COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[Frodo]

It's already here:  

Coronavirus variant that first appeared in India arrives in the US. Here's what to know.

But if you're already vaccinated, fear not.

[Dr. Arch]

The updated numbers for COVID-19 in the U.S. are in for 5/17 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?

Brackets []: These represent the total change for the day, including backlogged reports, if any.

• These numbers are inflated relative to the actual reports for the day, so they are not used to calculate the comparative percentage shifts.

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5/9: <Sunday>

• Cases: 33,476,781 (+22,200 | ΔW Change: ↓27.69% | Σ Increase: ↑0.07%)
• Deaths: 595,812 (+224 | ΔW Change: ↓28.21% | Σ Increase: ↑0.04%)

5/10: <M>

• Cases: 33,515,308 (+30,152 [+38,527] | ΔW Change: ↓24.18% | Σ Increase: ↑0.12%)
• Deaths: 596,179 (+367 | ΔW Change: ↓18.81% | Σ Increase: ↑0.06%)

5/11: <T>

• Cases: 33,550,115 (+34,807 | ΔW Change: ↓21.07% | Σ Increase: ↑0.10%)
• Deaths: 596,946 (+767 | ΔW Change: ↓14.30% | Σ Increase: ↑0.13%)

5/12: <W>

• Cases: 33,586,136 (+36,021 | ΔW Change: ↓22.68% | Σ Increase: ↑0.11%)
• Deaths: 597,785 (+839 | ΔW Change: ↑13.53% | Σ Increase: ↑0.14%)

5/13: <Þ>

• Cases: 33,626,097 (+39,961 | ΔW Change: ↓16.66% | Σ Increase: ↑0.12%)
• Deaths: 598,540 (+755 | ΔW Change: ↓12.00% | Σ Increase: ↑0.13%)

5/14: <F>

• Cases: 33,664,013 (+37,916 | ΔW Change: ↓23.61% | Σ Increase: ↑0.11%)
• Deaths: 599,314 (+774 | ΔW Change: ↓0.39% | Σ Increase: ↑0.13%)

5/15: <S>

• Cases: 33,695,916 (+31,903 | ΔW Change: ↓10.77% | Σ Increase: ↑0.09%)
• Deaths: 599,863 (+549 | ΔW Change: ↓18.91% | Σ Increase: ↑0.09%)

5/16 (Yesterday): <Sunday>

• Cases: 33,715,951 (+17,834 [+20,035] | ΔW Change: ↓19.67% | Σ Increase: ↑0.06%)
• Deaths: 600,147 (+284 | ΔW Change: ↑26.79% | Σ Increase: ↑0.05%)

5/17 (Today): <M>

• Cases: 33,747,439 (+25,030 [+31,488] | ΔW Change: ↓16.99% | Σ Increase: ↑0.09%)
• Deaths: 600,533 (+369 [+386] | ΔW Change: ↑0.54% | Σ Increase: ↑0.06%)

[JGibson]

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) announced that the state will update its mask guidance rules to match those of the CDC's.

NPR Illinois:

Illinoisans who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no longer need to wear face masks in most circumstances, Gov. JB Pritzker said Monday.

Pritzker’s announcement follows updated guidelines released last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

The updated executive order allows vaccinated people to ditch their masks, both outdoors and indoors, if they can safely social distance by at least six feet.

But masks are still required while using public transportation, while in crowds, congregate care facilities, other healthcare settings and schools. Businesses can also still require customers and employees to wear masks, and many businesses are still called to provide face coverings for their employees. But other big retail chains have announced they will also allow vaccinated people to enter stores without masks.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

How come the ACLU didn't take hardly any action against the obvious abuses against civil liberties during the pandemic?

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

600,000

At least it looks like that’ll be the last major milestone for a while.

[Hammy]

How come the ACLU didn't take hardly any action against the obvious abuses against civil liberties during the pandemic?

This is a valid point. Every single person who ignored public health restrictions should be sued for human rights violations.

[pbrower2a]

600,000

At least it looks like that’ll be the last major milestone for a while.

A poll that I recently saw showed that 26% of white people and 43% of Republicans say that they intend to not get inoculated. That is of course an extreme overlap. This probably corresponds with the people of whom Donald Trump praised profusely:

"I love low-information voters"

People who vote with little information or who have fully given themselves to propaganda are generally not well-informed about such things as science, high culture, history, economics, or medicine and health, either.

