COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[Mr. Illini]

I don't really see how the case fatality rate (deaths/cases) can be used to declare a success if the mortality rate (deaths/capita) continues to increase.

Why does it matter that the likelihood of a death per confirmed case is decreasing if the disease is spreading at a rate that is still causing the daily death count to consistently rise?

Unless you're committed to going for herd immunity...

[Mr. Illini]

https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1376610861603774466

I'm so glad we elected this man over the prior clown

[Mr. Illini]

I have to say, it is really frustrating to see how much difficulty people in Chicago are having in getting vaccine appointments compared to the rest of the state.

It is like the hunger games in the city and suburbs - people are staying up late into the night hitting refresh, driving hours to get the jab, and working with vaccine "hunters" to get an appointment. Meanwhile, I look at the appointments available in more rural areas like Quincy, Moline, Carbondale, and there are appointments open all day just sitting unused.

I understand that distribution is more challenging in heavily populated areas, but resources should be allocated proportionately, then.

[Mr. Illini]

The FDA better have some very serious concerns, given that this move will worsen vaccine hesitancy and slow down the amazing progress we’ve been making at getting folks vaccinated and moving back toward normal. I hope it isn’t being done lightly.

[Mr. Illini]

Lori Lightfoot promised us Chicago vaccine passports and we never got them, presumably because they didn't want to upset people that refuse the vaccine.

Moving forward with them would have 1) prevented the surge we're seeing, as non-vaxxed people wouldn't be allowed in a lot of the situations they are allowed now and 2) allowed vaxxed people to continue with our lives amid any potential restrictions that might lie on the horizons.

It's not exclusive to Chicago either - a lot of big city pols supported passports and never rolled them out.

[Mr. Illini]

If numbers spike (still an if - look at what happened to Delta surges in London and India), it is indeed a massive failure by the Biden administration.

It was pretty clear to most back in the Spring that the solution that made the most sense would be a system that would allow you to identify vaccination status. This way, private and public entities could require vaccination for non-essential activities like going to restaurants, sporting events, etc. I remember people laminating their vaccine cards in anticipation of something like this.

For some reason, the administration decided not to go this route. When they abandoned the idea, I assumed that they knew something I didn't. I'm starting to question that assumption at this point.

Even more mind-boggling, governors and mayors in cities and states like mine decided to follow the administration and abandon the idea despite being progressive areas that would be unlikely to see much resistance to the idea.

[Mr. Illini]

If numbers spike (still an if - look at what happened to Delta surges in London and India), it is indeed a massive failure by the Biden administration.

If numbers spike, it's a massive failure by unvaccinated Americans that will by and large only harm other unvaccinated Americans. Nothing to do with the Biden administration.

We don't have to argue about the irresponsibility of certain people. We're on the same page. That includes certain people on TV and other media that have been encouraging those folks.

The point is that there are things that the administration could have done to prevent us from getting to this point that they chose not to do.

[Mr. Illini]

Kate Brown is gonna put in a new statewide mask mandate tomorrow. What an idiot.

Mask mandates are shaping up to be an issue in next year's midterms.

Democrats would be committing mass political suicide if they're still imposing mask mandates by November 2022.

If there are still mask mandates at that point, then something else horrible has happened.

We probably would have said the same thing about now 6 months ago, maybe even a year ago

[Mr. Illini]

https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1445220954813128705

This is discouraging.

The vaccines are a lifesaver, but they need to last longer to be practical.  Most people aren't going to get a covid shot twice a year.

Most people willing to get the shot for a return to normal would get booster doses. The people who will refuse are the ones refusing to get vaccinated in the first place.

Seriously, people are acting like having to get a booster shot is literally 1984. It's maybe 30 minutes out of your day, once or twice a year. You'll live.

Yep, in fact many of us have been getting our annual flu shots annually for years and it is one of the most minor and routine occasions that could be imagined. A once- or twice-annual COVID shot would not be a problem.

[Mr. Illini]

Greg Abbott issues executive order banning vaccine mandates for private businesses

https://www.texastribune.org/2021/10/11/texas-greg-abbott-covid-19-vaccine-mandate/

Not sure that he actually has the ability to do this, but nonetheless, what a POS.

[Mr. Illini]

https://twitter.com/JimmyTraina/status/1456669981173764104?s=20

D-bag. Go Bears.

[Mr. Illini]

This is never going to end isn't it ?

I mean, what does “end” really look like? Most of the country is living pretty normally at the moment. Many of us still have to wear masks in public spaces - which doesn’t drastically change one’s day to day experience. Some are still working from home, but let’s be honest - that is more because businesses can’t get their employees to want to come back than it is about the virus.

Concerts and sporting events are full, restaurants are wide open, the country just celebrated a proper Thanksgiving. We’re (rightly) not going back into lockdown barring a variant so bad it’s effectively a new virus.

[Mr. Illini]

This is never going to end isn't it ?

I mean, what does “end” really look like? Most of the country is living pretty normally at the moment. Many of us still have to wear masks in public spaces - which doesn’t drastically change one’s day to day experience. Some are still working from home, but let’s be honest - that is more because businesses can’t get their employees to want to come back than it is about the virus.

