Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #97

[ilovewings]

Quite a depressing news day I must say
'Severe' Covid-19 cases surge in Tokyo during Olympics

Well that's a shock!!! NOT

 

[WildOrchid]

Yes fully vaccinated in the spring. It’s getting worse by the day here.

Oh no, that's terrible. Do you know if the coworker was vaccinated?

 

[WichitaFalls]

New face mask guidance from the CDC recommends vaccinated people wear masks indoors in certain areas - CNN

New unpublished data showing that vaccinated people infected with the Delta coronavirus variant can have as much virus as those who are unvaccinated is the primary driver for the CDC’s latest mask guidance change, a source involved with the decision process told CNN.

Just when you think COVID-19 can't scare you any more than it already has, you've vaccinated and been very careful so you should be safe . . . something like hearing a vaccinated person can have as much virus as the unvaccinated is verified and bam right back to the exhausting thought process of questioning every encounter, every errand. I thought this was going to be the "roaring 20's" freedom summer for us - not so much.

 

[SouthAussie]

Australia today ....

My state has come out of 7-day lockdown today. Mandatory masks in high schools and public places, recommended anywhere that you cannot meet the 4 square metres (yards) social distancing rules. Sit down to eat and drink. No dancing or singing. Restrictions on gatherings.

Victoria is out of its lockdown also. It has gone into "lockdown light". Similar rules to my state, except only 25% capacity of workers in the workplace.

Sydney, NSW, is still struggling a lot. 10 covid deaths now. Problems with keeping people (mostly in the western suburbs) home, problems with stopping households there from mixing. Every day about one third of the new cases have been 'out in the community' - despite lockdown.
Lockdown there likely to continue for at least another month - they have been in lockdown for 3 weeks already.

All the other states are cruising okay.

COVID: ‘Lockdown light’ for Victoria as NSW plans supermarket Pfizer

 

[beatrixpotter]

I'm a few pages behind. But I'm wondering if someone can provide me a link to find what areas the CDC considers high transmission? It doesn't do us any good to tell us people in high transmission areas should wear masks if there is no clear way to determine what is determined as high transmission and what those areas are, right? So I assume this exists somewhere and hope someone knows it. Meanwhile I search google...

Edit: Here it is: COVID Data Tracker

 

[anneg]

Yes fully vaccinated in the spring. It’s getting worse by the day here.

That is really disturbing to me, as an increasingly worried older person. I hope you will keep us updated about your family. Not sure where you are.

 

[SouthAussie]

I'm a few pages behind. But I'm wondering if someone can provide me a link to find what areas the CDC considers high transmission? It doesn't do us any good to tell us people in high transmission areas should wear masks if there is no clear way to determine what is determined as high transmission and what those areas are, right? So I assume this exists somewhere and hope someone knows it. Meanwhile I search google...

On their site, CDC have this map/page (below) that shows high-covid counties.

It states that the red places are places of high transmission.

Right now, it states that 46.43% of counties in the US have high transmission.

COVID Data Tracker

 

[anneg]

I'm a few pages behind. But I'm wondering if someone can provide me a link to find what areas the CDC considers high transmission? It doesn't do us any good to tell us people in high transmission areas should wear masks if there is no clear way to determine what is determined as high transmission and what those areas are, right? So I assume this exists somewhere and hope someone knows it. Meanwhile I search google...

Edit: Here it is: COVID Data Tracker

Just checked my county, and it's "substantial" transmission. But I think if I could check my Zip code, it might be "moderate." The rest of the county is more rural and different demographically.

 

[SouthAussie]

Public Health England said on Friday that of a total of 3,692 people hospitalized in Britain (high vaccination rate) with the Delta variant, 58.3% were unvaccinated and 22.8% were fully vaccinated.

In Singapore (high vaccination rate), where Delta is the most common variant, government officials reported on Friday that three quarters of its coronavirus cases occurred among vaccinated individuals, though none were severely ill.

Israeli (high vaccination rate) health officials have said 60% of current hospitalized COVID-19 cases are in vaccinated people. Most of them are age 60 or older and often have underlying health problems.

"There is always the illusion that there is a magic bullet that will solve all our problems. The coronavirus is teaching us a lesson"

"Protection for the individual is very strong; protection for infecting others is significantly lower"

"You may actually excrete more virus and that's why it's more transmissible. That's still being investigated"

How the Delta variant upends assumptions about the coronavirus

 

[nrdsb4]

I must have missed something, because I thought that I heard, "Once you have been vaccinated 2x, you no longer need to wear a mask". That was from the CDC and Dr. Fauci.

I followed that "guidance". Now, the "new" story is: wear a mask? Has the CDC stated that yet?

My position is a bit tricky, since I still work full time. It is a huge difference between wearing a mask 45 hours a week and not. Aside from that, my life has not changed. I don't travel, or go anywhere.

