~*Official #COVID-19 Thread of Doom*~ Revenge of Omicron Prime

[SuperSpreader]

🤷‍♂️

[ort]

The at-home tests are unreliable enough that they aren't as useful as many think. Home tests will only tell you if that bad cold you have is actually COVID. And even then, only 85% of the time. If you test before you feel like shit, they don't do anything and most of the spread happens before you feel like shit.

 

The federal government should also be helping set up more (molecular) testing centers in cities. It's still way too annoying to get tested. If there is a big surge, it will only get worse.

[ort]

I mean, I guess mailing everyone a test would be better than doing nothing, I'm just not sure it would really be that beneficial.

 

I can already see the idiotic death cult republicans freaking out and burning their tests in protest.

 

"Ain't no democrat gonna put a gubment stick up my nose. This is still America and we're still free to do what we want. Now watch me shoot this box with my big ass gun. Yeeee-ha!"

[Joe]

Mailing free tests in this country is dumb and a waste of money, but they should be far more affordable.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

13 minutes ago, sblfilms said:

Looking around the world, it doesn’t seem like there is much that can be done with a population unwilling to participate in the group behaviors needed to keep outbreaks manageable. Asking people to keep this stuff up for years is a losing proposition.

Even most who have been on board for the last two years are going to start cracking as it becomes more and more apparent that the odds are you’ll be fine if you keep up with your vaccination, which means it is (largely) up to individuals how they want the rest of the Covid era to go for them.

 

That's exactly where I'm at now.  Let the chips fall where they may.   

 

In fact, I'm considering putting this thread out of its misery in early 2022 because it has largely served its purpose at this point.

 

The world has moved on and perhaps so should we.

[Chadatog]

1 hour ago, Joe said:

I should stop reading this thread. Making me reconsider Christmas Eve.

Same, traveling to NJ for Christmas got 2 sister in laws not vaxed (one a teacher with type 1diabetis) and we are bringing our 4year old foster daughter who has CP and is considered medically fragile.

[Jason]

19 minutes ago, ort said:

The at-home tests are unreliable enough that they aren't as useful as many think. Home tests will only tell you if that bad cold you have is actually COVID. And even then, only 85% of the time. If you test before you feel like shit, they don't do anything and most of the spread happens before you feel like shit.

 

The federal government should also be helping set up more (molecular) testing centers in cities. It's still way too annoying to get tested. If there is a big surge, it will only get worse.

 

The at home rapid tests are pretty reliable for telling if you're contagious. If we had copious at home tests, we could normalize doing them right before doing things that involve being around other people—if you test negative right before going out then you're probably fine to go spend a few hours at someone else's place for dinner. Of course a lot of people still wouldn't bother, but there's a lot of people who would and it still help get the numbers down. 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

6 minutes ago, Chadatog said:

Same, traveling to NJ for Christmas got 2 sister in laws not vaxed (one a teacher with type 1diabetis) and we are bringing our 4year old foster daughter who has CP and is considered medically fragile.

 

I would cancel and be explicit about the reason.

[Jason]

18 minutes ago, Joe said:

Mailing free tests in this country is dumb and a waste of money, but they should be far more affordable.

 

Specifically mailing tests isn't worth it but Psaki was derisive about not making it a convoluted insurance reimbursement process where you need to have insurance and be able to float the money while waiting to be reimbursed, and be in a position where you can eat the loss of your insurance gets stupid about it. One thing that could help is lighting a fire under the FDA's ass to approve more tests, part of the reason we're getting gouged is that they view it as basically zero priority to approve more than the two they already have. In other countries you can get the Abbot ones that are 2 for $25 for 20 for $4.

[Chadatog]

6 minutes ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

 

I would cancel and be explicit about the reason.

I wish we could, but my wife's newest nephew (born this summer) will be coming and there is no keeping her from going as we won't have a chance to see them any other time.  At least we aren't staying in the house we have a hotel room for the 3days we will be there.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

4 minutes ago, Chadatog said:

I wish we could, but my wife's newest nephew (born this summer) will be coming and there is no keeping her from going as we won't have a chance to see them any other time.  At least we aren't staying in the house we have a hotel room for the 3days we will be there.

 

It's a baby - they all look bloody well the same, like Winston Churchill!

 

You've seen one, you've seen 'em all!

[Ricofoley]

Two separate studies have now shown evidence that Omicron does not seem to infect lung cells as well as other strains

[AbsolutSurgen]

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

BBC News - Booster at least 80% effective against severe Omicron

Booster at least 80% effective against severe Omicron

WWW.BBC.CO.UK

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Preliminary estimates by researchers suggest the top-up shot should help keep many people out of hospital.

 

That's good enough for me!

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

T-cells in Pfizer Covid jab recipients stay robust against severe illness | Coronavirus | The Guardian

WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM

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Research in South Africa raises hopes that similar responses may be present with other vaccines

 

Quote

 

South African researchers examining how the body’s immune system responds to the Omicron variant have identified that T-cells in people who have had the Pfizer vaccine continue to be robust in potentially protecting against severe illness despite Omicron’s ability to evade other defences.

 

The research raises hopes that similar responses may be present with other vaccines and within unvaccinated individuals who have been infected with coronavirus.

 

T-cells are a type of white blood cell that determine our bodies’ immune response to antigens – foreign substances – in the body. While neutralising antibodies produced by vaccines are designed to prevent infection happening, which Omicron appears able to sidestep, T-cells recognise the virus once it has infected cells and then moves to kill them.

 

The data is the result of some of the earliest lab testing to examine how effective T-cell response is against Omicron and suggests that in samples of those double-vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine the T-cell response remained 70%-80% effective.

