COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[Meclazine for Israel]

Dr. Vin Gupta on MSNBC said false negatives are like 10% common in the rapid test, but false positives are extremely rare so Dewine's negative test the same day should be disregarded.

Yes and no.

We had an AFL footballer test positive followed by a train of negative results. So it does happen quite a bit. If the virus does not embed due to natural immunity, then it is gone.

[Frodo]

The anti-vaccers comprise more than a third of our total population, and most of them are Republicans:

Poll: 35% of Americans, most Republicans would reject COVID-19 vaccine

More than one-third of U.S. adults and a majority of Republicans would not receive a free, government-approved COVID-19 vaccine if one was presently available, a Gallup survey showed Friday.

According to the poll, 35% of U.S. adults said they would not get the vaccine, compared to 65% who said they would. The share was the exact same 65/35 split among both men and women.

The age group that expressed the most skepticism about a vaccine were those between 50 and 64 years old (59%) -- and the group that was most accepting of a vaccine were between 18 and 29 (76%).

By race, the survey found that two-thirds of White Americans (67%) and 59% of non-Whites would take the vaccine, despite the virus more heavily affecting the Black and Latino communities.

[It’s so Joever]

The anti-vaccers comprise more than a third of our total population, and most of them are Republicans:

Poll: 35% of Americans, most Republicans would reject COVID-19 vaccine

More than one-third of U.S. adults and a majority of Republicans would not receive a free, government-approved COVID-19 vaccine if one was presently available, a Gallup survey showed Friday.

According to the poll, 35% of U.S. adults said they would not get the vaccine, compared to 65% who said they would. The share was the exact same 65/35 split among both men and women.

The age group that expressed the most skepticism about a vaccine were those between 50 and 64 years old (59%) -- and the group that was most accepting of a vaccine were between 18 and 29 (76%).

By race, the survey found that two-thirds of White Americans (67%) and 59% of non-Whites would take the vaccine, despite the virus more heavily affecting the Black and Latino communities.

Excellent, more for me!

[Dr. Arch]

The updated numbers for COVID-19 in the U.S. are in for 8/8 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.

New - Substituting the Δ Change metric as of 7/13 on dates starting from 7/5:
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?

Older Numbers (Hidden in spoiler mode to make the post more compact)

Spoiler alert! Click Show to show the content.

Show

<Last Numbers for 3/26-3/28 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 3/29-4/4 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 4/5-4/11 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 4/12-4/18 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 4/19-4/25 in this post>
<Last Numbers for 4/26-5/2 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 5/3-5/9 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 5/10-5/16 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 5/17-5/23 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 5/24-5/30 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 5/31-6/6 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 6/7-6/13 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 6/14-6/20 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 6/21-6/27 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 6/28-7/4 in this Post>
<Last Numbers from 7/5-7/11 in this Post>
<Last Numbers from 7/12-7/18 in this Post>
<Last Numbers from 7/19-7/25 in this Post>

7/26: <Sunday>

• Cases: 4,371,839 (+56,151 | ΔW Change: ↓11.24% | Σ Increase: ↑1.30%)
• Deaths: 149,849 (+454 | ΔW Change: ↑15.82% | Σ Increase: ↑0.30%)

7/27: <M>

• Cases: 4,433,392 (+61,553 | ΔW Change: ↓4.68% | Σ Increase: ↑1.41%)
• Deaths: 150,444 (+595 | ΔW Change: ↑5.31% | Σ Increase: ↑0.40%)

7/28: <T>

• Cases: 4,498,343 (+64,951 | ΔW Change: ↓3.26% | Σ Increase: ↑1.47%)
• Deaths: 152,320 (+1,876 | ΔW Change: ↑67.65% | Σ Increase: ↑1.25%)

7/29: <W>

• Cases: 4,568,037 (+69,694 | ΔW Change: ↓3.61% | Σ Increase: ↑1.55%)
• Deaths: 153,840 (+1,520 | ΔW Change: ↑23.58% | Σ Increase: ↑1.00%)

7/30: <Þ>

• Cases: 4,634,985 (+66,948 | ΔW Change: ↓3.14% | Σ Increase: ↑1.47%)
• Deaths: 155,285 (+1,445 | ΔW Change: ↑25.65% | Σ Increase: ↑0.94%)

