COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[Mr.Bakari-Sellers]

These cases are coming from immigrants abd Homeless person because I just got my booster shot and show no signs of COVID

You know why because I get my blood drawn Diabetes and diseases are caused by too many Red blood cells, before
 I got my blood drawn I had a 58 elevated red blood cell count it's now 42  that's why patrons get diseases too many Red blood cells

I  not a Doctor I am just relaying what Doctors tell me blood sugar has a direct correlation to flush that's why you get feverish to kill the diseases in your blood due to too many Red blood cells

[GregTheGreat657]

I think every county in Massachusetts is green on the CDC map.

Cases are creeping up again. There's going to be a surge.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

I think every county in Massachusetts is green on the CDC map.

Cases are creeping up again. There's going to be a surge.

Probably, at least in relative terms, and it will mean next to nothing to those of us who are vaccinated or had a previous bout of Omicron.

[Frodo]

A deal is reached, but not before screwing over the rest of the world:

Senators reach $10 billion Covid funding deal for therapeutics, vaccines and testing

The legislation earmarks at least $5 billion to purchase and develop Covid treatments such as antiviral pills. Another $750 million is set aside to develop vaccines that target specific variants and to expand vaccine manufacturing capacity in the U.S. if needed.

The funding is less than half the $22.5 billion that President Joe Biden first requested. The deal does not include money to support the administration’s efforts to increase vaccinations around the world.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said every dollar the administration requested is essential, and noted that the White House will work to get Congress to pass more aid. However, Psaki said time is of the essence, and urged lawmakers to swiftly pass the $10 billion.

“We urge Congress to move promptly on this $10 billion package because it can begin to fund the most immediate needs, as we currently run the risk of not having some critical tools like treatments and tests starting in May and June,” Psaki said.

We're selfish, entitled bastards.  And to what purpose?  It is not like more Americans are going to get themselves vaccinated.  Doesn't it make more sense to make more vaccines available to those out there in the Third World that actually want them, unlike so many of our fellow citizens?  

[LostFellow]

There is most certainly going to be a BA2 surge like in every other European nation, with the early signs occurring right now: https://www.mwra.com/biobot/biobotdata.htm.

The point of contention is the magnitude of the surge, and whether any forced preventative measures should exist. It is a completely consistent viewpoint to both be against restrictions and also recognize that there is potential for many people to get mildly sick for a short period. This isn't so complicated.

[Mr.Bakari-Sellers]

Cases are rising again, that's why Biden Approvals are flatline again, he said that once Flu season was over we would be over Covid

He lied

[Hollywood]

There is most certainly going to be a BA2 surge like in every other European nation, with the early signs occurring right now: https://www.mwra.com/biobot/biobotdata.htm.

The point of contention is the magnitude of the surge, and whether any forced preventative measures should exist. It is a completely consistent viewpoint to both be against restrictions and also recognize that there is potential for many people to get mildly sick for a short period. This isn't so complicated.

I see no validity in aggressively forced preventative measures in schools and businesses that aren't primarily involved in the healthcare and geriatric industry.  Terminally ill MRNA Injected and Un-Injected patients with compromised immune systems are going to catch, spread and die from BA.2, just like those patients used to die from Pneumonia triggered by Influenza and Rhinovirus strains spreading within the hospital and Geriatric Communities.  That should be the sole focus of infection policy and study. 

Countries in Africa, Europe and Asia have demonstrated that the virus will infect the vast majority of the population before anyone knows its rapidly spreading within the population.  It will account for over 90% of reported cases, and it will be extremely mild in nature.  The vast amount of adults and kids won't even know they had it cause it will present as an allergy or nuisance cold.  Countries like China and South Korea have way over-reacted to the spread, and they are suffering dearly for it.  For example, there are massive protests going on across China, and businesses are folding throughout the nation.  https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3170825/coronavirus-how-south-korea-beating-covid-despite-600000-new

Omicron was a blessing from nature that we were told not to fear by African Medical leaders that handled it initially, and the more infectious and less severe sub-variant BA.2 will only bolster immunity among the herd.  We should not make the mistake of over-reacting.     

[SnowLabrador]

I'm really hoping they open up fourth shots for all adults soon. That being said, it's rather ominous that so many vaccinated people are refusing to get a booster. We've only gotten 29% boosted, which is pathetic.

