COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[Hammy]

As someone who got J+J, to my understanding the most popular vaccine worldwide, it annoys me to no end to be left out of these booster studies.

With Pfizer now widely available, what would happen if I got Pfizer as well?  What if I got just the Pfizer booster?  What about a J+J booster?

I'm less-protected than everyone else and I'd like to fix that.

There was a study some time back, though I don't have it readily available to post, that people who only got the J+J can be further protected with a dose of the Pfizer or Moderna. I would ask a doctor just to be sure as I don't remember if the study was published, or if the article mentioned they were beginning the investigative study. But it does appear there's an avenue there either way.

[pbrower2a]

President Biden has suggested that federal employees will face a mandate to get inoculated.

Labor leader Richard Trumka has stated that employers have a right to demand inoculation.

We are seeing the window of dubious freedom to avoid inoculation against COVID-19 closing.

[YE]

https://twitter.com/sailorrooscout/status/1420443258170351620?s=21

https://twitter.com/sailorrooscout/status/1420444263603707908?s=21

[emailking]

Yeah I don't see these tweets as particularly convincing. The study not passing peer review doesn't mean all of its data are wrong. The vaccine not approved in the USA doesn't mean it's ineffective. I assume the CDC knows what it's doing. I agree more transparency is better than less so hopefully this other data will be published at some point.

[ProudModerate2]

As someone who got J+J, to my understanding the most popular vaccine worldwide, it annoys me to no end to be left out of these booster studies.

With Pfizer now widely available, what would happen if I got Pfizer as well?  What if I got just the Pfizer booster?  What about a J+J booster?

I'm less-protected than everyone else and I'd like to fix that.

There was a study some time back, though I don't have it readily available to post, that people who only got the J+J can be further protected with a dose of the Pfizer or Moderna. I would ask a doctor just to be sure as I don't remember if the study was published, or if the article mentioned they were beginning the investigative study. But it does appear there's an avenue there either way.

If your doctor says it's OK, I would go out and get a standard Pfizer shot (and the second one two weeks later). They are still readily available almost everywhere, and probably very easy to get (no lines).

[Mechavada]

Yeah who cares that a non-insignificant portion of this country has effectively decided that the shots give you AIDS or something, let's make the people who actually looked at the science and the data and determined that a couple of shots would keep them and everyone else safer take another shot!  Hell, why stop there!  If Three Shots are ELEVEN TIMES AS EFFECTIVE surely that means that FOUR SHOTS are at least FIFTY TIMES AS EFFECTIVE!

WHat the hell are we even hesitating about?  How about we just tell vaccinated people to keep getting shots every 28 days, taking a day off every damn month due to the feeling that their arms are getting ripped off, while the most we ever expect from unvaccinated folks is to occasionally "wear a mask" when cases spike!

Great idea guys!

There is a new flu shot every year for a reason - because immunity wanes and a new shot is necessary.

The same sort of thing may be necessary for COVID, and if you are pretending that this is not a serious possibility, you have your head in the sand.

Or if we are lucky, maybe a 3rd shot will create true long-lasting immunity (we can hope, but I wouldn't hang my hat on that).

Impartial,

Sorry if I gave you the impression I was anti-3rd vaccine.  If it gets me closer to God Mode in Ultimate Doom I'm all for it.  I was just voicing my utter frustration with these anti-vaccine f***s out there that seem to be making it harder and harder for people like me who do the right things and sh**t to live a normal life.

I wouldn't mind getting a Covid shot every year.  At all actually.  I get the flu shot every year.  I'm very very pro-vaccine.  I'm just. . . . pissed off man.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

'Stop trying to tell people how to live their lives': Gov. Ricketts responds to new CDC mask guidance

In a statement issued Tuesday, Gov. Pete Ricketts came out against new mask guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The CDC’s new guidance suggesting that vaccinated people wear masks indoors flies in the face of the public health goals that should guide the agency’s decision making. The CDC announcement only furthers the distrust many have with the CDC and does not help to encourage more people to get the vaccines that are helping bring the pandemic to a conclusion. The State of Nebraska will not be adopting their mask guidance.”

"Schools should convene in person without mask or vaccine requirements," says Ricketts.

Ricketts also said in the statement Tuesday that "it is time for the CDC and the government to get out of the way, and stop trying to tell people how to live their lives."

