COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[Calthrina950]

I got back from work about an hour ago, and I have two observations to make concerning the "Land of Lamborn" (Colorado-5th), one of which is related to the pandemic, and one that is related to politics. I'll make them both here for the sake of space and convenience. The first is that the number of maskless at my job has definitely trended downwards compared to what it was one or two months ago, despite the mask mandate imposed by Polis back in July, and which was extended for another month last week.

The breakdown of masked to maskless customers is now probably about 80-20% or 85-15%, rather than the 90-10% that it was before. More and more people are becoming bold with that kind of behavior. I probably saw more maskless today then I have seen at any other time since the mandate was implemented. Given this, I have my doubts as to whether we will all really be wearing masks still for another year, as the experts seem to think. It just seems like many people don't have the patience or the tolerance for it.

The second observation is that I saw an abnormally large number of customers wearing Trump paraphernalia, more then I've seen before. There were at least 20-25 people wearing such gear today. I had to process three of them. One was wearing a Trump hat, one had a "MAGA" bandanna on, and another was wearing a "Trump 2020" face shield. I'm not sure if this occurred just because it was the weekend or because it's drawing closer to the election, or if it's because it's the day after Justice Ginsburg's death-which many have argued will drive up turnout and enthusiasm among both bases. But it was an interesting observation nevertheless, and I still haven't seen anyone wearing Biden gear. That seems to accord with the views of many that Trump voters are much more enthused than Biden voters.

I don't think that Biden voters are less enthused, so much as they're less loud about it.

There is legitimacy to this point, and I am in El Paso County, which is heavily Republican. But bear in mind that many of Biden's voters aren't voting for him, so much as they are voting against Trump-a point that one of my co-workers made in a conversation I had with him today.

[Beet]

https://twitter.com/AvidCommentator/status/1307516226956980224

[It’s so Joever]

https://twitter.com/AvidCommentator/status/1307516226956980224

This is why we have phase three trials.
I would wait for more results before reaching a conclusion, but if this pattern continues, the AstraZeneca vaccine would obviously not be optimal for use.

Good thing there are multiple vaccines by competing companies in development.

[Dr. Arch]

The updated numbers for COVID-19 in the U.S. are in for 9/20 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.

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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9/13: <Sunday>

• Cases: 6,708,458 (+31,857 | ΔW Change: ↑9.48% | Σ Increase: ↑0.48%)
• Deaths: 198,520 (+392 | ΔW Change: ↓9.26% | Σ Increase: ↑0.20%)

9/14: <M>

• Cases: 6,749,289 (+40,831 | ΔW Change: ↑61.23% | Σ Increase: ↑0.61%)
• Deaths: 199,000 (+480 | ΔW Change: ↑69.01% | Σ Increase: ↑0.24%)

9/15: <T>

• Cases: 6,787,737 (+38,448 | ΔW Change: ↑34.17% | Σ Increase: ↑0.57%)
• Deaths: 200,178 (+1,178 | ΔW Change: ↑136.55% | Σ Increase: ↑0.59%)

9/16: <W>

• Cases: 6,828,301 (+40,564 | ΔW Change: ↑15.09% | Σ Increase: ↑0.60%)
• Deaths: 201,348 (+1,170 | ΔW Change: ↓3.07% | Σ Increase: ↑0.58%)

9/17: <Þ>

• Cases: 6,874,553 (+46,252 | ΔW Change: ↑19.55% | Σ Increase: ↑0.68%)
• Deaths: 202,213 (+865 | ΔW Change: ↓20.57% | Σ Increase: ↑0.43%)

9/18: <F>

• Cases: 6,925,941 (+51,388 | ΔW Change: ↑6.87% | Σ Increase: ↑0.75%)
• Deaths: 203,171 (+958 | ΔW Change: ↓12.35% | Σ Increase: ↑0.47%)

9/19 (Yesterday): <S>

• Cases: 6,967,403 (+41,462 | ΔW Change: ↑2.75% | Σ Increase: ↑0.60%)
• Deaths: 203,824 (+653 | ΔW Change: ↓7.64% | Σ Increase: ↑0.32%)

9/20 (Today): <Sunday>

• Cases: 7,004,768 (+37,365 | ΔW Change: ↑17.29% | Σ Increase: ↑0.54%)
• Deaths: 204,118 (+294 | ΔW Change: ↓25.00% | Σ Increase: ↑0.14%)

[Bandit3 the Worker]

The positivity rate in the U.S. was only 3.74% today - the first time it's even been under 4% since March 4 when it was 2.97%.

[GeneralMacArthur]

Transverse myelitis is much worse than COVID.  I wouldn't take the AstraZeneca vaccine in its current form, based only on these reports, and I would be skeptical of it even if it evolved.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Thread:
https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1307879247550316544

[Calthrina950]

I wanted to make a few quick observations. I happened to catch a quick glance of the television not too long ago, and saw a group of people gathered together shouting the refrain "Good Morning America!" in the introduction segment to the program of that same name. The thing about it though, is that they were all wearing masks. So one could see their mouths move through the masks, but couldn't actually see their facial expressions. I trembled in anger at seeing this.

