COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[Inmate Trump]

I have COVID! Vaxxed but yet to be boosted. Symptoms: itchy sore mouth, congestion, nagging cough and low off and on fever. At times I have little appetite, like you would when you have a flu, but sometimes I feel close to normal.

I’ve been very cautious generally so yes omicron is highly contagious

I have a feeling we'll all be in this position eventually.  I hope you recover soon, and that your symptoms don't worsen!

[Inmate Trump]

I don't see the problem.

Obviously everyone is completely and totally free to do whatever they like.

It's the *job* of the experts to advise us on the safest course of action.  We can abide by their guidelines, or not.  If these same people didn't advise appropriate caution in the face of rising cases and disease, that'd be extremely horrible of them.  They're simply doing their job to tell us the safest course.

But some politicians take Fauci's word like gospel, and will institute gathering limits, based on this

Let's say that's true.  Even then, a politician's actions does not negate the responsibility of the scientific community to issue safety guidelines and advise.  The two entities are entirely separate (think of it in the same manner as the separation of church and state).  Politicians will do whatever they think will win them the next election.  That should have no bearing on what the science shows.

But I don't think, after Biden's speech the other night, that many politicians will be left who'll be shutting things down or whatnot.  You might get some sporadic mask mandates here and there, but I think that's the most you'll see.

[Inmate Trump]

Nah. I'm seeing my family. Fauci can go fxck a cactus.

As I said above...you're free to do so.

Just because the scientific community gives advise (aka, doing their jobs) doesn't mean you have to follow it.  So calm the f down.

[Inmate Trump]

Lol you guys know I hate Fauci, but he is talking about like office Christmas parties or other mass gatherings, which have been going on this year. My company had one where everyone was vaxxed and people still got COVID, and now all those people who attended had to scramble to get tests right before the holidays, which isn't easy to do right now. Those who tested positive have to quarantine at home away from their families...

People hear Fauci's advise and think he's literally canceling Christmas or something.

[Inmate Trump]

I remember when Delta began people here were saying it would be the last big wave.

Now we have Omicron, which makes everything before it pale in comparison.

So what reason do we have to believe there won’t be a variant behind Omicron that will not only be more infectious but also cause more serious illness and more death?  I’m not dooming so stfu about “dOoMeRs”…I am legit curious if there’s actually any reason to think we won’t have to deal with worsening variants even after Omicron.

Each variant seems to be less deadly per so many cases than the previous. Look at the death rate vs cases compared to the original wave for instance. Eventually we'll end up with a variant that is 100x more contagious than Omicron, but has less than 1% of the hospitalizations.

This does mean that literally everyone will get it.  I just really hope Im an asymptomatic case

[Inmate Trump]

My workplace just had a big Christmas party - I'd say the demographics were such that pre-Covid, the Democrats would have won 75% of the crowd. But if you go there and tell them they shouldn't have the party, of course they won't be happy with you. Honestly I expect it will have been fine. Interesting that the Democrats' best defense here is "It's just advice! People still eat syrup, ya know."

Like, when you have to explain your own words by minimizing them, you realize it's a liability.

What would you have them do?  Not issue any public health guidance whatsoever?  That would essentially eliminate the scientific community.

They have a responsibility to give advice on public health matters.  Everyone is free to do what they will with that advice, just as it’s always been.

[Inmate Trump]

Not sure if this has already been discussed but as I predicted SCOTUS to hear Oral Arguments regarding Vaccine Mandates.
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/12/22/supreme-court-special-session-vaccine-requirements-526030

My guess is that the Vaccine Mandate for Health Care Workers will probably stay while the Vaccine Mandate for Private Businesses having more than 100 Employees will I think be struck down.

Historically the Supreme court has been very pro mandate when it comes to vaccines

For example, in 1905, the Supreme Court ruled that a state can impose “reasonable regulations” to protect the public health, even when such regulations interfere with individual rights.

based on that fact alone, I think there is a good chance that the Biden administration will end up winning both cases

I very much doubt that will be the case with this Supreme Court.  But in the oft chance you're right, President Biden's vaccine mandates will only survive as long as we still have a Democratic majority in Congress.  Of course, by the time he is forced by a Republican majority to abandon them by early 2023, we probably won't need them anymore.  

Any 2023 there’ll be some other deadly Greek word we’ll be dealing with.

[Inmate Trump]

Will we get to 1 million cases per day before January 1, or just shortly after?

[Inmate Trump]

Will we get to 1 million cases per day before January 1, or just shortly after?

Does it even matter at this point?

Since we don’t yet know for absolute certain that Omicron causes less severe illness of great significance, I’d say it matters.

[Inmate Trump]

Holy crap, there are over 400,000 cases today, which shatters yesterday's record, and still climbing.

I said it already but it’s going to be 1 million cases per day very soon.

[Inmate Trump]

Newsweek: Omicron May Be the 'Harbinger of the End' of COVID's Epidemic Phase, Study Says

The decreased severity of the Omicron COVID-19 variant may be a "harbinger" of an end to the global pandemic caused by virus. Initial data from South Africa indicates that the variant results in a quarter of deaths associated with earlier variants.

