COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[ElectionsGuy]

This article discusses how the CDC has withheld much of the data concerning the effectiveness of the vaccine and of boosters among 18-49 year olds. This decision has been justified on the fear that such data could be "misinterpreted", in a manner that would cast doubt on vaccine effectiveness and fuel conspiracy theories regarding them. But I also feel that it is an abdication of duty on the agency's part, particularly since many health officials and experts say that their efforts would have been boosted by having access to this data.

They believe we're too stupid for it. Only the "experts" can see. This is why we rely so much on other countries' data. The CDC is an absolute dumpster fire of an institution.

This is the same sanctimonious attitude that led to Fauci and co. saying "masks don't work" in March of 2020 in an attempt to save them for healthcare workers. Because regular people are too stupid to be told accurate information that might be inconvenient for the short-term.

[Calthrina950]

This article discusses how the CDC has withheld much of the data concerning the effectiveness of the vaccine and of boosters among 18-49 year olds. This decision has been justified on the fear that such data could be "misinterpreted", in a manner that would cast doubt on vaccine effectiveness and fuel conspiracy theories regarding them. But I also feel that it is an abdication of duty on the agency's part, particularly since many health officials and experts say that their efforts would have been boosted by having access to this data.

They believe we're too stupid for it. Only the "experts" can see. This is why we rely so much on other countries' data. The CDC is an absolute dumpster fire of an institution.

This is the same sanctimonious attitude that led to Fauci and co. saying "masks don't work" in March of 2020 in an attempt to save them for healthcare workers. Because regular people are too stupid to be told accurate information that might be inconvenient for the short-term.

My opinion of the CDC certainly has declined in recent months. In the article, someone notes that the CDC is as much a political organization as it is a medical or health organization, and the pandemic has shown that to be very true. The shifting stances on mask wearing, the withholding of data, the eviction moratorium, and the favoritism given to Pfizer, with regards to vaccine contracts, all demonstrate this. What is frustrating is that so many businesses and institutions continue to maintain mandates and restrictions based upon CDC recommendations, and they will only change when the CDC does. Fortunately, the CDC is supposed to be changing sometime this week.

[T'Chenka]

Fortunately, the CDC is supposed to be changing sometime this week.

This is fake news. Mask mandates are going to be permanent. Atlas told me so.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

This article discusses how the CDC has withheld much of the data concerning the effectiveness of the vaccine and of boosters among 18-49 year olds. This decision has been justified on the fear that such data could be "misinterpreted", in a manner that would cast doubt on vaccine effectiveness and fuel conspiracy theories regarding them. But I also feel that it is an abdication of duty on the agency's part, particularly since many health officials and experts say that their efforts would have been boosted by having access to this data.

They believe we're too stupid for it. Only the "experts" can see. This is why we rely so much on other countries' data. The CDC is an absolute dumpster fire of an institution.

This is the same sanctimonious attitude that led to Fauci and co. saying "masks don't work" in March of 2020 in an attempt to save them for healthcare workers. Because regular people are too stupid to be told accurate information that might be inconvenient for the short-term.

My opinion of the CDC certainly has declined in recent months. In the article, someone notes that the CDC is as much a political organization as it is a medical or health organization, and the pandemic has shown that to be very true. The shifting stances on mask wearing, the withholding of data, the eviction moratorium, and the favoritism given to Pfizer, with regards to vaccine contracts, all demonstrate this. What is frustrating is that so many businesses and institutions continue to maintain mandates and restrictions based upon CDC recommendations, and they will only change when the CDC does. Fortunately, the CDC is supposed to be changing sometime this week.

There was always something preposterous about the CDC doing an eviction moratorium.
The CDC is ultimately a tool of politicians and should probably be seen as such. When Trump was president, he would use the CDC to bolster Operation Warp Speed, and Biden has used the CDC to bolster his plans as well.

[Calthrina950]

Shut the everloving f**k up. I LITERALLY VOTED FOR BIDEN. I GOT VACCINATED ALMOST AS SOON AS IT WAS AVAILABLE TO ME AND I'M BOOSTED. You are a f**king deranged hack and need help. Now.

You seem agitated.

I have noticed that Rolls Roons has become more partisan or "based", the term which "online" people like to use, in recent months. Putting up with some of the nonsense on this forum can push you in that direction. 

Based isn’t really a synonym for partisan, it can be but it’s used to indicate you strongly agree with something, whether ironically or unironically.

