COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[pbrower2a]

You would think the fact that hundreds of million of people have got various Covid-19 vaccines all around the globe and there is no trail of death would be enough for these morons.

Never underestimate the commonness, vehemence, and harm of stupidity.

[jamestroll]

Very good news from Virginia

https://twitter.com/JasonBallardVA/status/1501248140883771393

[emailking]

Maybe the governor should need permission from the legislature after a month or something, but they should be able to implement such restrictions immediately. For a deadlier and more contagious virus, it might be necessary.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

Hawaii is lifting its mask mandate March 25.

The final domino has fallen. Mandatory masking is gone (at least for now, *knocks on wood*)

This is so far from true.  It is still required nationally on public transportation, as well as at many schools (mine included).

The true test is whether the TSA mask mandate is allowed to expire on March 18.

Ugh NOPE.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2022/03/10/transportation-mask-requirement-air-travel/

(TSA mask mandate extended another month until April 18.)

[Calthrina950]

Hawaii is lifting its mask mandate March 25.

The final domino has fallen. Mandatory masking is gone (at least for now, *knocks on wood*)

This is so far from true.  It is still required nationally on public transportation, as well as at many schools (mine included).

The true test is whether the TSA mask mandate is allowed to expire on March 18.

Ugh NOPE.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2022/03/10/transportation-mask-requirement-air-travel/

(TSA mask mandate extended another month until April 18.)

It looks like the Biden Administration caved in to the flight attendants unions who were demanding that the mask mandate be extended. This certainly undermines the credibility of their "victory over coronavirus" message that they've been pushing recently.

[LabourJersey]

Very good news from Virginia

https://twitter.com/JasonBallardVA/status/1501248140883771393

What does this even mean, in practice?

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Nobody even voted for the TSA.

[Frodo]

An excellent (though simplistic) go-to guide for determining when a pandemic has transitioned to becoming endemic:

https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1501458773952630786

And here is the new White House COVID Preparedness Plan, the first update since the pandemic began:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/covidplan/

[jamestroll]

Two years ago WHO declared Covid a pandemic...

I am proud I have been skeptical and fighting against Covid measures since that time!

[jamestroll]

Look at the situation in Hong Kong right now. Trying to eradicate covid was always going to back fire.

https://twitter.com/hkfp/status/1502229722884804610

[Horus]

Look at the situation in Hong Kong right now. Trying to eradicate covid was always going to back fire.

https://twitter.com/hkfp/status/1502229722884804610

And this is one of the most heavily masked places on the planet.

Almost like masks do jack sh-t.

[It’s so Joever]

Two years ago WHO declared Covid a pandemic...

I am proud I have been skeptical and fighting against Covid measures since that time!

“It has been two years into the nuclear apocalypse, and I am PROUD of having stood against underground bunkers since the first mushroom cloud! Stop living in fear, embrace the RADIATION!!! NO MORE BUNKERS!” -Jimmie in Fallout 4.

[Pericles]

Look at the situation in Hong Kong right now. Trying to eradicate covid was always going to back fire.

https://twitter.com/hkfp/status/1502229722884804610

As has been pointed out, NZ has similar case numbers but hospitals are coping and deaths are small-7 a day is the record so far. This is because when we had low cases we got vaccinated and boosted, elderly Hong Kongers didn't.

[emailking]

And this is one of the most heavily masked places on the planet.

Almost like masks do jack sh-t.

I know you know better than that.

[DINGO Joe]

Two years ago WHO declared Covid a pandemic...

I am proud I have been skeptical and fighting against Covid measures since that time!

So you're the one responsible for the million deaths in the US?

[jamestroll]

Two years ago WHO declared Covid a pandemic...

I am proud I have been skeptical and fighting against Covid measures since that time!

So you're the one responsible for the million deaths in the US?

I can not be held responsible for that. And many deaths were not entirely related to covid.

[DINGO Joe]

Two years ago WHO declared Covid a pandemic...

I am proud I have been skeptical and fighting against Covid measures since that time!

So you're the one responsible for the million deaths in the US?

I can not be held responsible for that. And many deaths were not entirely related to covid.

So, your just another covidiot who can't explain why there are so many dead people?

[jamestroll]

Two years ago WHO declared Covid a pandemic...

I am proud I have been skeptical and fighting against Covid measures since that time!

