he is-doesn't get it. That would spell more trouble for our country than it has already endured.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Yet another Trump associate has the virus. I'm just hoping that Trump himself-loathsome human being that he is-doesn't get it. That would spell more trouble for our country than it has already endured.

I would bet that he already has.

[GP270watch]

https://twitter.com/JenniferJJacobs/status/1311820562587619333

 Does this mean she has bad "genes".

[Dr. Arch]

The updated numbers for COVID-19 in the U.S. are in for 10/1 per: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/

I'm keeping track of these updates daily and updating at the end of the day, whenever all states finish reporting for that day.

ΔW Change: Comparisons of Weekly Day-to-day Growth or Decline of COVID-19 Spread/Deaths.

• IE: Comparing the numbers to the same day of last week, are we flattening the curve enough?

Σ Increase: A day's contribution to overall percentage growth of COVID-19 cases/deaths.

• IE: What's the overall change in the total?

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9/20: <Sunday>

• Cases: 7,004,768 (+37,365 | ΔW Change: ↑17.29% | Σ Increase: ↑0.54%)
• Deaths: 204,118 (+294 | ΔW Change: ↓25.00% | Σ Increase: ↑0.14%)

9/21: <M>

• Cases: 7,046,216 (+41,448 | ΔW Change: ↑1.51% | Σ Increase: ↑0.59%)
• Deaths: 204,506 (+388 | ΔW Change: ↓19.17% | Σ Increase: ↑0.19%)

9/22: <T>

• Cases: 7,097,937 (+51,721 | ΔW Change: ↑34.52% | Σ Increase: ↑0.59%)
• Deaths: 205,471 (+965 | ΔW Change: ↓18.08% | Σ Increase: ↑0.19%)

9/23: <W>

• Cases: 7,139,553 (+41,616 | ΔW Change: ↑2.59% | Σ Increase: ↑0.59%)
• Deaths: 206,593 (+1,122 | ΔW Change: ↓4.10% | Σ Increase: ↑0.55%)

9/24: <Þ>

• Cases: 7,185,471 (+45,918 | ΔW Change: ↓0.72% | Σ Increase: ↑0.64%)
• Deaths: 207,538 (+945 | ΔW Change: ↑9.25% | Σ Increase: ↑0.46%)

9/25: <F>

• Cases: 7,244,184 (+58,713 | ΔW Change: ↑14.25% | Σ Increase: ↑0.82%)
• Deaths: 208,440 (+902 | ΔW Change: ↓5.85% | Σ Increase: ↑0.43%)

9/26: <S>

• Cases: 7,287,561 (+43,377 | ΔW Change: ↑4.62% | Σ Increase: ↑0.60%)
• Deaths: 209,177 (+737 | ΔW Change: ↑12.86% | Σ Increase: ↑0.35%)

9/27: <Sunday>

• Cases: 7,320,669 (+33,108 | ΔW Change: ↓11.39% | Σ Increase: ↑0.45%)
• Deaths: 209,453 (+276 | ΔW Change: ↓6.12% | Σ Increase: ↑0.13%)

9/28: <M>

• Cases: 7,361,611 (+40,942 | ΔW Change: ↓1.22% | Σ Increase: ↑0.56%)
• Deaths: 209,808 (+355 | ΔW Change: ↓8.51% | Σ Increase: ↑0.17%)

9/29: <T>

• Cases: 7,406,146 (+44,535 | ΔW Change: ↓13.89% | Σ Increase: ↑0.60%)
• Deaths: 210,785 (+977 | ΔW Change: ↑1.24% | Σ Increase: ↑0.47%)

9/30 (Yesterday): <W>

• Cases: 7,447,282 (+41,136 | ΔW Change: ↓1.15% | Σ Increase: ↑0.56%)
• Deaths: 211,740 (+955 | ΔW Change: ↓14.88% | Σ Increase: ↑0.45%)

10/1 (Today): <Þ>

• Cases: 7,494,671 (+47,389 | ΔW Change: ↑3.20% | Σ Increase: ↑0.64%)
• Deaths: 212,660 (+920 | ΔW Change: ↓2.65% | Σ Increase: ↑0.43%)

[libertpaulian]

https://twitter.com/JenniferJJacobs/status/1311820562587619333

https://twitter.com/paleomexicano/status/1311856198820405249

[soundchaser]

https://twitter.com/paleomexicano/status/1311856198820405249

This is *very* morbid (probably unnecessarily so), but also, no, Pence would get his ass handed to him.

[Calthrina950]

Yet another Trump associate has the virus. I'm just hoping that Trump himself-loathsome human being that he is-doesn't get it. That would spell more trouble for our country than it has already endured.

I would bet that he already has.

If he does, then 2020 will be even more of a disastrous year than we previously thought. Thank God that the Commission on Presidential Debates discarded the traditional handshake at the debate, and that Trump and Biden were at a distance on the stage. It would be even worse if Biden got it also.

[It’s so Joever]

I hope Trump doesn’t catch it, not because I would care if he was sick or dying, but because I worry about a sympathy bump.

[Calthrina950]

Yet another Trump associate has the virus. I'm just hoping that Trump himself-loathsome human being that he is-doesn't get it. That would spell more trouble for our country than it has already endured.

I would bet that he already has.

And you are right! This is astonishing news for me to see, before I go to bed.

[2952-0-0]

Yet another Trump associate has the virus. I'm just hoping that Trump himself-loathsome human being that he is-doesn't get it. That would spell more trouble for our country than it has already endured.

I would bet that he already has.

What are next week's lottery numbers???

[T'Chenka]

COVID-45

[Middle-aged Europe]

If Boris, Bolsonaro and Trump already had COVID this kind of suspciously leaves Putin out. Putin probably had it too at this point and they just covered it up IMO.

[Tender Branson]

What is the term for sex in a COVID household ?

Answer: Clusterf**k.

[Brittain33]

Oh boy.

[It’s so Joever]

I wonder where Del Taco is?

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/SenMikeLee/status/1312055257992753152