COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[Sir Mohamed]

Ugh

https://twitter.com/CNNPolitics/status/1293197001065201664

[Sir Mohamed]

Maybe those of us saying that classes have to be remote for now (even if that’s not at all ideal) had a point? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I'm out of university for almost a decade and don't have kids at school, so I'm not pretending to exactly know how things are going on the ground, but the problem with remote lessons is mostly infrastructure. Not all teachers have sufficient training with technical issues, let alone kids and their parents. Particularly in low income households. A small percentage might not even have internet access. Business as usual in schools for sure is irresponsible in the situation we're in, but I'm more than skeptical remote lessons can sort of replace schooling.

[Sir Mohamed]

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1312462466983501824

NOV: Virus is spread through mail-in-ballots! VOTE IN PERSON!

DEC: Santa Claus will knock the virus out!

JAN: *tweeting from Mar-A-Lago*

FEB: It's all Biden's fault!

[Sir Mohamed]

New Woodward audio: Trump said in March he was too busy to meet with Fauci

    TRUMP: "Yes, I guess, but honestly, there's not a lot of time for that, Bob. It's a busy White House. This is a busy White House. We've got a lot of things happening. And then this came about. Look, we have the greatest economy on Earth. The greatest economy we've ever had. And in one day, this thing came in and we had a choice to make. Close everything up and save potentially millions of lives, you know hundreds of thousands of lives. Or don't do anything and watch, look at body bags every day being taken out of apartment buildings."

    FAUCI: "Who told you that?"

    TRUMP: "Me. I told me that."

For sure he prefers making stupid Tweets and playing gold rather than having a meeting where he needs to listen to subborn facts and stupid science.

Mr. Trump's whole attitude as prez was just to feed his own fragile ego, enrich himself and advance vile GOP policies including being their useful idiot appointing Federalist Society judges. It was never about serious policies and solving complex problems. He's neither interested nor capable of that. As a result, we're all paying a horrible price.

[Sir Mohamed]

Seniors not vulnerable? It's beyond me how he can continue to play it down after all that has happened, including to himself. Even more frustrating is the fact about 40% still support this clown. He has learned absolutely nothing. He's completely incapable of learning.

[Sir Mohamed]

Here in Michigan we've gone from 719 cases moving 7 day average on 9/20/2020 to 1615 today.        
      
I'm in Oakland County, and in the same period we've gone from 70 to 116.      
      
2.24x increase statewide, but only 65% increase in Oakland County. It looks like the rural counties are getting hardest hit for now.      
      

Good.
These counties have the most virus-truthers. This is a necessary educational moment.

Their cult leader didn't learn from his own infection either. He instead called it a "gift from god". I wouldn't be surprised if some end up being proud of suffering from COVID-19, being just as their leader. On the other hand, too much innocent people would still be affected by the disease or other consequences it brings for the region.

[Sir Mohamed]

Mr. Trump plans to take credit for vaccine again.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1328341927641681922

[Sir Mohamed]

Examining the situation for a few weeks now, I think we need a national lockdown for 3-4 weeks. Close all nonessential stores and prohibit any in person contacts outside your own household. Additionally, enforce rigorous mask mandates in supermarkets and other essential businesses. That's not a popular stance to take, but I see no other short term solutions. The number of daily new infections must be drastically reduced, or we lose many, many, many more lives. Even people who wouldn't die with proper treatment since the health system can't handle that many COVID-patients.

[Sir Mohamed]

Examining the situation for a few weeks now, I think we need a national lockdown for 3-4 weeks. Close all nonessential stores and prohibit any in person contacts outside your own household. Additionally, enforce rigorous mask mandates in supermarkets and other essential businesses. That's not a popular stance to take, but I see no other short term solutions. The number of daily new infections must be drastically reduced, or we lose many, many, many more lives. Even people who wouldn't die with proper treatment since the health system can't handle that many COVID-patients.

So millions should be completely incomeless for for a month?

You actually think red state citizens would follow lock downs? answer: they wont and the virus will continue to spread despite a national lockdown.

It works in other countries, so why can't we do the same?

I agree red state citizens won't take it seriously enough. That's why politicizing the pandemic was so horrible. Actually this crisis could help restore unity, at least temporarily, like happened after 9/11.

[Sir Mohamed]

Examining the situation for a few weeks now, I think we need a national lockdown for 3-4 weeks. Close all nonessential stores and prohibit any in person contacts outside your own household. Additionally, enforce rigorous mask mandates in supermarkets and other essential businesses. That's not a popular stance to take, but I see no other short term solutions. The number of daily new infections must be drastically reduced, or we lose many, many, many more lives. Even people who wouldn't die with proper treatment since the health system can't handle that many COVID-patients.