I do not know how deadly the B117 variant is, but COVID-19 is now ravaging India -- and often killing the Best and Brightest in India over age 50. That destroys huge amounts of talent. I am not going to compare our "low-information" people to those distinguished people by any means. At that, though, death is the Great Equalizer, taking away the human qualities of generals and privates, tycoons and beggars, saints and criminals, and geniuses and idiots alike.   

[It’s so Joever]

600,000

At least it looks like that’ll be the last major milestone for a while.

A poll that I recently saw showed that 26% of white people and 43% of Republicans say that they intend to not get inoculated. That is of course an extreme overlap. This probably corresponds with the people of whom Donald Trump praised profusely:

"I love low-information voters"

People who vote with little information or who have fully given themselves to propaganda are generally not well-informed about such things as science, high culture, history, economics, or medicine and health, either.

I do not know how deadly the B117 variant is, but COVID-19 is now ravaging India -- and often killing the Best and Brightest in India over age 50. That destroys huge amounts of talent. I am not going to compare our "low-information" people to those distinguished people by any means. At that, though, death is the Great Equalizer, taking away the human qualities of generals and privates, tycoons and beggars, saints and criminals, and geniuses and idiots alike.   

I wonder what the human qualities of anti-vaxxers are...

[Person Man]

Yep. "It worked". Wisconsin's Court struck down the mask mandate and had literally less than half as many cases per capita as Michigan. "Neanderthal" Texas and "DeathSantis" Florida cases dropped while Michigan rose during April. All explained by science.

Cases are listed by residence, not location of contraction--which is likely why Texas and Florida numbers aren't higher.

If I were to go to Florida and get covid, and die there, both would be listed under Georgia.

Was that a point in contention when DeSantis fired an employee that accused him of fraud and then had them arrested for continued dissent?

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

https://twitter.com/KristinaRex/status/1394311176893444099


https://twitter.com/ZekeJMiller/status/1394320776388562950

I've got to break free
God knows, God knows I want to break free!

[Person Man]

https://twitter.com/KristinaRex/status/1394311176893444099


https://twitter.com/ZekeJMiller/status/1394320776388562950

I've got to break free
God knows, God knows I want to break free!

Moment of truth...

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

https://twitter.com/RepThomasMassie/status/1394749773140344833


https://twitter.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1394730325612404741

[Person Man]

https://twitter.com/RepThomasMassie/status/1394749773140344833


https://twitter.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1394730325612404741

But churches can. I guess that’s the hierarchy in Texas.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

https://twitter.com/RepThomasMassie/status/1394749773140344833


https://twitter.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1394730325612404741

But churches can. I guess that’s the hierarchy in Texas.

Churches, like any other private building, has the right to determine what people wear when they enter. He's not banning private businesses from keeping their mask mandates.

[Hammy]

https://twitter.com/RepThomasMassie/status/1394749773140344833


https://twitter.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1394730325612404741

The irony that Abbott is doing EXACTLY what he claims shouldn't be done, by banning local mandates he is using government power--counter to scientific findings in fact--to decide what's best for public health.

[Frodo]

A week old, but I haven't seen it posted yet:

https://twitter.com/medical_xpress/status/1392117294495674379

After analyzing their data, the researchers found major discrepancies between official death tallies and those they found through their calculations. Egypt, for example, reported just over 13,000 deaths, while the IHME number came to 170,000. Another example was Russia—officials there reported just over 100,000 deaths, while the team at IHME found the number was more likely over 600,000. The researchers also found that the actual death toll in the U.S. is likely nearly twice as high as official reports—as of May 3, it was 574,043. They found it more likely the number is closer to 905,289. All told, the researchers found that worldwide death estimates have been far lower than actual deaths. The WHO has reported the worldwide death toll (which has been calculated using each country's official tallies) as 3.25 million people as of May 6. The IHME team found the number is much likely closer to 6.93 million.

[Progressive Pessimist]

https://twitter.com/RepThomasMassie/status/1394749773140344833


https://twitter.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1394730325612404741

The irony that Abbott is doing EXACTLY what he claims shouldn't be done, by banning local mandates he is using government power--counter to scientific findings in fact--to decide what's best for public health.

Don't waste your energy. Republicans are incapable of understanding basic concepts like consistency, hypocrisy, or irony.

