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

[Brick]

3 hours ago, sblfilms said:

Whoooooo cares what anti-vax people think?

 

I do when their idiocy spreads just as much as this virus. No one should be dismissing the impact these morons can have in spreading their misinformation. 

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

Doesn’t the Annual flu shot have something like 30% effectiveness on a good year?

[Jason]

3 minutes ago, b_m_b_m_b_m said:

Doesn’t the Annual flu shot have something like 30% effectiveness on a good year?

 

No that's on a bad year. 

[CitizenVectron]

More so: the issue is that people don't want to keep getting shots. That's really what this boils down to. Boosters continue to prove effective in preventing death and severe illness (and there's nothing indicating that will stop). So these "new and improved" ideas (of which I haven't seen) on how to fight COVID are really just about the people who don't want to keep getting shots. For those who are willing, just like annual flu shots or any other medication that keeps you healthy when you need it, it will likely continue to work. Arguments about how it's not possible to continue boosters due to costs or logistics fall apart when compared to the cost of actually treating severely ill people in hospitals.

[AbsolutSurgen]

 

A good step forward.

[Jason]

What's the point of keeping ArriveCan if it's optional?

[AbsolutSurgen]

There isn't a good one that I can think of.

[CitizenVectron]

18 minutes ago, Jason said:

What's the point of keeping ArriveCan if it's optional?

 

2 minutes ago, AbsolutSurgen said:

There isn't a good one that I can think of.

 

The actual app is useful for other reasons, if you're talking about that (pre-loading documents before arrival, etc).

[Jason]

Oh yeah I forgot you can do the customs declarations ahead of time. That's still useful.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Brick said:

 

I do when their idiocy spreads just as much as this virus. No one should be dismissing the impact these morons can have in spreading their misinformation. 

There is nothing you can do about actual anti-vax people, so again, who cares? A waste of breath. What actually matters is those who can be convinced of the usefulness.

 

But even that is irrelevant to Riley’s complaints about an flippin’ Eric Topol article for which only science minded people are reading. It’s goal isn’t even to convince people like us about what should happen, but to nudge decision makers who do read the stuff guys like him produce about paths forward.

 

3 hours ago, CitizenVectron said:

More so: the issue is that people don't want to keep getting shots. That's really what this boils down to. Boosters continue to prove effective in preventing death and severe illness (and there's nothing indicating that will stop). So these "new and improved" ideas (of which I haven't seen) on how to fight COVID are really just about the people who don't want to keep getting shots. For those who are willing, just like annual flu shots or any other medication that keeps you healthy when you need it, it will likely continue to work. Arguments about how it's not possible to continue boosters due to costs or logistics fall apart when compared to the cost of actually treating severely ill people in hospitals.

 

Any public health policy that doesn’t take into account what the public actually does is really stupid policy, end of story. You want people to behave a particular way, but they don’t. So why create policy that is destined to fail based on these actual behaviors? 

[CitizenVectron]

Just now, sblfilms said:

There is nothing you can do about actual anti-vax people, so again, who cares? A waste of breath. What actually matters is those who can be convinced of the usefulness.

 

But even that is irrelevant to Riley’s complaints about an flippin’ Eric Topol article for which only science minded people are reading. It’s goal isn’t even to convince people like us about what should happen, but to nudge decision makers who do read the stuff guys like him produce about paths forward.

 

 

Any public health policy that doesn’t take into account what the public actually does is really stupid policy, end of story. You want people to behave a particular way, but they don’t. So why create policy that is destined to fail based on these actual behaviors? 

 

Most people don't get flu shots, so should we stop offering them for the people (especially older) who do? That's all I'm saying--look for new solutions (which no one here has actually talked about) but keep the existing solution in place for those who want it since it's proven to work.

[Guest]

Just now, CitizenVectron said:

 

Most people don't get flu shots, so should we stop offering them for the people (especially older) who do? That's all I'm saying--look for new solutions (which no one here has actually talked about) but keep the existing solution in place for those who want it since it's proven to work.