7/31: <F>

• Cases: 4,705,889 (+70,904 | ΔW Change: ↓9.49% | Σ Increase: ↑1.53%)
• Deaths: 156,747 (+1,462 | ΔW Change: ↑26.36% | Σ Increase: ↑0.94%)

8/1: <S>

• Cases: 4,764,318 (+58,429 | ΔW Change: ↓13.25% | Σ Increase: ↑1.24%)
• Deaths: 157,898 (+1,151 | ΔW Change: ↑27.18% | Σ Increase: ↑0.73%)

8/2: <Sunday>

• Cases: 4,813,647 (+49,329 | ΔW Change: ↓13.25% | Σ Increase: ↑1.04%)
• Deaths: 158,365 (+467 | ΔW Change: ↑12.15% | Σ Increase: ↑0.30%)

8/3: <M>

• Cases: 4,862,174 (+48,527 | ΔW Change: ↓21.14% | Σ Increase: ↑1.01%)
• Deaths: 158,929 (+564 | ΔW Change: ↓5.21% | Σ Increase: ↑0.36%)

8/4: <T>

• Cases: 4,918,420 (+56,246 | ΔW Change: ↓13.40% | Σ Increase: ↑1.16%)
• Deaths: 160,290 (+1,361 | ΔW Change: ↓27.45% | Σ Increase: ↑0.86%)

8/5: <W>

• Cases: 4,973,568 (+55,148 | ΔW Change: ↓20.87% | Σ Increase: ↑1.12%)
• Deaths: 161,601 (+1,311 | ΔW Change: ↓13.75% | Σ Increase: ↑0.82%)

8/6: <Þ>

• Cases: 5,032,179 (+58,611 | ΔW Change: ↓12.45% | Σ Increase: ↑1.18%)
• Deaths: 162,804 (+1,203 | ΔW Change: ↓16.75% | Σ Increase: ↑0.74%)

8/7 (Yesterday): <F>

• Cases: 5,095,524 (+63,345 | ΔW Change: ↓10.66% | Σ Increase: ↑1.26%)
• Deaths: 164,094 (+1,290 | ΔW Change: ↓11.76% | Σ Increase: ↑0.79%)

8/8 (Today): <S>

• Cases: 5,149,723 (+54,199 | ΔW Change: ↓8.80% | Σ Increase: ↑1.06%)
• Deaths: 165,070 (+976 | ΔW Change: ↓15.20% | Σ Increase: ↑0.59%)

[Pericles]

The anti-vaccers comprise more than a third of our total population, and most of them are Republicans:

Poll: 35% of Americans, most Republicans would reject COVID-19 vaccine

More than one-third of U.S. adults and a majority of Republicans would not receive a free, government-approved COVID-19 vaccine if one was presently available, a Gallup survey showed Friday.

According to the poll, 35% of U.S. adults said they would not get the vaccine, compared to 65% who said they would. The share was the exact same 65/35 split among both men and women.

The age group that expressed the most skepticism about a vaccine were those between 50 and 64 years old (59%) -- and the group that was most accepting of a vaccine were between 18 and 29 (76%).

By race, the survey found that two-thirds of White Americans (67%) and 59% of non-Whites would take the vaccine, despite the virus more heavily affecting the Black and Latino communities.

How much herd immunity is achievable with only 65% of the population? This is pretty worrying.

[emailking]

I wonder if these numbers are influenced at all by people who think the first vaccine out the door may have had rushed trials and could be unsafe, and they're saying they might not get that. I'm guessing that probably can't actually happen, but maybe it explains some of the high numbers.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

The anti-vaccers comprise more than a third of our total population, and most of them are Republicans:

Poll: 35% of Americans, most Republicans would reject COVID-19 vaccine

More than one-third of U.S. adults and a majority of Republicans would not receive a free, government-approved COVID-19 vaccine if one was presently available, a Gallup survey showed Friday.

According to the poll, 35% of U.S. adults said they would not get the vaccine, compared to 65% who said they would. The share was the exact same 65/35 split among both men and women.

The age group that expressed the most skepticism about a vaccine were those between 50 and 64 years old (59%) -- and the group that was most accepting of a vaccine were between 18 and 29 (76%).