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

https://twitter.com/mtgreenee/status/1394749891927285767

[Bandit3 the Worker]

7-day positives down to 2.71%

[Dr. Arch]

The updated numbers for COVID-19 in the U.S. are in for 5/18 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?

Brackets []: These represent the total change for the day, including backlogged reports, if any.

• These numbers are inflated relative to the actual reports for the day, so they are not used to calculate the comparative percentage shifts.

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5/9: <Sunday>

• Cases: 33,476,781 (+22,200 | ΔW Change: ↓27.69% | Σ Increase: ↑0.07%)
• Deaths: 595,812 (+224 | ΔW Change: ↓28.21% | Σ Increase: ↑0.04%)

5/10: <M>

• Cases: 33,515,308 (+30,152 [+38,527] | ΔW Change: ↓24.18% | Σ Increase: ↑0.12%)
• Deaths: 596,179 (+367 | ΔW Change: ↓18.81% | Σ Increase: ↑0.06%)

5/11: <T>

• Cases: 33,550,115 (+34,807 | ΔW Change: ↓21.07% | Σ Increase: ↑0.10%)
• Deaths: 596,946 (+767 | ΔW Change: ↓14.30% | Σ Increase: ↑0.13%)

5/12: <W>

• Cases: 33,586,136 (+36,021 | ΔW Change: ↓22.68% | Σ Increase: ↑0.11%)
• Deaths: 597,785 (+839 | ΔW Change: ↑13.53% | Σ Increase: ↑0.14%)

5/13: <Þ>

• Cases: 33,626,097 (+39,961 | ΔW Change: ↓16.66% | Σ Increase: ↑0.12%)
• Deaths: 598,540 (+755 | ΔW Change: ↓12.00% | Σ Increase: ↑0.13%)

5/14: <F>

• Cases: 33,664,013 (+37,916 | ΔW Change: ↓23.61% | Σ Increase: ↑0.11%)
• Deaths: 599,314 (+774 | ΔW Change: ↓0.39% | Σ Increase: ↑0.13%)

5/15: <S>

• Cases: 33,695,916 (+31,903 | ΔW Change: ↓10.77% | Σ Increase: ↑0.09%)
• Deaths: 599,863 (+549 | ΔW Change: ↓18.91% | Σ Increase: ↑0.09%)

5/16: <Sunday>

• Cases: 33,715,951 (+17,834 [+20,035] | ΔW Change: ↓19.67% | Σ Increase: ↑0.06%)
• Deaths: 600,147 (+284 | ΔW Change: ↑26.79% | Σ Increase: ↑0.05%)

5/17 (Yesterday): <M>

• Cases: 33,747,439 (+25,030 [+31,488] | ΔW Change: ↓16.99% | Σ Increase: ↑0.09%)
• Deaths: 600,533 (+369 [+386] | ΔW Change: ↑0.54% | Σ Increase: ↑0.06%)

5/18 (Today): <T>

• Cases: 33,774,945 (+27,506 | ΔW Change: ↓20.98% | Σ Increase: ↑0.08%)
• Deaths: 601,330 (+797 | ΔW Change: ↑3.91% | Σ Increase: ↑0.13%)

[Hammy]

https://twitter.com/mtgreenee/status/1394749891927285767

This garbage coming from government officials should be labeled sedition, and subject to military tribunal the same as a member of government joining an enemy power would.

[Dr. MB]

https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2021/05/two-oregon-counties-want-to-prevent-teens-from-getting-covid-19-vaccine-without-parental-ok-despite-law.html

Two counties in Oregon are supposed to pass laws that ban people under 18 from getting a vaccine without parental permission (even though Oregon state law doesn’t require permission if you’re 15 and up). Unsurprisingly the county commissioners proposing this said they had no plan to get the vaccine and think it’s experimental and unsafe.

”My children are not the property of the State of Oregon, Rep. Wilde,” Berschauer wrote. “And if you think for a moment that the parents in Yamhill County, especially mothers like myself who went through agonizing labor to birth and bring these children into the world, are going to accept that state bureaucrats can bribe our kids with pizza and iTunes gift cards in order to be injected with an experimental, trial vaccine WITHOUT OUR PERMISSION, you are out of your mind.”

