COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[Bandit3 the Worker]

During the Ebola pandemic, Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie enacted quarantines that applied only to people who had been exposed to Ebola patients. This meant very few people were even quarantined. Yet a lot of people back then said this was much too strict. Dr. Fauci even said this was much too strict and urged only monitoring, not a quarantine. When Florida implemented monitoring, some people even said that was too strict.

So why do we now have these much stricter measures that have lasted 5 whole months, and nobody dares to publicly oppose them?

[emailking]

Gee I wonder. 🙄

[Holy Unifying Centrist]

During the Ebola pandemic, Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie enacted quarantines that applied only to people who had been exposed to Ebola patients. This meant very few people were even quarantined. Yet a lot of people back then said this was much too strict. Dr. Fauci even said this was much too strict and urged only monitoring, not a quarantine. When Florida implemented monitoring, some people even said that was too strict.

So why do we now have these much stricter measures that have lasted 5 whole months, and nobody dares to publicly oppose them?

People are just being cautious after the big spike in southern states. I think it is a slight overreaction, because most hospitals were not overwhelmed, but there is some cause for concern.

I'm personally pretty optimistic with my coronavirus predictions, but in my personal life, I'm playing it very safe because I'm privileged enough to do so.

[Smeulders]

During the Ebola pandemic, Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie enacted quarantines that applied only to people who had been exposed to Ebola patients. This meant very few people were even quarantined. Yet a lot of people back then said this was much too strict. Dr. Fauci even said this was much too strict and urged only monitoring, not a quarantine. When Florida implemented monitoring, some people even said that was too strict.

So why do we now have these much stricter measures that have lasted 5 whole months, and nobody dares to publicly oppose them?

Because there is no asymptomatic transmission in cases of Ebola. This means that keeping people not showing symptoms away from other people does absolutely nothing to combat transmission. Keeping people apart during Vivid pandemics on the other hand does save lives.

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

During the Ebola pandemic, Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie enacted quarantines that applied only to people who had been exposed to Ebola patients. This meant very few people were even quarantined. Yet a lot of people back then said this was much too strict. Dr. Fauci even said this was much too strict and urged only monitoring, not a quarantine. When Florida implemented monitoring, some people even said that was too strict.

So why do we now have these much stricter measures that have lasted 5 whole months, and nobody dares to publicly oppose them?

People are just being cautious after the big spike in southern states. I think it is a slight overreaction, because most hospitals were not overwhelmed, but there is some cause for concern.

I'm personally pretty optimistic with my coronavirus predictions, but in my personal life, I'm playing it very safe because I'm privileged enough to do so.

DTC total sidebar, but I could've sworn you were a blue av for the longest time

[Hammy]

During the Ebola pandemic, Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie enacted quarantines that applied only to people who had been exposed to Ebola patients. This meant very few people were even quarantined. Yet a lot of people back then said this was much too strict. Dr. Fauci even said this was much too strict and urged only monitoring, not a quarantine. When Florida implemented monitoring, some people even said that was too strict.

So why do we now have these much stricter measures that have lasted 5 whole months, and nobody dares to publicly oppose them?

First, ebola is not airborne, thus the restrictions on that would not need to be the same as something that is spread literally by breathing.

Second, where do you get nobody is opposing them? Did you completely ignore all the idiots going out, with no masks, whining because they couldn't get a haircut or golf?

Third, Fauci is a politician and at this point appears that he's doing whatever he can to keep his job after Trump threatened to fire him for speaking the truth on how strict of measures we actually need earlier in the pandemic.

[Person Man]

During the Ebola pandemic, Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie enacted quarantines that applied only to people who had been exposed to Ebola patients. This meant very few people were even quarantined. Yet a lot of people back then said this was much too strict. Dr. Fauci even said this was much too strict and urged only monitoring, not a quarantine. When Florida implemented monitoring, some people even said that was too strict.

So why do we now have these much stricter measures that have lasted 5 whole months, and nobody dares to publicly oppose them?

People are just being cautious after the big spike in southern states. I think it is a slight overreaction, because most hospitals were not overwhelmed, but there is some cause for concern.

I'm personally pretty optimistic with my coronavirus predictions, but in my personal life, I'm playing it very safe because I'm privileged enough to do so.

DTC total sidebar, but I could've sworn you were a blue av for the longest time

He was.

[GeorgiaModerate]

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published a blistering editorial on the state's "halting, tepid and overall inadequate" response to the virus.  Worth reading the whole thing.