I agree with the need for it, but the lockdown itself isn't a complete solution. It needs to be accompanied by a major stimulus/bailout for businesses and workers (and should really include comprehensive national healthcare), and it needs to be accompanied by a rollout of coordinated nationwide contact tracing.

The problem is it will take time to pass a stimulus. All the left wants on this site are for people to be locked down and they are all rich here so they obviously do not care if millions are evicted in January. They just want to protect their 110 year old grandmother or something.

Our national debt is at a dangerous level. Therefore, I oppose any new massive stimulus packages. Our best way forward is to keep the economy open and vaccinated vulnerable populations in December/January.

We're not going to be vaccinating significant numbers of people in under three months.

A stimulus could easily be passed... if the GOP were participating in government in good faith.

Whining about the national debt now, on this particular issue, is either massively ignorant or done in bad faith.

Does no one seem to understand that if a stimulus it not passed a lock down is not worth it? I am not poor but I can certainly see through all this talk that all of you people on these thread are privileged or do not have jobs to lose. I had to participate in position elimination discussions earlier this summer for jobs that were supposedly going to come back.

There is no stimulus right now so therefore locking down is completely irresponsible.

What's alternative? Letting it go, with nearly 2k deaths a day and climbing? And we still don't know the long term underlying health conditions that arose from COVID-19.

The federal debt could be fixed if both parties had enough courage to raise taxes on upper incomes to pay their fair share, close tax loopholes and drastically cut the defense budget.

[Sir Mohamed]

Examining the situation for a few weeks now, I think we need a national lockdown for 3-4 weeks. Close all nonessential stores and prohibit any in person contacts outside your own household. Additionally, enforce rigorous mask mandates in supermarkets and other essential businesses. That's not a popular stance to take, but I see no other short term solutions. The number of daily new infections must be drastically reduced, or we lose many, many, many more lives. Even people who wouldn't die with proper treatment since the health system can't handle that many COVID-patients.

I agree with the need for it, but the lockdown itself isn't a complete solution. It needs to be accompanied by a major stimulus/bailout for businesses and workers (and should really include comprehensive national healthcare), and it needs to be accompanied by a rollout of coordinated nationwide contact tracing.

The problem is it will take time to pass a stimulus. All the left wants on this site are for people to be locked down and they are all rich here so they obviously do not care if millions are evicted in January. They just want to protect their 110 year old grandmother or something.

Our national debt is at a dangerous level. Therefore, I oppose any new massive stimulus packages. Our best way forward is to keep the economy open and vaccinated vulnerable populations in December/January.

We're not going to be vaccinating significant numbers of people in under three months.

A stimulus could easily be passed... if the GOP were participating in government in good faith.

Whining about the national debt now, on this particular issue, is either massively ignorant or done in bad faith.

Does no one seem to understand that if a stimulus it not passed a lock down is not worth it? I am not poor but I can certainly see through all this talk that all of you people on these thread are privileged or do not have jobs to lose. I had to participate in position elimination discussions earlier this summer for jobs that were supposedly going to come back.

There is no stimulus right now so therefore locking down is completely irresponsible.

What's alternative? Letting it go, with nearly 2k deaths a day and climbing? And we still don't know the long term underlying health conditions that arose from COVID-19.

The federal debt could be fixed if both parties had enough courage to raise taxes on upper incomes to pay their fair share, close tax loopholes and drastically cut the defense budget.

You are showing your privilege.

You are obviously fine with mass unemployment and millions being evicted and having no income at all.

Again, the govt needs to pass a swift aid package. Businsses and factories should remain open has much as possible, under vigrous safety standards.

In the meantime, we need more data where most infections happen to impose specific measures. I'm sure we can get the numbers down if people just refrain from personal contacts during freetime.

Saving lives is still #1 priority of all govt action.

[Sir Mohamed]

Examining the situation for a few weeks now, I think we need a national lockdown for 3-4 weeks. Close all nonessential stores and prohibit any in person contacts outside your own household. Additionally, enforce rigorous mask mandates in supermarkets and other essential businesses. That's not a popular stance to take, but I see no other short term solutions. The number of daily new infections must be drastically reduced, or we lose many, many, many more lives. Even people who wouldn't die with proper treatment since the health system can't handle that many COVID-patients.

I agree with the need for it, but the lockdown itself isn't a complete solution. It needs to be accompanied by a major stimulus/bailout for businesses and workers (and should really include comprehensive national healthcare), and it needs to be accompanied by a rollout of coordinated nationwide contact tracing.