[Hammy]

'Stop trying to tell people how to live their lives': Gov. Ricketts responds to new CDC mask guidance

In a statement issued Tuesday, Gov. Pete Ricketts came out against new mask guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The CDC’s new guidance suggesting that vaccinated people wear masks indoors flies in the face of the public health goals that should guide the agency’s decision making. The CDC announcement only furthers the distrust many have with the CDC and does not help to encourage more people to get the vaccines that are helping bring the pandemic to a conclusion. The State of Nebraska will not be adopting their mask guidance.”

"Schools should convene in person without mask or vaccine requirements," says Ricketts.

Ricketts also said in the statement Tuesday that "it is time for the CDC and the government to get out of the way, and stop trying to tell people how to live their lives."

'Stop trying to tell people how to live their lives' says the party that does nothing but. The people who are actively spreading the virus out of refusal to even get a shot have no right to an opinion here.

[Calthrina950]

Well, I came back from work about an hour ago, and I can say that nobody has changed their masking habits (as of yet). I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of people ignore the CDC guidance and continue on as before. And it's highly unlikely that there will be any new mask mandates in Colorado at this point.

[Dr. Arch]

The updated numbers for COVID-19 in the U.S. are in for 7/22-7/28/2021 per: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/

From March 2020 to mid-July 2021, I kept track of COVID-19 numbers daily. Now that there's a light at the end of the tunnel and states are staggering their daily updates, I am switching to a mid-week to mid-week model (Thursday to Wednesday).

Wednesdays are ideal for weekly updates since holidays don't usually fall in the middle of the week, and most states would have reported some update by that day each week.

New Legend:

Δ Change: Comparisons of Weekly Growth or Decline of COVID-19 Spread/Deaths

Σ Increase: A week's contribution to overall percentage growth of COVID-19 cases/deaths.

• IE:What's the overall change in the total?

You may access the archive of daily reports below, with the last daily update at the end, which was on 7/6/2021.

Day-to-Day Archive from 3/26/2020-7/6/2021
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Spoiler alert! Click Show to show the content.

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6/16-6/22: <Baseline Week>

• Cases: 34,433,696
• Deaths: 617,864

6/23-6/30:

• Cases: 34,544,094 (+110,398 | Σ Increase: ↑0.32%)
• Deaths: 620,237 (+2,373 | Σ Increase: ↑0.38%)

7/1-7/7:

• Cases: 34,641,189 (+97,095 | ΔW Change: ↓12.05% | Σ Increase: ↑0.28%)
• Deaths: 621,851 (+1,614 | ΔW Change: ↓31.98% | Σ Increase: ↑0.26%)

7/8-7/14:

• Cases: 34,848,068 (+206,879 | ΔW Change: ↑113.07% | Σ Increase: ↑0.60%)
• Deaths: 623,838 (+1,987 | ΔW Change: ↑23.11% | Σ Increase: ↑0.32%)

7/15-7/21: <Last Week>

• Cases: 35,146,476 (+298,408 | ΔW Change: ↑44.24% | Σ Increase: ↑0.86%)
• Deaths: 625,808 (+1,970 | ΔW Change: ↓0.86% | Σ Increase: ↑0.32%)

7/22-7/28: <This Week>

• Cases: 35,487,348 (+340,872 | ΔW Change: ↑14.23% | Σ Increase: ↑0.97%)
• Deaths: 628,098 (+2,290 | ΔW Change: ↑16.24% | Σ Increase: ↑0.37%)

[DabbingSanta]

Well, I came back from work about an hour ago, and I can say that nobody has changed their masking habits (as of yet). I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of people ignore the CDC guidance and continue on as before. And it's highly unlikely that there will be any new mask mandates in Colorado at this point.

This is a massive political loss for Democrats, and if it continues into 2022 it will greatly impact their performance in the midterms.  Most people have moved past COVID.  The hysterical people on Atlas or Twitter claiming Republicans are death squads are a very small minority of Americans.  The new masking rules are confusing and aggravating to many.  Why get vaccinated if you still have to mask up?  People are waking up and moving on.

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/carlquintanilla/status/1420704798345682944

[compucomp]

Well, I came back from work about an hour ago, and I can say that nobody has changed their masking habits (as of yet). I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of people ignore the CDC guidance and continue on as before. And it's highly unlikely that there will be any new mask mandates in Colorado at this point.

This is a massive political loss for Democrats, and if it continues into 2022 it will greatly impact their performance in the midterms.  Most people have moved past COVID.  The hysterical people on Atlas or Twitter claiming Republicans are death squads are a very small minority of Americans.  The new masking rules are confusing and aggravating to many.  Why get vaccinated if you still have to mask up?  People are waking up and moving on.