Georgia's governor must step up on COVID-19

[NYDem]

During the Ebola pandemic, Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie enacted quarantines that applied only to people who had been exposed to Ebola patients. This meant very few people were even quarantined. Yet a lot of people back then said this was much too strict. Dr. Fauci even said this was much too strict and urged only monitoring, not a quarantine. When Florida implemented monitoring, some people even said that was too strict.

So why do we now have these much stricter measures that have lasted 5 whole months, and nobody dares to publicly oppose them?

Because there were 4 cases of Ebola in the United States and 5,529,789 cases of Coronavirus? Not to mention the fact that Coronavirus is transmitted via airborne droplets and not just direct fluid transfer like Ebola.

[Pericles]

During the Ebola pandemic, Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie enacted quarantines that applied only to people who had been exposed to Ebola patients. This meant very few people were even quarantined. Yet a lot of people back then said this was much too strict. Dr. Fauci even said this was much too strict and urged only monitoring, not a quarantine. When Florida implemented monitoring, some people even said that was too strict.

So why do we now have these much stricter measures that have lasted 5 whole months, and nobody dares to publicly oppose them?

This is an incredibly dumb argument and you should feel bad. Ebola is a separate virus from Covid-19. Not all infectious diseases require the same response. Covid-19's specific characteristics make the high level of restrictions appropriate, not the mere fact that it is an infectious disease.

[It’s so Joever]

During the Ebola pandemic, Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie enacted quarantines that applied only to people who had been exposed to Ebola patients. This meant very few people were even quarantined. Yet a lot of people back then said this was much too strict. Dr. Fauci even said this was much too strict and urged only monitoring, not a quarantine. When Florida implemented monitoring, some people even said that was too strict.

So why do we now have these much stricter measures that have lasted 5 whole months, and nobody dares to publicly oppose them?

Challenging virology quiz of the day!
Which type of viral transmission is most effective in speed/ability to spread from human to human?
A. Bodily Fluids
B. Animals
C. Respiratory Airdroplets
D. Chemtrails

Approximately how many confirmed cases of Ebola were there in the first year of the outbreak (Dec 2013-Dec 2014)?
A. 0
B. 2
C. 7,000,000
D. 19,000

Approximately how many confirmed Covid cases are there as of 8 months of the outbreak?
A. 22,700,000
B. 70,000
C. Covid ain’t real, I’ve nevah seen it in mah #populist commune in rural Kuntucky!
D. 1,000

Which mortality rate usually allows for a greater human-human transmission of a virus?
A. Higher
B. Lower
C. Negative
D. This quiz is too hard, I quit

Answers will be given tonight, be sure to use a Number 2 Pencil and fully erase any stray marks

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

https://twitter.com/kerpen/status/1293990087911514112

It is funny on how the pro-lock down people refuse to acknowledge the stats like this.

And I have not had one pro-lockdown person yet have a coherent answer when they are confronted with the societal issues of mass evictions, mass suicides, permanent unemployment, etc just to save a few old people.

It's funny how you take a horrifying statistic about a pandemic that our national is doing a terrible job of responding to and immediately leap to the conclusion that it must be the fault of [thing you don't like].

[Dr. Arch]

The updated numbers for COVID-19 in the U.S. are in for 8/16 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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8/9: <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: <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: <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%)

8/12: <W>

• Cases: 5,360,302 (+54,345 | ΔW Change: ↓1.46% | Σ Increase: ↑1.02%)
• Deaths: 169,131 (+1,382 | ΔW Change: ↑5.42% | Σ Increase: ↑0.82%)

8/13: <Þ>

• Cases: 5,415,666 (+55,364 | ΔW Change: ↓5.54% | Σ Increase: ↑1.03%)
• Deaths: 170,415 (+1,284 | ΔW Change: ↑6.73% | Σ Increase: ↑0.76%)

8/14: <F>

• Cases: 5,476,266 (+60,600 | ΔW Change: ↓4.33% | Σ Increase: ↑1.12%)
• Deaths: 171,535 (+1,120 | ΔW Change: ↓13.18% | Σ Increase: ↑0.66%)

8/15 (Yesterday): <S>

• Cases: 5,529,789 (+53,523 | ΔW Change: ↓1.25% | Σ Increase: ↑0.98%)
• Deaths: 172,606 (+1,071 | ΔW Change: ↑9.73% | Σ Increase: ↑0.62%)

8/16 (Today): <Sunday>

• Cases: 5,566,632 (+36,843 | ΔW Change: ↓25.90% | Σ Increase: ↑0.67%)
• Deaths: 173,128 (+522 | ΔW Change: ↓4.57% | Σ Increase: ↑0.30%)

[jimrtex]

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.