E.g.
“We should invade Austria”
“Dude…based and Anti-Austria pilled”

As I said, I'm not an expert on online terminology, but that's the term that comes closest to capturing what I mean. The point I'm making is that he's becoming prouder of his partisan identity. He also seems to really like Ron DeSantis.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

This article discusses how the CDC has withheld much of the data concerning the effectiveness of the vaccine and of boosters among 18-49 year olds. This decision has been justified on the fear that such data could be "misinterpreted", in a manner that would cast doubt on vaccine effectiveness and fuel conspiracy theories regarding them. But I also feel that it is an abdication of duty on the agency's part, particularly since many health officials and experts say that their efforts would have been boosted by having access to this data.

I remember just a few weeks ago someone linked to CDC data in this thread that included covid death rates by age and vaccination status, including 18-49.  I distinctly remember that the total number of reported deaths among boosted 18-49s was 5 people.

[Pres Mike]

Meanwhile most red states moved on 18 months ago.

[Frodo]

As of Presidents' Day, the weekly average COVID death toll fell under 2,000 for the first time since January:

COVID-19 Update: US Death Toll Falls Below 2,000 Per Day For First Time In A Month

[DINGO Joe]

This article discusses how the CDC has withheld much of the data concerning the effectiveness of the vaccine and of boosters among 18-49 year olds. This decision has been justified on the fear that such data could be "misinterpreted", in a manner that would cast doubt on vaccine effectiveness and fuel conspiracy theories regarding them. But I also feel that it is an abdication of duty on the agency's part, particularly since many health officials and experts say that their efforts would have been boosted by having access to this data.

I remember just a few weeks ago someone linked to CDC data in this thread that included covid death rates by age and vaccination status, including 18-49.  I distinctly remember that the total number of reported deaths among boosted 18-49s was 5 people.

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7104e2.htm#T1_down

I think this what you were citing, and while the incident of vaxxed boosted deaths were quite low, it was from 25 jurisdictions for Oct and Nov with a total of 16527 Covid deaths across all ages.  Plus, there's no data as to what % of 18-49 were actually boosted and at what point.  I'm over 50 and I didn't get boosted until October.  I mean vaxxing and boosting are good, but they probably aren't that good.

Like with everything else with Covid as the pandemic has progressed, to me the most striking thing is how much whiter the deaths have become and that has even been super magnified among the younger deaths.

[DINGO Joe]

To that point, in 2020 Whites made up 23% of the deaths in the 40-49 group and 21% in the 30-39.  In 2021 Whites made up 46% and 41% of the deaths in the respective age groups.  And in the limited 2022 data, those numbers are 56% and 50%

[DINGO Joe]

This looks interesting



-As expected, a lot of vaccinated Trump voters in retirement areas of Florida and a lot of unvaccinated Biden voters in the cultural South (particularly in Atlanta)

-Less well known is the high concentration of vaccinated Trump voters in Appalachia (!)

-On the other hand, vaccination rates are even lower than would be expected in the Ozarks

-Little or no evidence of an anti-vax granola left effect as NorCal and the Pacific NW have higher vaccination rates than predicted by election results

-Western NM/Eastern AZ are doing really well and look like the Northeast here

-Southside VA looks like the Deep South here and it spills into NE NC

Image Source: https://twitter.com/Mill226/status/1490438915156676610/photo/1

I think the major factor being exposed by this graph is race, and this is unsurprising given what we know about vaccination rates across demographic groups.  Conditional on party, Black Americans are less likely to be vaccinated than Whites (especially rural Black residents), while Latinos are more likely to be vaccinated.

The high vax rates among Latinos is one of the biggest overlooked stories of the pandemic, and one that Democrats should really be trying to capitalize on.

Regardless of what vax data shows, Black Americans were the only ones that may have had a decline in Covid deaths in 2021, granted a decline of less than 1%, but that certainly looks great compared to an increase of 30% in deaths among whites. 

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/health_disparities.htm#RaceHispanicOrigin

I mean white people made up 60% of the deaths in 2020, 66% in 2021 and Feb looks like the 5th straight month with white deaths topping the 70% mark.

[Aliens]

Mayor Lightfoot and Dr Arwady decided to lift the Chicago mask and vaccine mandates with the rest of the state on the 28th.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

This looks interesting



-As expected, a lot of vaccinated Trump voters in retirement areas of Florida and a lot of unvaccinated Biden voters in the cultural South (particularly in Atlanta)

-Less well known is the high concentration of vaccinated Trump voters in Appalachia (!)

-On the other hand, vaccination rates are even lower than would be expected in the Ozarks

-Little or no evidence of an anti-vax granola left effect as NorCal and the Pacific NW have higher vaccination rates than predicted by election results

-Western NM/Eastern AZ are doing really well and look like the Northeast here

-Southside VA looks like the Deep South here and it spills into NE NC

Image Source: https://twitter.com/Mill226/status/1490438915156676610/photo/1

Fascinating map.
Why no data from VT?