In your dreams (or your Trumpist bubble): a poll from a few weeks ago found that 68% of people reported wearing a mask outside their home, including 77% of vaccinated:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/07/08/mask-wearing-plummets-especially-among-unvaccinated--but-delta-variant-creates-growing-anxiety-about-covid-19-polls-find/?sh=6546d3276b85

The poll also found 68% of respondents said they wore a face mask outside their home in the past week, down from 79% in May.

After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed their guidelines on mask wearing for the fully vaccinated, the share of fully vaccinated Americans who reported wearing masks plunged from 90% in May to 77% in June.

[compucomp]

The CDC made another change to their guidance indicating that vaccinated people should get tested upon exposure, even if not showing symptoms. It's clear that the CDC now acknowledges at least one of the following is true: that either breakthrough infections are not rare events and more common than previously acknowledged, or vaccinated people can be contagious just like unvaccinated, or both.

So Democrats and others who take the virus seriously, if you refuse to put on a mask now, you're both endangering yourself and endangering others like the unvaccinated plague rats. Do the right thing. Wear a mask.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/28/health/cdc-covid-testing-vaccine.html

In addition to revising its mask guidance on Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also quietly updated its testing recommendations for people who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The agency now advises that vaccinated people be tested for the virus if they come into contact with someone with Covid-19, even if they have no symptoms. Previously, the health agency had said that fully vaccinated people did not need to be tested after exposure to the virus unless they were experiencing symptoms.

“Our updated guidance recommends vaccinated people get tested upon exposure regardless of symptoms,” Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the agency’s director, said in an email to The New York Times. “Testing is widely available.”

Fully vaccinated people should wear a mask in public indoor spaces after exposure, the agency said. Three to five days later, they should be tested for the virus.

[jamestroll]

The CDC made another change to their guidance indicating that vaccinated people should get tested upon exposure, even if not showing symptoms. It's clear that the CDC now acknowledges at least one of the following is true: that either breakthrough infections are not rare events and more common than previously acknowledged, or vaccinated people can be contagious just like unvaccinated, or both.

So Democrats and others who take the virus seriously, if you refuse to put on a mask now, you're both endangering yourself and endangering others like the unvaccinated plague rats. Do the right thing. Wear a mask.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/28/health/cdc-covid-testing-vaccine.html

In addition to revising its mask guidance on Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also quietly updated its testing recommendations for people who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The agency now advises that vaccinated people be tested for the virus if they come into contact with someone with Covid-19, even if they have no symptoms. Previously, the health agency had said that fully vaccinated people did not need to be tested after exposure to the virus unless they were experiencing symptoms.

“Our updated guidance recommends vaccinated people get tested upon exposure regardless of symptoms,” Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the agency’s director, said in an email to The New York Times. “Testing is widely available.”

Fully vaccinated people should wear a mask in public indoor spaces after exposure, the agency said. Three to five days later, they should be tested for the virus.

Stop putting public distrust in the vaccine! You are just making it worse.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

Well, I came back from work about an hour ago, and I can say that nobody has changed their masking habits (as of yet). I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of people ignore the CDC guidance and continue on as before. And it's highly unlikely that there will be any new mask mandates in Colorado at this point.

This is a massive political loss for Democrats, and if it continues into 2022 it will greatly impact their performance in the midterms.  Most people have moved past COVID.  The hysterical people on Atlas or Twitter claiming Republicans are death squads are a very small minority of Americans.  The new masking rules are confusing and aggravating to many.  Why get vaccinated if you still have to mask up?  People are waking up and moving on.

In your dreams (or your Trumpist bubble): a poll from a few weeks ago found that 68% of people reported wearing a mask outside their home, including 77% of vaccinated:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/07/08/mask-wearing-plummets-especially-among-unvaccinated--but-delta-variant-creates-growing-anxiety-about-covid-19-polls-find/?sh=6546d3276b85

The poll also found 68% of respondents said they wore a face mask outside their home in the past week, down from 79% in May.

After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed their guidelines on mask wearing for the fully vaccinated, the share of fully vaccinated Americans who reported wearing masks plunged from 90% in May to 77% in June.

This 68% seems a little deceptive to me.  It sounds like the question is not whether you regularly wear a mask, but whether you had ever worn it during the past week.  There are a lot of places that still require masks.  E.g. I have to wear a mask to drop my kid off at daycare.  So I would answer “yes” to that question even though I’m not going to wear one voluntarily.