By race, the survey found that two-thirds of White Americans (67%) and 59% of non-Whites would take the vaccine, despite the virus more heavily affecting the Black and Latino communities.

Pay attention to the wording.

Donald Trump is completely ignorant, desperate for positive news about the pandemic he has horribly handled, has publicly pushed snake oil, and has repeatedly demonstrated completely disregard for science and public safety.

I'll get a vaccine approved by WHO, the EU, and/or the Biden Administration as soon as I feasibly and ethically can. That the Trump administration cannot be trusted to produce a medically sound vaccine is obvious.

[Horus]

The anti-vaccers comprise more than a third of our total population, and most of them are Republicans:

Poll: 35% of Americans, most Republicans would reject COVID-19 vaccine

More than one-third of U.S. adults and a majority of Republicans would not receive a free, government-approved COVID-19 vaccine if one was presently available, a Gallup survey showed Friday.

According to the poll, 35% of U.S. adults said they would not get the vaccine, compared to 65% who said they would. The share was the exact same 65/35 split among both men and women.

The age group that expressed the most skepticism about a vaccine were those between 50 and 64 years old (59%) -- and the group that was most accepting of a vaccine were between 18 and 29 (76%).

By race, the survey found that two-thirds of White Americans (67%) and 59% of non-Whites would take the vaccine, despite the virus more heavily affecting the Black and Latino communities.

At least younger adults are far more pro vax, I really had been scared we were regressing on this issue. Most of the anti vaxxers I know of are under 40.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

https://www.complex.com/life/2020/08/georgia-students-suspended-for-sharing-viral-pictures-of-packed-school-hallway

Apparently it's a crime to show that Kemp is lying about it being safe to return to school.

Same county:
https://twitter.com/Freeyourmindkid/status/1292220720777494531

[GeorgiaModerate]

Speaking of North Paulding High School:

“At this time, we know there were six students and three staff members who were in school for at least some time last week who have since reported to us that they have tested positive,” says a letter from North Paulding High School Principal Gabe Carmona to parents Saturday.
...
The letter to parents does not include information on whether any other students or staff who were exposed have to quarantine or whether any classrooms will be closed. “Our custodial staff continues to thoroughly clean and disinfect the school building daily, and especially affected areas,” the letter says.

https://www.ajc.com/education/9-cases-of-covid-19-reported-at-north-paulding-high-school/OWH6MN7DZ5A2XDQMXX337AQEWI/

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

Theresa Lyons, who sits on the Paulding County BOE, suggested students change seats every 14 mins to get around this.

Brilliant! Just brilliant! Absolutely amazing work. 

[GeorgiaModerate]

Theresa Lyons, who sits on the Paulding County BOE, suggested students change seats every 14 mins to get around this.

Brilliant! Just brilliant! Absolutely amazing work. 

It's a perfect example of creative idiocy.

[Inmate Trump]

Theresa Lyons, who sits on the Paulding County BOE, suggested students change seats every 14 mins to get around this.

Brilliant! Just brilliant! Absolutely amazing work. 

It's a perfect example of creative idiocy.

Oh, she's a Republican.

[Person Man]

Theresa Lyons, who sits on the Paulding County BOE, suggested students change seats every 14 mins to get around this.

Brilliant! Just brilliant! Absolutely amazing work. 

It's a perfect example of creative idiocy.

Oh, she's a Republican.

/s?

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Whole thing is well worth a read. To clarify the title, Gates is saying the testing is garbage because we take so long to get results back that its useless for containment.

Bill Gates on Covid: Most US Tests Are ‘Completely Garbage’

You helped fund a Covid diagnostic testing program in Seattle that got quicker results, and it wasn’t so intrusive. The FDA put it on pause. What happened?

There’s this thing where the health worker jams the deep turbinate, in the back of your nose, which actually hurts and makes you sneeze on the healthy worker. We showed that the quality of the results can be equivalent if you just put a self-test in the tip of your nose with a cotton swab. The FDA made us jump through some hoops to prove that you didn’t need to refrigerate the result, that it could go back in a dry plastic bag, and so on. So the delay there was just normal double checking, maybe overly careful but not based on some political angle. Because of what we have done at FDA, you can buy these cheaper swabs that are available by the billions. So anybody who’s using the deep turbinate now is just out of date. It’s a mistake, because it slows things down.