Also, do you guys think we should be using vaccination rates to predict the 2022 results? If so, Michigan's going to swing way to the right, its vaccination rate is well below the national average.

[Dwarven Dragon]

welp:

https://twitter.com/SenatePress/status/1511443954935504905?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogl...

[Wrong about 2024 Ghost]

https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1511354802604814343

[Hammy]

I'm really hoping they open up fourth shots for all adults soon. That being said, it's rather ominous that so many vaccinated people are refusing to get a booster. We've only gotten 29% boosted, which is pathetic.

Also, do you guys think we should be using vaccination rates to predict the 2022 results? If so, Michigan's going to swing way to the right, its vaccination rate is well below the national average.

If that were the case, Florida would be swinging significantly left.

[GregTheGreat657]

I'm really hoping they open up fourth shots for all adults soon. That being said, it's rather ominous that so many vaccinated people are refusing to get a booster. We've only gotten 29% boosted, which is pathetic.

Also, do you guys think we should be using vaccination rates to predict the 2022 results? If so, Michigan's going to swing way to the right, its vaccination rate is well below the national average.

If that were the case, Florida would be swinging significantly left.

So would PA, WI, NH, and ME

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Cases are rising again, that's why Biden Approvals are flatline again, he said that once Flu season was over we would be over Covid

He lied

In the real world, the national rolling case average hit a new low today.  Yes, the pace of decline is slow, but people have been talking about how cases are about to go up for like a month ago.  I still think we'll see a small ripple nationally (that is most pronounced in the Northeast), but the more time that passes without a surge, the less I believe this BA2 surge hype.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Anyone know what happened with Corona Scanner? It's been stuck on the same number since Saturday.

[emailking]

I don't recommend The Bubble on Netflix, even though I think it's the first high budget movie specifically about Covid. Boring and unfunny.

[Frodo]

We are in far better shape than China to ride this out:

https://twitter.com/spencekimball/status/1511472428794449924

[falling apart like the ashes of American flags]

So in the past couple months there's only been two places besides transit where I wear a mask: church and the plasma donation center.

Masks were only "recommended" at church but almost everyone wore one. Two weeks ago only about half did. Now the sign says they're "optional" and the majority of people did not wear one on Sunday.

I had not donated plasma for about a month waiting to get my protein levels back in an acceptable range. I passed and went in yesterday....and learned there's no more mask mandate. In fact all of their Covid procedures are gone, no temperature check as soon as you walk in, no more of those paper "contact trackers" that no one ever read and served no purpose, the donation beds aren't placed in a socially distanced way reducing capacity... it's exactly like 2019 except there's more hand sanitizing stations around. That's it.

So now I only need to wear a mask on public transportation and I'm sure that's ending soon. The full return to normalcy is here.

[Roll Roons]

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

[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.

[Raccoon]

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

this is horrifying !! And Pennsylvania is one of the few dem pick up opportunities for the senate ! Now it's ruined !!!!!

[ملكة كرينجيتوك]

https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/07/health/us-life-expectancy-drops-again-2021/index.html

Life expectancy in the US fell from 78.9 years in 2019 to 76.6 years in 2021 -- now more than five years less than the average among peer nations.

"This speaks volumes about the life consequences of how the US handled the pandemic," Dr. Steven Woolf, study author and director emeritus of the Center on Society and Health at Virginia Commonwealth University, said in a statement. "What happened in the U.S. is less about the variants than the levels of resistance to vaccination and the public's rejection of practices, such as masking and mandates, to reduce viral transmission."

In the US, there was a disproportionate decrease in life expectancy for Black and Hispanic people in 2020. But in 2021, White people had the largest losses, with life expectancy holding steady for Hispanic people and rising slightly for Black people.

For this study, Woolf and other researchers from the University of Colorado and the Urban Institute analyzed death data from the National Center for Health Statistics, the Human Mortality Database and other international statistical agencies.

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/mattyglesias/status/1512849943492497410

[Matty]

Why is China so committed to zero covid?

They need to swallow their pride and admit they failed at that quixotic policy

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Remember when they promised a vaccine that was reformulated to protect us from Omicron would be out by March?

Pepperidge Farm remembers.

[GregTheGreat657]

Remember when they said it would be two weeks to flatten the curve?

Pepperidge Farms remembers