COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[It’s so Joever]

https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1493331606446223361

Cases and hospitalizations went down.

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

What even is long Covid? We need some substantiation research into the occurrence, and what we know now isn’t sufficient to make those types of calls.

The symptoms are very similar to Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (Wikipedia) or Havana Syndrome (WSJ)

Just saying 

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1493331606446223361

This seems like the worst possible moment to make this argument.
Cases are down almost 70% in just the last two weeks!  I think it's the most rapid decline in the two years of the pandemic. 

[Frodo]

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! 

https://twitter.com/SavalFoods/status/1493289949248073732

[Hammy]

What even is long Covid? We need some substantiation research into the occurrence, and what we know now isn’t sufficient to make those types of calls.

Long covid is, technically, one or more symptoms that lasts some amount of time (I believe three months.)  The problem is, this is so vague that it renders the term meaningless--if you have depression, any sort of viral illness is going to make those symptoms worse, so those who already have depression or other similar disorders will obviously be more tired for months after. But as fatigue is one of the covid symptoms, by the definitions put forth they'd be counted as having long covid. Similar for people with allergies that might have a persistent cough afterwards.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

What even is long Covid? We need some substantiation research into the occurrence, and what we know now isn’t sufficient to make those types of calls.

Long covid is, technically, one or more symptoms that lasts some amount of time (I believe three months.)  The problem is, this is so vague that it renders the term meaningless--if you have depression, any sort of viral illness is going to make those symptoms worse, so those who already have depression or other similar disorders will obviously be more tired for months after. But as fatigue is one of the covid symptoms, by the definitions put forth they'd be counted as having long covid. Similar for people with allergies that might have a persistent cough afterwards.

I think I saw a study that showed that the only statistically significant correlation post-covid symptom was persistent loss of smell.  And, obviously, that's much less common with newer variants.

[Calthrina950]

https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1493331606446223361

McConnell is a detestable character, but he is right here. I've said before that Democrats are recognizing that the mandates hurt them politically and that it is time to discard them. Those who think they they are driven solely by a concern over "case numbers" and the like are mistaken. But why haven't the Biden Administration and the CDC got the message yet?

[GregTheGreat657]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/video-las-vegas-mask-mandate-b2013608.html

All of the talk about how "kids don't mind masks" was clearly BS

[compucomp]

https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1493331606446223361

McConnell is a detestable character, but he is right here. I've said before that Democrats are recognizing that the mandates hurt them politically and that it is time to discard them. Those who think they they are driven solely by a concern over "case numbers" and the like are mistaken. But why haven't the Biden Administration and the CDC got the message yet?

This is easy. Walensky decided to take a stand and try to reclaim its former stature as an independent scientific agency. The Biden administration might want to overrule the CDC but knows it would leave itself vulnerable to the (quite valid) charge of hypocrisy given that Biden attacked Trump harshly in 2020 for doing the same thing.

In this video, you can see McConnell is making the hypocrisy argument already; he's being hypocritical himself by criticizing a policy that Republicans have advocated, but being logically consistent is not a necessary standard for opposition parties, apparently.

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

https://twitter.com/politico/status/1492921844621619203


That's why Biden should come out strongly against this sh*t, not just wait until every states ends it, as some geniuses proposed. But it seems to be his signature to be "indecisive"...

[Calthrina950]

https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1493331606446223361

McConnell is a detestable character, but he is right here. I've said before that Democrats are recognizing that the mandates hurt them politically and that it is time to discard them. Those who think they they are driven solely by a concern over "case numbers" and the like are mistaken. But why haven't the Biden Administration and the CDC got the message yet?

This is easy. Walensky decided to take a stand and try to reclaim its former stature as an independent scientific agency. The Biden administration might want to overrule the CDC but knows it would leave itself vulnerable to the (quite valid) charge of hypocrisy given that Biden attacked Trump harshly in 2020 for doing the same thing.

In this video, you can see McConnell is making the hypocrisy argument already; he's being hypocritical himself by criticizing a policy that Republicans have advocated, but being logically consistent is not a necessary standard for opposition parties, apparently.

