COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[compucomp]

CDC has updated their guidance - no quarantine needed if boosted and exposed; 5 days of isolation instead of 10 if you get a test.

It's more complicated than this.

ISOLATION

The isolation rules are for people who are infected. They are the same for people who are unvaccinated, partly vaccinated, fully vaccinated or boosted.

They say:

—The clock starts the day you test positive.

—An infected person should go into isolations for five days, instead of the previously recommended 10.

—At the end of five days, if you have no symptoms, you can return to normal activities but must wear a mask everywhere — even at home around others — for at least five more days.

—If you still have symptoms after isolating for five days, stay home until you feel better and then start your five days of wearing a mask at all times.

QUARANTINE

The quarantine rules are for people who were in close contact with an infected person but not infected themselves.

For quarantine, the clock starts the day someone is alerted to they may have been exposed to the virus.

Previously, the CDC said people who were not fully vaccinated and who came in close contact with an infected person should stay home for at least 10 days.

Now the agency is saying only people who got booster shots can skip quarantine if they wear masks in all settings for at least 10 days.

That’s a change. Previously, people who were fully vaccinated — which the CDC has defined as having two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine — could be exempt from quarantine.

Now, people who got their initial shots but not boosters are in the same situation as those who are partly vaccinated or are not vaccinated at all: They can stop quarantine after five days if they wear masks in all settings for five days afterward.

Good luck enforcing all this, particularly the parts with the mask-wearing. If we're going to use this then we need indoor mask mandates for sure.

Edit: I think this is a mistake in terms of public health. Yes I understand that the economy and society may grind to a halt with disastrous consequences if everyone has to quarantine at the same time. But just like the May mask guidance that led to mask mandates being rescinded, they made a public health decision for non-health reasons and then covered their asses with impractical and unenforceable fine print. They should have advocated that indoor mask mandates be brought back everywhere as a bare minimum measure of enforcement.

[Frodo]

Fauci says U.S. should consider adding a vaccine requirement for domestic flights

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Fauci says U.S. should consider adding a vaccine requirement for domestic flights

So the "papers please" regime is now complete.

[Lief 🗽]

Would be nice if we could keep the unvaccinated mole people out of our nation’s beautiful skies. I suspect it would have the beneficial side effect of removing some of the most aggressive and violent passengers as well.

[Torie]

I wear a mask outdoors because it’s cold as hell right now.

Oh my. The only thing gayer than that would be to wear make-up to keep out the cold. Here is a back shot of me yesterday in a hood near you holding a poop bag,  on a 7 mile trek sans mask (take my word for it, and who wants to power walk with a mask on?), where for the first time ever, the dog seemed to make it clear it was dog basket time.

[Green Line]

I wear a mask outdoors because it’s cold as hell right now.

Buy a scarf. 

[100% pro-life no matter what]

It's time to completely end quarantines and testing, but cutting it from 10 to 5 days for those who have it is a step in the right direction.

[GregTheGreat657]

When do you think vaccinated individuals in blue states won't have to wear masks anymore (even if it is temporary)?

[DINGO Joe]

Fauci says U.S. should consider adding a vaccine requirement for domestic flights

So the "papers please" regime is now complete.

I'm  guessing you haven't flown in the last 20 years

[Hammy]

It's time to completely end quarantines and testing, but cutting it from 10 to 5 days for those who have it is a step in the right direction.

Burying your head in the sand and pretending covid isn't still out there won't make it so. What you're proposing is nothing short of authoritarian-style censoring.

[jamestroll]

The CDC has done the right thing by shortening the isolation period in light of omicron.

[jamestroll]

I am able to return to work tonight after my covid isolation and I am fully recovered despite being historically very sensitive to respiratory illnesses.

Thank you vaccines!

[pbrower2a]

Fauci says U.S. should consider adding a vaccine requirement for domestic flights

So the "papers please" regime is now complete.

Your pooch is obliged to get a rabies shot. Few complain.

[Stockdale for Veep]

How have the grey cardboard vaccine cards still not been modernized? Driver's licenses switched to plastic 50 years ago for a reason.

[It’s so Joever]

I wear a mask outdoors because it’s cold as hell right now.

Buy a scarf. 

And wrap it over your face? Doesnt that just make it a glorified cloth mask?

[Pericles]

How have the grey cardboard vaccine cards still not been modernized? Driver's licenses switched to plastic 50 years ago for a reason.

Wouldn't you just use a QR code?

