COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[Edu]

Clearly it's not realistic to require masks in schools. Adults can barely wear one for 5 minutes when they go to the grocery.

LMAO, is every adult around you a whining baby?

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1292956347571544066

TIAAT:
https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/525431218910027776

[Pericles]

No further stimulus is coming from Congress:

https://twitter.com/BresPolitico/status/1292871439243268098

Many Americans are going to experience significant financial distress over the next three months because of Congress' (and Trump's) the Republican Party's inability to act.

Ftfy. Democrats had this sorted months ago, but Republicans were too incompetent and evil to do the easy, necessary thing.

[It’s so Joever]

One of the items in today's Political Insider blog at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

After photos of mask-less students at a Paulding County high school went viral, state Rep. Beth Moore had an idea.

The Democrat from Peachtree Corners set up an anonymous inbox -- reportmyschool@gmail.com -- for whistleblower tips, photos and videos about unsafe conditions at Georgia schools.

She says she’s been both overwhelmed and “shellshocked” by the response -- hundreds of messages in the last two days. The worst, she says, came from a teacher she verified as working in a north Georgia school district.

“I am planning for 27 students in my tiny classroom,” the unnamed teacher wrote her. “They are not making masks mandatory. My principal is joking to people that this is ‘god’s cleansing plan.’”

Clearly it's not realistic to require masks in schools. Adults can barely wear one for 5 minutes when they go to the grocery.

I think we can do better than this sort of dystopia.

But I think the photos from the school actually did a positive service. It shows we can have schools that are almost normal even in one of the more hard-hit states. If you can have school in Georgia, why not Vermont or Maine?

Yet the same schools send anyone home for violating a dress code lol.

I got in trouble for forgetting to wear my school ID one day.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Cherokee County in metro Atlanta, which started school a week ago, has 826 students and 42 staff members in quarantine. 38 students and 12 staff have tested positive.

https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-08-10-20-intl/h_ab1297c9eb034a496c046f1a9f00c1ae

[GP270watch]

No further stimulus is coming from Congress:

https://twitter.com/BresPolitico/status/1292871439243268098

Many Americans are going to experience significant financial distress over the next three months because of Congress' (and Trump's) the Republican Party's inability to act.

Ftfy. Democrats had this sorted months ago, but Republicans were too incompetent and evil to do the easy, necessary thing.

 She did an outstanding job. OUTSTANDING job by the people of New Zealand.

New Zealand marks 100 days without community spread

[Calthrina950]

No further stimulus is coming from Congress:

https://twitter.com/BresPolitico/status/1292871439243268098

Many Americans are going to experience significant financial distress over the next three months because of Congress' (and Trump's) the Republican Party's inability to act.

Ftfy. Democrats had this sorted months ago, but Republicans were too incompetent and evil to do the easy, necessary thing.

If you want to blame the Republican Party for this whole situation, that's fine. I don't think what I said makes much of a difference.

[Dr. Arch]

The updated numbers for COVID-19 in the U.S. are in for 8/10 per: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/

I'm keeping track of these updates daily and updating at the end of the day, whenever all states finish reporting for that day.

New - Substituting the Δ Change metric as of 7/13 on dates starting from 7/5:
ΔW Change: Comparisons of Weekly Day-to-day Growth or Decline of COVID-19 Spread/Deaths.

• IE: Comparing the numbers to the same day of last week, are we flattening the curve enough?

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

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

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8/2: <Sunday>

• Cases: 4,813,647 (+49,329 | ΔW Change: ↓13.25% | Σ Increase: ↑1.04%)
• Deaths: 158,365 (+467 | ΔW Change: ↑12.15% | Σ Increase: ↑0.30%)

8/3: <M>

• Cases: 4,862,174 (+48,527 | ΔW Change: ↓21.14% | Σ Increase: ↑1.01%)
• Deaths: 158,929 (+564 | ΔW Change: ↓5.21% | Σ Increase: ↑0.36%)

8/4: <T>

• Cases: 4,918,420 (+56,246 | ΔW Change: ↓13.40% | Σ Increase: ↑1.16%)
• Deaths: 160,290 (+1,361 | ΔW Change: ↓27.45% | Σ Increase: ↑0.86%)

8/5: <W>

• Cases: 4,973,568 (+55,148 | ΔW Change: ↓20.87% | Σ Increase: ↑1.12%)
• Deaths: 161,601 (+1,311 | ΔW Change: ↓13.75% | Σ Increase: ↑0.82%)

8/6: <Þ>

• Cases: 5,032,179 (+58,611 | ΔW Change: ↓12.45% | Σ Increase: ↑1.18%)
• Deaths: 162,804 (+1,203 | ΔW Change: ↓16.75% | Σ Increase: ↑0.74%)

