COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[Hollywood]

This British dudes take on the 'O Variant' is pretty comprehensive and easy to digest.  I can find many videos on his channel that answer my question.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxlYyZ08cEg

[emailking]

I don't know of any examples of that ever happening, so I'd take that as the exception rather than the rule.

Delta is an example.

The death rate is too low for there to be significant selection pressure against a more deadly variant. It can go either way.

I don't understand what you mean by that.

Delta is a virus that became more deadly and more transmissible than its ancestors. Because Covid-19 has a low death rate, and can spread before severe symptoms have manifested, there is not a lot of of natural selection pressure for a less deadly variant to be preferred in the evolution of the virus.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

Masks are definitely not costless. 

I have been forced to teach wearing a mask this semester, and it is a total pain in the ass.  The worst of it is during student presentations.  Half of the students don’t speak loudly enough to be heard in the back of the class wearing a mask, and I have to constantly be asking them to speak louder.

Last year, we were allowed to use face shields, but for some reason my university decided to ban them this semester despite the fact that we also have a vaccine mandate (which is a very good thing!) for all faculty and students.

[GeneralMacArthur]

This may or may not be true, but as of right now I still think every county should not take any chances and wait for more data before agreeing with South Africa's health minister

https://twitter.com/BNODesk/status/1464327805836083201

I've seen data from Portugal (86%) and Gibraltar (100% vaccinated) suggesting the vaccinated represent most of the hospitalizations, which is why countries were panicking yesterday.  However, the death rate is better than when people were not vaccinated.  

Also, we have no idea whether the people dying are immunocompromised. 

If Gibraltar is 100% vaccinated then it would be physically impossible for an unvaccinated person to get the virus because no unvaccinated people exist.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Last night I said Joe Biden should institute an international travel ban, and Ds got very upset at me.  I don't know why they would become upset about a policy that is absolutely necessary to slow the spread of a virus.  That's just commonsense.  I guess it's cause Trump supported the travel bans last year, so they thought it was racist or something.

A travel ban alone is not enough

It may buy us some time, but ultimately what we really need is for Our public health agencies to get off their butts and start quickly approving booster shots and the covid pills

I think we also need a stronger consensus among every state when it comes to how we are fighting this virus because what we are currently doing is not working and this state-by-state patchwork Covid-19 response is failing all of us

I think Lincoln said at best "A house divided against itself cannot stand." and there is little chance we will ever beat covid if we are not even united on how to fight the virus in the first place

A travel ban provides you with more time.  If the travel ban had gone in place sooner in 2020, the country could have had more time to prepare for it before the massive outbreaks in NY.  The disaster in NY was not just a symptom of Nursing Home policy. 

Boosters, antibodies, and pills are needed.  I said that last night. 

I think people were hoping Biden would be a much more moderate individual when he came to office with a +17 approval rating (53-36%).  He did a bad job playing the cards he was dealt. Like we all want unity, but whose version of it?  lol. 

Houses are divided all the time, and still manage to function.  Not all disagreements rise to the level of barbarism. 

With this line I think you just summed up the biggest problem with our current politics

Everybody claims they want unity, but as you said whose version of Unity is it?

Also, even when there has been unity, it's never as easy or satisfying as TV shows like the West Wing makes it look. Honestly, I get the sense that the Americans people are more in love with the concept of unity than they are with the reality of it. Just look a recent bipartisan infrastructure bill that just passed, That is the first time I ever saw Mitch McConnell actually vote for a Major bill by a democrat president

But when you look at the process it was long and not everybody got what they wanted in the end. Americans said they were not happy with how the process played out, but that is what real unity looks like. Its mostly an unsatisfying process, where both sides give up something they want in order come to a consensus on a bill

Unity is not the great hollywood fairy tale ending that the american people seem to think it is

Good post.

[GeneralMacArthur]

Masks are definitely not costless. 

I have been forced to teach wearing a mask this semester, and it is a total pain in the ass.  The worst of it is during student presentations.  Half of the students don’t speak loudly enough to be heard in the back of the class wearing a mask, and I have to constantly be asking them to speak louder.

Last year, we were allowed to use face shields, but for some reason my university decided to ban them this semester despite the fact that we also have a vaccine mandate (which is a very good thing!) for all faculty and students.

My girlfriend is a teacher and she's got these masks that have a transparent screen so you can see the lips moving.  You have to use a little spray to keep them from fogging up but otherwise they are a godsend.  They're also very comfortable, you just have to mess with the wires to keep your nose from smudging up against the screen.

