COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[Calthrina950]

Former President Barack Obama tests positive for Covid-19

Former President Barack Obama announced Sunday that he has tested positive for Covid-19.

"I've had a scratchy throat for a couple days, but am feeling fine otherwise," he said on his official Twitter account. Obama also said that his wife, former first lady Michelle Obama, has tested negative.

"Michelle and I are grateful to be vaccinated and boosted," the former President said. "It's a reminder to get vaccinated if you haven't already, even as cases go down."

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/13/politics/barack-obama-covid-positive/index.html

This is not as "alarming" news as it might have been a few years ago. People have gotten numb to the stories about prominent celebrities and political figures "testing positive" with the virus. The vast majority of Americans have probably had the virus at this point or been exposed to it.

Agree about Obama. Not sure it's the vast majority though.

You have to keep in mind that the official statistics do not capture all of those who have ever contracted the virus. Many people never got tested for it or were asymptomatic, and didn't even know that they had it. In my home state of Colorado, there was a report not too long ago that over 80% of Coloradoans have immunity to the Omicron variant.

[Calthrina950]

BA.2 will be the next wave in April-May-June.

No one cares.

Democrats will be hurt electorally if they use BA.2 as justification to reimpose restrictions or mandates.

[Calthrina950]

BA.2 will be the next wave in April-May-June.

No one cares.

Democrats will be hurt electorally if they use BA.2 as justification to reimpose restrictions or mandates.

I'm already seeing some covid fear porn ratcheting back up with "spring break fears" and stuff like this. And inevitably, some pollsters will show Americans want restrictions back.

But Democrats' behavior will tell the real story. It's clear they know the real numbers, because this rush to lift restrictions didn't come with any public polls showing their policies were unpopular, but they did it anyway in a very coordinated way.

I've seen it as well. The media certainly doesn't want to let this go.

[Calthrina950]

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/18/briefing/covid-risks-poll-americans.html

Increasingly clear that a large majority of the "very liberal" are completely out of touch with reality on covid. It's essentially a domestic fifth column that opposes all that is good in life, everything that makes life worth living.

Sane policymaking would studiously ignore them. It's high time that all remaining masking, capacity, and vaccination restrictions be removed, even in "high risk" environments and especially in schools.

Those who disagree have the right to stay locked up at home. They do not have the right to continue to impose their overbearing safetyism on the rest of us. And no, I have no patience for coddling the unvaccinated either. They can reap what they sowed.

I've noticed that the media has taken to hyping up the BA.2 variant now, and in general has been paying more attention to the pandemic now, since the Ukrainian war seems to have "calmed down" into some kind of stalemate, compared to its early stages. I'm not sure if I come across as a conspiracy theorist, but I've long been of the belief that the media has no real desire for the pandemic to end, or for normalcy to return, and sees coverage of it as an easy way to boost their ratings.

[Calthrina950]

I just don't know where you're seeing this. I only know about BA.2 because of this thread.

I overheard a segment on ABC News where they were talking to Dr. Fauci about the BA.2 variant and he was expressing his concerns about a resurgence in cases. Specifically, Fauci said that we "might" have to return to precautions, such as mask-wearing and the like, although he is hopeful that won't be the case and did say that we are in a better situation now than previously.

[Calthrina950]

At long last, will Joe Biden rid us of this ridiculous man and his dictates?

Biden is not going to do it, and I'm pretty sure you know why. I wouldn't be surprised if Trump or DeSantis, if they regain the Presidency for Republicans in 2024, try to move against Fauci. But he has some protection due to the limitations on the President's appointment power (i.e. "inferior officers" and "for cause" removal provisions). I have said before that Fauci should have retired long ago. He's closing in on 38 years as the Director of the Center for Infectious Diseases.

[Calthrina950]

I just don't know where you're seeing this. I only know about BA.2 because of this thread.

I overheard a segment on ABC News where they were talking to Dr. Fauci about the BA.2 variant and he was expressing his concerns about a resurgence in cases. Specifically, Fauci said that we "might" have to return to precautions, such as mask-wearing and the like, although he is hopeful that won't be the case and did say that we are in a better situation now than previously.

He was not saying that about BA2, he just said that the situation might change and it was a basic statement that they should be flexible. If a new variant turns up, they shouldn't have to respond to it in the same way as Omicron but decide what the best response is at the time.