8/7: <F>

• Cases: 5,095,524 (+63,345 | ΔW Change: ↓10.66% | Σ Increase: ↑1.26%)
• Deaths: 164,094 (+1,290 | ΔW Change: ↓11.76% | Σ Increase: ↑0.79%)

8/8: <S>

• Cases: 5,149,723 (+54,199 | ΔW Change: ↓8.80% | Σ Increase: ↑1.06%)
• Deaths: 165,070 (+976 | ΔW Change: ↓15.20% | Σ Increase: ↑0.59%)

8/9 (Yesterday): <Sunday>

• Cases: 5,199,444 (+49,721 | ΔW Change: ↑0.79% | Σ Increase: ↑0.97%)
• Deaths: 165,617 (+547 | ΔW Change: ↑17.13% | Σ Increase: ↑0.33%)

8/10 (Today): <M>

• Cases: 5,251,446 (+52,002 | ΔW Change: ↑7.16% | Σ Increase: ↑1.00%)
• Deaths: 166,192 (+575 | ΔW Change: ↑1.95% | Σ Increase: ↑0.35%)

[BlueSwan]

So Putin now claims that a Russian firm has a Corona vaccine ready.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

So Putin now claims that a Russian firm has a Corona vaccine ready.

What could possibly go wrong with an under-tested vaccine from a authoritain dictator who's main concern is making himself look good?

(The mostly likely scenario is simply that it isn't effective and makes the pandemic worse as people think they're immune.)

[Torrain]

So Putin now claims that a Russian firm has a Corona vaccine ready.

What could possibly go wrong with an under-tested vaccine from a authoritain dictator who's main concern is making himself look good?

(The mostly likely scenario is simply that it isn't effective and makes the pandemic worse as people think they're immune.)

^This. A thousand times this.

The idea that Russia could create an ineffective vaccine, farm it out to the developing nations, who then refuse to partake in other key vaccine programs (i.e. polio, measles etc) after things go badly wrong, has haunted me since that story broke last week.

[Beet]

https://twitter.com/germanrlopez/status/1293158220958248964

[Sir Mohamed]

Ugh

https://twitter.com/CNNPolitics/status/1293197001065201664

[emailking]

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1293163704188645385

[GP270watch]

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1293163704188645385

 You notice he always talks about testing and cases but never deaths. I guess with the deaths, it is what it is.

[It’s so Joever]

Ugh

https://twitter.com/CNNPolitics/status/1293197001065201664

I can see he’s going after the crucial swing state of Alabama.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Further developments from our favorite metro Atlanta county:

Etowah High School in Cherokee County will close until the end of the month as administrators try to contain the rapidly-growing COVID-19 case count at the school.

The school made news last week after scores of students without masks were pictured shoulder-to-shoulder in a group photo on the first day of school.

The school will be closed until Aug. 31.

“As of this morning, the number of positive cases at the school had increased to a total of 14, with tests for another 15 students pending; and, as a result of the confirmed cases, 294 students and staff are under quarantine and, should the pending tests prove positive, that total would increase dramatically,” Cherokee Superintendent Brian Hightower announced Tuesday afternoon.

https://www.ajc.com/education/cherokee-closing-etowah-high-until-aug-31-after-rise-in-covid-19-cases/AKVISQE7NBFA3A3KH46SX6FXFE/

Yes, school reopening in Georgia is going superbly.

[lfromnj]

I think it was possible to keep schools reopened even if wasn't the greatest idea, However doing it with 0 restrictions was stupid.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

I think it was possible to keep schools reopened even if wasn't the greatest idea, However doing it with 0 restrictions was stupid.

The main changes that really need to be made in schools is better ventilation and better access to sinks. I'm the biggest germaphobe in the world, but I don't think kids need to go to school in a hazmat suit.

[Pericles]

I think it was possible to keep schools reopened even if wasn't the greatest idea, However doing it with 0 restrictions was stupid.

The main changes that really need to be made in schools is better ventilation and better access to sinks. I'm the biggest germaphobe in the world, but I don't think kids need to go to school in a hazmat suit.

There's no way schools will be safe when community transmission is so widespread. Until new case numbers are pushed down to a low level, most activities will be too risky.

[Calthrina950]

I think it was possible to keep schools reopened even if wasn't the greatest idea, However doing it with 0 restrictions was stupid.

The main changes that really need to be made in schools is better ventilation and better access to sinks. I'm the biggest germaphobe in the world, but I don't think kids need to go to school in a hazmat suit.

There's no way schools will be safe when community transmission is so widespread. Until new case numbers are pushed down to a low level, most activities will be too risky.

Are you suggesting that all school districts should consider going fully online for the fall semester? I am only beginning to imagine the consequences that will have for many families and students across the country. Of course, opening schools "normally" and in-person is fraught with its own difficulties, so we have a truly tough situation here.

[Pericles]

I think it was possible to keep schools reopened even if wasn't the greatest idea, However doing it with 0 restrictions was stupid.

