COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[CEO Mindset]

The vast majority of people have moved on from the pandemic a while ago, only the hyper online and political hacks like us care about the restrictions

Large employers generally brought back some COVID workplace rules in August, so I don't think this is quite true yet. 

Has everything to do with the Karen-esque nature of modern parenting. It needs to be grasped after California and Canada that parents WANT restrictive rules. They do not want to follow them for themselves, but the greatest annoyance to any parent, especially at nicer/private schools is someone else's kid being allowed to slide with "anti-social" behavior. Which usually "means" they have a bad mother. Speculating is the favorite topic.

Genuine concern about Covid has merged with the desire to signal out the parents of kids who would not wear masks as a means of social control, and the fact that the louder parents being signaled out are exactly the sort people the Karens have always hated(either because they are annoying or they are married to someone above/beneath them/both) they are effectively waging war on "white trash" and nonconformists.

That their war on white trash also hits the less integrated "wrong sort" of blacks and latinos is probably as much of a concern as the fact that all the policing and zoning polices they back also work that way.

What is missed is that while at the national level the Rightwing position is anti mandates at the local level it is reversed.

And this, btw is why I think this is not playing out well for the GOP in wealthier higher end areas. The same people who may very well rant about Biden in abstract, also want the power to terrorize nonconformists(especially black ones) in their exurbs. And some GOP governors aren't letting them.

yeah, the upper middle class are legitimately bad people

[Calthrina950]

This thread feels like it's stuck in a redundant time loop:

- Weekly update showing over a thousand daily COVID deaths on average
- Folks upset at Florida for rising cases/deaths & scoffing at restrictions
- Folks upset & scoffing at places not enforcing mandates & restrictions
- Bandit3 & Horus upset & scoffing at places enforcing mandates & restrictions
- Public polling showing mandates & restrictions popular nationwide
- Repeat next week

You could pull up pages from three months ago and the only things that would've changed were the dates.

The pandemic has been dragging on with no end in sight. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if we're still stuck in this cycle in September 2022.

[Dr. Arch]

The updated numbers for COVID-19 in the U.S. are in for 9/16-9/22/2021 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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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:

• 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:

• 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%)

7/29-8/4:

• Cases: 36,176,471 (+689,123 | ΔW Change: ↑102.17% | Σ Increase: ↑1.94%)
• Deaths: 631,299 (+3,201 | ΔW Change: ↑39.78% | Σ Increase: ↑0.51%)

8/5-8/11:

• Cases: 37,027,466 (+850,995 | ΔW Change: ↑23.49% | Σ Increase: ↑2.35%)
• Deaths: 635,629 (+4,330 | ΔW Change: ↑35.27% | Σ Increase: ↑0.69%)

8/12-8/18:

• Cases: 38,072,249 (+1,044,783 | ΔW Change: ↑22.77% | Σ Increase: ↑2.82%)
• Deaths: 641,338 (+5,709 | ΔW Change: ↑31.85% | Σ Increase: ↑0.90%)

8/19-8/25:

• Cases: 39,155,175 (+1,082,926 | ΔW Change: ↑3.65% | Σ Increase: ↑2.84%)
• Deaths: 649,666 (+8,328 | ΔW Change: ↑45.87% | Σ Increase: ↑1.30%)

8/26-9/1:

• Cases: 40,335,450 (+1,180,275 | ΔW Change: ↑8.99% | Σ Increase: ↑3.01%)
• Deaths: 661,288 (+11,622 | ΔW Change: ↑39.55% | Σ Increase: ↑1.79%)

9/2-9/8:

• Cases: 41,397,587 (+1,062,137 | ΔW Change: ↓10.01% | Σ Increase: ↑2.63%)
• Deaths: 671,183 (+9,895 | ΔW Change: ↓14.86% | Σ Increase: ↑1.50%)

9/9-9/15: <Last Week>

• Cases: 42,464,432 (+1,066,845 | ΔW Change: ↑0.44% | Σ Increase: ↑2.58%)
• Deaths: 684,839 (+13,656 | ΔW Change: ↑38.01% | Σ Increase: ↑2.03%)

9/16-9/22: <This Week>

• Cases: 43,394,299 (+929,867 | ΔW Change: ↓12.84% | Σ Increase: ↑2.19%)
• Deaths: 699,619 (+14,780 | ΔW Change: ↑8.23% | Σ Increase: ↑2.16%)

[pbrower2a]

A reminder: deaths significantly lag infections and thus treated cases.

