COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[cg41386]

Yikes.

[cg41386]

At a certain point, I care more about my mental and physical health than I care about stopping the spread of a virus that we can’t seem to contain. I’ve developed severe anxiety, depression, body dysmorphia and other issues. I haven’t had a good nights of sleep in weeks. I’ve lost a lot of weight and now look frail. I’m constantly stressed out and get angry over little things. I’m scared of talking to people. I’ve been very good at isolating myself and socially distancing, but I’m starting to reach a breaking point. My plan at UGA is to mostly isolate myself until October, but I honestly will probably only be able to do it until mid September.


I need to know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I don’t want to sacrifice my health and youth for much longer. This virus isn’t bad enough for me to want to do that. There actually is a lot of negative harmful effects of socially distancing for so long. How much more do you guys want me to sacrifice?

You don’t need to isolate yourself. You need to be careful with what you do. It really sounds like there is more going on beyond this, but I’m not a doctor.

[cg41386]

https://twitter.com/yascha_mounk/status/1297226437905260545?s=21

I fear that if students can't socialize, the resulting anxiety and depression will be far more dangerous than the functionally 0% death rate 21 year olds have from COVID. 

They can socialize if they do it responsibly. If they have anxiety or depression, aren’t there counselors or something on campus to talk to?

[cg41386]

I need to know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I don’t want to sacrifice my health and youth for much longer. This virus isn’t bad enough for me to want to do that. There actually is a lot of negative harmful effects of socially distancing for so long. How much more do you guys want me to sacrifice?

Wear a mask is all I want.

Is that really all you want?

I'm obviously wearing a mask, but businesses are doing far more than just imposing mask restrictions. Many are limiting capacity, limiting where you can go, asking that you maintain a far distance, completely changing their service, etc. Some restaurants are completely different. And they have to do that for liability issues, because the democratic party does not want to pass liability protections for businesses.

Also, a lot of people are calling for schools to be closed down, when I strongly benefit from in-person instruction. I'm really trying but I barely learn from online classes. I need the in-person social interaction. Maybe online learning works for you guys, but I don't have the privilege of being able to learn effectively online. But, again, the democratic party is generally asking for schools to be shut down and be online only.

I just want the democratic party to not push for things that make my quality of life significantly worse. I'm willing to risk getting coronavirus. Let me live my f!cking life. I've sacrificed enough. And I want people here to stop mocking people who want to do things that make their mental health better. I'm not partying right now, but some people really need to in order to blow off some steam.

I don’t mean to sound like a prick, but the world doesn’t revolve around you. The entire world is being effected right now. Partying isn’t a necessity, there are other ways to blow off steam. Nobody is mocking you, we’re just being real. Time to get creative to find ways to better yourself. I don’t know what else to tell you, this is the current situation, and nobody knows how much longer it will be this way. Everyone has to deal with it.

[cg41386]

I need to know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I don’t want to sacrifice my health and youth for much longer. This virus isn’t bad enough for me to want to do that. There actually is a lot of negative harmful effects of socially distancing for so long. How much more do you guys want me to sacrifice?

Wear a mask is all I want.

Is that really all you want?

I'm obviously wearing a mask, but businesses are doing far more than just imposing mask restrictions. Many are limiting capacity, limiting where you can go, asking that you maintain a far distance, completely changing their service, etc. Some restaurants are completely different. And they have to do that for liability issues, because the democratic party does not want to pass liability protections for businesses.

Also, a lot of people are calling for schools to be closed down, when I strongly benefit from in-person instruction. I'm really trying but I barely learn from online classes. I need the in-person social interaction. Maybe online learning works for you guys, but I don't have the privilege of being able to learn effectively online. But, again, the democratic party is generally asking for schools to be shut down and be online only.

I just want the democratic party to not push for things that make my quality of life significantly worse. I'm willing to risk getting coronavirus. Let me live my f!cking life. I've sacrificed enough. And I want people here to stop mocking people who want to do things that make their mental health better. I'm not partying right now, but some people really need to in order to blow off some steam.

I don’t mean to sound like a prick, but the world doesn’t revolve around you. The entire world is being effected right now. Partying isn’t a necessity, there are other ways to blow off steam. Nobody is mocking you, we’re just being real. Time to get creative to find ways to better yourself. I don’t know what else to tell you, this is the current situation, and nobody knows how much longer it will be this way. Everyone has to deal with it.

I'm not advocating for partying, anyways, nor am I going out and partying. I'm just saying there's a reason why some people are doing it. You're smart enough to know not to strawman, so don't strawman me. I know you're capable of being better than that, so please do be better.

