COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[MiddleRoad]

No, it'll never end.

There will be no herd immunity, and the virus will just mutate endlessly. This is life now.

Do you think we should wear masks 24/7, even in our homes, forever?

I mean, Covid is worse than the Black Death after all.

[Roll Roons]

I mean, Covid is worse than the Black Death after all.

SnowLabrador and the Trump Virus seem to think it is.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

The article says this was in a report asking for more funding from Congress. Gee, is it in your interest to overestimate when asking for more funding?

Also if it gets that bad they'll approve another booster for everyone. Stop freaking out.

[MATTROSE94]

I mean, Covid is worse than the Black Death after all.

SnowLabrador and the Trump Virus seem to think it is.

Also Forumlurker and compucomp as well. They are very big COVID hawks and still support masking and toyed with the idea of capacity limits being reinstated. At least the Trump Virus isn’t a supporter of COVID restrictions anymore.

[MT Treasurer]

Please implement new lockdowns & vaccine/mask mandates in October 2022 and October 2024. We can’t eradicate COVID as long as those anti-vaxxers refuse to get their fifth (and final) booster shot.

[MiddleRoad]

Please implement new lockdowns & vaccine/mask mandates in October 2022 and October 2024.

They’ll do this so that we can have “mail in voting” again

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

I don't care because they are gathering in bars and Sports Stadiums again, and I got sick at Rams parade, I got a booster shot thereafter abd haven't got sick once because I had Jansen the first time

I don't feel sorry for these people that gather at these sports some people have season tickets if you go it's good to limit the amount of Games, but rich people have season passes

Alot of these cases can be contributing to sports and Docs warned if we fully opened up Stadium games COVID cases will rise

[Hammy]

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/06/politics/white-house-covid-fall-wave/index.html

The worst wave yet is coming, precisely because people have stopped caring.

People like you are why Republicans will win in 2022 and 24.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

So we could have another wave, 10% inflation, a bear market, and mortgages would be ridiculous rates? Democrats are lucky that partisanship will save them from getting extremely blown out.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Republicans need to put ballot measures in every state that bans the state from being able to implement any restrictions

[Pericles]

Please implement new lockdowns & vaccine/mask mandates in October 2022 and October 2024. We can’t eradicate COVID as long as those anti-vaxxers refuse to get their fifth (and final) booster shot.

I don't want to live with restrictions, but if you're saying the government shouldn't keep offering us safe and effective vaccines that is just plain wrong, and I am happy to choose to keep up to date with my vaccinations.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Republicans need to put ballot measures in every state that bans the state from being able to implement any restrictions

I would support such a measure as long as "any restrictions" doesn't include vaccine mandates. Those I support because I'm vaccinated so they don't inconvenience or cause harm to me any. Mandated social distancing and mask mandates do.

[MiddleRoad]

Republicans need to put ballot measures in every state that bans the state from being able to implement any restrictions

I would support such a measure as long as "any restrictions" doesn't include vaccine mandates. Those I support because I'm vaccinated so they don't inconvenience or cause harm to me any. Mandated social distancing and mask mandates do.

Mandated vaccines do harm to those who may not, out of concern for their own personal health, want to take the vaccine; and in turn, restricting those people from daily life (in essence, almost placing them on a form of house arrest) has profound negative psychological effects as well.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Republicans need to put ballot measures in every state that bans the state from being able to implement any restrictions

I would support such a measure as long as "any restrictions" doesn't include vaccine mandates. Those I support because I'm vaccinated so they don't inconvenience or cause harm to me any. Mandated social distancing and mask mandates do.

Mandated vaccines do harm to those who may not, out of concern for their own personal health, want to take the vaccine; and in turn, restricting those people from daily life (in essence, almost placing them on a form of house arrest) has profound negative psychological effects as well.

Don't want to deal with the problems, get vaccinated. If you value the wisdom of Joe Rogan and Alex Jones over that than that's your problem.

