COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[GregTheGreat657]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/12/01/covid-omicron-vaccines-testing-requirements/8814830002/

[GregTheGreat657]

Yes, but Biden will never do it

[GregTheGreat657]

https://twitter.com/spectatorindex/status/1473065319769862145?s=20

Very good news.

Hopefully, but I'm worried it's like that late increase in deaths in the Delta wave. Deaths are a lagging indicator so we need more time to know for sure that Omicron is mild and can't overwhelm the healthcare system/cause mass death among the vaccinated. In the meantime, people should be responsible and take precautions by wearing masks and having a few less social contacts than normal.

I'm not pro-mask in the manner that you are, but I have noticed that the numbers of mask-wearing customers at my job have increased in recent weeks. The balance between those wearing masks and those who aren't is probably about 50/50 at this point.

Where I live, only about 20-30% of people wore masks until the mandate was put back into effect, though that number seemed to go up slightly throughout the fall.

[GregTheGreat657]

https://thehill.com/homenews/coronavirus-report/587061-fauci-says-large-holiday-gatherings-not-safe-even-with-booster

At this point, we just need to do what we want, and stop listening to the 'experts'. They want the pandemic and its restrictions to go on as long as possible to line their pockets

[GregTheGreat657]

I don't see the problem.

Obviously everyone is completely and totally free to do whatever they like.

It's the *job* of the experts to advise us on the safest course of action.  We can abide by their guidelines, or not.  If these same people didn't advise appropriate caution in the face of rising cases and disease, that'd be extremely horrible of them.  They're simply doing their job to tell us the safest course.

But some politicians take Fauci's word like gospel, and will institute gathering limits, based on this

[GregTheGreat657]

Health experts always recommend the most absolute course of action, I don't know why this would be surprising. They also say avoid high fructose corn syrup entirely but most people still consume it.

That's different, because consumption high fructose corn syrup isn't outright banned, and I'm worried some places will force gathering limits

[GregTheGreat657]

We should be looking at deaths rather than cases to determine how bad things are

[GregTheGreat657]

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

[GregTheGreat657]

A little over a week ago, an elderly man was assaulted for not wearing a mask while eating by a maskless woman, on a plane

https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/woman-arrested-for-assaulting-elderly-man-on-flight-eating-without-mask-watch-1894088-2021-12-30

[GregTheGreat657]

The NY mask mandate was extended to Feb. 1
https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-covid-hochul-extends-mask-mandate-february-1-20211231-arkjjt3lcjhq3hnpo7uurebvpi-story.html

[GregTheGreat657]

The NY mask mandate was extended to Feb. 1
https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-covid-hochul-extends-mask-mandate-february-1-20211231-arkjjt3lcjhq3hnpo7uurebvpi-story.html

Not surprising. I suspect Hochul is going to extend it every month for the next several months. Again, it is notable that all nine states (and D.C.) that still have a mask mandate at this point are under Democratic control. That's certainly a clear signal of how polarized the issue is now.

There's a reason for my new display name

[GregTheGreat657]

The NY mask mandate was extended to Feb. 1
https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-covid-hochul-extends-mask-mandate-february-1-20211231-arkjjt3lcjhq3hnpo7uurebvpi-story.html

Not surprising. I suspect Hochul is going to extend it every month for the next several months. Again, it is notable that all nine states (and D.C.) that still have a mask mandate at this point are under Democratic control. That's certainly a clear signal of how polarized the issue is now.

There's a reason for my new display name

NY Republicans are just as corrupt as Dems. The state needs outside administration for awhile.

At least they wouldn't restrict my freedoms, to save a group of people who largely do not want the help

[GregTheGreat657]

.
The best I have heard is to just end all isolation quarantines, meaning even if you were exposed you wouldn’t need to isolate at all test or no test. While obviously this would end all quarantine absences short term, it definitely would increase cases to levels unprecedented, and while omicron does appear milder, the sheer volume still will likely kill a few more hundred thousand over the next few months if this were the policy action taken.

So uh, out of curiosity, do the US still require close contacts to self-isolate? Even if vaccinated?

Unless you are symptomatic, no. Starting in the past couple of weeks, this even applies to the unvaccinated but has applied to the vaccinated form months

[GregTheGreat657]

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/might-be-over-that-peak-ny-viral-spread-rates-ease-as-deaths-hospitalizations-rise/3489703/

LETS F***ING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! *knocks on wood*

[GregTheGreat657]

At this point, we should shift our focus to COVID-positive individuals with little to no symptoms who go to the hospital. Hospitals should reject all COVID patients with mild or no symptoms (maybe send them off with some preventative meds in case more severe symptoms do develop) so the rest of us aren't forced to pay for their hysteria

[GregTheGreat657]

Today is the first day since Dec. 15 in which the 7-day case average in the U.S. dropped.

Looks like we are over the hump, but I will knock on wood to make sure it stays that way

[GregTheGreat657]

The abandonment of contact tracing over the past week is the most telling local development in Vermont. The news that schools will no longer bother with it has received plenty of jeering, but it's just forced the better-informed to explain that there is no longer any benefit to that expense. It seems like a real turning point.

I wish New York did this...

[GregTheGreat657]

The abandonment of contact tracing over the past week is the most telling local development in Vermont. The news that schools will no longer bother with it has received plenty of jeering, but it's just forced the better-informed to explain that there is no longer any benefit to that expense. It seems like a real turning point.

I wish New York did this...

I wouldn't be too optimistic about the Hundred Year Winter ending any time soon in Narnia.

I know my state can be pretty f***ing stupid about this pandemic, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't want them to do it

[GregTheGreat657]

There might be a way to convince a decent amount of unvaccinated conservatives to get vaccinated. That way would be to mention family, as according to research conducted by pollster Frank Luntz, family was the number one motivation among conservatives to get vaccinated.

[GregTheGreat657]

I've been saying this for over a month now, but we should leaving pandemic mode, not digging our heels in deeper

[GregTheGreat657]

I've been saying this for over a month now, but we should leaving pandemic mode, not digging our heels in deeper

What is this in response to? Testing?

Masks. They shouldn't be mandated for the vaccinated in any circumstance (except for hospitals)

[GregTheGreat657]

The CDC did double down on its masking recommendations yesterday, urging people to wear the "mask or respirator" that is "most protective" for them. So, they're not explicitly endorsing N95 masks, but they certainly are indicating support for them. This reinforces my conviction that the CDC will continue to recommend mask wearing in public long past the end of the pandemic.

If that happens, we should revolt by all peacefully refusing to wear masks

[GregTheGreat657]

They recommended vaxxed can go maskless back when cases were 10-20K a day. I don't see why they wouldn't go back to that when the cases finally subside.

I sure hope this is right

[GregTheGreat657]

The US should start shipping vaccine doses overseas in large numbers and providing the means to get those shots in arms. This is coming from someone who is generally against foreign aid

[GregTheGreat657]

We need normalcy now!