Concerts and sporting events are full, restaurants are wide open, the country just celebrated a proper Thanksgiving. We’re (rightly) not going back into lockdown barring a variant so bad it’s effectively a new virus.

Bread and circuses don't mean things are remotely back to "pretty normal".

Open your eyes. The world is burning and nobody's trying to put out the fire.

So dramatic. As someone who is pretty skeptical of restrictions at this point, I’m not going to claim that there are many at the moment.

And I live in a state that mandates masks indoors. If you don’t, then you have almost no restrictions at this point.

[Mr. Illini]

Enough of this bullsh*t. Vax requirements at all bars, restaurants, events, workplaces, NOW! Everything but the grocery store and public transit.

Let the unvaccinated lock down at home if they feel so strongly about it.

[Mr. Illini]

https://twitter.com/BauerJournalism/status/1473290563386589199

Good move, but would have been done in September if Lori Lightfoot weren't such a dunce.

[Mr. Illini]

I feel like I live in the only city in America where people wear masks consistently (only exceptions being church and work).

Assuming you don't live in Chicago, add us to the list. There's been pretty strong compliance with our mandate.

In the last month or two, many restaurants/bars began stopping enforcement, but I imagine they will resume enforcement with the current news.

[Mr. Illini]

Also, there has been plenty of evidence that the CDC and other public health agencies have not been exemplary sources of science and knowledge during this pandemic, and here's another one, today the CDC revised its estimate of Omicron prevalence for 12/18 from 73.2% to 22.5%. Gee, that's a just a simple rounding error, huh? A tiny mistake? Incorrectly write down a decimal point or something?

What institutions do you trust on these matters?

[Mr. Illini]

Can we just acknowledge this new guidance was made to keep things running and not because it will keep us just as “safe” from Covid? I am for the changes because of the nature of omicron, but as Compucomp is asking, be honest.

The 10 day isolation guideline was put into place in Summer 2020, which was pre-vax and pre-omicron. It’s possible for the CDC to update its guidance given new circumstances and it isn’t inherently corrupt just because business leaders were hoping for the change.

Knee-jerk reactions from the left are reminiscent of similar doubt-sowing that has been done on the right. I’ll continue to refer to the CDC’s guidance in my own decision-making rather than a collection of internet forum users or hysterical tweeters.

[Mr. Illini]

Just received my Moderna booster this afternoon; gotta keep the members of my family and community who are immunocompromised safe.  

The booster does nothing for community spread so if that was your reason you probably wasted your time.  Just say you got it for yourself, its okay.

My Mother is immunocompromised and my Aunt (lives with us) works in the medical field as a nurse. So I actually had multiple reasons for getting it; of course my own health was one of those as well... I'm not quite sure what snarky little point you were trying to make here, but it was a pretty weak one.

Buzz off.

Your booster probably didn't do anything for your mother or your aunt.  Especially if your aunt is a nurse.  You don't think she's going to be exposed to it?

So you don't think an immunocompromised person has a better shot at survival in a family group who are all completely vaccinated, boosted and take precautions, Vs. a family group who are completely unvaccinated and take no precautions? That's ridiculous.

You say it 'probably' doesn't help cause you know that some research says that it does. The science behind transmisiblity in the vaccinated Vs. non-vaccinated is in flux right now, sure, but that 'probability' as you put it is more than enough reason for me to get my booster. Even if (and I highly doubt it) the only 'societal' benefit is even just normalizing it and encouraging others to get theirs.

Ah, you revealed yourself right at the end.  Get it because you want to, and because it will "normalize" the booster - as you say.  Thats it though.  There's no research to support you.  Your immunocomprimised mom should get a booster for herself if she wants one.  You getting one is doing absolutely nothing but giving her peace of mind (thanks to the media).  Give yourself a pat on the back.

Uh, the data we have does demonstrate that the vaccines prevent transmission of the virus. It isn’t fully updated with omicron data, but it’s unlikely that it will drop to zero even if it does drop off somewhat.

What a bizarre hill to die on.

[Mr. Illini]

Just received my Moderna booster this afternoon; gotta keep the members of my family and community who are immunocompromised safe.  

The booster does nothing for community spread so if that was your reason you probably wasted your time.  Just say you got it for yourself, its okay.

My Mother is immunocompromised and my Aunt (lives with us) works in the medical field as a nurse. So I actually had multiple reasons for getting it; of course my own health was one of those as well... I'm not quite sure what snarky little point you were trying to make here, but it was a pretty weak one.

Buzz off.

Your booster probably didn't do anything for your mother or your aunt.  Especially if your aunt is a nurse.  You don't think she's going to be exposed to it?

So you don't think an immunocompromised person has a better shot at survival in a family group who are all completely vaccinated, boosted and take precautions, Vs. a family group who are completely unvaccinated and take no precautions? That's ridiculous.