The Administration is hurting itself from a political standpoint, nevertheless. Democrats, by dropping restrictions and embracing a return to greater normalcy, could express to voters that they are the ones who've brought us out of the pandemic, and that Republicans couldn't do it. The State of the Union address next month would be an excellent opportunity to do this. But that is not what they are doing-at least, those at the federal level.

[Badger]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/video-las-vegas-mask-mandate-b2013608.html

All of the talk about how "kids don't mind masks" was clearly BS

 Oh please. All this shows is kids, just like adults, are tired of wearing masks after 2 years of covid. This doesn't begin to prove of course all the nonsense BS from disingenuous liars claiming how wearing mask was going to irreparably damage our kids Emotionally and ability to relate to others for life blah blah.

[Badger]

And can I just please say to all the people who minimized covid from day one, "it's basically just the flu" , It's just killing the elderly anyway, mah freedoms et cetera, that this is great news that we may be finally past covid.

Is awesome. And we did it without you assholes. And all you're whining about wearing a piece of cloth over your over your face and listening to some quacks on the Internet rather than getting a goddamn vaccine like an effing grown up because  You goddamn politicized a basic issue of public health and safety, listening to your Orange cheeto God rather than admitting you or he could have ever ever been wrong.

 This country couldn't win World War II today. "Food rationing?? Not being able to get nylons and clothing when I want it?!? We need to remove these restrictions because the soldiers are great and brave enough they don't need ready supplies like that!" Completely pathetic. There, I said it....

[T'Chenka]

https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1493331606446223361

McConnell is a detestable character, but he is right here. I've said before that Democrats are recognizing that the mandates hurt them politically and that it is time to discard them. Those who think they they are driven solely by a concern over "case numbers" and the like are mistaken. But why haven't the Biden Administration and the CDC got the message yet?

Why are you dabbling in conspiracy theories now? You've always been a smart poster.

[Calthrina950]

https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1493331606446223361

McConnell is a detestable character, but he is right here. I've said before that Democrats are recognizing that the mandates hurt them politically and that it is time to discard them. Those who think they they are driven solely by a concern over "case numbers" and the like are mistaken. But why haven't the Biden Administration and the CDC got the message yet?

Why are you dabbling in conspiracy theories now? You've always been a smart poster.

Surely, you don't believe that Democrats are solely dropping the mandates because of cases declining? Much of the response to this pandemic has been politicized on both sides. You seem to have great and considerable faith in our public officials, even when they haven't warranted it.

[T'Chenka]

This country couldn't win World War II today. "Food rationing?? Not being able to get nylons and clothing when I want it?!? We need to remove these restrictions because the soldiers are great and brave enough they don't need ready supplies like that!" Completely pathetic. There, I said it....

100% true.

Also, "there is no western front, they're crisis actors. The nazis just want to bring peace and prosperity, why would we risk our lives to prevent that?"

[Lief 🗽]

Thank you Mr. Mayor! I don’t want a single one of my tax dollars going to these sick freaks.
https://twitter.com/aeis17/status/1493337078909784064?s=21

[Badger]

Thank you Mr. Mayor! I don’t want a single one of my tax dollars going to these sick freaks.
https://twitter.com/aeis17/status/1493337078909784064?s=21

 And you know what ? Every damn one of them will get hired back as soon as they put on their big boy or big girl pants and GET THE EFFING VACCINE!

[T'Chenka]

Surely, you don't believe that Democrats are solely dropping the mandates because of cases declining? Much of the response to this pandemic has been politicized on both sides. You seem to have great and considerable faith in our public officials, even when they haven't warranted it.

Well, yeah, I do believe it actually. The same thing is happening in Canada right now. It's happening in western Europe too. As the cases drop, and look like they're probably going to stay down, restrictions are being lifted. It's basically the same thing everywhere. Occam's razor suggests that it isn't some politically motivated decision in the USA but not everywhere else. Also, in Ontario, we have a Conservative government and our premier has taken a beating in the polls over mandates, yet has still not dropped them until now when the cases are dropping.

