COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[jamestroll]

I have relaxed a bit and decided not to care if someone else wears a MASK. But I will laugh at them if it is a CLOTH mask.

Of course, wearing a mask outside is a bit offensive. But whatever

[emailking]

If someone wants/needs to wear a mask, so what? Get a grip.

I just thought it was odd. It's fine.

[Ferguson97]

https://twitter.com/JacquiHeinrich/status/1672391215604539395

Bump

[Frodo]

Like the flu, it is well-advised to get an annual COVID shot as autumn begins:

New Covid vaccines are on the way as 'Eris' variant rises

[emailking]

Is it going to cost an arm and a leg now or 20-30 like flu shot?

I hadn't even heard of the Eris variant yet, dang.

[Blue3]

For the first time since I think December 2021-February 2022, my workplace is having a workplace-wide COVID episode.

[heatcharger]

Looks like we’ll need to sticky this thread again. Cases and hospitalizations are rising.

[Хahar 🤔]

Looks like we’ll need to sticky this thread again. Cases and hospitalizations are rising.

Don't give the moderators of this board any ideas.

[Horus]

Looks like we’ll need to sticky this thread again. Cases and hospitalizations are rising.

You're not serious are you?

[dead0man]

the fears some of you hod for long Covid should be lessened with some recent studies.

You're less likely to get long COVID after a second infection than a first-NPR

"It does seem that the risk is significantly lower the second time around than the first time around for developing long COVID," says Daniel Ayoubkhani, a statistician at the Office for National Statistics in the United Kingdom, who's been studying long COVID in that country.

<snip>

Among the adults in the survey, 4% reported long COVID symptoms persisting at least four weeks after their first infection, the survey found. In contrast, just 2.4% of those who hadn't developed lingering health problems after their first infection reported ongoing symptoms after their second case.

"That's a significant reduction in the odds," he says.

The study didn't examine why the risk for long COVID would be lower from a second infection than a first. But Ayoubkhani says there could be several reasons.

For example, the immunity people have built up from previous infections may reduce the risk of developing long COVID from the next one. "We don't know that from our data, but that's a hypothesis," he says.

Who is most at risk for long Covid-Harvard

A new study of more than 800,000 people has found that in the U.S., COVID “long haulers” were more likely to be older and female, with more chronic conditions than people in a comparison group who — after getting COVID — did not have diagnosed long COVID or any of the symptoms associated with long COVID. The findings are published in the March issue of Health Affairs.

<snip>

For people who met this narrow definition, long COVID was associated with multiple common pre-pandemic conditions such as lung disease, depression, diabetes, obesity, and other common conditions, meaning that people who had these conditions before the pandemic were more likely to be diagnosed with long COVID.

Contrary to findings in many previous studies, the researchers found that pre-pandemic HIV/AIDS, metastatic cancer, and solid tumors without metastasis — markers of a suppressed immune system that are typically associated with more severe COVID-19 disease — were not associated with having a diagnosis of long COVID.

<snip>

Another challenge for researchers attempting to understand long COVID is that many of the symptoms of chronic COVID — such as respiratory and circulatory problems and mood changes — are similar to the symptoms of many conditions that seem to be risk factors for long COVID.

Explanations include that it’s just the normal progression of underlying diseases that people had before the pandemic; COVID is hastening the progression of chronic diseases; some common factor among these preexisting conditions increases the risk of a separate condition that manifests as lingering symptoms from COVID; or that all of these may be true to varying extents, the authors said.

“Answering these questions will require careful planning for data collection and further studies designed to tease out the tangled strands of long-haul COVID,” Song said. “Such work will be crucial for understanding how to deal with the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and for preparing us for future global health challenges we all could face.”

I suppose unhealthy old ladies who haven't gotten Covid yet should still worry about it, or I should say, it should be one of the many things that person worry's about.  It will always fall behind things like:whatever it is them neighborhood kids are doing outside, sounds like they're having fun, somebody should put a stop to that or maybe there is a minority child with a lemonade stand at the park that needs to know his or her place.

[MATTROSE94]

Looks like we’ll need to sticky this thread again. Cases and hospitalizations are rising.

You're not serious are you?

Cases are going way up and hospitalizations are on a trajectory to exceed the Omicron surge. I am masking up again and after reading about how bad the new variant is in terms of CFR, I want restrictions to be reinstated again at least until the Walter Reade developed Spike Ferritin Nanoparticle COVID-19 vaccine becomes available to the public.