The article is not arguing for an end to Covid boosters without a better plan moving forward though. It is arguing for developing a better plan moving forward.

[AbsolutSurgen]

30 minutes ago, CitizenVectron said:

 

Most people don't get flu shots, so should we stop offering them for the people (especially older) who do? That's all I'm saying--look for new solutions (which no one here has actually talked about) but keep the existing solution in place for those who want it since it's proven to work.

How was that your takeaway from his article?

 

He's not arguing against boosters; he even has a section of his paper subtitled "Incontrovertible Evidence for Booster Benefit".  He's suggesting that boosters aren't likely to be a viable long-term strategy (or potentially short-term, depending on what variants emerge over the next 6-months).

 

36 minutes ago, sblfilms said:

Any public health policy that doesn’t take into account what the public actually does is really stupid policy, end of story. You want people to behave a particular way, but they don’t. So why create policy that is destined to fail based on these actual behaviors? 

This is a good point.  "Pandemic-fatigue" is a real thing that I've heard several epidemiologists talk about.  People are moving on, and not necessarily doing what they should.

[AbsolutSurgen]

FWIW, I have Covid, and it's pretty much asymptomatic this time.  My daughter either caught it at a friend's house or at school (she and her best friend had fevers on the same day).

Daughter - had a low-grade fever last Tuesday; no other symptoms.  Pediatrician told us that if she didn't have other symptoms, it was unlikely COVID.

Youngest Son -- Last Thursday had VERY mild cold symptoms; lasted less than 24 hours.

Wife -- Last Thursday she tested herself because she was going to be in close contact with people who are immunocompromised.  Tested positive.  had cold symptoms for 3 days

She texted me that she had Covid as I was getting off a plane coming home from Montreal.  Co-Worker texted me this, when I told him:

Oldest son -- has mostly been asymptomatic other than him complaining he has "extra phlegm in his throat"

Me -- I've had what I would best describe as 2 days that are akin to when I have mild allergic reactions to dust mites.  If I didn't know my wife had Covid, I would not have even thought twice about it.

[AbsolutSurgen]

Japan to relax Covid travel restrictions and grant entry to independent tourists

WWW.NBCNEWS.COM

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Beginning Oct. 11, Japan will drop the cap on the number of tourists granted entry and visa requirements.

 

[skillzdadirecta]

Scientists Find a New Coronavirus in Bats That Is Resistant to Current Vaccines

TIME.COM

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The virus was found in a population of bats in Russia

 

[Brick]

[Keyser_Soze]

On 9/22/2022 at 5:41 PM, AbsolutSurgen said:

Japan to relax Covid travel restrictions and grant entry to independent tourists

WWW.NBCNEWS.COM

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Beginning Oct. 11, Japan will drop the cap on the number of tourists granted entry and visa requirements.

 

 

No more mandatory tour guides?

[skillzdadirecta]

Here's What COVID Reinfections Can Do To Your Body

WWW.BUZZFEEDNEWS.COM

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“Getting hit with a baseball bat once is better than getting hit five times,” one expert said.

 

[AbsolutSurgen]

Border vaccine rules, mandatory use of ArriveCAN, mask mandates on planes, trains end Oct. 1 | CBC News

WWW.CBC.CA

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The federal government is dropping all COVID-19 measures at borders, meaning travellers will no longer need to provide proof of vaccination when entering Canada or wear masks on planes and trains, Ottawa announced today.

Better late than never.

[Subzwari1987]

4 hours ago, AbsolutSurgen said:

Border vaccine rules, mandatory use of ArriveCAN, mask mandates on planes, trains end Oct. 1 | CBC News

WWW.CBC.CA

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The federal government is dropping all COVID-19 measures at borders, meaning travellers will no longer need to provide proof of vaccination when entering Canada or wear masks on planes and trains, Ottawa announced today.

Better late than never.

Just in time for the MLB playoffs

[Ricofoley]

Oh for fuck's sake

[AbsolutSurgen]

 

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

I case it isn’t clear, eliminate all remaining covid restrictions now (are there really any left?)

