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

[emalider]

Absolutely this. In less than a week, I've had five more nurses test positive and anticipating more. Surgeries are being reviewed at least daily for proactive surgical/procedural cancelations - inpatient managers are needing to report sick calls and the degree we're short. I know it's often reported in the context of ICU bed/staff availability, but there are larger implications as not all post-op cases go to the ICU. Yay going to be a fun return to work.

1 hour ago, AbsolutSurgen said:

The problem ATM, is not so much the # of people in ICU beds, but rather the number of health care workers in quarantine, and unable to work.

[CitizenVectron]

Like some other provinces, Ontario has made it difficult to get PCR testing (both through lack of capacity, and through a form of triaging for who can get a test). To get around this, public polling firms are basically polling the public to see who has symptoms. And...it's not good:

 

 

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, CitizenVectron said:

Like some other provinces, Ontario has made it difficult to get PCR testing (both through lack of capacity, and through a form of triaging for who can get a test). To get around this, public polling firms are basically polling the public to see who has symptoms. And...it's not good:

 

 

Out of the 18 of us who got sick, only two of us got tested. I’m sure many people aren’t bothering to get tested, and unless you have a specific reason to…there really isn’t much of a point. Best to assume Covid symptoms = Covid infection and stay away from people.

[CitizenVectron]

5 minutes ago, sblfilms said:

Out of the 18 of us who got sick, only two of us got tested. I’m sure many people aren’t bothering to get tested, and unless you have a specific reason to…there really isn’t much of a point. Best to assume Covid symptoms = Covid infection and stay away from people.

 

For sure. Premier Ford just said that though they are seeing 10,000-15,000 positive PCR tests per day, they are internally assuming over 100,000 new cases per day.

 

At this point I don't think anyone is going to have much luck avoiding this...but I do think there is value in at least smoothing/stretching out the timeline of spread. Even having everyone catch it over 3 months vs 1 month could mean a huge difference in disruptions to healthcare and other services, etc.

 

In my case I can work from home (and will be advising my manager this afternoon that I intend to do so for the next few weeks, if possible), but I also have about 60 paid sick days banked. So if I do feel symptoms I'm just going to start burning through those.

[CitizenVectron]

Also, Bolsonaro is in the hospital again. Probably poop related again, but he's had COVID multiple times so:

 

 

[skillzdadirecta]

My brother and his girlfriend both were down for the count. Pretty sure they had Covid but didn't get tested.

[silentbob]

My workplace is becoming a gong show right now. We had a manager out a few days before Xmas and just came back today after his battle with the “O” Another co-workers tested positive on NYE, store manager was sounding a little sick and I haven’t had an appetite for a few days. A couple more co-workers are also not feeling great and my store only has 8 people who work it. So my sister is going to lend me a rapid test from what Mr. Ford gave my nieces before leaving for the Xmas break. So I’m either not working this week OR I’m working all this week. 

[AbsolutSurgen]

26 minutes ago, CitizenVectron said:

 

For sure. Premier Ford just said that though they are seeing 10,000-15,000 positive PCR tests per day, they are internally assuming over 100,000 new cases per day.

 

At this point I don't think anyone is going to have much luck avoiding this...but I do think there is value in at least smoothing/stretching out the timeline of spread. Even having everyone catch it over 3 months vs 1 month could mean a huge difference in disruptions to healthcare and other services, etc.

 

In my case I can work from home (and will be advising my manager this afternoon that I intend to do so for the next few weeks, if possible), but I also have about 60 paid sick days banked. So if I do feel symptoms I'm just going to start burning through those.

Sort of.  He said the models that they are seeing suggest they WILL have 100,000 cases a day.  The Ontario modelling has been widely inaccurate in the past.

 

Without understanding the assumptions used in hospitalization rates, it's hard to understand what the real impact is on hospitalization.  They are, again, putting in VERY stringent closures (closing all gyms, indoor dining, theatres, schools, restricting indoor gatherings to 5 people, etc.) without sharing the data on hospitalization, nor the assumptions in the modelling they are sharing with us.  If, as in the past, young vaccinated people are still having extremely low levels of hospitalization, then, does it make sense to lock-down those people?  Perhaps not.

[CayceG]

14 minutes ago, silentbob said:

My workplace is becoming a gong show right now. We had a manager out a few days before Xmas and just came back today after his battle with the “O” Another co-workers tested positive on NYE, store manager was sounding a little sick and I haven’t had an appetite for a few days. A couple more co-workers are also not feeling great and my store only has 8 people who work it. So my sister is going to lend me a rapid test from what Mr. Ford gave my nieces before leaving for the Xmas break. So I’m either not working this week OR I’m working all this week. 

 

All of that really sucks. 