The problem is it will take time to pass a stimulus. All the left wants on this site are for people to be locked down and they are all rich here so they obviously do not care if millions are evicted in January. They just want to protect their 110 year old grandmother or something.

Our national debt is at a dangerous level. Therefore, I oppose any new massive stimulus packages. Our best way forward is to keep the economy open and vaccinated vulnerable populations in December/January.

We're not going to be vaccinating significant numbers of people in under three months.

A stimulus could easily be passed... if the GOP were participating in government in good faith.

Whining about the national debt now, on this particular issue, is either massively ignorant or done in bad faith.

Does no one seem to understand that if a stimulus it not passed a lock down is not worth it? I am not poor but I can certainly see through all this talk that all of you people on these thread are privileged or do not have jobs to lose. I had to participate in position elimination discussions earlier this summer for jobs that were supposedly going to come back.

There is no stimulus right now so therefore locking down is completely irresponsible.

What's alternative? Letting it go, with nearly 2k deaths a day and climbing? And we still don't know the long term underlying health conditions that arose from COVID-19.

The federal debt could be fixed if both parties had enough courage to raise taxes on upper incomes to pay their fair share, close tax loopholes and drastically cut the defense budget.

You are showing your privilege.

You are obviously fine with mass unemployment and millions being evicted and having no income at all.

Again, the govt needs to pass a swift aid package. Businsses and factories should remain open has much as possible, under vigrous safety standards.

In the meantime, we need more data where most infections happen to impose specific measures. I'm sure we can get the numbers down if people just refrain from personal contacts during freetime.

Saving lives is still #1 priority of all govt action.

But its perfect fine to leave millions incomeless?

it is funny. My position on covid mitigations has not changed at all during this entire course. For much of the summer I was personally more restrictive than Democratic governors. Now I am less restrictive.

Trust me I do hold the GOP responsible for this they allowed the virus to spread in their states.

Govt aid wouldn't leave them without income.

Sure, it's a choice between the bad and the worse, but people are dying from thid virus by the thousands. It's 2-3 Nine-Elevens every week.

The economic cost will also be higher in the long term if we just do nothing. Millions of people will have long term health issues, even if they survive COVID-19 without life danger.

[Sir Mohamed]

Examining the situation for a few weeks now, I think we need a national lockdown for 3-4 weeks. Close all nonessential stores and prohibit any in person contacts outside your own household. Additionally, enforce rigorous mask mandates in supermarkets and other essential businesses. That's not a popular stance to take, but I see no other short term solutions. The number of daily new infections must be drastically reduced, or we lose many, many, many more lives. Even people who wouldn't die with proper treatment since the health system can't handle that many COVID-patients.

I agree with the need for it, but the lockdown itself isn't a complete solution. It needs to be accompanied by a major stimulus/bailout for businesses and workers (and should really include comprehensive national healthcare), and it needs to be accompanied by a rollout of coordinated nationwide contact tracing.

The problem is it will take time to pass a stimulus. All the left wants on this site are for people to be locked down and they are all rich here so they obviously do not care if millions are evicted in January. They just want to protect their 110 year old grandmother or something.

Our national debt is at a dangerous level. Therefore, I oppose any new massive stimulus packages. Our best way forward is to keep the economy open and vaccinated vulnerable populations in December/January.

We're not going to be vaccinating significant numbers of people in under three months.

A stimulus could easily be passed... if the GOP were participating in government in good faith.

Whining about the national debt now, on this particular issue, is either massively ignorant or done in bad faith.

Does no one seem to understand that if a stimulus it not passed a lock down is not worth it? I am not poor but I can certainly see through all this talk that all of you people on these thread are privileged or do not have jobs to lose. I had to participate in position elimination discussions earlier this summer for jobs that were supposedly going to come back.

There is no stimulus right now so therefore locking down is completely irresponsible.

What's alternative? Letting it go, with nearly 2k deaths a day and climbing? And we still don't know the long term underlying health conditions that arose from COVID-19.

The federal debt could be fixed if both parties had enough courage to raise taxes on upper incomes to pay their fair share, close tax loopholes and drastically cut the defense budget.

You are showing your privilege.

You are obviously fine with mass unemployment and millions being evicted and having no income at all.

Again, the govt needs to pass a swift aid package. Businsses and factories should remain open has much as possible, under vigrous safety standards.

In the meantime, we need more data where most infections happen to impose specific measures. I'm sure we can get the numbers down if people just refrain from personal contacts during freetime.

Saving lives is still #1 priority of all govt action.