 

[AbsolutSurgen]

The new way to detect if someone has extreme anxiety is if they are posting pictures of CO2 sensors in their twitter feed.

[CitizenVectron]

39 minutes ago, AbsolutSurgen said:

The new way to detect if someone has extreme anxiety is if they are posting pictures of CO2 sensors in their twitter feed.

 

So, while it might be easy to make fun of those people, it should be noted that CO2 levels are actually a really great measurement for how good the air quality/exchange is inside a building. It's no joke that if we introduced strong air exchange standards for all buildings (including retrofitting old buildings) we could eliminate the vast majority of contagious, respiratory illnesses. We did it once for indoor plumbing and electricity, we could do it again for fresh air. Having a good air exchange/rotation inside a room is as good a preventative measure as everyone wearing masks.

[CitizenVectron]

Report co-authored by Theresa Tam claims Canada's COVID measures avoided 800,000 deaths

NATIONALPOST.COM

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The worst-case free-for-all scenario estimated that 34 million Canadians would have got the virus had it been allowed to run free

 

Conservatives in 2025 election: Yes but did you save too many lives?

 

[AbsolutSurgen]

In a strange twist of fate -- most of the lockdowns were actually implemented by right-wing governments in Canada.

[CitizenVectron]

5 minutes ago, AbsolutSurgen said:

In a strange twist of fate -- most of the lockdowns were actually implemented by right-wing governments in Canada.

 

Yes, and also opposed by right-wing Canadians.

[AbsolutSurgen]

2 minutes ago, CitizenVectron said:

 

Yes, and also opposed by right-wing Canadians.

Legault and Ford were reelected with majority governments.

 

[CitizenVectron]

24 minutes ago, AbsolutSurgen said:

Legault and Ford were reelected with majority governments.

 

 

 

I don't think that means what you think it does. People were happy with the COVID response (or, at least not angry enough to vote them out for it). Almost like the majority of Canadians supported the actions taken by all levels of government in terms of lockdowns, mandates, etc. Even to this day, the majority of Canadians support further lockdowns and mask mandates (even vaccine mandates!) should the situation call for it again.

[AbsolutSurgen]

10 minutes ago, CitizenVectron said:

 

 

I don't think that means what you think it does. People were happy with the COVID response (or, at least not angry enough to vote them out for it). Almost like the majority of Canadians supported the actions taken by all levels of government in terms of lockdowns, mandates, etc. Even to this day, the majority of Canadians support further lockdowns and mask mandates (even vaccine mandates!) should the situation call for it again.

That was my point.  Conservatives were mostly happy with how Ford and Legault handled the situation -- you were suggesting that they weren't.

Many thought the duration of restrictions went on way too long (me included) and were not targeted enough (me included).  Closing schools in January 2022 was a ridiculous decision.

With regards to mask mandates, on my flight on Monday, ~5% of people were wearing masks.

I am not sure the mask mandates (that were just lifted over the weekend) had the broad-based support you are implying.

[CitizenVectron]

2 minutes ago, AbsolutSurgen said:

That was my point.  Conservatives were mostly happy with how Ford and Legault handled the situation -- you were suggesting that they weren't.

Many thought the duration of restrictions went on way too long (me included) and were not targeted enough (me included).  Closing schools in January 2022 was a ridiculous decision.

With regards to mask mandates, on my flight on Monday, ~5% of people were wearing masks.

I am not sure the mask mandates (that were just lifted over the weekend) had the broad-based support you are implying.

 

Polling has shown that mask mandates are widely supported in Canada if required, even if people don't want to wear masks individually. And my assertion that it was conservatives opposing lockdowns and mandates is correct; to this day, it is still the right-wing that protests for "justice" and supports the convoy.

[Guest]

It is very on brand that the Americans have largely abandoned this thread and it gets the most action when the Canadians are doing some polite infighting 

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

2 minutes ago, sblfilms said:

It is very on brand that the Americans have largely abandoned this thread and it gets the most action when the Canadians are doing some polite infighting 

I want them to fight for us, like monkeys, and for blood