Yes, I know all the talk about how "we wear masks to protect each other", and how they're a valid public health measure, and all of that. But I have come to hate masks with a passion, and cannot stop commenting on them whenever I see them, which is almost every day (when I go to work and such). And everyone everywhere, except for a stubborn minority, are wearing them now. Members of Congress, members of the Armed Forces and of law enforcement, employees at just about every store and business, most of the general public, and now, even most Trump supporters at his rallies (and this is a good thing, from the public health perspective). But it's a terrifying and sickening sight, one that I will not forget for the rest of my life, and I'm praying to God that this will be over soon.

[It’s so Joever]

I wanted to make a few quick observations. I happened to catch a quick glance of the television not too long ago, and saw a group of people gathered together shouting the refrain "Good Morning America!" in the introduction segment to the program of that same name. The thing about it though, is that they were all wearing masks. So one could see their mouths move through the masks, but couldn't actually see their facial expressions. I trembled in anger at seeing this.

Yes, I know all the talk about how "we wear masks to protect each other", and how they're a valid public health measure, and all of that. But I have come to hate masks with a passion, and cannot stop commenting on them whenever I see them, which is almost every day (when I go to work and such). And everyone everywhere, except for a stubborn minority, are wearing them now. Members of Congress, members of the Armed Forces and of law enforcement, employees at just about every store and business, most of the general public, and now, even most Trump supporters at his rallies (and this is a good thing, from the public health perspective). But it's a terrifying and sickening sight, one that I will not forget for the rest of my life, and I'm praying to God that this will be over soon.

Interesting.
I’ve taken the opposite route.
Because literally everyone at my school is masked (required) I’ve come to ignore it completely. It will feel weird when this is over and everyone is maskless again.
Maybe your experience is different because it’s more politicized where you are.

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/jbendery/status/1308075595130167301

[Dr. Arch]

https://twitter.com/jbendery/status/1308075595130167301

Things were bound to get worse again with the start of flu season, and it doesn't help that university (and some public school) campuses decided to re-open for MuH EcoNoMy.

This isn't close to over yet...

[Calthrina950]

I wanted to make a few quick observations. I happened to catch a quick glance of the television not too long ago, and saw a group of people gathered together shouting the refrain "Good Morning America!" in the introduction segment to the program of that same name. The thing about it though, is that they were all wearing masks. So one could see their mouths move through the masks, but couldn't actually see their facial expressions. I trembled in anger at seeing this.

Yes, I know all the talk about how "we wear masks to protect each other", and how they're a valid public health measure, and all of that. But I have come to hate masks with a passion, and cannot stop commenting on them whenever I see them, which is almost every day (when I go to work and such). And everyone everywhere, except for a stubborn minority, are wearing them now. Members of Congress, members of the Armed Forces and of law enforcement, employees at just about every store and business, most of the general public, and now, even most Trump supporters at his rallies (and this is a good thing, from the public health perspective). But it's a terrifying and sickening sight, one that I will not forget for the rest of my life, and I'm praying to God that this will be over soon.

Interesting.
I’ve taken the opposite route.
Because literally everyone at my school is masked (required) I’ve come to ignore it completely. It will feel weird when this is over and everyone is maskless again.
Maybe your experience is different because it’s more politicized where you are.

Not to the extent that you would think. As I've said before, the vast majority of people where I live-and that includes most Trump supporters-are wearing masks or facial coverings in public at this point. That was precisely what I was getting at in my initial post.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

https://twitter.com/jbendery/status/1308075595130167301

Seems bad

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

https://twitter.com/jbendery/status/1308075595130167301

If you examine the metrics used in this map, it isn’t really a map of which states are getting better or getting worse (as the labels seems to indicate).  It’s more a measure of the overall level of the virus, not the direction of that level. (The direction is just one of many indicators used to compile the categories.).

If you look at rt.live, which is much more a measure of pure trend, the three green NE states are all among then worst third or so.

[Dr. Arch]

The updated numbers for COVID-19 in the U.S. are in for 9/21 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.