[jamestroll]

I have been very consistent! I still believe that wearing a mask in crowded public indoor places is a great idea! But the CDC screwed up in May and now it is impossible to go back.

While I was arguing against lockdowns for the past year and a half almost.. I was also one of the latest people here to admit proper mask wearing is a good idea and great advice.

But the pro maskers tend to have a bigger agenda.

I care about reality and public health. Not fairy tales that the online left wants.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

I care about reality and public health. Not fairy tales that the online left wants.

Just hours ago, someone posted in another forum that for every blue checkmark on Twitter who demands masks forever, there's 1,000 people in the real world spanning the whole political spectrum who are tired of masks and won't comply this time.

I know that's a slight exaggeration - but not much.

[DabbingSanta]

Well, I came back from work about an hour ago, and I can say that nobody has changed their masking habits (as of yet). I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of people ignore the CDC guidance and continue on as before. And it's highly unlikely that there will be any new mask mandates in Colorado at this point.

This is a massive political loss for Democrats, and if it continues into 2022 it will greatly impact their performance in the midterms.  Most people have moved past COVID.  The hysterical people on Atlas or Twitter claiming Republicans are death squads are a very small minority of Americans.  The new masking rules are confusing and aggravating to many.  Why get vaccinated if you still have to mask up?  People are waking up and moving on.

In your dreams (or your Trumpist bubble): a poll from a few weeks ago found that 68% of people reported wearing a mask outside their home, including 77% of vaccinated:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/07/08/mask-wearing-plummets-especially-among-unvaccinated--but-delta-variant-creates-growing-anxiety-about-covid-19-polls-find/?sh=6546d3276b85

The poll also found 68% of respondents said they wore a face mask outside their home in the past week, down from 79% in May.

After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed their guidelines on mask wearing for the fully vaccinated, the share of fully vaccinated Americans who reported wearing masks plunged from 90% in May to 77% in June.

Ok, masks are still mandated in a lot of places including airports, transport vehicles, hospitals, etc.  In places where the mandates have expired, like retail stores, bars, and concert venues, the vast majority of people are now going maskless.  Compliance does not equal support.

[compucomp]

The CDC made another change to their guidance indicating that vaccinated people should get tested upon exposure, even if not showing symptoms. It's clear that the CDC now acknowledges at least one of the following is true: that either breakthrough infections are not rare events and more common than previously acknowledged, or vaccinated people can be contagious just like unvaccinated, or both.

So Democrats and others who take the virus seriously, if you refuse to put on a mask now, you're both endangering yourself and endangering others like the unvaccinated plague rats. Do the right thing. Wear a mask.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/28/health/cdc-covid-testing-vaccine.html

In addition to revising its mask guidance on Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also quietly updated its testing recommendations for people who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The agency now advises that vaccinated people be tested for the virus if they come into contact with someone with Covid-19, even if they have no symptoms. Previously, the health agency had said that fully vaccinated people did not need to be tested after exposure to the virus unless they were experiencing symptoms.

“Our updated guidance recommends vaccinated people get tested upon exposure regardless of symptoms,” Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the agency’s director, said in an email to The New York Times. “Testing is widely available.”

Fully vaccinated people should wear a mask in public indoor spaces after exposure, the agency said. Three to five days later, they should be tested for the virus.

Stop putting public distrust in the vaccine! You are just making it worse.

"When I ran for President, I promised to be straight with you about COVID—good news or bad. And I promised to follow the science."

-Statement by President Joe Biden on CDC Guidance, 7/27/2021

Well said, Mr. President. The recent developments on COVID are unfavorable for the vaccine and bad for everyone, no doubt about it, but we need to know the facts and downplaying it or outright covering it up is a sure way to get an even worse result. Do you really want to return to the days of "We have it totally under control", "You have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero", "Anyone that wants a test can get a test", and "The risk is low to the average American"?

[jamestroll]

The CDC made another change to their guidance indicating that vaccinated people should get tested upon exposure, even if not showing symptoms. It's clear that the CDC now acknowledges at least one of the following is true: that either breakthrough infections are not rare events and more common than previously acknowledged, or vaccinated people can be contagious just like unvaccinated, or both.