[Calthrina950]

Surely, you don't believe that Democrats are solely dropping the mandates because of cases declining? Much of the response to this pandemic has been politicized on both sides. You seem to have great and considerable faith in our public officials, even when they haven't warranted it.

Well, yeah, I do believe it actually. The same thing is happening in Canada right now. It's happening in western Europe too. As the cases drop, and look like they're probably going to stay down, restrictions are being lifted. It's basically the same thing everywhere. Occam's razor suggests that it isn't some politically motivated decision in the USA but not everywhere else. Also, in Ontario, we have a Conservative government and our premier has taken a beating in the polls over mandates, yet has still not dropped them until now when the cases are dropping.

The mask mandates in question are of doubtful efficacy at this point, and I think they made little or no difference with Delta and Omicron. But I base my theory on the fact that this is a midterm election year, and many Democratic politicians have acknowledged or implied publicly that people are tiring of restrictions. Murphy in New Jersey, in particular, who narrowly won reelection last year, seems aware of this.

[emailking]

They're dropping them because people are tired of them, but they weren't going to drop them at the peak of the Omicron wave, regardless of whether people were tried of them or not. I think there's truth to both sides of that.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

 This country couldn't win World War II today. "Food rationing?? Not being able to get nylons and clothing when I want it?!? We need to remove these restrictions because the soldiers are great and brave enough they don't need ready supplies like that!" Completely pathetic. There, I said it....

I’ve never understood this analogy.  Aren’t the pro-mask, pro-lockdown side the one who aren’t willing to risk their lives to protest the American way of life?  How are you going to be willing to storm the beach at Normandy if you’re not even willing to get a sore throat for a few days?

[T'Chenka]

 This country couldn't win World War II today. "Food rationing?? Not being able to get nylons and clothing when I want it?!? We need to remove these restrictions because the soldiers are great and brave enough they don't need ready supplies like that!" Completely pathetic. There, I said it....

I’ve never understood this analogy.  Aren’t the pro-mask, pro-lockdown side the one who aren’t willing to risk their lives to protest the American way of life?  How are you going to be willing to storm the beach at Normandy if you’re not even willing to get a sore throat for a few days?

It's more along the lines of "we as a community are going to have to make sacrifices and life isn't going to be easy, but if we can all do our part (for the war effort / to reduce the spread) then our country can succeed, and we owe it to our fellow countrymen to do our part".

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

 This country couldn't win World War II today. "Food rationing?? Not being able to get nylons and clothing when I want it?!? We need to remove these restrictions because the soldiers are great and brave enough they don't need ready supplies like that!" Completely pathetic. There, I said it....

I’ve never understood this analogy.  Aren’t the pro-mask, pro-lockdown side the one who aren’t willing to risk their lives to protest the American way of life?  How are you going to be willing to storm the beach at Normandy if you’re not even willing to get a sore throat for a few days?

It's more along the lines of "we as a community are going to have to make sacrifices and life isn't going to be easy, but if we can all do our part (for the war effort / to reduce the spread) then our country can succeed, and we owe it to our fellow countrymen to do our part".

But you can just as easily make the argument that the best way for the “country to succeed” now that everyone has access to vaccines is to hasten the spread.  And thus the people who unwilling to do their part in this by exposing themselves to the virus are the ones being selfish and afraid to make a minor sacrifice to their health to more quickly end the pandemic.

[Frodo]

This country couldn't win World War II today. "Food rationing?? Not being able to get nylons and clothing when I want it?!? We need to remove these restrictions because the soldiers are great and brave enough they don't need ready supplies like that!" Completely pathetic. There, I said it....

I’ve never understood this analogy.  Aren’t the pro-mask, pro-lockdown side the one who aren’t willing to risk their lives to protest the American way of life?  How are you going to be willing to storm the beach at Normandy if you’re not even willing to get a sore throat for a few days?

There was similar shirking of mask wearing and other mitigation measures during the Spanish Influenza pandemic.  And yet we got over the pandemic, and then went on to endure the Great Depression, fight and win the Second World War after Pearl Harbor, and wage the Cold War against the Soviet Union and its allies and eventually triumphed over communism.

I wouldn't worry.