 

But moreover, it's underscored the fact that I have no idea what The Gong Show is or how it works. 

[skillzdadirecta]

L.A. County coronavirus transmission rate at highest point since early months of pandemic

WWW.LATIMES.COM

---

Every infected person in L.A. County is on average transmitting the virus to two other people, according to estimates from California's COVID-19 computer...

 

[Jwheel86]

37 minutes ago, CitizenVectron said:

 

For sure. Premier Ford just said that though they are seeing 10,000-15,000 positive PCR tests per day, they are internally assuming over 100,000 new cases per day.

 

At this point I don't think anyone is going to have much luck avoiding this...but I do think there is value in at least smoothing/stretching out the timeline of spread. Even having everyone catch it over 3 months vs 1 month could mean a huge difference in disruptions to healthcare and other services, etc.

 

In my case I can work from home (and will be advising my manager this afternoon that I intend to do so for the next few weeks, if possible), but I also have about 60 paid sick days banked. So if I do feel symptoms I'm just going to start burning through those.

 

All know is my cousin is very mad at Ford right now. . 

[CitizenVectron]

3 minutes ago, Jwheel86 said:

 

All know is my cousin is very mad at Ford right now. . 

 

They are the one that is basically Heyyoudvd?

[Keyser_Soze]

1 hour ago, skillzdadirecta said:

@Jason you mentioned you got a couple of at home tests... where did you find them? I haven't seen ANY in Culver City or anywhere near here since they came out. Would love to have one or two on hand.

 

My mom got hers at CVS over the weekend.

Also, this is something for SD county but maybe check where you live, libraries are giving away free tests.

[MarSolo]

All the people I went out with last Sunday night and Wednesday night tested positive on Saturday. I can’t find a home test anywhere and trying to schedule a test is impossible because the next available dates aren’t until next week. Fuck it, I’ll just wear a mask.
 

I’m vaxxed, boosted since November, and have absolutely no symptoms.

[AbsolutSurgen]

14 minutes ago, MarSolo said:

All the people I went out with last Sunday night and Wednesday night tested positive on Saturday. I can’t find a home test anywhere and trying to schedule a test is impossible because the next available dates aren’t until next week. Fuck it, I’ll just wear a mask.
 

I’m vaxxed, boosted since November, and have absolutely no symptoms.

Unless you are wearing an N95 mask (or similar), and you have Omicron, it won't make much of a difference.

[Uaarkson]

1 hour ago, CitizenVectron said:

Also, Bolsonaro is in the hospital again. Probably poop related again, but he's had COVID multiple times so:

 

 

This dude has to have set some kind of ‘sickest head of state’ world record at this point. 

[Chollowa]

36 minutes ago, Keyser_Soze said:

 

My mom got hers at CVS over the weekend.

Also, this is something for SD county but maybe check where you live, libraries are giving away free tests.

Some assholes were getting these for free and then selling them on FB Marketplace.

[ort]

My health insurance company (Anthem Blue Cross) will mail out one (set of two) free home test for anyone who requests them.

 

They took like 4 days to arrive, but we got em. (This was like a month and a half ago)

 

I was told not to even bother with a home test unless you already feel like crap and are actively sick. They'll tell you if your current illness is COVID or something else, but if you are pre-sympotmatic or asymptomatic they aren't sensitive enough to show a positive result.

[Jwheel86]

1 hour ago, CitizenVectron said:

 

They are the one that is basically Heyyoudvd?

 

He's more of a Canadian Rogan. My uncle shares "The REAL Canadians" fb posts everyday.

[Jason]

26 minutes ago, ort said:

My health insurance company (Anthem Blue Cross) will mail out one (set of two) free home test for anyone who requests them.

 

They took like 4 days to arrive, but we got em. (This was like a month and a half ago)

 

I was told not to even bother with a home test unless you already feel like crap and are actively sick. They'll tell you if your current illness is COVID or something else, but if you are pre-sympotmatic or asymptomatic they aren't sensitive enough to show a positive result.

 

I have Anthem Blue Cross and of course had absolutely no idea about this. 

[Jason]

How did you order them, is it somewhere on the website or did you have to call? 

[AbsolutSurgen]

Wife managed to find some KN95 masks for sale locally.  My mother-in law (who is a retired nurse) has still been using cloth home-made masks.

 

Just in case you think cloth/surgical masks are effective, a quote from Michael Olsterholm (head of CIDRAP at University of Minnesota):

"I have great concerns about the issue of masking.  You know I have been a very, very strong  supporter of respiratory protection, but adequate respiratory protection.  Face cloth coverings, even surgical masks, are nothing more than fashion statements.  They do not protect you in any meaningful way.  Read the two commentaries that we have put on the CIDRAP site about this. 