 

 

[TyphoidHater]

1 hour ago, ort said:

It drives me crazy whenever Republicans try to dunk on Biden for not solving COVID.

 

I mean, what the fucking fuck? At least he's trying to do something. At least he's taking it seriously. All they do is cross their arms, stomp their feet and thumb their noses at literally everything like big dumb diaper babies who made a big poopie in their big dumb diaper baby diapers.

 

Fuck them all. I'm so sick of anti-vaxxers and COVID down players. I fucking hate them. HATE. Selfish assholes, every fucking one. Selfish garbage people peddling garbage and death.

 

Over 800,000 Americans are dead and I bet at least 1/3 of that is directly the fault of the Republican Party.

 

I can't like this post enough 😍

[Jason]

24 minutes ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

BBC News - Booster at least 80% effective against severe Omicron

Booster at least 80% effective against severe Omicron

WWW.BBC.CO.UK

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Preliminary estimates by researchers suggest the top-up shot should help keep many people out of hospital.

 

That's good enough for me!

 

Of course, "mild" means anything short of being hospitalized.

[PaladinSolo]

Regardless of the variant, one thing is still true, Have COVID will travel!

 

 

[Joe]

3 minutes ago, PaladinSolo said:

Regardless of the variant, one thing is still true, Have COVID will travel!

 

 

Their second case?! Wat.

[Air_Delivery]

2 hours ago, Jason said:

 

Amazon is the absolute last place I'd buy N95s, considering the rampant counterfeiting issues on Amazon. Buy these from this site instead:

 

LG Airwasher KF94 Face Mask, Made in Korea

WWW.EVERYDAYEMALL.COM

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Made by LG Household &Health Care, approved by the South Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) Made with a soft Nylon elastic for a very comfortable fit around the ears Made...

 

 

They are sold by Amazon so I think they should be ok.

[Air_Delivery]

1 hour ago, Joe said:

 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-N95-Particulate-Performance-Disposable-Paint-Prep-Respirator-20-Pack-8210PP20-DC/304748236

 

These seem really good and well priced.

These are the ones I bought

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008MCUZZS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 

Those ones you linked are plus so maybe better? Oh well hopefully these work well enough.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Appeals court lets Biden administration enforce vaccine rules for large employers

WWW.CNN.COM

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The Biden administration scored a significant victory Friday in its court battles to enforce various federal vaccine mandates, with an appeals court ruling that the government can enforce a vaccine-or-testing rule for companies with more than 100 employees.

 

Quote

 

The Biden administration scored a significant victory Friday in its court battles to enforce various federal vaccine mandates, with an appeals court ruling that the government can enforce a vaccine-or-testing rule for companies with more than 100 employees.

 

The decision, from the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals, came after a separate appeals court on Friday declined a Justice Department request that it reinstate the administration's federal contractor mandate, which had been blocked nationwide by a federal judge earlier this month.

 

A third Biden mandate -- requiring vaccines for certain health care workers -- is being reviewed by the Supreme Court, after lower courts froze it in half the states in the country.

 

 

Your turn, SCOTUS.

[Jason]

19 minutes ago, Air_Delivery said:

They are sold by Amazon so I think they should be ok.

 

That doesn't mean anything because they intermingle their stock and "fulfilled by Amazon" stock on the shelves. Even if Amazon is buying legit items they could grab something off the shelf that's the "same" item from a third party seller that peddles counterfeits.

[Jason]

Also I have no idea what "plus" is supposed to mean here.

[Air_Delivery]

2 minutes ago, Jason said:

 

That doesn't mean anything because they intermingle their stock and "fulfilled by Amazon" stock on the shelves. Even if Amazon is buying legit items they could grab something off the shelf that's the "same" item from a third party seller that peddles counterfeits.

Its both sold and ships by Amazon. There doesn't appear to be any 3rd party sellers on this particular product that also ships from Amazon. 

[CitizenVectron]

44 minutes ago, Joe said:

Their second case?! Wat.

 

"Identified" is doing a lot of work there. I'm sure they have more and just don't know.

[Joe]

14 minutes ago, Air_Delivery said:

Its both sold and ships by Amazon. There doesn't appear to be any 3rd party sellers on this particular product that also ships from Amazon. 

Dude it’s fine. Plus you get that extra protection. 95 > 94. QED bitches.

[CitizenVectron]

I managed to find some 95PFE masks (same as N95) online today. Only 40 in total, but better than nothing. Got them from Costco.

[Joe]

 

[Joe]

 

Only Voltron Jason will stand a chance.

[CitizenVectron]

Anti-5G necklaces found to be radioactive

WWW.BBC.CO.UK

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Conspiracy theories about 5G have fuelled a market for "anti-5G" accessories.

 

[Ominous]

We were told we can stay home and work from home until after Christmas. 

 

Someone on my team told me we had 2 people in the office test positive this week....not sure if they are connected but I'm not going to complain. 

[Jason]

57 minutes ago, Joe said:

 

Only Voltron Jason will stand a chance.

 

[skillzdadirecta]

New Los Angeles Covid Cases Skyrocket 48%, Up Over 1,000 in 24 Hours; Highest Count Since Mid-August

DEADLINE.COM

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New Los Angeles Covid Cases Skyrocket 48%, Up Over 1,000 in 24 Hours; Highest Count Since Mid-August

 

[skillzdadirecta]

4 hours ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

 

That's exactly where I'm at now.  Let the chips fall where they may.   

 

In fact, I'm considering putting this thread out of its misery in early 2022 because it has largely served its purpose at this point.

 

The world has moved on and perhaps so should we.

I would suggest not doing that as this thread is full of useful articles that posters link that some of us may miss otherwise. Pretty much what I use it for.