Students (parents) should be given an option of in-person (traditional) schools, on-line charter schools, charter and private schools, cottage schools, home schooling, or no schooling.

Traditional schools should determine their capacity (teachers willing to work, class sizing, etc.). If more students want to attend than space is available, then oldest students in each grade are given priority.

Public schools should pay for students choosing on-line charter schools, charter and private schools, cottage schools, or home schooling.

For students choosing no schooling, taxes would be reduced.

Paying people to be illiterate?

Not levying taxes for services not provided.

Let's say a school district has 10,000 children of school age 5-17. They assess taxes to raise $7000 per student, or a total of $70M.

They are able to provide in-person schooling for 5000 willing students. 2000 choose on-line charter schools, 1000 choose private or charter schools, and 1000 choose to home school. 1000 prefer to defer education until they believe in-person schooling is safe, and don't like the alternatives.

So taxes are assessed for 9000 students.

That’s not how public goods work.

How so?

Public goods are things that you can’t just make for certain people because there is no effective or desirable way to exclude people from the good or service.

If you are unable to provide that service, then there is no excuse to charge those who are funding the service.

Why would only people who choose not to send their kids to school get a tax rebate?  What about all the people who don’t have school age children?  Why are we making them pay for public schools now when they don’t use them?

You misunderstood what I wrote.

School districts serve two functions:

(1) Tax Collection. Taxes are collected regardless of the services provided to the individual taxpayer.

They assess the value of each property, typically on its "sale value".

Tax Collector (TC): How much would you sell your house for?
Ordinary Decent Citizen (ODC): It's not for sale. I like living here. There are good schools.
TC: I know you don't want to sell it, I just need to figure out how much your house is worth so we can charge a tax-based on a sale's price.
ODC: So it's a sales tax?
TC: Not at all.
ODC: What if I don't pay the tax?
TC: We will sell your house. The sheriff will move you and your possessions out into the street. You will get any left over cash after paying off the mortgage.

(2) Education Provider.

Ordinarily they provide in-person education to any student in the district to attend a public or charter school. But they might be able to do so safely, or some students (parents) may not believe it is safe.

So there may be on-line classes. But if on-line classes were such a good idea, they would be used all the time. You eliminate the cost of school buildings and transportation. But they aren't or many parents and teachers don't think they are.

It would be as if the government was providing food, and they were using sawdust as filler. They would be providing an adulterated product. You would not want your tax dollars going for such a product even if you never ate it.

So let students (parents) choose the type of education: in-person public or charter school; on-line charter; private school; cottage or home school.

The tax dollars go to the actual provider. As a taxpayer, you really don't care how the education is provided. But if there is no suitable education service (in-person schools have insufficient capacity due to safety concerns or lack of teachers or staff; or students (parents) don't want to go on-line, then let the students drop out temporarily. Since the educational services aren't being provided, reduce the taxes collected proportionately.

Eventually ... there may be sufficient capacity for in-persons education and the taxes can be restored.

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

During the Ebola pandemic, Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie enacted quarantines that applied only to people who had been exposed to Ebola patients. This meant very few people were even quarantined. Yet a lot of people back then said this was much too strict. Dr. Fauci even said this was much too strict and urged only monitoring, not a quarantine. When Florida implemented monitoring, some people even said that was too strict.

So why do we now have these much stricter measures that have lasted 5 whole months, and nobody dares to publicly oppose them?

People are just being cautious after the big spike in southern states. I think it is a slight overreaction, because most hospitals were not overwhelmed, but there is some cause for concern.

I'm personally pretty optimistic with my coronavirus predictions, but in my personal life, I'm playing it very safe because I'm privileged enough to do so.

DTC total sidebar, but I could've sworn you were a blue av for the longest time

He was.

Case dismissed! Well done, Weasel!

[GeorgiaModerate]

Georgia colleges are starting class this week, with most of them having at least a partial on-campus presence.  Here's a scene from the University of North Georgia this weekend:

https://twitter.com/GAFollowers/status/1294843707485806593

[GeorgiaModerate]

UNC throws in the towel after a week of in-person classes:

https://twitter.com/dailytarheel/status/1295452926362746885

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

MyPillow CEO-turned-scientist Mike Lindell is selling a miracle death cure:
https://twitter.com/DrGJackBrown/status/1295491801126600704?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoog...
For the best night's sleep in the whole wide world.