But its perfect fine to leave millions incomeless?

it is funny. My position on covid mitigations has not changed at all during this entire course. For much of the summer I was personally more restrictive than Democratic governors. Now I am less restrictive.

Trust me I do hold the GOP responsible for this they allowed the virus to spread in their states.

Govt aid wouldn't leave them without income.

Sure, it's a choice between the bad and the worse, but people are dying from thid virus by the thousands. It's 2-3 Nine-Elevens every week.

The economic cost will also be higher in the long term if we just do nothing. Millions of people will have long term health issues, even if they survive COVID-19 without life danger.

There is no stimulus right now... if you were the governor would you honestly just let people go without income for many months?

If you read the original post, I said 3-4 weeks. If I were governor, I would have acted early on with safety meaures based science and make sure they are enforced. Additionally, I'd pressure Washington to get its act together and look into passing statewide aide where ever possible. A govs #1 job is to protect the lives of his/her citizens. And I mean all citizens, not just those voted for him/her.

Stop making this about either you have an economy or you have to die. The economy can't fully reopen without COVID being under control, and the long term costs will be much higher if we just let it go.

Not to mention the healthcare system would collapse sooner or later. Do you want to send patients coming to hospitals home and tell them "just die"?

[Sir Mohamed]

The major isue with school seems that science doesn't have a clear answer how much they actually contribute to the spread. Studies often contradict themselves. That makes it so difficult.

[Sir Mohamed]

https://twitter.com/CNNPolitics/status/1334482802121781251

[Sir Mohamed]

Deadliest day since the start of the pandemic?

We barely missed 3,000, so yes, I believe so, unfortunately.

I have a feeling lots of people became kind of numb to this ongoing tragedy. Just think of it, it's basically a 9/11 every single day. Every. single. freakin. day.

[Sir Mohamed]

Ugh.

https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/1339379807684014081

[Sir Mohamed]

https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1339110677638750208

I hope GOP officials and voters take notice. That said, I wish him all the best.

[Sir Mohamed]

New ‘worrying’ Covid strain found in South Africa is ‘more severe among young adults'

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1374779/covid-strain-latest-new-coronavirus-variant-south-africa-young-adults

501.V2 may cause more critical illness among young people with no comorbidities. I don't see any statistics yet.

Doubtful it causes more illness or has a higher mortality rate. This is similar to the UK version, which is just more transferable. More transmitions obviously means a higher number totals, but not more danger for each individual.

Virus mutations often make it less deadly because a host that dies right away can't transmit the virus any longer.

The good news here is that vaccine appears to be equally effective here. At least there is no indication suggesting otherwise. And even if mutations cause the original vaccine to be less effective, it just needs to be adjusted properly. That's not too hard because we don't have to start from the get go again.

[Sir Mohamed]

are the numbers lagging due to Christmas?

I would assume reporting is lagging. Once the reporting from recent days is done, there is going to be a massive spike, with dispropertional number of deaths a few weeks from now. It's possible Inauguration week will be one of the most deadly ever.

[Sir Mohamed]

Does anyone know if the vaccine is supposed to give lasting immunity, or if we’ll have to get a vaccine every year like the flu?

As far as I know, it is yet unknown whether the vaccine will actually provide immunity. BUT, it's being confirmed the Pfizer vaccine prevents 100% of severe COVID cases. Ergo, it may not stop the spread of the virus, but prevent further deaths and suffering.

[Sir Mohamed]

https://twitter.com/RepJayapal/status/1348871117407203328

Ugh. I hope she is fine. One of the best reps.

[Sir Mohamed]

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/28/nyregion/nursing-home-deaths-cuomo.html?referringSource=articleShare

Lock him up!

Really though, this is terrible

How did this dude get an emmy for his handling of COVID? Cuomo should resign as gov.

[Sir Mohamed]

GOP science-deniers are horrible.

https://twitter.com/CNNPolitics/status/1357641383176241152

[Sir Mohamed]

A new study in New England Journal of Medicine shows that getting just one dose of both Pfizer and Moderna is 92 percent effective after just two weeks.  

https://news.yahoo.com/pfizer-moderna-vaccines-prove-92-193917869.html

It’s so frustrating that we’ve been so rigid about this and have insisted on basically wasting half of our vaccine supply while it is still so scarce.

The main issue with this vaccine and its distribution seems the fact that it needs to be stored at -50°F or so. That's an additional difficulty for quick massdelivery.

As far as I know, the Johnson & Johnson and Astra-Zeneca vaccines can be stored at fridge temperatures. That makes it a lot easier.