Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #107

[indicolite22]

Here free PCR tests just became reserved for vulnerable groups. Official positive rapid test (not home test) is enough to later acquire a certificate of recovery, which will only be valid nationally.

 

[ilovewings]

Our family, because of Covid. Because of these games in China, at this point in the history of mankind. Will not watch these games.
It is our opinion, that right now is not the time to hold these games.
Our family will not endorse these games by ANY means.
We love our athletes, unfortunately, as we've learned, this virus thrives on hosts. People. Are this viruses hosts.
No matter how strong or brave.

IMO it is ridiculous to hold the olympics anywhere in the world during a pandemic. period. I won't be watching.

 

[SouthAussie]

China detected 37 new cases of Covid-19 among Olympic Games related personnel on 30 January, up from 34 a day earlier, the organising committee of the Beijing 2022 Winter Games has said.

Eight of the total were athletes or team officials who tested positive after arriving at the airport on Sunday, according to Reuters.

Of the total infections, 28 were among new airport arrivals, with the remaining nine already in the “closed loop” bubble that separates event personnel from the public, according to a notice on the Games’ official website.

Covid live news: China detects 37 cases among Olympics personnel; Russia records 621 deaths in the past 24 hours

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Thank you, @nhmemorymaker. Those are very kind words. I am longing for weather warm enough so I can eat outdoors again. The first summer, before vaccines, I did that maybe three times, and I was sanitizing the Sweet N Low and salt and pepper shakers and everything that was touched. Last summer, post-vaccine, I didn't do that, but even though some of my friends are begging me to eat indoors now, I won't. I'm triple-vaxed but will not go indoors where my mask must be removed.

I'm happy for you and all my homies here who can enjoy warm weather. Although my parents said it was in the 40s yesterday in southern Florida.

I want to be one of us here who says that my tests have arrived! I also ordered the day before, thanks to WS.

But, because I'm an idiot, I didn't realize until the confirmation popped up that I had mistyped my email. Therefore I'm just checking on USPS Informed Delivery. Nothing here yet in NYC.

Yes.. downright frigid here. Had to cover many of my plants because of a freeze.

I still do not eat indoors... just a ritual, and all my friends know it. I feel better knowing I was not tempted. But i have lots of options of outdoor eating... big heaters on patios on the colder days.. As I stated, sometimes I feel "lucky" living here.

 

[jjenny]

I don't think athletes themselves are at high risk since they are young, healthy and vaccinated. Of course with Omicron and zero covid policy, China is risking not being able to contain covid as they have done so far, with so many people showing up from so many different countries.

 

[SouthAussie]

A sweeping new bill with powerful bipartisan support in the US Senate would establish an inquiry into the country’s Covid-19 response similar to the 9/11 Commission, among other provisions aimed at preventing the next pandemic.

“The pain of this pandemic is unforgettable, and we have a responsibility to make sure its lessons are unforgettable, too,” Murray said.

The legislation, called the Prevent Pandemics Act, would lay the groundwork to enshrine new powers in federal health agencies.

Sweeping bill on inquiry into US Covid response sees bipartisan support

 

[jjenny]

Well, the US apparently has 23 athletes who are attending the winter olympics ... by choice, and fully vaccinated.

2022 Winter Olympics stars to know: From Hilary Knight to Nathan Chen

The US also has several athletes who are not able to compete at the winter olympics because they refuse to be vaccinated.

“If someone is immunocompromised and is at risk, then they shouldn’t go out,” Andrew declares. “We’re not responsible for other people’s health.” (Tokyo 2021 summer olympics swimmer.)
'Get Vaccinated or Else': The Anti-Vaxxers of the Winter Games Fought the Olympic Mandate. Did the Mandate Win?

US has a lot more than 23 athletes competing in the games. 23 are just the ones highlighted in the article that presumably have a good shot at medaling.

 

[jjenny]

China managed to keep zero covid policy so far. Its immunity is mostly based on vaccines (not a lot of natural immunity). The vaccines they used are likely not going to do well against Omicron. They are risking spreading covid around with the Olympics, and infecting a lot of people in their population.

 

[tabitha111]

As far as I understand BA.1 offers hardly any protection against reinfection.

Yaneer Bar-Yam on Twitter: "Merchants of herd death oversold immunity. People are being reinfected immediately again after Omicron infection. We have the data: Both laboratory experiments and actual cases. 1/ https://t.co/HNBijbXVVN" / Twitter

Merchants of herd death oversold immunity. People are being reinfected immediately again after Omicron infection. We have the data: Both laboratory experiments and actual cases. <snipped>

Evidence from a study showing immunity based upon “mild" Omicron infection is weak for Omicron reinfection, and limited for cross immunity to Delta infection.
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.25.22269794v1.full.pdf

Overall, immunity from Omicron infection is much lower than the immunity from Delta infection, correlated with the severity of infection. So unless you get a severe infection with all of its consequences you also don’t get immunity from having another infection.

And recall even immunity from severe infection wanes rapidly in a few months.


MOO

 

[SouthAussie]

I don't think athletes themselves are at high risk since they are young, healthy and vaccinated. Of course with Omicron and zero covid policy, China is risking not being able to contain covid as they have done so far, with so many people showing up from so many different countries.

We just had a 24 year old athlete pass away from covid. Not the norm, though, that's for sure.


Family and friends are in shock following the death of 24-year-old James Kondilios after he tested positive for COVID-19.
The science graduate and sportsman was double-vaccinated with no underlying medical conditions.

He died at St Vincent's Hospital where he had been receiving treatment.
In a social media post, his friends said his death was a reminder that COVID-19 can hit even the young and healthy.

In 2015, he represented Australia at the Power Lifting World Championships in Finland, where he won a bronze medal.