The main changes that really need to be made in schools is better ventilation and better access to sinks. I'm the biggest germaphobe in the world, but I don't think kids need to go to school in a hazmat suit.

There's no way schools will be safe when community transmission is so widespread. Until new case numbers are pushed down to a low level, most activities will be too risky.

Are you suggesting that all school districts should consider going fully online for the fall semester? I am only beginning to imagine the consequences that will have for many families and students across the country. Of course, opening schools "normally" and in-person is fraught with its own difficulties, so we have a truly tough situation here.

Not all school districts, it might be safe in states that have it contained. It's a complicated call but perhaps for states like New York they can open schools, though maybe then they should be more cautious with other parts of their reopening (especially those activities that are higher risk and lower priority like indoor bars). Schools also should probably have some social distancing measures in place. In states like Georgia and Florida it's idiotic to have any physical schooling because the outbreak is so bad. Ideally they should go into lockdown so the new case numbers actually go down to an acceptable level, and then retry their reopening and do it properly. Realistically though it's just going to be a grim plateau of high case numbers and deaths that both hampers any significant reopening and is a tragic outcome from a public health perspective.

[Dr. Arch]

The updated numbers for COVID-19 in the U.S. are in for 8/11 per: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/

I'm keeping track of these updates daily and updating at the end of the day, whenever all states finish reporting for that day.

New - Substituting the Δ Change metric as of 7/13 on dates starting from 7/5:
ΔW Change: Comparisons of Weekly Day-to-day Growth or Decline of COVID-19 Spread/Deaths.

• IE: Comparing the numbers to the same day of last week, are we flattening the curve enough?

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

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

Older Numbers (Hidden in spoiler mode to make the post more compact)

Spoiler alert! Click Show to show the content.

Show

<Last Numbers for 3/26-3/28 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 3/29-4/4 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 4/5-4/11 in this Post>
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<Last Numbers for 4/26-5/2 in this Post>
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8/2: <Sunday>

• Cases: 4,813,647 (+49,329 | ΔW Change: ↓13.25% | Σ Increase: ↑1.04%)
• Deaths: 158,365 (+467 | ΔW Change: ↑12.15% | Σ Increase: ↑0.30%)

8/3: <M>

• Cases: 4,862,174 (+48,527 | ΔW Change: ↓21.14% | Σ Increase: ↑1.01%)
• Deaths: 158,929 (+564 | ΔW Change: ↓5.21% | Σ Increase: ↑0.36%)

8/4: <T>

• Cases: 4,918,420 (+56,246 | ΔW Change: ↓13.40% | Σ Increase: ↑1.16%)
• Deaths: 160,290 (+1,361 | ΔW Change: ↓27.45% | Σ Increase: ↑0.86%)

8/5: <W>

• Cases: 4,973,568 (+55,148 | ΔW Change: ↓20.87% | Σ Increase: ↑1.12%)
• Deaths: 161,601 (+1,311 | ΔW Change: ↓13.75% | Σ Increase: ↑0.82%)

8/6: <Þ>

• Cases: 5,032,179 (+58,611 | ΔW Change: ↓12.45% | Σ Increase: ↑1.18%)
• Deaths: 162,804 (+1,203 | ΔW Change: ↓16.75% | Σ Increase: ↑0.74%)

8/7: <F>

• Cases: 5,095,524 (+63,345 | ΔW Change: ↓10.66% | Σ Increase: ↑1.26%)
• Deaths: 164,094 (+1,290 | ΔW Change: ↓11.76% | Σ Increase: ↑0.79%)

8/8: <S>

• Cases: 5,149,723 (+54,199 | ΔW Change: ↓8.80% | Σ Increase: ↑1.06%)
• Deaths: 165,070 (+976 | ΔW Change: ↓15.20% | Σ Increase: ↑0.59%)

8/9: <Sunday>

• Cases: 5,199,444 (+49,721 | ΔW Change: ↑0.79% | Σ Increase: ↑0.97%)
• Deaths: 165,617 (+547 | ΔW Change: ↑17.13% | Σ Increase: ↑0.33%)

8/10 (Yesterday): <M>

• Cases: 5,251,446 (+52,002 | ΔW Change: ↑7.16% | Σ Increase: ↑1.00%)
• Deaths: 166,192 (+575 | ΔW Change: ↑1.95% | Σ Increase: ↑0.35%)

8/11 (Today): <T>

• Cases: 5,305,957 (+54,511 | ΔW Change: ↓3.08% | Σ Increase: ↑1.04%)
• Deaths: 167,749 (+1,557 | ΔW Change: ↑14.40% | Σ Increase: ↑0.94%)

[I’m not Stu]

David Ige reinstates the quarantine on interisland travel.

[Person Man]

What is the consensus about the virus "running its course" because of herd immunity? That is, things start to get better because enough people have already had the virus? Could it be happening now? Could we know by September?