I see people all over Seattle wearing those uncomfortable, scratchy blue medical masks that you get for like a penny apiece at the drugstore, and it always baffles me.  There are incredibly comfortable and attractive masks available online for only a dollar or two apiece.  The masks I wear are very comfortable, look snappy and fit great.  I'll sometimes spray a little bit of cologne on the inside of the mask about half an hour before I go out so the mask will smell really good all night too.

[Hollywood]

This may or may not be true, but as of right now I still think every county should not take any chances and wait for more data before agreeing with South Africa's health minister

https://twitter.com/BNODesk/status/1464327805836083201

I've seen data from Portugal (86%) and Gibraltar (100% vaccinated) suggesting the vaccinated represent most of the hospitalizations, which is why countries were panicking yesterday.  However, the death rate is better than when people were not vaccinated.  

Also, we have no idea whether the people dying are immunocompromised. 

If Gibraltar is 100% vaccinated then it would be physically impossible for an unvaccinated person to get the virus because no unvaccinated people exist.

Yeah.  But there was a time when people were no vaccinated.  I'm making comparisons to that period. It's my fault for not clarifying. 

[Skill and Chance]

This may or may not be true, but as of right now I still think every county should not take any chances and wait for more data before agreeing with South Africa's health minister

https://twitter.com/BNODesk/status/1464327805836083201

I've seen data from Portugal (86%) and Gibraltar (100% vaccinated) suggesting the vaccinated represent most of the hospitalizations, which is why countries were panicking yesterday.  However, the death rate is better than when people were not vaccinated.  

Also, we have no idea whether the people dying are immunocompromised. 

If Gibraltar is 100% vaccinated then it would be physically impossible for an unvaccinated person to get the virus because no unvaccinated people exist.

Yeah.  But there was a time when people were no vaccinated.  I'm making comparisons to that period. It's my fault for not clarifying. 

If Gibraltar's population is statistically large enough, this should provide strong data on how well vaccines slow transmission of the new variant.

[Hollywood]

This may or may not be true, but as of right now I still think every county should not take any chances and wait for more data before agreeing with South Africa's health minister

https://twitter.com/BNODesk/status/1464327805836083201

I've seen data from Portugal (86%) and Gibraltar (100% vaccinated) suggesting the vaccinated represent most of the hospitalizations, which is why countries were panicking yesterday.  However, the death rate is better than when people were not vaccinated.  

Also, we have no idea whether the people dying are immunocompromised. 

If Gibraltar is 100% vaccinated then it would be physically impossible for an unvaccinated person to get the virus because no unvaccinated people exist.

Yeah.  But there was a time when people were no vaccinated.  I'm making comparisons to that period. It's my fault for not clarifying. 

If Gibraltar's population is statistically large enough, this should provide strong data on how well vaccines slow transmission of the new variant.

Maybe.  Everyone needs to wait another 2 weeks in order to gauge the true impact of the outbreak in Europe.  Germany has had over 70,000 confirmed cases over the last three days, and it looks like we will start seeing large death tolls over the next week.  Should provide good data for the public.

[Calthrina950]

Masks are definitely not costless. 

I have been forced to teach wearing a mask this semester, and it is a total pain in the ass.  The worst of it is during student presentations.  Half of the students don’t speak loudly enough to be heard in the back of the class wearing a mask, and I have to constantly be asking them to speak louder.

Last year, we were allowed to use face shields, but for some reason my university decided to ban them this semester despite the fact that we also have a vaccine mandate (which is a very good thing!) for all faculty and students.

My university has both mask and vaccine mandates in place as well. As I've said before, I expect for college campuses to cling on to mask mandates for longer than most businesses and institutions. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if mask mandates are still in force on most campuses a year or two from now. They may even become permanent.

[emailking]

Masks are definitely not costless. 

I have been forced to teach wearing a mask this semester, and it is a total pain in the ass.  The worst of it is during student presentations.  Half of the students don’t speak loudly enough to be heard in the back of the class wearing a mask, and I have to constantly be asking them to speak louder.

Last year, we were allowed to use face shields, but for some reason my university decided to ban them this semester despite the fact that we also have a vaccine mandate (which is a very good thing!) for all faculty and students.

My university has both mask and vaccine mandates in place as well. As I've said before, I expect for college campuses to cling on to mask mandates for longer than most businesses and institutions. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if mask mandates are still in force on most campuses a year or two from now. They may even become permanent.

If that happens, mask mandates will probably become a factor in where kids decide to go to college.

[支持核绿派 (Greens4Nuclear)]

Masks are definitely not costless. 