You say it 'probably' doesn't help cause you know that some research says that it does. The science behind transmisiblity in the vaccinated Vs. non-vaccinated is in flux right now, sure, but that 'probability' as you put it is more than enough reason for me to get my booster. Even if (and I highly doubt it) the only 'societal' benefit is even just normalizing it and encouraging others to get theirs.

Ah, you revealed yourself right at the end.  Get it because you want to, and because it will "normalize" the booster - as you say.  Thats it though.  There's no research to support you.  Your immunocomprimised mom should get a booster for herself if she wants one.  You getting one is doing absolutely nothing but giving her peace of mind (thanks to the media).  Give yourself a pat on the back.

Uh, the data we have does demonstrate that the vaccines prevent transmission of the virus. It isn’t fully updated with omicron data, but it’s unlikely that it will drop to zero even if it does drop off somewhat.

What a bizarre hill to die on.

It clearly does not prevent transmission of the virus.  I can't believe you're willing to type that with a straight face at this point.  Here in the real world, the virus is spreading easily throughout the fully vaccinated community.  You're stuck in March 2021.

Just because your vaccinated friend got Covid doesn’t mean it doesn’t prevent transmission.

The data shows that the vaccines reduce your likelihood of contracting the virus by 5x. Again, this is pre-omicron data, but I’d put the likelihood that drops to none at very low.

Calthrina says “lessens” would be more appropriate, but this is semantics. No vaccine is 100% so it is silly to assume I meant 100% when I said “prevent.”

The fact is that the vaccine reduces the likelihood that you contract Covid-19.

[Mr. Illini]

Chicago Teachers Union gearing up for walk out over COVID safety concerns

https://www.wbez.org/stories/chicago-students-to-return-to-class-monday-amid-debate-over-covid-19-safety/086d207e-9bdc-4a74-9eac-7faf5dc1770d

Major development here in Chicago

[Mr. Illini]

Chicago Teachers Union gearing up for walk out over COVID safety concerns

https://www.wbez.org/stories/chicago-students-to-return-to-class-monday-amid-debate-over-covid-19-safety/086d207e-9bdc-4a74-9eac-7faf5dc1770d

Major development here in Chicago

This is absolutely ridiculous. If you’re scared about COVID, then get vaccinated, and you’ll be fine. There’s absolutely no reason for anyone to want to work at home anymore, unless you’re counting “wanting to do less work” as a reason.

I agree. I’d add that one complicating factor they’re also weighing is staffing shortages. There’s worry over whether, with so many staff in quarantine or isolation, schools will be able to run properly in person.

[Mr. Illini]

So we have broken the all time record of over 1 million new cases in a single day? A few months ago, I would have freaked out about this. But at least this is getting us herd immunity sooner than later, kind of a "natural vaccination" for anti-vaxxers. As sad as it is. I just hope hospitals don't get overwhelmed, especially to protect non-Covid patients as cancer and other diseases don't pause because of a pandemic.

In a democracy, the people get what they want, and the loudest people are heard the clearest. If this forum is to be believed, the anti-containment people are the loudest, so the politicians hear them and thus the government won't do anything. Even if we had a majority of pro-containment people, it's pretty clear that we can't mobilize it. I've long given up on trying to get governments in the US to do anything, but it is encouraging that private entities are stepping up to some degree in the Northeast and taking action themselves against COVID. Maybe you will see the same soon in California.

The US is not an outlier here.

The only countries that have reimposed lockdowns are the Netherlands and Austria.

Meanwhile, countries with higher Covid rates than the US presently: Portugal, Spain, Ireland, UK, Iceland, Denmark, France, Italy, Switzerland, Greece, Montenegro

Some of those countries have shut down large events and such, but none have gone on lockdown as far as I know.

[Mr. Illini]

https://twitter.com/WVGovernor/status/1479225768899133442

He'd be better off imposing a statewide vaccine mandate for workplaces and businesses. 90% of hospitalizations are among unvaccinated people. A fourth dose may help some of the vulnerable that make up that 10%, but it will not address the bulk of the problem.

[Mr. Illini]

He wanted to shut down the entire economy again over Omicron, and told people not to travel on Christmas and Thanksgiving.  

Well that's not true. He said it was safe to gather with family if everyone was vaccinated. And he supported the decrease in the quarantine time so that society could keep functioning.

Oh did he changed his mind again?  I understand.  He can only push people too far before they start showing up to his home with Fauci effigies.  Three days before Christmas, he said the vaccinated should not go to large parties with 30, 40, or 50 people.  Essentially, poor people should have Thanksgiving Dinner with each other.  He also said the unvaccinated should come to Thanksgiving Dinner.  Get your five year old vaccinated or they can't go see their unvaccinated cousins. I'm so glad my sister no longer values this A-Hole's opinion.  
https://www.westernjournal.com/fauci-calls-holiday-party-shutdown-three-days-christmas-stay-away/

The only thing you got correct here is that he recommended (not required) folks not go to gatherings of 30+ people. You call that "shutting down the economy?"

Everything else you've claimed is factually incorrect. He actually endorsed holiday travel for vaxxed/boosted people.