Sure, but have you ever considered that your children aren’t your property either? What an asshole

[Bandit3 the Worker]

https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2021/05/two-oregon-counties-want-to-prevent-teens-from-getting-covid-19-vaccine-without-parental-ok-despite-law.html

Two counties in Oregon are supposed to pass laws that ban people under 18 from getting a vaccine without parental permission (even though Oregon state law doesn’t require permission if you’re 15 and up). Unsurprisingly the county commissioners proposing this said they had no plan to get the vaccine and think it’s experimental and unsafe.

”My children are not the property of the State of Oregon, Rep. Wilde,” Berschauer wrote. “And if you think for a moment that the parents in Yamhill County, especially mothers like myself who went through agonizing labor to birth and bring these children into the world, are going to accept that state bureaucrats can bribe our kids with pizza and iTunes gift cards in order to be injected with an experimental, trial vaccine WITHOUT OUR PERMISSION, you are out of your mind.”

Sure, but have you ever considered that your children aren’t your property either? What an asshole

There is a doctrine called "age of medical majority", but I've never really thought about how it would affect vaccinations. Under this doctrine, a minor under 18 can often receive or reject medical treatments or procedures regardless of parents' wishes. I don't think it would generally apply to very young children, but it would apply to older kids.

This is probably why Oregon law says you don't need permission if you're at least 15.

I've heard of "age of medical majority" being invoked by teenagers to reject forced psychiatric drugging and cosmetic procedures.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2021/05/two-oregon-counties-want-to-prevent-teens-from-getting-covid-19-vaccine-without-parental-ok-despite-law.html

Two counties in Oregon are supposed to pass laws that ban people under 18 from getting a vaccine without parental permission (even though Oregon state law doesn’t require permission if you’re 15 and up). Unsurprisingly the county commissioners proposing this said they had no plan to get the vaccine and think it’s experimental and unsafe.

”My children are not the property of the State of Oregon, Rep. Wilde,” Berschauer wrote. “And if you think for a moment that the parents in Yamhill County, especially mothers like myself who went through agonizing labor to birth and bring these children into the world, are going to accept that state bureaucrats can bribe our kids with pizza and iTunes gift cards in order to be injected with an experimental, trial vaccine WITHOUT OUR PERMISSION, you are out of your mind.”

Sure, but have you ever considered that your children aren’t your property either? What an asshole

There is a doctrine called "age of medical majority", but I've never really thought about how it would affect vaccinations. Under this doctrine, a minor under 18 can often receive or reject medical treatments or procedures regardless of parents' wishes. I don't think it would generally apply to very young children, but it would apply to older kids.

This is probably why Oregon law says you don't need permission if you're at least 15.

I've heard of "age of medical majority" being invoked by teenagers to reject forced psychiatric drugging and cosmetic procedures.

The phrase I was actually looking for was "mature minor doctrine." That phrase is probably more accurate here.

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/17/nyregion/vaccinated-masks-cdc.html
They’re Vaccinated and Keeping Their Masks On, Maybe Forever
Face coverings have been a political flash point for more than a year. But now, the backlash is directed at people who don’t plan to take them off.

Whenever Joe Glickman heads out for groceries, he places an N95 mask over his face and tugs a cloth mask on top of it. He then pulls on a pair of goggles.

He has used this safety protocol for the past 14 months. It did not change after he contracted the coronavirus last November. It didn’t budge when, earlier this month, he became fully vaccinated. And even though President Biden said on Thursday that fully vaccinated people do not have to wear a mask, Mr. Glickman said he planned to stay the course.

In fact, he said, he plans to do his grocery run double-masked and goggled for at least the next five years.

Even as a combination of evolving public health recommendations and pandemic fatigue lead more Americans to toss the masks they’ve worn for more than a year, Mr. Glickman is among those who say they plan to keep their faces covered in public indefinitely.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/cdc-mask-guidelines-confuse-americans/2021/05/15/e6d37726-b4f1-11eb-ab43-bebddc5a0f65_story.html
Confused Americans grapple with CDC’s new mask rules: ‘It caught us off guard’

Rebecca Kee, another San Francisco resident, has seen how divisive the new guidance can be.

After the CDC said fully vaccinated people don’t need masks outside last week, she decided to walk barefaced in her neighborhood.

Then a man with two children, all masked, darted into the street to avoid her. When she told him there was new guidance, the man told Kee she was lying and he hoped her family would get sick and die.

“It shook me to my core and made me really feel horrible,” said Kee, 38. “I think in a time of deep instability and real fear, the mask became a symbol of caring for your neighbor that we all clung to.”