[DINGO Joe]

Reported deaths per 1 million pop using the 2020 Census instead of 2019 estimates (which Worldometer and CDC are still using)

1--New Jersey      2882
2--Mississippi       2755
3--New York         2705
4--Arizona            2606
5--Louisiana         2601
6--Massachusetts  2588
7--Rhode Island    2515
8--Alabama          2389
9--South Dakota   2321
10--Connecticut    2310 
11--Arkansas        2241

An update:

1--Mississippi       2968
2--New Jersey      2907
3--Louisiana         2773
4--New York         2725
5--Arizona            2668
6--Massachusetts  2605
7--Rhode Island    2536
8--Alabama           2468
9--Arkansas          2371
10--South Dakota  2342
11--Connecticut     2328
12--Pennsylvania   2193
13--Georgia           2184
14--Florida            2181
15--Indiana           2168
16--New Mexico     2161
17--Michigan         2159
18--South Carolina 2148
19--Nevada           2138
20--Illinois            2089
21--Oklahoma       2073
22--Texas              2031
National                2025
23--North Dakota   2012
24--Tennessee       1998

Oklahoma and Texas have enough momentum to knock Nevada and Illinois out of the top 20.  GA and FL will pass PA this week.  TN is the only state below the national avg that will likely move above it

Another update

1--Mississippi       3159
2--New Jersey      2935
3--Louisiana         2932
4--New York         2752
5--Arizona            2749
6--Alabama          2720
7--Massachusetts  2632
8--Rhode Island    2569
9--Oklahoma        2522       
10--Arkansas        2499
11--Florida           2409
12--South Dakota 2378
13--Georgia          2346
14--Conn              2342
15--So Carolina     2328   
16--Indiana           2257
17--Pennsylvania   2235
18--Nevada           2238
19--New Mexico     2228
20--Michigan         2196
21--Texas              2171
22--Illinois             2135
23--Tennessee        2124
US--                      2111

[jamestroll]

Every January, I travel somewhere. Last January, I traveled to Florida to insult the online left. This upcoming January, I am traveling internationally do commit the ultimate sign of disrespect to the online left: Traveling internationally during covid.

[Holmes]

Every January, I travel somewhere. Last January, I traveled to Florida to insult the online left. This upcoming January, I am traveling internationally do commit the ultimate sign of disrespect to the online left: Traveling internationally during covid.

This is "BRTD never wanting to step foot in a Trump precinct when traveling" level of weird.

[Non Swing Voter]

At this rate it looks like Texas is going to be number 1 in total covid deaths within a month or so, unless a surge happens in California. 

[Hammy]

Every January, I travel somewhere. Last January, I traveled to Florida to insult the online left. This upcoming January, I am traveling internationally do commit the ultimate sign of disrespect to the online left: Traveling internationally during covid.

Your view of the "online left" is more applicable to the Democratic establishment.

[Interlocutor is just not there yet]

Every January, I travel somewhere. Last January, I traveled to Florida to insult the online left. This upcoming January, I am traveling internationally do commit the ultimate sign of disrespect to the online left: Traveling internationally during covid.

Extremely Online Person who doesn't like other Extremely Online People goes out of own way to make fun of Extremely Online People by doing something Extremely Online.

Shockingly, not an uncommon story on this board.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Every January, I travel somewhere. Last January, I traveled to Florida to insult the online left. This upcoming January, I am traveling internationally do commit the ultimate sign of disrespect to the online left: Traveling internationally during covid.

This is "BRTD never wanting to step foot in a Trump precinct when traveling" level of weird.

I was hoping it was satire of Republicans' "troll the libs even at the expense of our health" mentality.

[Frodo]

Let's cool it on dehumanizing the unvaccinated, shall we?

Nearly half of the unvaccinated say they’re willing to get a coronavirus shot. The challenge is trying to get it to them.