[Not Me, Us]

Looks like we’ll need to sticky this thread again. Cases and hospitalizations are rising.

You're not serious are you?

Cases are going way up and hospitalizations are on a trajectory to exceed the Omicron surge. I am masking up again and after reading about how bad the new variant is in terms of CFR, I want restrictions to be reinstated again at least until the Walter Reade developed Spike Ferritin Nanoparticle COVID-19 vaccine becomes available to the public.

The world has moved on from Covid, you should too.

[heatcharger]

CDC Data

Hospitalizations
Hospital Admissions
10,320
(July 30 to August 5, 2023)

Trend in Hospital Admissions
+14.3% in most recent week

[SnowLabrador]

CDC Data

Hospitalizations
Hospital Admissions
10,320
(July 30 to August 5, 2023)

Trend in Hospital Admissions
+14.3% in most recent week

That's not good.

[MATTROSE94]

Looks like we’ll need to sticky this thread again. Cases and hospitalizations are rising.

You're not serious are you?

Cases are going way up and hospitalizations are on a trajectory to exceed the Omicron surge. I am masking up again and after reading about how bad the new variant is in terms of CFR, I want restrictions to be reinstated again at least until the Walter Reade developed Spike Ferritin Nanoparticle COVID-19 vaccine becomes available to the public.

The world has moved on from Covid, you should too.

I moved on from COVID in early 2022, but things are getting bad again. Look at Eric Feigl Ding and Yaneer Bar Yam’s Twitter pages, as well as data from the World Health Organization and from former surgeon general Jerome Adams.

[Jerseyan]

I hate that I've become so dismissive, but I'm struggling to be bothered anymore. We had two surges last year(one in summer, one in winter), we'll more than likely have two surges this year. It's endemic. You get sick, you take medicine, you hope you get better. That's all we can do anymore.

The expert on NPR today didn't seem to think it was a major cause for concern because hospitalizations are still significantly below last summers surge and an increase in summer was expected.

Edit: Not to belittle anyone who is worried. I have respect for people who still mask up.

[Joe Republic]

My wife tested positive a few days ago, as have most of her co-workers.  No symptoms or positive tests for me so far though.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Why do people care whether their cold is covid or something else?  I had a cold two weeks ago.  I felt bad for two and a half days, and then it went away.  Was it covid?  Maybe, maybe not, and I don't really care one way or the other.  It's mutated to the point where it's just one of many colds out there.

[emailking]

You didn't even test?

[100% pro-life no matter what]

You didn't even test?

If you're talking to me, the last time I took a covid test was right before Christmas 2020.  I tried to test using an early version at-home test once when sick in the summer of 2021, but I messed up the directions and just tested their detection fluid.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Why do people care whether their cold is covid or something else?  I had a cold two weeks ago.  I felt bad for two and a half days, and then it went away.  Was it covid?  Maybe, maybe not, and I don't really care one way or the other.  It's mutated to the point where it's just one of many colds out there.

I'm not going to complain though for an odd reason...I'm actually getting paid to take Covid tests. Yes seriously. I'm participating in a pharmaceutical program that requires biweekly Covid tests, but because such tests are unpleasant, they compensate you an extra $50 for each test. So if I ever catch Covid instead of just a cold I'll know, but I'll get paid to know!

[Born to Slay. Forced to Work.]

Look at Eric Feigl Ding and Yaneer Bar Yam’s Twitter pages, as well as data from the World Health Organization and from former surgeon general Jerome Adams.

No one should ever look at any of these sources.

No one should ever look at the World Health Organization? holy disconnected from reality Batman

[Roll Roons]

Look at Eric Feigl Ding and Yaneer Bar Yam’s Twitter pages, as well as data from the World Health Organization and from former surgeon general Jerome Adams.

No one should ever look at any of these sources.

No one should ever look at the World Health Organization? holy disconnected from reality Batman

The same WHO that was praising China in January/February 2020 for "transparency"?

[heatcharger]

CDC Data

Hospitalizations
Hospital Admissions
10,320
(July 30 to August 5, 2023)

Trend in Hospital Admissions
+14.3% in most recent week

CDC Data

Hospitalizations
Hospital Admissions
12,613
(August 6 to August 12, 2023)
 
Trend in Hospital Admissions
+21.6% in most recent week

[Meclazine for Israel]

I never realised that the COVID-19 face masks were lovingly made by hand by a group of 7 people.

Hand Folded, Hand Sewn

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CwrG0KnSM0o/