I am advocating for schools to remain open, especially if they are taking precautions. And I am asking for people to be sensitive towards me, because I have been sensitive to everyone else. I deserve care & respect too, and you best treat me with care & respect if you want me to cooperate like I've been doing for the past few months. I am a person with feelings and I deserve to be treated with respect and to be taken seriously. My problems and issues matter too. My mental health matters too. Don't be a horse ass. If you want me to follow guidelines that adversely destroy my mental health, then you better accommodate me in other ways. This is a perfectly logical reaction.

And for your information, yes, you do sound like a prick. Whether you intended it or not, you nitpicked a small amount of my post, strawmanned it, and then ignored every other part of my post. I'll forgive you if you are more sensitive in the future.

“ I'm not partying right now, but some people really need to in order to blow off some steam.”

No, nobody needs to party, there are other ways to blow off steam.

I didn’t strawman anything. I responded to your own words and how I interpreted them. “If you want me to follow guidelines that adversely destroy my mental health, then you better accommodate me in other ways“ just rubs me the wrong way, and yes, your well being absolutely does matter. You should probably talk to someone on campus if one is readily available. You’re not alone, trust me.

I suffer from some anxiety and depression issues myself, and I’ve found it easy for me to adapt. Like I said, you need to find creative ways to have fun while still looking out for your physical health.

[cg41386]

“ I'm not partying right now, but some people really need to in order to blow off some steam.”

No, nobody needs to party, there are other ways to blow off steam.

I didn’t strawman anything. I responded to your own words and how I interpreted them. “If you want me to follow guidelines that adversely destroy my mental health, then you better accommodate me in other ways“ just rubs me the wrong way, and yes, your well being absolutely does matter. You should probably talk to someone on campus if one is readily available. You’re not alone, trust me.

I suffer from some anxiety and depression issues myself, and I’ve found it easy for me to adapt. Like I said, you need to find creative ways to have fun while still looking out for your physical health.

You're not even attempting to listen to me.

Oh, give me a break. I’ve tried to give you advice. I completely sympathize with you and get you to some extent. There is no simple answer to this. I guess try and find others out there who feel the same as you and talk, whether it be in person or not. If a professional is available, seek them out. If you really want to have change, vote in November and encourage those close to you to do the same.

[cg41386]

Based on what? Opening up bars and restaurants is very likely to lead to a spike in cases, so long as COVID remains unchecked. Which it very much is.

Much of Florida has herd immunity now.

There is no known “herd immunity” for this. Full stop.

[cg41386]

That's just ridiculous if you take even a brief look at the numbers.  The population of Florida is about 21 million.  They've reported just over 700,000 cases.  Even if we assume that as few as 1/5 of total cases have been detected, that would be 3.5 million cases, or about 17% of the state's population.   That's far too low to achieve herd immunity.

The herd immunity threshold is not 70% like we once thought.

Citation?

The voices in his head.

[cg41386]

......we have tried everything. Except maybe a "stay outside" order......

Guaranteed in 3 years time, when we look back, that is probably one of the best things you can do. UV light, Vitamin D, fresh air.

One of the issues that has come out of this viral pandemic is we learnt we are led blind by automaton politicians who have no lateral thinking ideas, except maybe Sweden, which would lead to faster solutions in dealing with this virus.

Huh?

[cg41386]

And it’s no surprise that’s where the rates are highest right now. And those states never “panicked” to begin with, they had (and continue to have) the worst responses.

[cg41386]

Yes, Governor Positive Pants does bear a large share of the responsibility.

[cg41386]

Dems in disarray

[cg41386]

Don't be surprised if there is a surge of cases in or around Tuscaloosa in the coming weeks.

[cg41386]

Don't be surprised if there is a surge of cases in or around Tuscaloosa in the coming weeks.

https://twitter.com/abc_columbia/status/1349037196075016194?s=20

[cg41386]

Scheduled my first vaccine today, March 4th.

[cg41386]

Scheduled my first vaccine today, March 4th.

New Jersey is scheduling people this far in advance?  What group are you?
I’m surprised they have that much certainty both about vaccine availability and how many people arre actually going to show up for their appointments.

It's the county scheduling ours, I'm in 1B. My parents scheduled theirs a couple hours before me and their appointments are on February 27th.

[cg41386]

Is there actually a sizeable contingent of liberals supporting permanent online schooling? What would even be the reason for that? I thought many wanted it until the Fall or maybe until next year at the latest.

I was reading NYT comments on this issue just today and they were indistinguishable from a conservative mommy blog, minus the anti vaxx stuff. This is a very common view and they're ignoring the science.