I'll remind you that the mask mandates were reimposed last year in response to the Delta variant, not to Omicron, and were maintained in many jurisdictions in this country until relatively recently. Fauci made reference to masks as a potential "mitigation" measure, and his words certainly seemed to imply that some level of restrictions could return. I think you underestimate where many Americans stand on this at this point, and the desire to move past the past two years.

[Calthrina950]

https://news.delta.com/sites/default/files/2022-03/a4a_board_letter_to_president_biden.pdf

Several airline CEOs call for the mask mandate to be repealed. Do this and watch the number of angry passengers drop like a stone. It really is that simple.

Incidents of violent, unruly passengers was sharply rising well before covid, and there's no turning back that trend. Doubtful this would have any impact, these same people will find some other reason to pick fights on planes.

I think that the mask requirement does have some marginal affects in terms of unruly passengers, but I suspect that the main cause is the general increase of "unruly" behavior since early 2021 caused by various factors (covid closures, the ever increasing prevalence of social media, a generally more transient job market). I feel like drivers post covid are like 5 times more aggressive than pre covid (not to mention the increases in crime), and this general trend most definitely extends to airplane passengers regardless of mask requirements.

I've long been of the belief that the coronavirus pandemic has further exacerbated the mental health challenges which so many people face, and this is going to be one of the longest lasting consequences of the pandemic.

[Calthrina950]

I find masks acceptable to wear around Halloween outside. Not otherwise.

I wear a mask indoors because I have severe anxiety and my mother has respiratory issues so I don't want to risk taking the virus home, do you find that unacceptable?

No, there can be valid reasoning to wearing masks indoors but I doubt the effectiveness of cloth masks against newer variants.

Most people I see don’t even use the right types of mask and instead triple or quadruple up ineffective surgical masks. Why don’t the people who want to mask up wear N95s instead? I am thinking the must be masking at this stage of the game as a way to virtue signal or do a form of hygiene theater.

At my job, I've noticed that of the ~10% or so who are still masking up, many of them are wearing surgical or cloth masks. Given that we know cloth masks in particular are less effective than surgical and N95 masks, as you note, I don't know why they continue to do so. It is self-defeating in a way. I haven't seen that many double maskers in a while, though. Moreover, over the past week or so, at least three employees who were still holding out and masking up have stopped doing so. One of them told me that he was waiting to get his booster shot, and now that he has, he has stopped. There are still a half-dozen other holdouts, however.

[Calthrina950]

Masks aren’t even that effective to begin with unless you’re already sick. The virus is mild now and transmission is relatively low (although likely to oscillate over the next several months) anyway. Masking is mostly a false sense of security at this point yet a few people here and in other places I know online continue to do it because they’ve become germaphobes thanks to the Democrats fear mongering (even if it was justified pre-vaccine) of the virus. They should be allowed to do it yes but I should also be allowed to think it’s dumb.

I mentioned above that there is one coworker at my job who stopped wearing a mask this week, after having held out for a month. He told me that he was waiting to get his booster shot, and now that he has it, he's done. At least he had a relatively good reason. But I had another coworker who went maskless for a few days, after having held out, because she said that the mask was uncomfortable.

But she went right back to masking after that, and I don't know when she is going to stop. And there is yet another coworker-an older lady-who is still masking up, but with a cloth mask that she doesn't even fit on properly. There is one more coworker who is still wearing an N95 mask, although none of the other people in her department are still masking up. Everyone has their preferences, but I don't always understand them.

[Calthrina950]

https://news.delta.com/sites/default/files/2022-03/a4a_board_letter_to_president_biden.pdf

Several airline CEOs call for the mask mandate to be repealed. Do this and watch the number of angry passengers drop like a stone. It really is that simple.

Incidents of violent, unruly passengers was sharply rising well before covid, and there's no turning back that trend. Doubtful this would have any impact, these same people will find some other reason to pick fights on planes.

I think that the mask requirement does have some marginal affects in terms of unruly passengers, but I suspect that the main cause is the general increase of "unruly" behavior since early 2021 caused by various factors (covid closures, the ever increasing prevalence of social media, a generally more transient job market). I feel like drivers post covid are like 5 times more aggressive than pre covid (not to mention the increases in crime), and this general trend most definitely extends to airplane passengers regardless of mask requirements.