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

https://twitter.com/Telegraph/status/1496364357814476802

[Inmate Trump]

https://twitter.com/Telegraph/status/1496364357814476802

I fully believe that this isn't a natural virus, but rather one created in and leaked from a lab. I've believed this for some time. I don't think it's that radical of an idea, but rather the most likely.

[Roll Roons]

https://twitter.com/Telegraph/status/1496364357814476802

But I was told that this is a wacky conspiracy theory on par with thinking the Earth is flat and that believing it might be true means you hate all Asian people.

[Inmate Trump]

But I was told that this is a wacky conspiracy theory on par with thinking the Earth is flat and that believing it might be true means you hate all Asian people.

It's pretty dumb people tried to equate this theory to racism. It's as valid a theory as any other and deserves investigating.

[jamestroll]

The government never had any right to order businesses shut.

[emailking]

I fully believe that this isn't a natural virus, but rather one created in and leaked from a lab. I've believed this for some time. I don't think it's that radical of an idea, but rather the most likely.

A lab leak doesn't mean it was created in a lab.

Anyway, the last I heard Fauci speak about it, he still thought animal to human transfer was the most likely explanation. If he changes his tone, I'll give the idea more credence. Right now it's just reporting that some in the UK government think it's a likely explanation of the origin.

[Skill and Chance]

This looks interesting



-As expected, a lot of vaccinated Trump voters in retirement areas of Florida and a lot of unvaccinated Biden voters in the cultural South (particularly in Atlanta)

-Less well known is the high concentration of vaccinated Trump voters in Appalachia (!)

-On the other hand, vaccination rates are even lower than would be expected in the Ozarks

-Little or no evidence of an anti-vax granola left effect as NorCal and the Pacific NW have higher vaccination rates than predicted by election results

-Western NM/Eastern AZ are doing really well and look like the Northeast here

-Southside VA looks like the Deep South here and it spills into NE NC

Image Source: https://twitter.com/Mill226/status/1490438915156676610/photo/1

Fascinating map.
Why no data from VT?

IDK.  VA also didn't have county level vax data until about 6 months ago.  Based on the statewide data and the population distribution, VT is likely to be near uniformly high like the rest of of New England.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

This looks interesting



-As expected, a lot of vaccinated Trump voters in retirement areas of Florida and a lot of unvaccinated Biden voters in the cultural South (particularly in Atlanta)

-Less well known is the high concentration of vaccinated Trump voters in Appalachia (!)

-On the other hand, vaccination rates are even lower than would be expected in the Ozarks

-Little or no evidence of an anti-vax granola left effect as NorCal and the Pacific NW have higher vaccination rates than predicted by election results

-Western NM/Eastern AZ are doing really well and look like the Northeast here

-Southside VA looks like the Deep South here and it spills into NE NC

Image Source: https://twitter.com/Mill226/status/1490438915156676610/photo/1

Fascinating map.
Why no data from VT?

IDK.  VA also didn't have county level vax data until about 6 months ago.  Based on the statewide data and the population distribution, VT is likely to be near uniformly high like the rest of of New England.

Ah I see.
That makes sense.

[GeneralMacArthur]

But I was told that this is a wacky conspiracy theory on par with thinking the Earth is flat and that believing it might be true means you hate all Asian people.

It was a wacky conspiracy theory because people were taking it a step further and saying the entire pandemic was intentional and a way for ~the elites~ to assert control over the population or whatever.  Or like it was biological warfare from China against the rest of the world.  All that has to look pretty silly in retrospect.

[GregTheGreat657]

What do you guys think the odds are that NYS drops it school mask mandate on March 7th when it is set to expire?

[Bandit3 the Worker]

What do you guys think the odds are that NYS drops it school mask mandate on March 7th when it is set to expire?

Over 50/50.

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/iceland-lift-all-covid-19-restrictions-friday-media-reports-2022-02-23/
Iceland to lift all COVID-19 restrictions on Friday

COPENHAGEN, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Iceland will lift all remaining COVID-19 restrictions on Friday, including a 200-person indoor gathering limit and restricted opening hours for bars, the Ministry of Health said on Wednesday.

"Widespread societal resistance to COVID-19 is the main route out of the epidemic," the ministry said in a statement, citing infectious disease authorities.

"To achieve this, as many people as possible need to be infected with the virus as the vaccines are not enough, even though they provide good protection against serious illness," it added.

Bold.