(...) Barriers to getting the shot and information about the vaccines have hindered the “unvaccinated but willing,” who account for approximately 10 percent of the American population, according to a report last month by the Department of Health and Human Services. Unlike those who have declined vaccines, some vocally, because of their politics or ideology, a quieter share — about 44% of unvaccinated people — say they would get vaccinated but are on the fence for certain reasons. Some, like Orosco-Arellano, lack transportation or other means, while others wish to wait and see or don’t know coronavirus vaccines are free.

Immunizing that population could be critical to attaining herd immunity and protecting those disproportionately affected by the pandemic. But public health officials have, so far, struggled to reach young adults, Blacks, Hispanics and uninsured people, groups who are unvaccinated but willing at higher rates.

To fill the gap, a motley contingent of volunteers has stepped in — from nurses ferrying patients in their own cars to retired health care workers manning phone lines to community members passing out educational fliers. Nearly 100 free and charitable clinics across the country, which offer services to uninsured or underinsured people, have forged bridges with underserved communities in an initiative dubbed “Project Finish Line,” aiming to vaccinate 1 million hard-to-reach people like Orosco-Arellano.

If we can restrict the numbers of the unvaccinated to just evangelicals (and then only the most stubborn among them), then we will have already accomplished 'herd immunity'.

COVID will finally have been conquered, and reduced to the level of the flu or the common cold. 

[GeorgiaModerate]

Let's cool it on dehumanizing the unvaccinated, shall we?

Nearly half of the unvaccinated say they’re willing to get a coronavirus shot. The challenge is trying to get it to them.

(...) Barriers to getting the shot and information about the vaccines have hindered the “unvaccinated but willing,” who account for approximately 10 percent of the American population, according to a report last month by the Department of Health and Human Services. Unlike those who have declined vaccines, some vocally, because of their politics or ideology, a quieter share — about 44% of unvaccinated people — say they would get vaccinated but are on the fence for certain reasons. Some, like Orosco-Arellano, lack transportation or other means, while others wish to wait and see or don’t know coronavirus vaccines are free.

Immunizing that population could be critical to attaining herd immunity and protecting those disproportionately affected by the pandemic. But public health officials have, so far, struggled to reach young adults, Blacks, Hispanics and uninsured people, groups who are unvaccinated but willing at higher rates.

To fill the gap, a motley contingent of volunteers has stepped in — from nurses ferrying patients in their own cars to retired health care workers manning phone lines to community members passing out educational fliers. Nearly 100 free and charitable clinics across the country, which offer services to uninsured or underinsured people, have forged bridges with underserved communities in an initiative dubbed “Project Finish Line,” aiming to vaccinate 1 million hard-to-reach people like Orosco-Arellano.

Fair enough.  In addition to those who have difficulty in getting vaccinated, there are also many misguided people who have unfortunately fallen prey to the flood of misinformation about the vaccine because they trust unreliable sources.

However, those who deliberately spread that misinformation are IMO scum, and they do deserve to be dehumanized.

[DabbingSanta]

Love watching the college football games.  Cornhuskers vs Sooners last Saturday. 100,000 plus people, all in a tight space, but no masks in sight.  No vaccine passports or "social distancing".  Just some Americans havin good old fun.  Freedom over Faucism!! 

[Crumpets]

Here's a map of the 14-day trend by state. 10% increments starting at zero (so, 30% = 1-9% growth/decrease, 40% = 10-19% growth/decrease, etc.). Looks like Delta is switching from the SUNBELT STACK to the RUST BELT STACK.

[pbrower2a]

Love watching the college football games.  Cornhuskers vs Sooners last Saturday. 100,000 plus people, all in a tight space, but no masks in sight.  No vaccine passports or "social distancing".  Just some Americans havin good old fun.  Freedom over Faucism!!  

Potential super-spreader event.

Being connected to a ventilator isn't my idea of freedom.  

[DaleCooper]

Love watching the college football games.  Cornhuskers vs Sooners last Saturday. 100,000 plus people, all in a tight space, but no masks in sight.  No vaccine passports or "social distancing".  Just some Americans havin good old fun.  Freedom over Faucism!!  

