Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #107

[SouthAussie]

Personal choice…
<modsnip>“They” have made a personal choice and last time I checked that wasn’t actually breaking any laws.

People who live in Western Australia - which is probably one of the safest places in the world right now, as it hasn't opened up yet - might change this type of opinion, once their hospitals become inundated, their nurses become taxed to the max, 'elective' surgeries become cancelled.

NSW nurses are taking strike action, and threatening more far-reaching strike action, unless Perrottet does something to ease their massive burden. Puts restrictions in place to slow the spread, gives them more staff - because they cannot effectively keep working double shifts and they hate lowering their standards in order to 'cope'.

The unvaccinated are inundating their hospitals. And, as you would know, Aus has far fewer unvaccinated than many other places.
The covid sick vaccinated are in and out of hospital in ½ the time (I posted the link previously, where Dr Nick Coatsworth said this) and so are far less of a burden.

To me, keeping our nurses safe and effective, our hospitals working well, trumps 'personal' vaccination choice every time.
But I have a nurse DD and 2 very dear friends who are nurses, so I may be biased.

Nurses have started strike action in Sydney in protest of current work conditions

“Come see how bad it is”: Nurses strike and call on Perrottet to experience dire ICU conditions - Hellocare

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[CrimeAway]

Non-vaccinated blaming and mandates don't really make sense. It is indeed a personal choice.
The vaccines don't stop the spread of the virus.
CDC Director: Covid vaccines can't prevent transmission anymore (msn.com)

The hospitals are not predominantly full of covid patients but many "other" ones. (Coronavirus - Maryland Department of Health) We may as well blame ALL lifestyle preventable/mitigatable conditions taking up hospital space (which I don't).
View attachment 332337
We need a more responsive medical system so that those hard-working medical personnel are not so over-taxed when we have any kind of surge, IMO. Maybe a registry of recently retired, recently license-lapsed med folks and back up facilities -- after all, most industries have some sort of continuity of operations plans. Just a thought.

My own choice is to keep masking and avoid crowds to keep from getting covid and from subsequently giving covid, and if I do get it anyway, then I've been vaccinated so hopefully I'll be okay. But that is my approach. For an 18 year old healthy young person or a healthy person who has had covid or a preschool age child, the choices might be a little different. I don't think that people who choose differently should be condemned for it.
Again, JMO.

While the current Covid vaccines do not completely stop virus transmission, they do reduce transmission:

Effect of Covid-19 Vaccination on Transmission of Alpha and Delta Variants | NEJM

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron VOC Transmission in Danish Households

Community transmission and viral load kinetics of the SARS-CoV-2 delta (B.1.617.2) variant in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals in the UK: a prospective, longitudinal, cohort study - ScienceDirect

 

[Cool Cats]

China had a successful lockdown so far. Their death toll therefore is minimal compared to the US which is going to hit a million soon. So how can these people claim lockdowns don't work? The key here of course lockdown in the US wasn't really stringent, whereas China takes its lockdowns seriously.

If you believe their statistics.

 

[Kingsley]

While the current Covid vaccines do not completely stop virus transmission, they do reduce transmission:

Effect of Covid-19 Vaccination on Transmission of Alpha and Delta Variants | NEJM

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron VOC Transmission in Danish Households

Community transmission and viral load kinetics of the SARS-CoV-2 delta (B.1.617.2) variant in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals in the UK: a prospective, longitudinal, cohort study - ScienceDirect

Please don't misunderstand: I am not antivax whatsoever. I am vaccinated and boosted if that matters to the conversation. I am against mandatory vaccination in the current climate and blaming the unvaccinated exclusively for the continued pandemic.
It is good that there is some reduction in transmission. It still does not make sense, IMO, to require private citizens to be vaccinated or fire people from their jobs for a (short in duration - weeks) reduction in risk. My state is highly vaccinated and yet we had a large spike -- lots of transmission. The virus infected the vaccinated.
Even the Danish study cited concludes with
Our results confirm that booster vaccination has the potential to reduce Omicron VOC transmission in households, although vaccination as a strategy for epidemic control is increasingly challenged by the immune evasiveness of the Omicron VOC.
By all means lets continue to encourage vaccination but universal vaccination will not have the effect that we want (making it all go away). Governments or corporations making it mandatory under these conditions is overreach. IMO.

 

[Cool Cats]

Please don't misunderstand: I am not antivax whatsoever. I am vaccinated and boosted if that matters to the conversation. I am against mandatory vaccination in the current climate and blaming the unvaccinated exclusively for the continued pandemic.
It is good that there is some reduction in transmission. It still does not make sense, IMO, to require private citizens to be vaccinated or fire people from their jobs for a (short in duration - weeks) reduction in risk. My state is highly vaccinated and yet we had a large spike -- lots of transmission. The virus infected the vaccinated.
Even the Danish study cited concludes with
Our results confirm that booster vaccination has the potential to reduce Omicron VOC transmission in households, although vaccination as a strategy for epidemic control is increasingly challenged by the immune evasiveness of the Omicron VOC.
By all means lets continue to encourage vaccination but universal vaccination will not have the effect that we want (making it all go away). Governments or corporations making it mandatory under these conditions is overreach. IMO.

I was glad my hospital required employees to be vaccinated when I was an unvaccinated 3 day in-patient there. Gave me peace of mind and put me at less risk.