I have been forced to teach wearing a mask this semester, and it is a total pain in the ass.  The worst of it is during student presentations.  Half of the students don’t speak loudly enough to be heard in the back of the class wearing a mask, and I have to constantly be asking them to speak louder.

Last year, we were allowed to use face shields, but for some reason my university decided to ban them this semester despite the fact that we also have a vaccine mandate (which is a very good thing!) for all faculty and students.

My girlfriend is a teacher and she's got these masks that have a transparent screen so you can see the lips moving.  You have to use a little spray to keep them from fogging up but otherwise they are a godsend.  They're also very comfortable, you just have to mess with the wires to keep your nose from smudging up against the screen.

I see people all over Seattle wearing those uncomfortable, scratchy blue medical masks that you get for like a penny apiece at the drugstore, and it always baffles me.  There are incredibly comfortable and attractive masks available online for only a dollar or two apiece.  The masks I wear are very comfortable, look snappy and fit great.  I'll sometimes spray a little bit of cologne on the inside of the mask about half an hour before I go out so the mask will smell really good all night too.

Cool! Where do you buy/order those transparent screen masks?

[Calthrina950]

Masks are definitely not costless. 

I have been forced to teach wearing a mask this semester, and it is a total pain in the ass.  The worst of it is during student presentations.  Half of the students don’t speak loudly enough to be heard in the back of the class wearing a mask, and I have to constantly be asking them to speak louder.

Last year, we were allowed to use face shields, but for some reason my university decided to ban them this semester despite the fact that we also have a vaccine mandate (which is a very good thing!) for all faculty and students.

My university has both mask and vaccine mandates in place as well. As I've said before, I expect for college campuses to cling on to mask mandates for longer than most businesses and institutions. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if mask mandates are still in force on most campuses a year or two from now. They may even become permanent.

If that happens, mask mandates will probably become a factor in where kids decide to go to college.

Well, I'd expect for the vast majority of college campuses to have such mandates in force. Exceptions to this would be more conservative universities, such as Brigham Young University, Liberty University, and Hillsdale College, to give a few examples that spring to mind. The Ivy League schools will certainly keep such mandates in force for as long as they deem it necessary.

[Tekken_Guy]

Masks are definitely not costless. 

I have been forced to teach wearing a mask this semester, and it is a total pain in the ass.  The worst of it is during student presentations.  Half of the students don’t speak loudly enough to be heard in the back of the class wearing a mask, and I have to constantly be asking them to speak louder.

Last year, we were allowed to use face shields, but for some reason my university decided to ban them this semester despite the fact that we also have a vaccine mandate (which is a very good thing!) for all faculty and students.

My university has both mask and vaccine mandates in place as well. As I've said before, I expect for college campuses to cling on to mask mandates for longer than most businesses and institutions. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if mask mandates are still in force on most campuses a year or two from now. They may even become permanent.

Mask mandates shouldn't be required in what are essentially bubbles of 100% vaccinated populations. If anything, college campuses should be amongst the first places to drop mask mandates.

I believe at this point people need to be responsible for protecting themselves from the virus. It's not my responsibility if somebody else gets COVID, just like it's not my responsibility to protect others from getting the common cold or the flu.

In my opinion, there's no point in wearing a mask if you're vaccinated, unless you have serious underlying health issues that still put you at risk.

[Skill and Chance]

Masks are definitely not costless. 

I have been forced to teach wearing a mask this semester, and it is a total pain in the ass.  The worst of it is during student presentations.  Half of the students don’t speak loudly enough to be heard in the back of the class wearing a mask, and I have to constantly be asking them to speak louder.

Last year, we were allowed to use face shields, but for some reason my university decided to ban them this semester despite the fact that we also have a vaccine mandate (which is a very good thing!) for all faculty and students.

My university has both mask and vaccine mandates in place as well. As I've said before, I expect for college campuses to cling on to mask mandates for longer than most businesses and institutions. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if mask mandates are still in force on most campuses a year or two from now. They may even become permanent.

If that happens, mask mandates will probably become a factor in where kids decide to go to college.

Well, I'd expect for the vast majority of college campuses to have such mandates in force. Exceptions to this would be more conservative universities, such as Brigham Young University, Liberty University, and Hillsdale College, to give a few examples that spring to mind. The Ivy League schools will certainly keep such mandates in force for as long as they deem it necessary.

BYU actually has a mask mandate in effect today.

Liberty and Hillsdale dropped theirs at the beginning of the fall semester. 

[Suburbia]

No more vax mandates

Biden should relax this...

[Tekken_Guy]

No more vax mandates

Biden should relax this...