Potential super-spreader event.

Being connected to a ventilator isn't my idea of freedom.  

Give it a rest. It was outdoors and the vast majority of the people there were either vaccinated or extremely low risk. If the only social events you're willing to attend are three people (with proof of vaccination and negative test within the last 24 hours) standing 10 feet away from each other at a park, then that's your right, but let the rest of America have their football season.

[Hammy]

Love watching the college football games.  Cornhuskers vs Sooners last Saturday. 100,000 plus people, all in a tight space, but no masks in sight.  No vaccine passports or "social distancing".  Just some Americans havin good old fun.  Freedom over Faucism!!  

Potential super-spreader event.

Being connected to a ventilator isn't my idea of freedom.  

Give it a rest. It was outdoors and the vast majority of the people there were either vaccinated or extremely low risk. If the only social events you're willing to attend are three people (with proof of vaccination and negative test within the last 24 hours) standing 10 feet away from each other at a park, then that's your right, but let the rest of America have their football season.

Specifically regarding the bold, there is no such thing as low-risk unvaccinated, as these are the people who are keeping this going and spreading it to higher risk people.

[Horus]

Love watching the college football games.  Cornhuskers vs Sooners last Saturday. 100,000 plus people, all in a tight space, but no masks in sight.  No vaccine passports or "social distancing".  Just some Americans havin good old fun.  Freedom over Faucism!!  

Potential super-spreader event.

Being connected to a ventilator isn't my idea of freedom.  

Give it a rest. It was outdoors and the vast majority of the people there were either vaccinated or extremely low risk. If the only social events you're willing to attend are three people (with proof of vaccination and negative test within the last 24 hours) standing 10 feet away from each other at a park, then that's your right, but let the rest of America have their football season.

The event should've had a vaccine mandate, but other than that you're right.

[DaleCooper]

Love watching the college football games.  Cornhuskers vs Sooners last Saturday. 100,000 plus people, all in a tight space, but no masks in sight.  No vaccine passports or "social distancing".  Just some Americans havin good old fun.  Freedom over Faucism!!  

Potential super-spreader event.

Being connected to a ventilator isn't my idea of freedom.  

Give it a rest. It was outdoors and the vast majority of the people there were either vaccinated or extremely low risk. If the only social events you're willing to attend are three people (with proof of vaccination and negative test within the last 24 hours) standing 10 feet away from each other at a park, then that's your right, but let the rest of America have their football season.

The event should've had a vaccine mandate, but other than that you're right.

Unfortunately I don't think we're going to see that happen. It's clear to me that the powers that be prefer universal restrictions over a vaccine mandate.

[compucomp]

'Vigilante treatments': Anti-vaccine groups push people to leave ICUs

Anti-vaccine Facebook groups have a new message for their community members: Don’t go to the emergency room, and get your loved ones out of intensive care units.

Consumed by conspiracy theories claiming that doctors are preventing unvaccinated patients from receiving miracle cures or are even killing them on purpose, some people in anti-vaccine and pro-ivermectin Facebook groups are telling those with Covid-19 to stay away from hospitals and instead try increasingly dangerous at-home treatments, according to posts seen by NBC News over the past few weeks.

The messages represent an escalation in the mistrust of medical professionals in groups that have sprung up in recent months on social media platforms, which have tried to crack down on Covid misinformation. And it’s something that some doctors say they’re seeing manifest in their hospitals as they have filled up because of the most recent delta variant wave.

I suppose this is a good thing because if this gains traction, then ICU spaces are preserved for people who deserve them. Eating sh**t and dying to own the libs must be the new fad. Maybe they think Trump is still the president and that they need to keep the COVID numbers low so their glorious leader doesn't look bad. 

[emailking]

Two hosts of 'The View' test positive for Covid ahead of interview with Harris

"The View" host Sunny Hostin and guest host Ana Navarro both tested positive for breakthrough cases of Covid-19 ahead of an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.

Harris did not interact with Hostin or Navarro before the show, according to a White House official. Harris went on to conduct the interview from a remote location after a delay.