In the first study conducted to assess the risk of fatalities presented by Omicron researchers assessed the progress of COVID patients admitted to the Steve Biko Academic Hospital and the Tshwane District Hospital, the latter of which has been converted into a COVID specialist facility.

The hospitals are located in the City of Tshwane, the region of South Africa that was the first global epicenter of Omicron.

"There are clear signs that case and admission rates in South Africa may decline further over the next few weeks," the authors wrote.

"If this pattern continues and is repeated globally, we are likely to see a complete decoupling of case and death rates suggesting that Omicron may be a harbinger of the end of the epidemic phase of the COVID pandemic ushering in its endemic phase."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes an endemic as a sudden localized rise in a particular disease that is usually present in a community. This means that the disease's spread is predictable. This is in contrast to a pandemic, which the CDC defines as an: "Event in which a disease spreads across several countries and affects a large number of people."

Haven’t we heard this before?  Another scary new variant always seems to come along that wipes away all previous assumptions.

[Inmate Trump]

Newsweek: Omicron May Be the 'Harbinger of the End' of COVID's Epidemic Phase, Study Says

The decreased severity of the Omicron COVID-19 variant may be a "harbinger" of an end to the global pandemic caused by virus. Initial data from South Africa indicates that the variant results in a quarter of deaths associated with earlier variants.

In the first study conducted to assess the risk of fatalities presented by Omicron researchers assessed the progress of COVID patients admitted to the Steve Biko Academic Hospital and the Tshwane District Hospital, the latter of which has been converted into a COVID specialist facility.

The hospitals are located in the City of Tshwane, the region of South Africa that was the first global epicenter of Omicron.

"There are clear signs that case and admission rates in South Africa may decline further over the next few weeks," the authors wrote.

"If this pattern continues and is repeated globally, we are likely to see a complete decoupling of case and death rates suggesting that Omicron may be a harbinger of the end of the epidemic phase of the COVID pandemic ushering in its endemic phase."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes an endemic as a sudden localized rise in a particular disease that is usually present in a community. This means that the disease's spread is predictable. This is in contrast to a pandemic, which the CDC defines as an: "Event in which a disease spreads across several countries and affects a large number of people."

Haven’t we heard this before?  Another scary new variant always seems to come along that wipes away all previous assumptions.

I've literally never heard of a variant being discussed as possibly the beginning of the end of the pandemic. Every single variant, without exception, prior to this been treated as evidence the pandemic will go on for eternity.

The fact is, especially for the vaccinated, omicron is functionally a cold. And there have been quite a few studies now that back up the assertion that the chances of the unvaccinated getting severe covid--while still high enough to warrant vaccination--is significantly less than prior variants, an indication that it's following prior pandemics where it becomes both more contagious and less severe over time.

I remember people here saying Delta would be the last major wave and that we'd have an easy winter.

I'm just saying that we need to take things with a grain of salt.  The pandemic has shown time and time again that it gives zero F's when it comes to just about anything.  It's not running on our time.

[Inmate Trump]

There’s no social distancing at my work and no masks.

Some unvaccinated people have been out lately with covid, or out because family has covid.

Some vaccinated people have had the sniffles and cold like symptoms recently. One person I work closely with every day has a son who has covid, and she is one who’s had the sniffles. She didn’t get tested and she’s been at work the whole time her kids had covid.

Anyway…yesterday and today I’ve been feeling run down and have an extremely minor cough. My throat feels slightly itchy. But overall I feel better than I did with my last sinus infection.

Not sure if I should go get tested, mainly because I don’t want to be stuck waiting an hour or more. And it may not even be “worth it” since my symptoms aren’t terrible. Could just be the funky Georgia weather.

[Inmate Trump]

I went to New Orleans last weekend. I'm boosted. I fully expected to get it when I went. And I have a PCR scheduled this afternoon.

I have a test scheduled today too.  I've had a sore throat that I can't shake, a cough, and slight headache.  Some fatigue.

[Inmate Trump]

I got a negative test.

Last Saturday it started with a little throat tickle that lasted until Wednesday when I started having a slight cough.  Thursday was lots of congestion, less cough, no more sore throat.  Friday added a headache and even more congestion.

But negative test, so I guess it's a sinus infection?

[Inmate Trump]

btw I had a very questionable at home test right after I took a PCR (that later resulted negative) and then took another at home the day after that was quite positive. Make of it what you will! I'm assuming positive.

I’ve taken two home tests and a PCR, all negative.

The headache is pretty unbearable tbh and the other symptoms point to omicron.  Even my doctor said it probably was omicron before he tested me.

But the 3 tests showing negative say otherwise.  I guess it’s just a cold.

[Inmate Trump]

Aight

[Inmate Trump]

So I've now personally discovered how bad the tests are.

Friend and I wanted to take a trip to Portland for the weekend to see some folks.  Before the trip he got the notification that he was exposed to COVID, and got PCR and rapid (antigen) tested.  Rapid test came back negative.  The day we were going to go, before we head out, he gets another rapid test.  Still negative.  So we think we're good to go and fly down to Portland.