I'm perfectly fine with vaccine mandates.

Mask mandates, on the other hand, need to go.

[GeneralMacArthur]

Masks are definitely not costless. 

I have been forced to teach wearing a mask this semester, and it is a total pain in the ass.  The worst of it is during student presentations.  Half of the students don’t speak loudly enough to be heard in the back of the class wearing a mask, and I have to constantly be asking them to speak louder.

Last year, we were allowed to use face shields, but for some reason my university decided to ban them this semester despite the fact that we also have a vaccine mandate (which is a very good thing!) for all faculty and students.

My girlfriend is a teacher and she's got these masks that have a transparent screen so you can see the lips moving.  You have to use a little spray to keep them from fogging up but otherwise they are a godsend.  They're also very comfortable, you just have to mess with the wires to keep your nose from smudging up against the screen.

I see people all over Seattle wearing those uncomfortable, scratchy blue medical masks that you get for like a penny apiece at the drugstore, and it always baffles me.  There are incredibly comfortable and attractive masks available online for only a dollar or two apiece.  The masks I wear are very comfortable, look snappy and fit great.  I'll sometimes spray a little bit of cologne on the inside of the mask about half an hour before I go out so the mask will smell really good all night too.

Cool! Where do you buy/order those transparent screen masks?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08P4R2J5F

they even come in fun Christmas colors.

[roxas11]

Masks are definitely not costless.  

I have been forced to teach wearing a mask this semester, and it is a total pain in the ass.  The worst of it is during student presentations.  Half of the students don’t speak loudly enough to be heard in the back of the class wearing a mask, and I have to constantly be asking them to speak louder.

Last year, we were allowed to use face shields, but for some reason my university decided to ban them this semester despite the fact that we also have a vaccine mandate (which is a very good thing!) for all faculty and students.

Sadly, I have to agree with you because wearing a mask has definitely caused me some problems

For example me and my sister had gone to Walgreens and I had gotten out of the store before she did. As I was waiting for her outside a manager suddenly comes out of the store to tell me that I had somehow scared 1 of their customers.

apparently because I am a black guy wearing a mask at night the customer actually believed that I going to rob the place lol

Thankfully, my sister had finally come out of the store to clear everything up. But that incident definitely showed me that wearing a mask is not costless especially not in a state like louisiana

[Meclazine for Israel]

No need to worry about the Omnicron virus strain.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/mrna-vaccines-could-help-other-diseases-other-than-covid19/5b671934-2826-4fd6-9b37-ae3805edf9c2

At this point in time, it is a Stage 1 media virus.

It's amazing how the world media machine is sitting waiting for a front page story.

[pbrower2a]

For sure it's concerning, though not the time for panic. WHO held an emergency meeting today to assess the situation.

I know the CDC's response is just going to be "more masks", because that's their response to everything.

Masks, masks, masks. That's their only answer.

That is the answer. Well, so is getting out those cleaning wipes. So is social distancing. People who acted recklessly and lucked out the first couple times are the ones who will die.

We have learned something since the first outbreak of COVID-19. Trust science more than politics. 

[Horus]

For sure it's concerning, though not the time for panic. WHO held an emergency meeting today to assess the situation.

I know the CDC's response is just going to be "more masks", because that's their response to everything.

Masks, masks, masks. That's their only answer.

That is the answer. Well, so is getting out those cleaning wipes. So is social distancing. People who acted recklessly and lucked out the first couple times are the ones who will die.

We have learned something since the first outbreak of COVID-19. Trust science more than politics. 

Who still does this lmao

[pbrower2a]

For sure it's concerning, though not the time for panic. WHO held an emergency meeting today to assess the situation.

I know the CDC's response is just going to be "more masks", because that's their response to everything.

Masks, masks, masks. That's their only answer.

That is the answer. Well, so is getting out those cleaning wipes. So is social distancing. People who acted recklessly and lucked out the first couple times are the ones who will die.

We have learned something since the first outbreak of COVID-19. Trust science more than politics. 

Who still does this lmao

Nothing says that we will not have to do this again should there be a variant that can get around existing vaccinations. May we not need to do so again. Anyone resisting inoculation is a collaborator with the murderous occupier that is COVID-19. 

[soundchaser]

Cleaning wipes do absolutely nothing against this virus, and I’m amazed that people are still using them (or wearing gloves, or using sanitizer, or basically anything that involves surfaces rather than the air).

[Filuwaúrdjan]

They are very effective against certain other respiratory conditions (notably seasonal flu) and if your priority is to limit the pressure that hospital systems are under, then, well, keep it up.