[Hammy]

How have the grey cardboard vaccine cards still not been modernized? Driver's licenses switched to plastic 50 years ago for a reason.

Wouldn't you just use a QR code?

Yes, let's punish people who are unable to afford a portable computer.

[Donerail]

How have the grey cardboard vaccine cards still not been modernized? Driver's licenses switched to plastic 50 years ago for a reason.

Wouldn't you just use a QR code?

Americans do not use QR codes, as a general rule.

[Inmate Trump]

Will we get to 1 million cases per day before January 1, or just shortly after?

[Sir Mohamed]

Will we get to 1 million cases per day before January 1, or just shortly after?

Does it even matter at this point?

[Inmate Trump]

Will we get to 1 million cases per day before January 1, or just shortly after?

Does it even matter at this point?

Since we don’t yet know for absolute certain that Omicron causes less severe illness of great significance, I’d say it matters.

[Torie]

This does not seem to have been very well handled at all. Part of the problem is that if this is going to be enforced, the eating establishments need to enforce it. Having the cops go in and ask for vax papers, and then if the patrons don't have them, they need to drop their half eaten burger on the plate and go into the paddy wagon (without paying the bill?), is well, nutter. Myself I assume that eating inside a restaurant is a risky scheme, period. This display is not going to change that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV3YUHGrxJ4

[HisGrace]

Good to see we're being more rational about this than in some places. Based on the available evidence omicron actually does clear your system faster in around five days. Amazing how some of the loudest voices saying "follow the science" are turning on the CDC now that they've told them something they don't want to hear. Ultimately the CDC knows way more about this than you (and yes, that includes Fauci) and you trust them or you don't.

My comment saying more or less this got removed within a minute on reddit's COVID sub for being a "political post" but the hundreds of "OMG capitalism" comments are apparently not political and not being removed.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

This does not seem to have been very well handled at all. Part of the problem is that if this is going to be enforced, the eating establishments need to enforce it. Having the cops go in and ask for vax papers, and then if the patrons don't have them, they need to drop their half eaten burger on the plate and go into the paddy wagon (without paying the bill?), is well, nutter. Myself I assume that eating inside a restaurant is a risky scheme, period. This display is not going to change that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV3YUHGrxJ4

The sheer amount of chaos De Blasio is causing in his last few days is staggering.

[compucomp]

Good to see we're being more rational about this than in some places. Based on the available evidence omicron actually does clear your system faster in around five days. Amazing how some of the loudest voices saying "follow the science" are turning on the CDC now that they've told them something they don't want to hear. Ultimately the CDC knows way more about this than you (and yes, that includes Fauci) and you trust them or you don't.

My comment saying more or less this got removed within a minute on reddit's COVID sub for being a "political post" but the hundreds of "OMG capitalism" comments are apparently not political and not being removed.

And you trusted the public health agencies last year in February when their failed testing indicated there was zero COVID in the USA? You trusted them last March when they told you not to buy masks and that COVID is not airborne?

Seriously, there is just too much smoke here. The CEO of Delta goes on TV and says the quarantine should be reduced to 5 days, voila, the CDC reduces it to five days, and pulls out without citation "scientific results" out of their back pocket, possibly out of their ass, that perfectly justifies it. It's not possible to draw any proper scientific conclusions about Omicron since we have known about it for just a month and Omicron cases are not even properly separated from Delta cases to do proper analysis. If they had an ironclad evidence beforehand, why didn't they reduce the quarantine before during a quiet period like May when they disastrously rescinded their mask guidance?

Just because Trump is not the president anymore, doesn't mean that the government is now incapable of manipulating data to justify a predetermined conclusion. I'm not even sure this conclusion is that bad; with how fast Omicron is spreading we could have been headed for huge supply chain and other societal disruptions. But the CDC should be honest like Fauci and say this change was made to keep the economy running, full stop, and stop pretending the new guidance will keep us safe.

This does not seem to have been very well handled at all. Part of the problem is that if this is going to be enforced, the eating establishments need to enforce it. Having the cops go in and ask for vax papers, and then if the patrons don't have them, they need to drop their half eaten burger on the plate and go into the paddy wagon (without paying the bill?), is well, nutter. Myself I assume that eating inside a restaurant is a risky scheme, period. This display is not going to change that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV3YUHGrxJ4

I'm sure this is missing context about why these people were arrested, as physical confrontation was probably involved, but in any case, I'm pleasantly surprised and glad that public health mandates are actually being enforced with force.