Former world-class power lifter and award-winning scientist dies of COVID aged 24

 

[nhmemorymaker]

By your avatar you seem to be an American.

I equate this vaccine with the vaccines we were MANDATED to have in order to attend school. Same for your children and grandchildren, if you have them.

As a homeroom teacher for 8th graders, I often received letters addressed to parents, telling them that their child could not return to school until they received all mandated vaccines. We have a lot of immigrant students; therefore, many of them did not have the required childhood vaccines, and were in fact banned from school until they were caught up with proof from the doctor.

I genuinely see this as the same. Even though we are adults, free Americans, we are in a pandemic. I'm 100% for vaccine mandates. To me it's no different than the vaccines you and I already had to get as children.

JMO

i agree. I remember so clearly that I had to take time off from work to make sure I got the right vaccines in the right order and the right time for my kids. No second thoughts whatsoever.
I also remember being in kindergarten getting those polio sugar cubes! No second thoughts. I grew up in Pittsburgh, so my parents and all adults felt so proud that Dr. Salk was from Pittsburgh. And I think we were the first to be able to get the vaccine.

Now it is more in vogue to just hate officials.
Still remains hard to look at all these experts and know people are dissing them constantly.
Why do people expect "perfection"?
i dunno.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

I am sorry your parents are gone, but let me ask you a question ---::
Given the highly contagious virus we are presently living with,
Would you visit your elderly parents knowing you could expose
Them to. this potentially deadly virus??

dbm

 

[jjenny]

We just had a 24 year old athlete pass away from covid. Not the norm, though, that's for sure.


Family and friends are in shock following the death of 24-year-old James Kondilios after he tested positive for COVID-19.
The science graduate and sportsman was double-vaccinated with no underlying medical conditions.

He died at St Vincent's Hospital where he had been receiving treatment.
In a social media post, his friends said his death was a reminder that COVID-19 can hit even the young and healthy.

In 2015, he represented Australia at the Power Lifting World Championships in Finland, where he won a bronze medal.

Former world-class power lifter and award-winning scientist dies of COVID aged 24

There is a small risk to athletes, sure. But a lot of these sports could result in severe injuries, so athletes are used to taking risks. To me, it is more concerning that covid could start spreading to the rest of the population in China.

 

[SouthAussie]

There is a small risk to athletes, sure. But a lot of these sports could result in severe injuries, so athletes are used to taking risks. To me, it is more concerning that covid could start spreading to the rest of the population in China.

I agree that this is possibly the start of covid sweeping across China. Unless they are keeping some province borders closed (which would be smart).

I recall when we had a severe outbreak in Victoria, but they were able to (eventually) quell it with a very long lockdown. And it didn't spread elsewhere because we all had our state borders closed. We were highly unvaccinated at the time.

China is going to be in a pickle - with their population size - if they get into an out of control situation. Their hospitalisation numbers could be quite overwhelming.

 

[Turkeytrot]

Is that school's guidelines to wait 10 days? And then another 10 days?

Ultimately, yes. A lot of the kids can't/won't wear masks due to disabilities (my kiddo included) so that's part of their reasoning. I still thought ~2 weeks would be sufficient.

He can't really do the 5 day quarantine followed by 5 days wearing a well fitted mask, but I figured a 10 day quarantine would work

 

[indicolite22]

i agree. I remember so clearly that I had to take time off from work to make sure I got the right vaccines in the right order and the right time for my kids. No second thoughts whatsoever.
I also remember being in kindergarten getting those polio sugar cubes! No second thoughts. I grew up in Pittsburgh, so my parents and all adults felt so proud that Dr. Salk was from Pittsburgh. And I think we were the first to be able to get the vaccine.

Now it is more in vogue to just hate officials.
Still remains hard to look at all these experts and know people are dissing them constantly.
Why do people expect "perfection"?
i dunno.

In my experience anti-vaxxers are afraid of dying from vaccine-induced blood clots, heart conditions, etc. They believe that numerous healthy vaccinated young people are dying due to those issues although confirmed cases are rare. Fear is a powerful factor. Another factor is underestimating the threat of Covid.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Well what my husband does affects me---if he takes that risk, he puts us both
At risk that, to my way of thinking isn't right thing to do so his decision affects both
Of us--so it isn't just -his decision his life --what either of us does affects the other and yeah I am afraid of getting covid---he should be more afraid---

How are your stepchildren planning to get to Florida? If they're flying, that adds another concern about contact with others who have been exposed to Covid.

 

[Sundog]

Newsom, California Dem leaders defy state's own universal mask mandate at Rams-49ers game

Another example of "rules for thee, but not for me."

 

[ilovewings]

How are your stepchildren planning to get to Florida? If they're flying, that adds another concern about contact with others who have been exposed to Covid.

yes they would be flying----

How are your stepchildren planning to get to Florida? If they're flying, that adds another concern about contact with others who have been exposed to Covid.

Yes they would be flying. My husband and his family do not take this virus as seriously as they should. My stepdaughter has thought for some time that people should basically go back to normal life. She apparently hasn't thought that she could expose her dad to this very transmissible Omicron variant. I suggested to my husband that he go visit his stepdaughter in Washington DC but he doesn't want to go there (due to the cold weather)- I explained to him that perhaps by the end of February the Omicron variant may be in our rearview mirror and that my stepdaughter could come here to Florida, but we cannot plan in advance because we just don't know what this variant is going to do over the next month or so. I will know when I feel comfortable enough that I no longer fear Omicron, that is when I can get my hair done!!!! It is now 6 weeks since had it done last----

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Newsom, California Dem leaders defy state's own universal mask mandate at Rams-49ers game

Another example of "rules for thee, but not for me."

Hypocrisy does come in all colors, but still doesn't outrank lies. jmoo