[MiddleRoad]

Republicans need to put ballot measures in every state that bans the state from being able to implement any restrictions

I would support such a measure as long as "any restrictions" doesn't include vaccine mandates. Those I support because I'm vaccinated so they don't inconvenience or cause harm to me any. Mandated social distancing and mask mandates do.

Mandated vaccines do harm to those who may not, out of concern for their own personal health, want to take the vaccine; and in turn, restricting those people from daily life (in essence, almost placing them on a form of house arrest) has profound negative psychological effects as well.

Don't want to deal with the problems, get vaccinated. If you value the wisdom of Joe Rogan and Alex Jones over that than that's your problem.

Considering there have been reports of otherwise healthy people having cases of blood clots and myocarditis after taking the vaccines, and considering that:

1) I have two significant health risks for blood clots AS IS

2) I have a family history of blood clot related cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, including a first cousin who had a near fatal heart attack in his early 20s, an aunt dead at 62 from a heart attack, a grandfather dead at 55 from a stroke, and other relatives who died young from blood clot related strokes and heart attacks -


I would be literally putting my life at risk taking it. I wear a mask in public, and stay home when I have a cold. I had Covid at least once that was diagnosed and suffer from long Covid (fatigue). Should I really risk dying at age 31 for someone else’s comfort?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Republicans need to put ballot measures in every state that bans the state from being able to implement any restrictions

I would support such a measure as long as "any restrictions" doesn't include vaccine mandates. Those I support because I'm vaccinated so they don't inconvenience or cause harm to me any. Mandated social distancing and mask mandates do.

Mandated vaccines do harm to those who may not, out of concern for their own personal health, want to take the vaccine; and in turn, restricting those people from daily life (in essence, almost placing them on a form of house arrest) has profound negative psychological effects as well.

Don't want to deal with the problems, get vaccinated. If you value the wisdom of Joe Rogan and Alex Jones over that than that's your problem.

Considering there have been reports of otherwise healthy people having cases of blood clots and myocarditis after taking the vaccines, and considering that:

1) I have two significant health risks for blood clots AS IS

2) I have a family history of blood clot related cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, including a first cousin who had a near fatal heart attack in his early 20s, an aunt dead at 62 from a heart attack, a grandfather dead at 55 from a stroke, and other relatives who died young from blood clot related strokes and heart attacks -


I would be literally putting my life at risk taking it. I wear a mask in public, and stay home when I have a cold. I had Covid at least once that was diagnosed and suffer from long Covid (fatigue). Should I really risk dying at age 31 for someone else’s comfort?

The FDA is not recommending people at risk for blood clot conditions not take it and based on the stats of everyone who has been vaccinated I probably have a better chance dying of alcohol poisoning every time I go to a music venue I don't drive to than you do of a blood clot. AKA both of us have a significantly higher chance of dying from Covid.

[MiddleRoad]

But even the CDC notes there is a risk of myocarditis after receiving the vaccine. On their website. That is in relation to the MRNA vaccines. And the FDA just put restrictions in the past few days on the J&J vaccine due to the risk of blood clots: “ Officials say the shot should be given only to adults who cannot receive a different vaccine or who specifically request Johnson & Johnson.”

Since I’m kinda SOL on the MRNA front, and J&J is now being considered risky by the FDA for blood clots, why should I take the risk?

As is, I suffer from severe anxiety for which I’ve been under treatment since age 19; a fear of one day suffering a pulmonary embolism is with me often. As I’ve noted, it’s not without realistic grounds since my family history is quite poor in this regard.

Perhaps you do not have much of a risk from the vaccines, but myself and someone with a similar background & physical condition to me do. Yet, I cannot get a medical exemption because my state has no interest in even hearing about possible medical exemptions.

If there was no recorded risk of taking these vaccines, I would take them. I’ve taken my shots for Hepatitis B, and for tetanus etc without issue. I was fully vaccinated as a child per typical standards. It’s not about being anti science, or out of a “callous disregard for human life”; it’s out of fear and a value for my own life that I am heavily reserved to taking it. I already had Covid, at least once; I have clinically proven antibodies in high numbers.