But people aren’t getting their tests back quickly enough.

Well, that’s just stupidity. The majority of all US tests are completely garbage, wasted. If you don’t care how late the date is and you reimburse at the same level, of course they’re going to take every customer. Because they are making ridiculous money, and it’s mostly rich people that are getting access to that. You have to have the reimbursement system pay a little bit extra for 24 hours, pay the normal fee for 48 hours, and pay nothing [if it isn’t done by then]. And they will fix it overnight.

Why don’t we just do that?

Because the federal government sets that reimbursement system. When we tell them to change it they say, “As far as we can tell, we’re just doing a great job, it’s amazing!” Here we are, this is August. We are the only country in the world where we waste the most money on tests. Fix the reimbursement. Set up the CDC website. But I have been on that kick, and people are tired of listening to me.

[lfromnj]

Theresa Lyons, who sits on the Paulding County BOE, suggested students change seats every 14 mins to get around this.

Brilliant! Just brilliant! Absolutely amazing work. 

The school also said masks were a matter of personal choice but if someone has some shoulder strap too thin thats going back home

[It’s so Joever]

The anti-vaccers comprise more than a third of our total population, and most of them are Republicans:

Poll: 35% of Americans, most Republicans would reject COVID-19 vaccine

More than one-third of U.S. adults and a majority of Republicans would not receive a free, government-approved COVID-19 vaccine if one was presently available, a Gallup survey showed Friday.

According to the poll, 35% of U.S. adults said they would not get the vaccine, compared to 65% who said they would. The share was the exact same 65/35 split among both men and women.

The age group that expressed the most skepticism about a vaccine were those between 50 and 64 years old (59%) -- and the group that was most accepting of a vaccine were between 18 and 29 (76%).

By race, the survey found that two-thirds of White Americans (67%) and 59% of non-Whites would take the vaccine, despite the virus more heavily affecting the Black and Latino communities.

At least younger adults are far more pro vax, I really had been scared we were regressing on this issue. Most of the anti vaxxers I know of are under 40.

Nah, Gen Z is now rebelling against anti-vaxxers. Progress will be made on this front as we get older.

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/ChrisJoseWSB/status/1292564766100279296

[Storr]

https://twitter.com/ChrisJoseWSB/status/1292564766100279296

I see opening schools as normal has gone well.

[Dr. Arch]

https://twitter.com/ChrisJoseWSB/status/1292564766100279296

I see opening schools as normal has gone well.

Paging Bandit and DelTachi...

[It’s so Joever]

https://twitter.com/ChrisJoseWSB/status/1292564766100279296

I see opening schools as normal has gone well.

Paging Bandit and DelTachi...

Bandit is too populist to have common sense and Del Tachi.....well he probably would be okay with High School students like me dying anyways.

Also, I challenge anyone who wants to reopen schools to pay for my, or my brother’s medical bills if we get Covid-19, this includes long term physical effects on organs. After all, since it’s totally not at all dangerous for us, you probably won’t have to pay anything, right?

[100% pro-life no matter what]

The anti-vaccers comprise more than a third of our total population, and most of them are Republicans:

Poll: 35% of Americans, most Republicans would reject COVID-19 vaccine

More than one-third of U.S. adults and a majority of Republicans would not receive a free, government-approved COVID-19 vaccine if one was presently available, a Gallup survey showed Friday.

According to the poll, 35% of U.S. adults said they would not get the vaccine, compared to 65% who said they would. The share was the exact same 65/35 split among both men and women.

The age group that expressed the most skepticism about a vaccine were those between 50 and 64 years old (59%) -- and the group that was most accepting of a vaccine were between 18 and 29 (76%).

By race, the survey found that two-thirds of White Americans (67%) and 59% of non-Whites would take the vaccine, despite the virus more heavily affecting the Black and Latino communities.

As someone who is anti-restriction, I am deeply disturbed by the anti-vax undertones it has taken.  When there is a better way to get immunity, we should all take it.

[Dr. Arch]

The updated numbers for COVID-19 in the U.S. are in for 8/9 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.

New - Substituting the Δ Change metric as of 7/13 on dates starting from 7/5:
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?

Older Numbers (Hidden in spoiler mode to make the post more compact)

Spoiler alert! Click Show to show the content.