I've long been of the belief that the coronavirus pandemic has further exacerbated the mental health challenges which so many people face, and this is going to be one of the longest lasting consequences of the pandemic.

I suspect having the national government run by gaslighting, compulsively lying madman for four years would have done that with or without a pandemic.

In other words, you're implying that people have "gone loony" with conspiracy theories and criminal behavior, and attribute that to Trump. We're certainly not talking about the same kinds of mental health issues here. I'm more so speaking to psychological disorders, stress, and depression among the general populace, particularly among children.

[Calthrina950]

Masks aren’t even that effective to begin with unless you’re already sick. The virus is mild now and transmission is relatively low (although likely to oscillate over the next several months) anyway. Masking is mostly a false sense of security at this point yet a few people here and in other places I know online continue to do it because they’ve become germaphobes thanks to the Democrats fear mongering (even if it was justified pre-vaccine) of the virus. They should be allowed to do it yes but I should also be allowed to think it’s dumb.

I mentioned above that there is one coworker at my job who stopped wearing a mask this week, after having held out for a month. He told me that he was waiting to get his booster shot, and now that he has it, he's done. At least he had a relatively good reason. But I had another coworker who went maskless for a few days, after having held out, because she said that the mask was uncomfortable.

But she went right back to masking after that, and I don't know when she is going to stop. And there is yet another coworker-an older lady-who is still masking up, but with a cloth mask that she doesn't even fit on properly. There is one more coworker who is still wearing an N95 mask, although none of the other people in her department are still masking up. Everyone has their preferences, but I don't always understand them.

Among the people in my area that still wear masks even outside, a big number of them tends to be East Asian immigrants who still maintain culturally considerate and collective behavior they brought over from their native land where wearing masks during cold/flu season in pre-covid era was already prevalent. I understand this thread has been inundated with obsessive level as to why the pandemic is not ending, but this behavior is not limited to the US.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-022-01057-z

"....... in a survey in Germany among >650 respondents, we find that the majority plans to use face masks in certain situations even after the end of the pandemic. We observe that this willingness is strongly related to the perception that there is something to be learned from East Asians’ handling of pandemics, even when controlling for perceived protection by wearing masks. Given strong empirical evidence that face masks help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases and given the considerable estimated health and economic costs of such diseases even pre-Corona, this would be a very positive side effect of the current crisis."

Why some choose to wear masks is not related to Biden, Fauci or government's fearmongering, as you can see the remnant behavior exists in countries like Germany too.
Certain events can and will change mindsets for the long term. It's the same reason why considerable number of employers have made remote work viable even after the economy has mostly opened up: less need to come to office so frequently when productivity and lifestyle balance can be achieved without having as much contact and commute-related stress.

Even though I mostly avoid wearing masks, I perfectly understand why some continue to wear them. In epidemiology, there are rarely such things as absolutes and guarantees. We should respect that culture, risk aversion and lingering effects of trauma affect everyone differently.

Well, I'm aware of the custom in Asia of widespread mask-wearing in public, which has been present there for decades. And I've said before myself that many people are going to wear masks seasonally or in perpetuity going forward. I'm not sure if this is as positive a development as you seem to believe it is, but it's one that is certainly going to linger. I've also noticed that older people are more likely to mask up than younger people, perhaps because they have underlying conditions or other concerns.

[Calthrina950]

https://twitter.com/PhillyInquirer/status/1511810001681227780
Nice work, guys. Enjoy having Governor Mastriano.

Good lord! The Democrats just can't seem to shake themselves free of the mask mandates. There will be hell to pay if they return on a widespread basis.

[Calthrina950]

The University of Rochester reimplemented its mask mandate today. I enjoyed the month of normalcy while it lasted, but it looks like the rest of my time here is going to be more COVID restrictions. Just fantastic.

Universities in general seem hellbent on reimposing mask mandates and not letting go of restrictions. It is absolutely ridiculous. The college experience has noticeably worsened over the past few years, and it is more expensive than ever to go to college. But now, they are making it even more uncomfortable. I tell you that pandemic hysteria has consumed so many people in this country.

[Calthrina950]

CDC mask mandate for travelers struck down by federal judge

A federal judge in Florida struck down on Monday the Biden administration's mask mandate for airplanes and other public transport methods.