Yes, they said the VACCINATED could stop wearing masks. And if the UNVACCINATED had continued to wear theirs, it's possible we might not be in this position. But no, many MANY unvaccinated just took the opportunity to ditch theirs knowing full well that they were in violation of the recommendations. In theory, the recommendations should have been fine. But they didn't take into account human behavior, which as we have seen since COVID became a pandemic, isn't particularly stellar.

We didn't get the vaccination threshold we needed, and now we are reaping the consequences. The Delta variant is sweeping through the country, resulting in increasing cases amongst the unvaccinated and breakthrough cases in people who got the jab, so we all have to pay the price. Being mad doesn't change anything.

 

[mickey2942]

COVID-19 Vaccination

And now, back to masks.

 

[WichitaFalls]

Dr. Fauci on CDC's reimposed mask guidelines, vaccine requirements and GOP criticism
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reimposed stricter mask-wearing guidelines Tuesday. It said Americans, even if fully vaccinated, should wear masks indoors in regions where COVID-19 infections are high, and recommended that everyone in K-12 schools mask up. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss. Full conversation at link.

 

[ilovewings]

Yes, they said the VACCINATED could stop wearing masks. And if the UNVACCINATED had continued to wear theirs, it's possible we might not be in this position. But no, many MANY unvaccinated just took the opportunity to ditch theirs knowing full well that they were in violation of the recommendations. In theory, the recommendations should have been fine. But they didn't take into account human behavior, which as we have seen since COVID became a pandemic, isn't particularly stellar.

We didn't get the vaccination threshold we needed, and now we are reaping the consequences. The Delta variant is sweeping through the country, resulting in increasing cases amongst the unvaccinated and breakthrough cases in people who got the jab, so we all have to pay the price. Being mad doesn't change anything.

It may not change anything to be mad- but I am mad!!! I have a friend who refuses to get the vaccine. She is intelligent, a retired teacher-- and honestly, I rarely talk to her because she makes me angry- we have agreed not to discuss it- so we don't - but she and her non-vaccinated ilk are the cause of this continuing horrible saga.

 

[jjenny]

On their site, CDC have this map/page (below) that shows high-covid counties.

It states that the red places are places of high transmission.

Right now, it states that 46.43% of counties in the US have high transmission.

COVID Data Tracker

CDC is saying high and substantial should wear masks (which is red and orange).

 

[WichitaFalls]

Delta variant: Third Covid shot may be way around masking, says Dr. Peter Hotez
Dr. Peter Hotez told CNBC that while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new Covid masking guidelines are “absolutely” necessary to battle the delta variant and surging cases, there might be an alternative to wearing masks indoors again.

“There is potentially a way to get around it, and it may be that third immunization,” said Hotez, co-director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children’s Hospital.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/27/delta-variant-third-covid-shot-may-be-way-around-masking-says-dr-peter-hotez-.html

 

[anneg]

CDC is saying high and substantial should wear masks (which is red and orange).

We are wearing ours. We went to our local outdoors Farmers Market today, and it was sunny, hot, and humid, so wearing a mask was very unpleasant. But we have to do it.

 

[jjenny]

Delta variant: Third Covid shot may be way around masking, says Dr. Peter Hotez
Dr. Peter Hotez told CNBC that while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new Covid masking guidelines are “absolutely” necessary to battle the delta variant and surging cases, there might be an alternative to wearing masks indoors again.

“There is potentially a way to get around it, and it may be that third immunization,” said Hotez, co-director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children’s Hospital.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/27/delta-variant-third-covid-shot-may-be-way-around-masking-says-dr-peter-hotez-.html

I am ready for my booster.

 

[SoCalDavidS]

Delta variant: Third Covid shot may be way around masking, says Dr. Peter Hotez
Dr. Peter Hotez told CNBC that while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new Covid masking guidelines are “absolutely” necessary to battle the delta variant and surging cases, there might be an alternative to wearing masks indoors again.

“There is potentially a way to get around it, and it may be that third immunization,” said Hotez, co-director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children’s Hospital.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/27/delta-variant-third-covid-shot-may-be-way-around-masking-says-dr-peter-hotez-.html

It will be awhile before the FDA grants emergency approval for a booster, and then it's going to take time to distribute the booster shot, assuming it's a different vaccine, and then implement the injections. But people are going to get an additional shot on their own, often lying about whether they've had the regular 2 shots.

The wave is about to hit, so really too late to avoid masks. August is going to be bad, IMO.

 

[MimosaMornings]

CDC is saying high and substantial should wear masks (which is red and orange).

So basically all of the southern states.

 

[anneg]

I am ready for my booster.

Me too. Next week it will be 6 months since my second Pfizer shot. I'm old, so I'm afraid my immunity may be fading fast.