So you're the one responsible for the million deaths in the US?

I can not be held responsible for that. And many deaths were not entirely related to covid.

So, your just another covidiot who can't explain why there are so many dead people?

I found most covid measures to be too much of a security theater to have any meaningful impact.

It is a devastating situation, but there was not much that could have been done.

Please do not call me a covidiot as I am generally very cordial to people here.

[DINGO Joe]

Two years ago WHO declared Covid a pandemic...

I am proud I have been skeptical and fighting against Covid measures since that time!

So you're the one responsible for the million deaths in the US?

I can not be held responsible for that. And many deaths were not entirely related to covid.

So, your just another covidiot who can't explain why there are so many dead people?

I found most covid measures to be too much of a security theater to have any meaningful impact.

It is a devastating situation, but there was not much that could have been done.

Please do not call me a covidiot as I am generally very cordial to people here.

What's a devestation situation Jimmy?  You just said that there really weren't that many who died of Covid, I challenge you to back that up.   Last week, you said "Trump was right, it'll just go away"  I challenged you to explain  how or when it went away. 

Look at the numbers Jimmy

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/index.htm

January 2022 was the third worst month of the whole pandemic.  It's already recorded 80,000 more deaths than in Jan 2020 and they're not done counting. 

Just say you don't care that those people died but don't say that it went away or it wasn't Covid because those are both lies unsupported by reality.   Quit trying to assuage your conscious about it and quit acting like your a hero because you can't cope with a mask. 

[Pericles]

Two years ago WHO declared Covid a pandemic...

I am proud I have been skeptical and fighting against Covid measures since that time!

So you're the one responsible for the million deaths in the US?

I can not be held responsible for that. And many deaths were not entirely related to covid.

It's more likely that Covid deaths were undercounted because not every death would have been tested for Covid and excess deaths were a bit higher. Anyway, the US failed because it didn't stop enough people getting infected before they could get vaccinated and protected, and then failed to get enough of their population vaccinated. The next pandemic, hopefully a century away but plausibly sooner, the government needs to step up more and people themselves also need to be more responsible.

[Torie]

A second booster is in our future by this fall it seems. I am spending an hour with my new doc in about 10 days (my prior one died on my suddenly of a massive brain aneurysm a couple of months ago), and I will bring up the matter of jumping the gun just like my booster one.

https://patch.com/new-jersey/hoboken/s/i5zce/4th-covid-shot-who-in-nj-should-get-it-will-more-need-it?utm_source=alert-breakingnews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alert

[Dr. MB]

The mask mandate officially is over today in Oregon. Feels nice.

[emailking]

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

[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.

[jamestroll]

Two years ago WHO declared Covid a pandemic...

I am proud I have been skeptical and fighting against Covid measures since that time!

So you're the one responsible for the million deaths in the US?

I can not be held responsible for that. And many deaths were not entirely related to covid.

So, your just another covidiot who can't explain why there are so many dead people?

I found most covid measures to be too much of a security theater to have any meaningful impact.

It is a devastating situation, but there was not much that could have been done.

Please do not call me a covidiot as I am generally very cordial to people here.

What's a devestation situation Jimmy?  You just said that there really weren't that many who died of Covid, I challenge you to back that up.   Last week, you said "Trump was right, it'll just go away"  I challenged you to explain  how or when it went away. 

Look at the numbers Jimmy

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/index.htm

January 2022 was the third worst month of the whole pandemic.  It's already recorded 80,000 more deaths than in Jan 2020 and they're not done counting. 

Just say you don't care that those people died but don't say that it went away or it wasn't Covid because those are both lies unsupported by reality.   Quit trying to assuage your conscious about it and quit acting like your a hero because you can't cope with a mask. 

What were we supposed to do? I am not dismissing the deaths. That is sick and heartless. There is just no realistic government policy that could have stopped those deaths. Specifically not in the United States.

The coalition for mitigation measures, which included quite a few Republicans, all fell apart last Mayish when vaccines went into wide distribution.

And honestly all the people arguing with me about covid policy online is useless. I do not hold any political office and have no authority to change any covid policy. If anything, I have been slightly more caution than many politicians.

I was encouraging masks until very late in the game when it was clear that cloth masks do little to nothing to stop omicron, and we can not expect everyone to wear a n95 mask.