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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9/13: <Sunday>

• Cases: 6,708,458 (+31,857 | ΔW Change: ↑9.48% | Σ Increase: ↑0.48%)
• Deaths: 198,520 (+392 | ΔW Change: ↓9.26% | Σ Increase: ↑0.20%)

9/14: <M>

• Cases: 6,749,289 (+40,831 | ΔW Change: ↑61.23% | Σ Increase: ↑0.61%)
• Deaths: 199,000 (+480 | ΔW Change: ↑69.01% | Σ Increase: ↑0.24%)

9/15: <T>

• Cases: 6,787,737 (+38,448 | ΔW Change: ↑34.17% | Σ Increase: ↑0.57%)
• Deaths: 200,178 (+1,178 | ΔW Change: ↑136.55% | Σ Increase: ↑0.59%)

9/16: <W>

• Cases: 6,828,301 (+40,564 | ΔW Change: ↑15.09% | Σ Increase: ↑0.60%)
• Deaths: 201,348 (+1,170 | ΔW Change: ↓3.07% | Σ Increase: ↑0.58%)

9/17: <Þ>

• Cases: 6,874,553 (+46,252 | ΔW Change: ↑19.55% | Σ Increase: ↑0.68%)
• Deaths: 202,213 (+865 | ΔW Change: ↓20.57% | Σ Increase: ↑0.43%)

9/18: <F>

• Cases: 6,925,941 (+51,388 | ΔW Change: ↑6.87% | Σ Increase: ↑0.75%)
• Deaths: 203,171 (+958 | ΔW Change: ↓12.35% | Σ Increase: ↑0.47%)

9/19: <S>

• Cases: 6,967,403 (+41,462 | ΔW Change: ↑2.75% | Σ Increase: ↑0.60%)
• Deaths: 203,824 (+653 | ΔW Change: ↓7.64% | Σ Increase: ↑0.32%)

9/20 (Yesterday): <Sunday>

• Cases: 7,004,768 (+37,365 | ΔW Change: ↑17.29% | Σ Increase: ↑0.54%)
• Deaths: 204,118 (+294 | ΔW Change: ↓25.00% | Σ Increase: ↑0.14%)

9/21 (Today): <M>

• Cases: 7,046,216 (+41,448 | ΔW Change: ↑1.51% | Σ Increase: ↑0.59%)
• Deaths: 204,506 (+388 | ΔW Change: ↓19.17% | Σ Increase: ↑0.19%)

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

https://twitter.com/ClaraJeffery/status/1308240816570204162
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1308209927274536961

[MasterJedi]

https://twitter.com/ClaraJeffery/status/1308240816570204162
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1308209927274536961

Trump lied and people died.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

One of the strange aspects of this pandemic is that it is almost completely invisible unless you are close to someone who got seriously ill from it.

There is none of the shocking and powerful imagery of suffering and destruction you get from a war or a natural disaster.  Almost all of the coverage is statistics and interviews with scientists and maybe nurses providing second hand accounts.  I've seen almost no interviews with victims or coverage of people in the throes of illness.  

Back in April, there was some vivid imagery of hospitals being overrun in NY and Europe, but that has been almost entirely absent for several months.

Even on my own campus, we almost entirely relate to the virus through an online university "dashboard" of covid statistics.  There we can learn that several hundred students have been infected, but I have yet to see or hear of anyone being seriously ill.

I want to make it clear that I don't believe in any of the conspiracy theories out there about this virus.  But this is the sort of thing that makes them believable to many people.

[Hammy]

There is none of the shocking and powerful imagery of suffering and destruction you get from a war or a natural disaster.  Almost all of the coverage is statistics and interviews with scientists and maybe nurses providing second hand accounts.  I've seen almost no interviews with victims or coverage of people in the throes of illness.  

Back in April, there was some vivid imagery of hospitals being overrun in NY and Europe, but that has been almost entirely absent for several months.

It's out there, I've seen probably hundreds of such articles. The problem is television media isn't covering it because, to them, paying adequate attention to something for more than two weeks is bad for ratings.

And really they're complicit in this 'lets make it look like things are back to normal' mentality that the Trump admin and several states are pushing.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

There is none of the shocking and powerful imagery of suffering and destruction you get from a war or a natural disaster.  Almost all of the coverage is statistics and interviews with scientists and maybe nurses providing second hand accounts.  I've seen almost no interviews with victims or coverage of people in the throes of illness.  

Back in April, there was some vivid imagery of hospitals being overrun in NY and Europe, but that has been almost entirely absent for several months.

It's out there, I've seen probably hundreds of such articles. The problem is television media isn't covering it because, to them, paying adequate attention to something for more than two weeks is bad for ratings.

And really they're complicit in this 'lets make it look like things are back to normal' mentality that the Trump admin and several states are pushing.

Written articles aren't the same as images and videos.  No one cared about the Vietnam war when it was just written up in articles either.

The media I was watching at least was covering this nonstop for most of the summer.
But they were covering it with statistics and interviews with medical professionals, not with images or interviews of victims.

[GP270watch]

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1308393914211209216

FoxNews ya'll.

[Silent Hunter]

"One death is a tragedy, a million is a statistic".

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Scottsdale, Ariz., and Rutherford County, Tenn., have repealed their local mask mandates.

[Calthrina950]

Scottsdale, Ariz., and Rutherford County, Tenn., have repealed their local mask mandates.

In Colorado, our mask mandate remains in effect at least until October 14. But as I've said before, I fully expect Polis to extend the mandate again when the time comes.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1308532275697586183