Oh come on, you're smarter than this. Maybe stop reading comments sections?

[cg41386]

Do you think the variants are going to prolong this pandemic past this summer? Will we still be under mask mandates, capacity restrictions, etc. this time next year?

I don't think it'll matter in a year. The virus could mutate into something like a highly infectious strain of the original SARS virus and many states would probably do nothing. It could start killing 10k/day and many states would call it a government conspiracy from the "Deep State". I have no confidence in the American people anymore. People are just plain stupid and want to bitch and whine about everything. The fact that so many are already trying to rescind mask mandates says everything. It is quite literally the least you can do as an individual.

The truth is that I'd like to see capacity restrictions lifted for those that have been fully vaccinated. That would mean letting those that have been fully vaccinated into restaurants and letting them sit down without masks. I don't see any reason to lift mask mandates where they're not in the way. In a restaurant full of vaccinated people? Fine, let's drop the masks. In a grocery store with many people coming and going? What is the harm of wearing a mask?

So you're saying the mask mandate should become permanent?

Unfortunately there is a subsection of the left that really does seem to want this.

You're exactly right. Many people seem to be obsessed with allowing this pandemic to permanently change our lifestyles.

I don't know who is like this, certainly nobody I know of. I don't follow many far-lefties, if that's who it is.

[cg41386]

How likely is it the country locks down again? I recently got a job at our local movie theater and our business is booming. We had our best weekend yet with Black Widow and Space Jam 2. I would hate for us to close down again.

Very unlikely--almost certainly not going to happen outside from some specific counties/regions in a state

Yeah not gonna happen.  Politics won’t allow it.

Which is a good thing.  Thank your Republican governors, senators, and representatives in government for safe guarding your freedoms.

I can’t roll my eyes at this nearly enough. Good lord.

[cg41386]

They say that Covid won't be Eradicated completely even by 2024/ we will still be in masks and social distancing, this is our future

Nope.

COVID was probably never going to be completely eradicated, but nobody is putting up with this for that long. They barely do now.

I went to Oktoberfest in Cincinnati yesterday, and everyone was packed together with no masks. People even packed onto the streetcar with no masks, even though the streetcar claims to require them.

The fact that you're constantly cheering this on in this thread is a little odd. We get it, you're sick of COVID. Give it a rest.

Cheering what on? I've never seen Bandit post anything anti vax so what's the problem?

Bandit is an odd poster in many ways, but his concerns about the response to the pandemic have always seemed reasonable to me. And he has mentioned that he got vaccinated.

They've been anything but reasonable.

[cg41386]

snip

Forgive me, but I don't know how much I trust Florida's data.

[cg41386]

https://twitter.com/mrsshap/status/1438214618623709186

its a good thing I am not a parent! If I were a parent and my child's school was closed over covid I would be banging on the front door, screaming and cursing, until they opened it.

You are right, it is a good thing you are not a parent, your reaction would make your kids seem like the adults in the family in comparison to you. Schools commonly closed in the past because of flu outbreaks, much less COVID.

From 2018, for example:

Schools Across the Country Are Closing Because of the Flu

It's not unusual for schools to periodically close during the winter months, but this season, schools across the country are canceling classes for a reason that has nothing to do with bad weather. As the flu epidemic continues to intensify, many schools are being forced to close due to the increasing number of sick kids and staff. While some have closed for just a day, others are closing for a week at a time in order to deal with this startling situation.

Although there's no official count for the number of schools closed because of the flu, there are reports of a variety of closures across 12 states. From Florida and Oklahoma to Illinois and Arkansas, officials are closing schools not only because of the number of students who are sick, but also to hopefully keep it from spreading.

Gull Lake Community Schools in Michigan were closed "due to high illness rates," while one school in Texas declared a "flu day" after state officials told anyone who was sick to stay home. In Arkansas, the Russellville School District closed all of its schools "due to the high number of students experiencing flu-like symptoms."

You are proving my point. It was never wide spread to close schools over every little risk. But going forward, it will be much for a common.

A significant portion of my party never wants in person schooling again and want everything virtually. That is ing disturbing and frightening.

Do you have any solid data on this? Otherwise, just stop it. You're so dramatic (and very likely wrong).

[cg41386]

This variant proves my point! We should never close businesses or schools as covid will be around forever!

We can't be locked up in our homes forever

What schools/businesses are still closed? Who is locked in their home?

[cg41386]

Covid is over.

Nope, not even close.

[cg41386]

Covid is over.

Nope, not even close.

For vaccinated Americans, COVID is over.

Also a nope.