So Democrats and others who take the virus seriously, if you refuse to put on a mask now, you're both endangering yourself and endangering others like the unvaccinated plague rats. Do the right thing. Wear a mask.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/28/health/cdc-covid-testing-vaccine.html

In addition to revising its mask guidance on Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also quietly updated its testing recommendations for people who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The agency now advises that vaccinated people be tested for the virus if they come into contact with someone with Covid-19, even if they have no symptoms. Previously, the health agency had said that fully vaccinated people did not need to be tested after exposure to the virus unless they were experiencing symptoms.

“Our updated guidance recommends vaccinated people get tested upon exposure regardless of symptoms,” Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the agency’s director, said in an email to The New York Times. “Testing is widely available.”

Fully vaccinated people should wear a mask in public indoor spaces after exposure, the agency said. Three to five days later, they should be tested for the virus.

Stop putting public distrust in the vaccine! You are just making it worse.

"When I ran for President, I promised to be straight with you about COVID—good news or bad. And I promised to follow the science."

-Statement by President Joe Biden on CDC Guidance, 7/27/2021

Well said, Mr. President. The recent developments on COVID are unfavorable for the vaccine and bad for everyone, no doubt about it, but we need to know the facts and downplaying it or outright covering it up is a sure way to get an even worse result. Do you really want to return to the days of "We have it totally under control", "You have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero", "Anyone that wants a test can get a test", and "The risk is low to the average American"?

If the vaccine wasn't working why are all the covid hot spots in largely unvaccinated jurisdictions?

[jamestroll]

You just have an agenda to bring back lockdowns and have them go on forever

[compucomp]

The CDC made another change to their guidance indicating that vaccinated people should get tested upon exposure, even if not showing symptoms. It's clear that the CDC now acknowledges at least one of the following is true: that either breakthrough infections are not rare events and more common than previously acknowledged, or vaccinated people can be contagious just like unvaccinated, or both.

So Democrats and others who take the virus seriously, if you refuse to put on a mask now, you're both endangering yourself and endangering others like the unvaccinated plague rats. Do the right thing. Wear a mask.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/28/health/cdc-covid-testing-vaccine.html

In addition to revising its mask guidance on Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also quietly updated its testing recommendations for people who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The agency now advises that vaccinated people be tested for the virus if they come into contact with someone with Covid-19, even if they have no symptoms. Previously, the health agency had said that fully vaccinated people did not need to be tested after exposure to the virus unless they were experiencing symptoms.

“Our updated guidance recommends vaccinated people get tested upon exposure regardless of symptoms,” Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the agency’s director, said in an email to The New York Times. “Testing is widely available.”

Fully vaccinated people should wear a mask in public indoor spaces after exposure, the agency said. Three to five days later, they should be tested for the virus.

Stop putting public distrust in the vaccine! You are just making it worse.

"When I ran for President, I promised to be straight with you about COVID—good news or bad. And I promised to follow the science."

-Statement by President Joe Biden on CDC Guidance, 7/27/2021

Well said, Mr. President. The recent developments on COVID are unfavorable for the vaccine and bad for everyone, no doubt about it, but we need to know the facts and downplaying it or outright covering it up is a sure way to get an even worse result. Do you really want to return to the days of "We have it totally under control", "You have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero", "Anyone that wants a test can get a test", and "The risk is low to the average American"?

If the vaccine wasn't working why are all the covid hot spots in largely unvaccinated jurisdictions?

I never said vaccines don't work. 80% efficacy or whatever it is now is still much better than 0%. However, the prior messaging convinced many, including most on this forum, that the vaccine is an impenetrable COVID-repelling force field that would allow one to do anything safely with no protection. This was never true, but while in May it could be classified as a mild exaggeration, now with the Delta variant it is outright false and a dangerous lie. I applaud Joe Biden for having the courage to risk political blowback in order to do the right thing and allowing the CDC to amend the guidance.

I also never called for closing businesses or bringing back social distancing restrictions. Those cause economic damage while masks cause zero economic damage. You can go back through my posts in this forum, in May I called for removing the social distancing restrictions while retaining the mask mandate. Social distancing is absolutely not sustainable for long periods of time while masking should be.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It's fascinating (if incredibly depressing) quite how many liberals have memed themselves into taking what amount to soft anti-vaxxer positions. This thread heaves with that kind of nonsense.

[compucomp]

It's fascinating (if incredibly depressing) quite how many liberals have memed themselves into taking what amount to soft anti-vaxxer positions. This thread heaves with that kind of nonsense.

If by "meme" you mean "I want to protect myself and want to know the most accurate current developments so I can adjust my behavior accordingly", then you'd be right. Unlike Trumpists, I'm not interested in sacrificing my own health so the president has a better approval rating.