Once we get there, he gets the positive PCR result.  For those who don't know, PCR takes several days to return while rapid/antigen only take an hour or two.  We've been together for an entire day at this point but immediately separate and cancel all our plans, and I decide to get tested as well.

Problem is, it's impossible to get a test.  I go to one walk-in testing site and the line is four blocks long.  I waited for about 45 minutes in line, in the freezing rain, and it only moved half a block.  So I decide to go try another testing location way out in the suburbs.  Drive 25 minutes there only to find a sign that says "closed, out of tests."  I go back to downtown to try the other "walk-up" location, but when I get there the sign says appointment only.

The backup plan was this place that I had seen taking appointments, but it had a bunch of 1-star reviews on Google with people saying they never got their test results back.  It's the only option available though so I go take it.  Despite making an appointment for 3:30 I ended up not being able to get tested until 5:00 and again had to stand out in the freezing rain for 90 minutes shivering and waiting for my ten-second nose swab, surrounded by a crowd of other people who are also thinking they might have COVID.

So eventually I submit my swab for both rapid and PCR.  Later that evening, the rapid comes back negative.  But of course I start getting notifications that I've been exposed to COVID because some of the other people I waited in line with were positive.  And I don't feel confident at all because my friend had two rapid tests that were both negative but then a positive PCR test.

So at this point I'm just sitting in my hotel room waiting for the PCR results to come back -- hopefully the testing place doesn't lose mine like they lost a bunch of other folks'.  Do I have COVID?  IDK.  My (asymptomatic) friend is pretty sure he has COVID since the PCR results are the gold standard.  But I don't see why the government is even bothering with these rapid tests when they're so inaccurate, and this system of standing out in the freezing cold for hours with a bunch of other potentially contagious people seems like some third-world s--t.  Really unbelievably bad experience all around.

Regardless of either I'm not sure how the federal government expects me to get home.  Every mode of transportation requires me to sign a waiver stating that I have not been in contact with anyone known to have COVID in the last 10-14 days.  I'm pretty sure everyone in the country is getting bombarded with COVID proximity alerts these days, am I really expected to just sit in my hotel for two weeks?  Cause that's not gonna happen.

I wonder if there’s something with the vaccine that causes some people to test negative when they’ve actually got it? I’ve heard multiple first hand accounts of similar situations as this.

(This is not an anti vax post)

[Inmate Trump]

The only antigen/omicron research I can find says that the antigen tests have a 40-60% false negative rate if you're asymptomatic.  So if you have COVID it's basically a coin flip what the test is gonna tell you.  I spent all day driving around Portland and waiting in the freezing rain with a bunch of contagious people for this crap.

I’m sorry
Hopefully you’ll get the PCR results soon.

Mine took a little bit over 24 hours to come back.

[Inmate Trump]

It may have been discussed, but if so I missed it.

Is there any reason to worry about the supposed combination of Delta and Omicron? It’s apparently not a logging mistake but rather a genuine new evolution.

[Inmate Trump]

Day 3 of Omicron and I'm already doing way better.  Fever is completely gone, nausea is completely gone, and I'm just back to the sore throat from day 1.  Praise be Joe Biden and Johnson+Johnson.

Took that long? Mine (scratchy throat that I think was caused more by the medical mask) didn't even last a day without the protection. Weakest cold ever. Praise my beautiful blood cells or whatever.

I only knew I had it because every triple vaxxed co-worker panic texted the group chat one-by-one about how they were completely knocked out by it so I should get tested.

Meanwhile I had all the symptoms of Omicron, with a timeline of the onset of symptoms matching perfectly with what boosted people get, and I tested negative.

Ngl, I was a little disappointed it wasn’t Omicron so that I could just get it over with.

[Inmate Trump]

Are the free tests 4 per household per month?  Or just 4 tests, period?

[Inmate Trump]

Tested positive for covid this weekend, it was very mild (felt like a weak cold) so I think it was Omicron. I am double vaccinated but no booster for more context.

I was boosted and am getting over a sinus infection. I have many of them, so I didn’t think much of it. Could it of been COVID? Just a lot of sinus pressure and mucus.

That’s what I had a week or so ago but tested negative.  And I never get sinus issues this time of year.

[Inmate Trump]

We need normalcy now!

Normalcy has been rejected by Republican anti-vaxxers who refuse to get the shot and whose actions demand a prolonged pandemic.

[Inmate Trump]

Not disputing that it's less deadly, just that it's nothing to worry about. The data doesn't seem to be bearing that out. And no they're not suicides.

If you say anything on this forum about anything that isn't extremely positive, some posters will call you a doomer and try to shut you up.  (The doomers were right about Trump trying to perform a coup, and people here tried to downplay it and shame us for even suggesting he'd attempt one.)

It does seem to be less deadly.  It does seem to be less severe.  These are good things.  It's still covid, and it isn't a simple flu/cold for everyone.  People are still dying needlessly.  People are still getting terrible cases of it.  There is some light here but there is also some dark and we should all be adult enough to discuss it.