Many of these studies that have been published  -- basically, if one of our graduate studies did them, I would have flunked them.  They are so bad.  They get major media attention.  They basically make the case that you can put anything in front of your face on a regular basis and you get protection.  This is not true.  And Omicron is really on the cutting edge of that, so you can get some really benefit with N95 use or K95.   

And remember again, at the beginning of the pandemic, we urged people not to use these in part because, we didn't have them.  We were short N95 respirators, and we wanted health care workers to have them.  We have an ample supply now.  I wish there was a much greater emphasis on educating the public about to how protect themselves with respiratory protection."

[CitizenVectron]

Yeah the order of things I will use are (in this order of availability):

1. ECAN95 masks (only N95 approved for Canada/made in Canada). Only one brand, but it always sells out: ECAN95 95PFE (Box of 10) – Eternity (eternitymsm.com) I have a few boxes. Best place to get them is Costco, they are about $1.50 each from there.
2. KF94 sourced from official Korean distributor (have a few boxes on the way)
3. KN95. Bit iffier since it's impossible to tell which are real and which are fake online (or even once you get them). I have a few boxes as well in case my better options run out

I suppose if I absolutely had to, I would wear a level 3 ASM medical mask with a tighter cloth mask (with head loops) over top.

[Guest]

Just catch the Cron  

[ort]

35 minutes ago, Jason said:

How did you order them, is it somewhere on the website or did you have to call? 

 

It was through the website. I don't remember the exact process, but I think you click on their COVID response section or something. It wasn't hard to find.

[Joe]

1 hour ago, sblfilms said:

Just catch the Cron  

Id be more comfortable with this prospect if I wasn’t such a chunker in my current state.

[Brick]

With the new restrictions put in place by the Ford government, I'm now seeing people on my socials getting all pissed off because it's not even 200 people in the ICU, and people need to defy, and anti-government nonsense. 

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

@sblfilmsthis idiot vaxed?

[Jason]

Just now, b_m_b_m_b_m said:

@sblfilmsthis idiot vaxed?

 

Patrick is too high up in the grift to not be vaxxed.

[Brian]

My work place is moving remote for the next two weeks and will reevaluate after those two weeks whether it needs to be extended. My daughter’s daycare will be closed this week due to staff shortage issues. Normally I wouldn’t care but with year end happening, it’s gonna be a nightmare 

[AbsolutSurgen]

47 minutes ago, Brick said:

With the new restrictions put in place by the Ford government, I'm now seeing people on my socials getting all pissed off because it's not even 200 people in the ICU, and people need to defy, and anti-government nonsense. 

 

 

I'll be honest, I'm kinda leaning towards Matt's POV.

Omicron is gonna do what Omicron is gonna do.

 

[finaljedi]

I've been COVID test Santa for my friends lately.  I've gotten lucky and managed to scoop up a few and every time someone gets the sniffles I drop one off at their door.

[CitizenVectron]

7 minutes ago, finaljedi said:

I've been COVID test Santa for my friends lately.  I've gotten lucky and managed to scoop up a few and every time someone gets the sniffles I drop one off at their door.

 

That's very nice of you. There's no reason why we all shouldn't have 20-30 tests on-hand in every household by now. It's mostly because politicians keep hoping that it will all be over in the next month or two...since mid-2020. There's a real lack of planning for a year from now, etc. Like, it looks like Omicron could be the beginning of the end. But what if there is another mutation in mid-2022 that increases immune escape and also mortality by 5x. It's possible, even if unlikely. That's the sort of thing we need to be prepared for, in terms of being able to ramp up manufacturing of N95s, tests, etc. Really, many of these things should be semi-nationalized by this point anyway.

 

[Jason]

6 minutes ago, CitizenVectron said:

 

That's very nice of you. There's no reason why we all shouldn't have 20-30 tests on-hand in every household by now. It's mostly because politicians keep hoping that it will all be over in the next month or two...since mid-2020. There's a real lack of planning for a year from now, etc. Like, it looks like Omicron could be the beginning of the end. But what if there is another mutation in mid-2022 that increases immune escape and also mortality by 5x. It's possible, even if unlikely. That's the sort of thing we need to be prepared for, in terms of being able to ramp up manufacturing of N95s, tests, etc. Really, many of these things should be semi-nationalized by this point anyway.

 

 

sTaY hOmE iF yOu'rE sCaReD

[Anathema-]

4 hours ago, CayceG said:

 

All of that really sucks. 

 

But moreover, it's underscored the fact that I have no idea what The Gong Show is or how it works. 

 

Long story short think of America's Got Talent but instead of being voted for, you're voted against. The point wasn't to showcase talent but to try and get your fifteen minutes. When the producers had enough of your nonsense they literally hit a gong and you got hooked off stage.