Show

<Last Numbers for 3/26-3/28 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 3/29-4/4 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 4/5-4/11 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 4/12-4/18 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 4/19-4/25 in this post>
<Last Numbers for 4/26-5/2 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 5/3-5/9 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 5/10-5/16 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 5/17-5/23 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 5/24-5/30 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 5/31-6/6 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 6/7-6/13 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 6/14-6/20 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 6/21-6/27 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 6/28-7/4 in this Post>
<Last Numbers from 7/5-7/11 in this Post>
<Last Numbers from 7/12-7/18 in this Post>
<Last Numbers from 7/19-7/25 in this Post>
<Last Numbers from 7/26-8/1 in this Post>

8/2: <Sunday>

• Cases: 4,813,647 (+49,329 | ΔW Change: ↓13.25% | Σ Increase: ↑1.04%)
• Deaths: 158,365 (+467 | ΔW Change: ↑12.15% | Σ Increase: ↑0.30%)

8/3: <M>

• Cases: 4,862,174 (+48,527 | ΔW Change: ↓21.14% | Σ Increase: ↑1.01%)
• Deaths: 158,929 (+564 | ΔW Change: ↓5.21% | Σ Increase: ↑0.36%)

8/4: <T>

• Cases: 4,918,420 (+56,246 | ΔW Change: ↓13.40% | Σ Increase: ↑1.16%)
• Deaths: 160,290 (+1,361 | ΔW Change: ↓27.45% | Σ Increase: ↑0.86%)

8/5: <W>

• Cases: 4,973,568 (+55,148 | ΔW Change: ↓20.87% | Σ Increase: ↑1.12%)
• Deaths: 161,601 (+1,311 | ΔW Change: ↓13.75% | Σ Increase: ↑0.82%)

8/6: <Þ>

• Cases: 5,032,179 (+58,611 | ΔW Change: ↓12.45% | Σ Increase: ↑1.18%)
• Deaths: 162,804 (+1,203 | ΔW Change: ↓16.75% | Σ Increase: ↑0.74%)

8/7: <F>

• Cases: 5,095,524 (+63,345 | ΔW Change: ↓10.66% | Σ Increase: ↑1.26%)
• Deaths: 164,094 (+1,290 | ΔW Change: ↓11.76% | Σ Increase: ↑0.79%)

8/8 (Yesterday): <S>

• Cases: 5,149,723 (+54,199 | ΔW Change: ↓8.80% | Σ Increase: ↑1.06%)
• Deaths: 165,070 (+976 | ΔW Change: ↓15.20% | Σ Increase: ↑0.59%)

8/9 (Today): <Sunday>

• Cases: 5,199,444 (+49,721 | ΔW Change: ↑0.79% | Σ Increase: ↑0.97%)
• Deaths: 165,617 (+547 | ΔW Change: ↑17.13% | Σ Increase: ↑0.33%)

[Dr. Arch]

The anti-vaccers comprise more than a third of our total population, and most of them are Republicans:

Poll: 35% of Americans, most Republicans would reject COVID-19 vaccine

More than one-third of U.S. adults and a majority of Republicans would not receive a free, government-approved COVID-19 vaccine if one was presently available, a Gallup survey showed Friday.

According to the poll, 35% of U.S. adults said they would not get the vaccine, compared to 65% who said they would. The share was the exact same 65/35 split among both men and women.

The age group that expressed the most skepticism about a vaccine were those between 50 and 64 years old (59%) -- and the group that was most accepting of a vaccine were between 18 and 29 (76%).

By race, the survey found that two-thirds of White Americans (67%) and 59% of non-Whites would take the vaccine, despite the virus more heavily affecting the Black and Latino communities.

As someone who is anti-restriction, I am deeply disturbed by the anti-vax undertones it has taken.  When there is a better way to get immunity, we should all take it.

This is what Trump has warped your party into.

[emailking]

8/9 (Today): <Sunday>

• Cases: 5,199,444 (+49,721 | ΔW Change: ↑0.79% | Σ Increase: ↑0.97%)
• Deaths: 165,617 (+547 | ΔW Change: ↑17.13% | Σ Increase: ↑0.33%)

Shoot everything had been going down all week. Maybe just an anomaly.