US District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle said the mandate was unlawful because it exceeded the statutory authority of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and because its implementation violated administrative law.

It is unclear clear how quickly the ruling will be implemented at airports or train stations across the country or if the Justice Department will attempt to block the ruling and file an appeal.

Just last week, the CDC extended this mask mandate through May 3. The masking requirement applied to airplanes, trains, and other forms of public transportation.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/18/politics/cdc-mask-mandate-ruling/index.html

This is very good news. The mandate should not have been extended again, and should have been allowed to lapse a few months ago when the CDC relaxed their masking recommendations.

[Calthrina950]

Jimmie was that you?

https://twitter.com/newdougman/status/1516538851636002825

Fortunately, I haven't heard or seen this at my job. Of course, 90% of the population where I live (including myself), are done with masks and no longer wearing them. But there's still about 10% who are continuing to mask up. Most people don't pay attention to each other anyhow, and they certainly aren't bothering others about masks.

[Calthrina950]

He's completely right.

Yes he is absolutely right. Pretty good timing for the elections as well! w00t!

But I bet the pandemic returns on Nov 9th to the Democrats.

I will bet you any amount of money that Joe Biden does not implement any covid-related restrictions after the midterm elections.

Biden himself won't, but certain governors, mayors, college administrators and school boards are a different story.

I would agree. I'm confident that we are on the other side of things, but I still don't entirely trust many of these authorities.

[Calthrina950]

https://twitter.com/YouGovAmerica/status/1573005455634231296

This is genuinely surprising  

Democrats are scared of their own shadow and a lot of Republicans don't want to credit Biden.

I think Biden is doing a good job overall, but he and his administration have seriously dropped the ball on COVID  at this point. The US should have a national contact tracing system, mask mandates should be mandatory in areas where it's still spreading. There are still hundreds of deaths from it per day.

Whether COVID is technically still a pandemic I don't know, but it is neither gone nor done. Perhaps the Biden Administration is bending to popular will as it increasingly seems to ignore COVID, but I do not think it is well done. What's being ignored is a horror show with vast impact not just now and over the last two and a half years, but forward for decades.

You think that we should still be in "COVID mode", comparable to what East Asian countries are currently doing? I don't think Americans would tolerate living like that for years to come, which is what you would seem to support. At this point, what good will mask mandates do? Given that the vast majority of Americans are vaccinated at this point, why should they be required to restrict their activities and their lives? This "zero COVID" strategy simply will not work, and we must acknowledge that this disease cannot be entirely eliminated.

[Calthrina950]

I don't know what you're talking about. I went to CVS recently to get my flu shot, and I'd say most people weren't wearing masks.

That's because everyone stopped when they realized it didn't work.

Almost everyone, at any rate. You still have ~10% or so of the public where I live donning masks. I occasionally still see entire families where everyone, parents and children alike, are masked. In fact, I had to check out such a family at my job just yesterday. A half-dozen of my coworkers are still masking up, and one of them told me that she's "gotten used to" and seems intent on masking up permanently from now on. My stepmother still masks up whenever she goes out in public and has no intentions of stopping anytime soon. It's obvious that there will be a segment of the population masking up in perpetuity. It's their right, but it's unfortunate.

[Calthrina950]

I don't know what you're talking about. I went to CVS recently to get my flu shot, and I'd say most people weren't wearing masks.

That's because everyone stopped when they realized it didn't work.

Almost everyone, at any rate. You still have ~10% or so of the public where I live donning masks. I occasionally still see entire families where everyone, parents and children alike, are masked. In fact, I had to check out such a family at my job just yesterday. A half-dozen of my coworkers are still masking up, and one of them told me that she's "gotten used to" and seems intent on masking up permanently from now on. My stepmother still masks up whenever she goes out in public and has no intentions of stopping anytime soon. It's obvious that there will be a segment of the population masking up in perpetuity. It's their right, but it's unfortunate.

So unfortunate that people are choosing to protect themselves from the #3 cause of death in the United States, making the MAGAT death cult sad. (Whether or not masking makes sense depends on likelihood of exposure, to COVID (and other pathogens), which is still far too high in much of the US.)

As I said, people have the right to mask up when and where they wish. But it's not something which I think should become permanent, and my hope is that it will disappear with the passage of time.