Less severe Covid cases running through staff.

 

[Kingsley]

Yep, I totally get that. I was more comfortable when I heard that my stylist chose to get vaccinated. (I had a little more choice on whether to get my hair done vs getting need medical treatment!)
I'm happiest when everyone around me is in tight fitting masks.
Sorry to hear that you were in the hospital though. I hope all is well now.

 

[CrimeAway]

The University of Kansas Health System Update for today:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[nhmemorymaker]

I personally feel that 'personal choice' is highly overated.

I was a young little teenager when Kennedy spoke his words... Ask not what your country can do for you, but rather ask what you can do for your country. I guess it is unfortunate that I still believe that. Sad me. jmoo..........

 

[CrimeAway]

TWIV'S Q&A with A&V will start at 8:30pm EST.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[Yesiamapirate]

Today I woke with a headache and sniffles. Full blown sneezing and stuffed up now. COVID? A head cold? I have no known exposures but plenty of chances in the unknown as we just got back from vacation on Monday. Surely where it came from.
I have not broken out my newly received free test kit yet. I am a little worried they are no good. They sat in my sub freezing mail box for three days while we were gone. The instructions say store above 30 F. Maybe tomorrow. Mr Pirate and the two other couples we traveled with are still healthy so I am thinking a little head cold.
Time to make a pot of soup!

 

[CrimeAway]

I did find an email confirming my US gov test kit order, but no shipping confirmation as yet. I ordered on 1/18. Is anyone else still waiting who ordered them?

 

[Lilibet]

I did find an email confirming my US gov test kit order, but no shipping confirmation as yet. I ordered on 1/18. Is anyone else still waiting who ordered them?

I got an immediate confirmation but I’m still waiting for a shipping notice, and ordered the day before the site officially opened. FWIW I’m in Oregon.

 

[mickey2942]

I personally feel that 'personal choice' is highly overated.

I was a young little teenager when Kennedy spoke his words... Ask not what your country can do for you, but rather ask what you can do for your country. I guess it is unfortunate that I still believe that. Sad me. jmoo..........

There has also been significant issues with border control, which has absolutely nothing to do with United States citizens.

Australia is an island, so is Japan. Tonga, many other countries...but the United States has had significant issues with border control. No one is checking for vaccines. It is hypocrisy to ignore this issue.

Mexico: the latest coronavirus counts, charts and maps

 

[ilovewings]

Today I woke with a headache and sniffles. Full blown sneezing and stuffed up now. COVID? A head cold? I have no known exposures but plenty of chances in the unknown as we just got back from vacation on Monday. Surely where it came from.
I have not broken out my newly received free test kit yet. I am a little worried they are no good. They sat in my sub freezing mail box for three days while we were gone. The instructions say store above 30 F. Maybe tomorrow. Mr Pirate and the two other couples we traveled with are still healthy so I am thinking a little head cold.
Time to make a pot of soup!

Hoping it is a little head cold and you feel better soon-- please keep us
posted

 

[KALI]

I'm really sick of all the cover-ups and propaganda and political bull.
I personally do not need to watch a future documentary about How Covid changed our world forever.
My true hope, is that ALL countries playing around with germ warfare stop.
ALL countries.

Scientists speak out about how they were ignored, even silenced, when they suggested a lab leak in 2020

 

[SouthAussie]

There has also been significant issues with border control, which has absolutely nothing to do with United States citizens.

Australia is an island, so is Japan. Tonga, many other countries...but the United States has had significant issues with border control. No one is checking for vaccines. It is hypocrisy to ignore this issue.

Mexico: the latest coronavirus counts, charts and maps

Funnily enough, border control worked for us when we were not including the ocean border.

Each state here has closed their very expansive (land) borders at different times during this pandemic, to shield against states who were experiencing outbreaks.

People have tried to slip through on back roads, of which there are many. Some have succeeded and been discovered later on, many have not succeeded.

Yes, it takes great effort to monitor the land borders.

Border Lengths - States and Territories | Geoscience Australia

 

[mickey2942]

We got our Covid-19 tests today in the mail, from Kansas. My husband asks where the test swab goes...because Covid-19 has been a PITA. Very funny. I told him we share the tests now, I get to go first, of course, and we will know if we are both positive or negative.

My sister called me the other night, crying. She told me that she was "Positive". I asked her if she was okay...we were talking for a few minutes, until, seriously, this really happened, I thought she was talking about a pregnancy test! She was positive for Covid-19. So, when we finally got it straightened out, she started laughing hysterically. Sort of a more "positive" spin. It was funny.

 

[acutename]

I did find an email confirming my US gov test kit order, but no shipping confirmation as yet. I ordered on 1/18. Is anyone else still waiting who ordered them?

yes... lots of people. anyone have them in the northeast? omicron is receding here now...

 

[acutename]

here's my Q of the day- if you were told that apart from COVID, if you wore a mask, you could avoid getting the flu, would you? would the inconvenience be worth not getting sick for 3-7 days?

 

[mickey2942]

here's my Q of the day- if you were told that apart from COVID, if you wore a mask, you could avoid getting the flu, would you? would the inconvenience be worth not getting sick for 3-7 days?

No. I have not had the flu in over 20 years. Fortunately, the vaccine seems to be working for the flu.