COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[Holmes]

COVID cases down to record lows not seen since September in Texas, three weeks after Gov Abbott allowed the mask mandates to expire.  There has been zero coverage of this from mainstream media outlets outside Fox News.  I wonder why.

Average # cases per day, Texas
March 1st: 7,693
March 7th: 6,083
March 14th: 4,540
March 21st: 3,898
March 28th: 4,005

Let's compare that with Florida, where measures have been laissez-faire for months.  Cases steady.

Average # cases per day, Florida
March 1st: 5,428
March 7th: 5,111
March 14th: 4,545
March 21st: 4,506
March 28th: 5,094

And Michigan, where measures were harsh and only recently have begun to lift.  Mask mandate still in place.  Large increase here, where variant is now the prevalent strain and population has not yet reached any form of herd immunity.  Dangerous situation unfolding.


Average # cases per day, Michigan
March 1st: 1,349
March 7th: 1,510
March 14th: 1,975
March 21st: 3,040
March 28th: 4,605

Do the harsh lockdowns and mandates have any impact?  The "science" is not very clear, but I would argue no.  If anything, it has resulted in harsher case spikes during reopening phases, as seen in Michigan and in Ontario and Italy at the international level.

This is some pretty lazy cherrypicking. Your entire "science" breaks down if I choose a state like, say, California.

Average # cases per day, California
March 1st: 4,197
March 7th: 2,754
March 14th: 2,248
March 21st: 1,948
March 28th: 2,169

A state almost twice the size of Florida and Texas is getting only half the number of cases.

So according to my "science", the states that didn't do mandates and lockdowns are doing worse than the states that did.

What I'm doing isn't scientific in the slightest either, but at least I acknowledge that I'm cherrypicking.

Calfornia has less than half the cases as Florida, but three times as many deaths.  How can you say California is doing better?

Read his whole post.

[Holmes]

ΔW is the change in numbers compared to the same day one week ago. Previously Arch reported the changes compared to the previous day, which wasn't really the best metric because of variances in testing/reporting throughout the week (like the weekends having less testing/reporting than weekdays for example).

[Holmes]

Michigan, a state that has seen unprecedented and unconstitutional restrictions implemented in response to the coronavirus, is seeing a record surge.  Yesterday, the state recorded over 8000 cases.

Texas, a state which lifted their remaining restrictions a month ago, is near an all time low in cases.  They are nearly 3x the population of Michigan, but they only recorded 2500 cases yesterday.

It is clear what works and what doesn't.  If you still support lockdowns and mask mandates at this point, there is no point having a reasonable conversation.  If you only selectively support "freedom" and democracy when it benefits your side, you are part of the problem.  It is time to reopen America now, and fully, before it is too late.

Zaybay literally clapped back the last time you tried to pull this cherry picking sh**t and yet here you are again, showing your ass.

[Holmes]

Honestly masks are pretty dope. I used to always be awkward around others when walking. Do I smile to them? Say hi? It was too weird. Maybe it’s because I’m an awkward millennial. With a mask on, I don’t need to smile or say anything. It’s perfect. So I will keep my mask on so no one can see my face when I’m out.

[Holmes]

DeathSantis is pretty funny though.

[Holmes]

"DeathSantis" is trending on Twitter because the left is enraged that Florida has ended all remaining COVID-related emergency orders.  The real stats show that there is no correlation between lockdowns and rate of transmission.  California and Oklahoma, two states which took very different approaches, have two of the lowest rates in the country.  Michigan, Florida, and Colorado have the highest.  Texas, which ended their remaining COVID measures over a month ago, is still seeing a decrease in cases.  It is time to reopen America now.  To all the communists who think otherwise, you are still welcome to wear a mask in public and isolate yourselves indefinitely.

...really? You're still doing this?

Yes, really.  These are the facts.  I don't live in a left wing fantasy land like many people here.  Keep up the attacks, though.  I think more and more Americans will see through them as life returns to normal in red states.  I am really looking forward to President Ron DeSantis in 2025! 😂👍

Wouldn’t the facts actually lead you to believe Newsom would be the best president to handle the COVID crisis?

[Holmes]

"DeathSantis" is trending on Twitter because the left is enraged that Florida has ended all remaining COVID-related emergency orders.  The real stats show that there is no correlation between lockdowns and rate of transmission.  California and Oklahoma, two states which took very different approaches, have two of the lowest rates in the country.  Michigan, Florida, and Colorado have the highest.  Texas, which ended their remaining COVID measures over a month ago, is still seeing a decrease in cases.  It is time to reopen America now.  To all the communists who think otherwise, you are still welcome to wear a mask in public and isolate yourselves indefinitely.

...really? You're still doing this?

Yes, really.  These are the facts.  I don't live in a left wing fantasy land like many people here.  Keep up the attacks, though.  I think more and more Americans will see through them as life returns to normal in red states.  I am really looking forward to President Ron DeSantis in 2025! 😂👍

Wouldn’t the facts actually lead you to believe Newsom would be the best president to handle the COVID crisis?

What about Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Alabama?  They are also among the lowest rates.  Stop cherry-picking data!

Maybe if those states were run like California, they would be at an even lower infection rate.