The positive results were announced by "The View" host Joy Behar during the show after Hostin and Navarro were asked to leave the set. Hostin and Navarro were seated at the table with the other hosts at the beginning of the program.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/24/politics/kamala-harris-the-view/index.html


They had to leave in the middle of the show and the other co hosts had to kill time while they reconfigured the interview with Harris to be remote.

https://twitter.com/LiveOnTheChat/status/1441423559516213248

[Calthrina950]

Two hosts of 'The View' test positive for Covid ahead of interview with Harris

"The View" host Sunny Hostin and guest host Ana Navarro both tested positive for breakthrough cases of Covid-19 ahead of an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.

Harris did not interact with Hostin or Navarro before the show, according to a White House official. Harris went on to conduct the interview from a remote location after a delay.

The positive results were announced by "The View" host Joy Behar during the show after Hostin and Navarro were asked to leave the set. Hostin and Navarro were seated at the table with the other hosts at the beginning of the program.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/24/politics/kamala-harris-the-view/index.html


They had to leave in the middle of the show and the other co hosts had to kill time while they reconfigured the interview with Harris to be remote.

https://twitter.com/LiveOnTheChat/status/1441423559516213248

Breakthrough cases are becoming more and more common, it seems.

[Indy Texas]

'Vigilante treatments': Anti-vaccine groups push people to leave ICUs

Anti-vaccine Facebook groups have a new message for their community members: Don’t go to the emergency room, and get your loved ones out of intensive care units.

Consumed by conspiracy theories claiming that doctors are preventing unvaccinated patients from receiving miracle cures or are even killing them on purpose, some people in anti-vaccine and pro-ivermectin Facebook groups are telling those with Covid-19 to stay away from hospitals and instead try increasingly dangerous at-home treatments, according to posts seen by NBC News over the past few weeks.

The messages represent an escalation in the mistrust of medical professionals in groups that have sprung up in recent months on social media platforms, which have tried to crack down on Covid misinformation. And it’s something that some doctors say they’re seeing manifest in their hospitals as they have filled up because of the most recent delta variant wave.

I suppose this is a good thing because if this gains traction, then ICU spaces are preserved for people who deserve them. Eating sh**t and dying to own the libs must be the new fad. Maybe they think Trump is still the president and that they need to keep the COVID numbers low so their glorious leader doesn't look bad. 

I have no objection to this.

These people keep insisting COVID is "just the flu" so if they really want to stick to their principles, they shouldn't be going to the hospital at all, since virtually no one ever needs the ICU for influenza.

I know people who have had necessary surgeries and procedures delayed because the COVID people are overcrowding the hospitals. So if they'll just stop going there, they'll free up the space for the rest of us.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

'Vigilante treatments': Anti-vaccine groups push people to leave ICUs

Anti-vaccine Facebook groups have a new message for their community members: Don’t go to the emergency room, and get your loved ones out of intensive care units.

Consumed by conspiracy theories claiming that doctors are preventing unvaccinated patients from receiving miracle cures or are even killing them on purpose, some people in anti-vaccine and pro-ivermectin Facebook groups are telling those with Covid-19 to stay away from hospitals and instead try increasingly dangerous at-home treatments, according to posts seen by NBC News over the past few weeks.

The messages represent an escalation in the mistrust of medical professionals in groups that have sprung up in recent months on social media platforms, which have tried to crack down on Covid misinformation. And it’s something that some doctors say they’re seeing manifest in their hospitals as they have filled up because of the most recent delta variant wave.

I suppose this is a good thing because if this gains traction, then ICU spaces are preserved for people who deserve them. Eating sh**t and dying to own the libs must be the new fad. Maybe they think Trump is still the president and that they need to keep the COVID numbers low so their glorious leader doesn't look bad. 

The fact that we now have people nebulizing hydrogen f***ing peroxide because they refuse to get the vaccine really does a lot to show just how bad a place we are in as a society when it comes to misinformation and delusional pseudo-populist fanaticism against scientific expertise.

I really don't know how we fix this, and it scares me. This is the sort of thing that five years ago, if I had made it up as a caricature of anti-vaxxers, it would have been considered too over-the-top and unrealistic.