[It’s so Joever]

MyPillow CEO-turned-scientist Mike Lindell is selling a miracle death cure:
https://twitter.com/DrGJackBrown/status/1295491801126600704?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoog...
For the best night's sleep in the whole wide world.

I am guessing many people would willingly buy poison pills if he found the right market.

[GeorgiaModerate]

MyPillow CEO-turned-scientist Mike Lindell is selling a miracle death cure:
https://twitter.com/DrGJackBrown/status/1295491801126600704?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoog...
For the best night's sleep in the whole wide world.

I am guessing many people would willingly buy poison pills if he found the right market.

That's not real good for return business, though.

[Calthrina950]

I had an interesting experience at my job today. I had a customer, who was wearing an anti-Trump shirt, come up to my lane, and complain about maskless customers in the store (of which there were several). She asked if there was any way to report such customers, mentioning Polis' statewide mask mandate. I explained to her my store's policy-that we couldn't deny service to or turn away maskless customers, and told her how the local law enforcement in El Paso County would only respond to tresspassing, not mask violation calls. Fortunately, she was understanding, but said it was a shame that we couldn't, and openly said that the maskless people were "Trump supporters." I just politely nodded and finished her transaction.

The irony of course, is that she's correct. However, many of the Trump supporters are wearing masks or facial coverings, as I've noted previously-I've seen a few wearing "Trump 2020" masks in the store. Another irony is that the very next customer after her, that I dealt with, was maskless (I had two others during the course of the day, and one who had their mask pulled down). Last Friday, Polis extended his mask mandate by another month, so it now expires on September 14. Nevertheless, 90% of people are continuing to obey the order.


 

[Progressive Pessimist]

MyPillow CEO-turned-scientist Mike Lindell is selling a miracle death cure:
https://twitter.com/DrGJackBrown/status/1295491801126600704?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoog...
For the best night's sleep in the whole wide world.

I am guessing many people would willingly buy poison pills if he found the right market.

"I'll try it because Lindell's story is so inspirational!"

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Fortunately, she was understanding, but said it was a shame that we couldn't, and openly said that the maskless people were "Trump supporters."

They're not. I know firsthand they're not all Trumpers. I was at a local convenience store the other day, and everyone was maskless - despite a statewide order and store chain policy.

But the clerk said the store does not enforce the mask policy because a Walmart customer shot an employee who reminded them to wear a mask. I can't condone violence like this, regardless of whether we think the mask policy is a good idea. I am beyond furious at the government's poor handling of this pandemic, but shooting store employees isn't how we fight back.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

‘Horrifying’ data glitch skews key Iowa coronavirus metrics

The glitch means the Iowa Department of Public Health has inadvertently been reporting fewer new infections and a smaller percentage of daily positive tests than is truly the case, according to Dana Jones, an Iowa City nurse practitioner who uncovered the problem. It’s particularly significant because school districts are relying on state data to determine whether they will offer in-person instruction when school resumes in the coming days and weeks.

The glitch means the Iowa Department of Public Health has inadvertently been reporting fewer new infections and a smaller percentage of daily positive tests than is truly the case, according to Dana Jones, an Iowa City nurse practitioner who uncovered the problem. It’s particularly significant because school districts are relying on state data to determine whether they will offer in-person instruction when school resumes in the coming days and weeks.

But the state has yet to publicly announce the error. Amy McCoy, a spokeswoman for the public health department, told the Associated Press that she hoped to have more information about the issue soon.

[Roll Roons]

‘Horrifying’ data glitch skews key Iowa coronavirus metrics

The glitch means the Iowa Department of Public Health has inadvertently been reporting fewer new infections and a smaller percentage of daily positive tests than is truly the case, according to Dana Jones, an Iowa City nurse practitioner who uncovered the problem. It’s particularly significant because school districts are relying on state data to determine whether they will offer in-person instruction when school resumes in the coming days and weeks.

The glitch means the Iowa Department of Public Health has inadvertently been reporting fewer new infections and a smaller percentage of daily positive tests than is truly the case, according to Dana Jones, an Iowa City nurse practitioner who uncovered the problem. It’s particularly significant because school districts are relying on state data to determine whether they will offer in-person instruction when school resumes in the coming days and weeks.

But the state has yet to publicly announce the error. Amy McCoy, a spokeswoman for the public health department, told the Associated Press that she hoped to have more information about the issue soon.

There is something about that state and technology mishaps.