[Holmes]

I can’t believe some of you are completely shocked that some corporations are still enforcing some light COVID safety restrictions. They’re covering their asses. If there’s a small outbreak that starts at the stadium then they have those restrictions as an excuse to say they were enforcing safety.

[Holmes]

I can’t believe some of you are completely shocked that some corporations are still enforcing some light COVID safety restrictions. They’re covering their asses. If there’s a small outbreak that starts at the stadium then they have those restrictions as an excuse to say they were enforcing safety.

Bro bars have been open here since like May 2020 and they’ve been at full capacity since March 2021. We had a whopping total of 16 cases the past week. People are barely even vaccinated here too. If people are fully vaccinated, everything should be COMPLETELY back to normal for them. Get the f out of here with the social engineering

Bro congrats to your bars but I'm just saying that large corporations always do the most to cover their asses so it's not a surprise to see places like stadiums, convention centers and supermarket and retail chains continue to enforce safety restrictions like mask wearing. I'm sorry that upsets you.

[Holmes]

Let’s not talk about putting on klan robes.

[Holmes]

Without even watching the videos, the people’s facial expressions in the thumbnails alone are pretty great.

[Holmes]

https://twitter.com/bungdan/status/1406316032298426368

Clown county in a clown state.

[Holmes]

I saw an article earlier (I think it was CNN) that said 99.96% of new cases in Los Angeles County were among the unvaccinated. I'm flabbergasted that anyone is still trying to reinstate masks or lockdowns for people who are already vaccinated.

Wasn’t aware there was anyone still trying to reinstate the lockdown.

[Holmes]

I saw an article earlier (I think it was CNN) that said 99.96% of new cases in Los Angeles County were among the unvaccinated. I'm flabbergasted that anyone is still trying to reinstate masks or lockdowns for people who are already vaccinated.

Wasn’t aware there was anyone still trying to reinstate the lockdown.

Israel is about to reinstate theirs.

We don’t live in Israel.

[Holmes]

He's made it clear he doesn't care what happens to anyone, doesn't care about facts, he just wants to bury his head in the sand and pretend the pandemic is over, and wants everyone else to do the same. He even screeched about wanting testing ended and seems triggered by anyone even taking the slightest precautions.

If you're vaccinated, the pandemic is over.

People are still getting sick and dying both here and across the globe despite my vaccination status.

[Holmes]

Louisiana is a prime example of why you do not elect "moderate" Democrats.  Their "moderate" governor just passed a mask mandate.  Disgusting display of government overreach.

...and what's the problem with a mask mandate?

Are masks so expensive that they're taking a big chunk out of your paychecks?

No, they violate our freedoms.  It's no different than burqas or hijabs being mandated in Islamic nations.  If you think masks work, you are welcome to wear them.  They obviously don't work given how they literally did nothing to slow cases last year, but that's another story...

Do you also tell the policeman that you don't wear a seatbelt because it violates your freedom?

The argument is not going to fly.

Seat belts actually work though.

Under this logic, should we mandate vaccines?

[Holmes]

https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1422555523644264453

Democrats go full circle and support segregation.

What an ignorant, disgusting comment.

It's an ignorant, disgusting policy. I will never apologize for calling out government-mandated segregation. And I would think political moderates would think this is an extreme policy.

Can we not have clownery on this god forsaken website for one day jesus

[Holmes]

How many people here own or have owned pigs?

[Holmes]

Vaccines wouldn't be such a big political issue if Democrats didn't use fake science to impose authoritarian health restrictions in the first place.  It's obvious vaccines work great in preventing serious illness and death, but a lot of people are lost right now. Four years of demonizing Trump supporters, branding them as "literal terrorists" and "deplorables" has resulted in half of America literally not trusting any credible news sources.  To be fair, I don't blame them, as these same sources pushed mask mandates and lockdowns last year, and look how that turned out for everyone.

It’s the blaming Dems for Republicans not getting vaccinated for me.

[Holmes]

FL did this to themselves for not voting for Andrew Gilliam. Don’t say “he was caught with a male escort” yeah but that probably wouldn’t of happened if he was elected.

Even with Gillum in office, the legislature would have undermined him so much that this would have happened regardless. Florida never had a chance.

[Holmes]

Every January, I travel somewhere. Last January, I traveled to Florida to insult the online left. This upcoming January, I am traveling internationally do commit the ultimate sign of disrespect to the online left: Traveling internationally during covid.

This is "BRTD never wanting to step foot in a Trump precinct when traveling" level of weird.

[Holmes]

The last few pages are seemingly an exercise in collective sociopathy and lack of any coherent idea part from rubbishing anyone who says that restrictions are still necessary, even if the evidence backs them up.

So I see we've reached the point where the zero COVID crowd just calls anyone who understands transmissibility and basic science a sociopath.

Waah! I don't want to wear a tiny bit of cloth on my face! Waah!

What offends me most about the mask requirements is that it disproportionately impacts people that are out trying to do their jobs, which are disproportionately the lowest-paid people in the country. Why should a waiter have to wear a mask while AOC gets to take hers off at the table? It's totally arbitrary, unless leftists just can't bear to let their servants breathe the same air as them.

It's just a face mask. You're really not making the point you think you're making here. Wearing a mask isn't a burden or taking a toll on the working class or anyone really, and I can't believe 2 years later we're still having this conversation. The pandemic will never end.