Should not the restrictions be treated on a “case by case” basis?

[ConservativeRepublican]

The COVID death rate is so minimal, under a tenth of a percent. Less people would have died if we didn't react so strongly and let society continue as normal. Our economy and culture has suffered long enough.

[MiddleRoad]

The COVID death rate is so minimal, under a tenth of a percent. Less people would have died if we didn't react so strongly and let society continue as normal. Our economy and culture has suffered long enough.

The only time in my 31 years of life I’ve ever considered suicide was when NYC was in “show your vax card to do anything” status. I felt like a prisoner, someone on house arrest. It had a massively negative effect on my emotional health. I have to imagine I’m not alone and that others may have suffered from severe emotional strain as a result of Covid restrictions.

[Aurelius]

Seasonal viruses tend to do this. If you're scared get another booster and wear your mask.

COVID is not seasonal. Also, I can't get another booster, because fourth shots haven't been authorized for people my age (21.)

Lie and get another shot if you want. Millions of people got a third shot before boosters were officially authorized for anyone. AFAIK there is no vaccine supply issue here in the US so you will not be hurting anyone by doing this.

[Pericles]

Republicans need to put ballot measures in every state that bans the state from being able to implement any restrictions

I would support such a measure as long as "any restrictions" doesn't include vaccine mandates. Those I support because I'm vaccinated so they don't inconvenience or cause harm to me any. Mandated social distancing and mask mandates do.

Mandated vaccines do harm to those who may not, out of concern for their own personal health, want to take the vaccine; and in turn, restricting those people from daily life (in essence, almost placing them on a form of house arrest) has profound negative psychological effects as well.

If people have a legitimate medical reason not to take the vaccine, they will be able to get a medical exemption in any sane vaccine pass system. However, because vaccination only slightly reduces transmissibility, the restriction on people's freedoms is no longer justified in most cases.

[emailking]

I've decided I want another booster. I hope they authorize it soon.

[Kahane's Grave Is A Gender-Neutral Bathroom]

Are they trying to set the scene to bring back the mandates?

Probably. If the Democrats try to bring the mandates back, they will be lucky to hold onto about 50 House seats and will only hold onto California, Vermont, and Hawaii in terms of the Senate races. I do see a lot more people on Twitter expressing support for reinstating stringent COVID mandates, so that is something to keep in mind.

Hmm. I think you're being too much of a Democratic hack.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

The hilarious thing about SnowLabrador's freakout is that the main reason the FDA hasn't authorized another booster for non-immunocompromised people under 50 is that the vaccine wouldn't even be all that effective anyway, studies show that the immunity boost wanes very quickly. Vaccines have a huge "diminishing returns" effect, but this is actually a good thing: It's because the immune system then no longer treats the infection as new and unique and it's just same old so there's no need to spawn such an extreme reaction. Also the fact that the current vaccines are not designed for the current variants, likely there will be authorization for new vaccines once those are created. But it's really not a big deal, a 21-year old who has been fully vaxxed and boosted even if they were just boosted six months ago isn't at any more threat from Covid than a cold, they still have enough T-cells to deal with it fairly easily. Plus there's evidence people who catch it after being vaccinated get "titanium immunity" and another breakthrough case is basically impossible. So if 100 million people catch it and say 2/3 of them are vaccinated, that means over 66 million people aren't going to catch it ever again, in addition to however many got titanium immune during the Omicron surge. I don't know if I'm one of these because I've never tested positive for Covid, but it's also why I'm not worried at all.

If they come out with another vaccine designed for the current variants I'll go ahead and get another booster, but this is also why I'm in no hurry despite my booster being over six months ago.

[T'Chenka]

Republicans need to put ballot measures in every state that bans the state from being able to implement any restrictions

That isn't small government or "states rights". Reagan would be ashamed.