covid-19

[JerryBaumchen 1,451]

Hi folks,

Oregon update:  Oregon emergency COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted no later than June 30, Brown says - oregonlive.com

Jerry Baumchen

[ryoder 1,590]

Johnny Harris used to do travel videos for Vox, but now has his own channel.

Here is an interesting take on the competing theories of the origin of COVID-19:

 

[ryoder 1,590]

We really need to stop putting the poorly educated in Congress:

Rep. Thomas Massie Schooled Over Suggestion That Members Of The Military Can Quit If They Don’t Want COVID Vaccine

[kallend 2,115]

1 hour ago, ryoder said:

We really need to stop putting the poorly educated in Congress:

Rep. Thomas Massie Schooled Over Suggestion That Members Of The Military Can Quit If They Don’t Want COVID Vaccine

What do you expect from Kentucky?

[piisfish 140]

58 minutes ago, kallend said:

What do you expect from Kentucky?

Fried chicken. 

[ryoder 1,590]

Denver Zoo will start vaccinating animals for COVID-19 as early as next week

Representative Massie will be along shortly to tell his supporters that if the animals don't want to be vaccinated, they can just leave the zoo.

[piisfish 140]

1 hour ago, ryoder said:

Denver Zoo will start vaccinating animals for COVID-19 as early as next week

Representative Massie will be along shortly to tell his supporters that if the animals don't want to be vaccinated, they can just leave the zoo.

Shouldn’t we stay away from animals in a zoo anyways ? Seems a bit overkill to me. 

[ryoder 1,590]

10 minutes ago, piisfish said:

Shouldn’t we stay away from animals in a zoo anyways ? Seems a bit overkill to me. 

The stories I've read over the last 18 months were always animals getting it from zoo staff, not the visitors.

[Westerly 61]

time to end the bullshit pandemic restrictions. there is a vaccine widely available to everyone who wants it and at this point if you choose not to get it and you get sick, that's entirely your fault. there is no real reason to keep moving forward with restrictions at this point.

Edited July 7, 2021 by Westerly

[billvon 3,088]

39 minutes ago, Westerly said:

there is no real reason to keep moving forward with restrictions at this point.

Reasons:

1) People are refusing to get vaccinated.  And while you may be just fine with them dying ("they deserve it for not being vaccinated" or whatever) people in charge of public health cannot ignore the threat to these people.

2) Variants (like the delta variant) may be less controllable via vaccine.  Latest data I've heard is that the Pfizer vaccine (sometimes considered the 'gold standard' for vaccines) is about 65% effective against the Delta variant, not the 95% effectiveness we saw against earlier variants.

3) A great many NPI's (masking, distancing, moving restaurant service outdoors) do in fact work to reduce the spread.

 

[gowlerk 2,259]

59 minutes ago, billvon said:

People are refusing to get vaccinated.  And while you may be just fine with them dying ("they deserve it for not being vaccinated" or whatever) people in charge of public health cannot ignore the threat to these people.

A 90% vaccinated population is one that is safe. A 65% vaccinated population is one that will have the virus on a slow simmer waiting for a chance to evolve and thrive again. We can wish that the mostly selfish people who won't do the right thing would simply become subject to Darwin's law. But the reality is that most of them will do fine and just spread it around. 

[kallend 2,115]

I have now gone 19 months without getting a common cold or any other respiratory illness.  This is the longest cold-free period that I can remember.   My wife has gone even longer.  I attribute this to mask wearing in public places and caution about contact with possibly infected surfaces.  Despite being fully vaccinated since February, we plan to continue masking up.

Edited July 7, 2021 by kallend

[wmw999 2,558]

I'm not to the point of masking up in the summer, but in the winter it's very likely, for exactly the same reasons.

And yes, if it were just a matter of people getting sick, I'd be less sympathetic. But every single time a new person catches COVID, there's an opportunity for mutation, and while most mutations are either harmless or less viable, with (right now) about 13,000 new cases a day in the USA alone, that's a lot of opportunity. And it's not just the original variant that mutates. The Manaus variant, the Delta variant -- all the somewhat uglier ones are also mutating.

Wendy P.

[Phil1111 1,149]

8 hours ago, Westerly said:

time to end the bullshit pandemic restrictions. ...

Perhaps

8 hours ago, billvon said:

Reasons:....

3) A great many NPI's (masking, distancing, moving restaurant service outdoors) do in fact work to reduce the spread.

 

Excellent examples of restrictions that cost little and provide protections. IMO sporting events like NASCAR, baseball, football, etc. Events where the stands are full are excellent opportunities to spread covid. Especially in areas of the country where vaccination rates are low.

[Phil1111 1,149]

19 minutes ago, wmw999 said:

I'm not to the point of masking up in the summer, but in the winter it's very likely, for exactly the same reasons.

And yes, if it were just a matter of people getting sick, I'd be less sympathetic. But every single time a new person catches COVID, there's an opportunity for mutation, and while most mutations are either harmless or less viable, with (right now) about 13,000 new cases a day in the USA alone, that's a lot of opportunity. And it's not just the original variant that mutates. The Manaus variant, the Delta variant -- all the somewhat uglier ones are also mutating.

Wendy P.

Agree, thirteen thousand and rising at 14%(over two weeks). Once travel opens up internationally the variants will be jetting about as well.

[ryoder 1,590]

3 hours ago, kallend said:

I have now gone 19 months without getting a common cold or any other respiratory illness.  This is the longest cold-free period that I can remember.   My wife has gone even longer.  I attribute this to mask wearing in public places and caution about contact with possibly infected surfaces.  Despite being fully vaccinated since February, we plan to continue masking up.

I have read that influenza rates have been so low over the past year that due to lack of data, it presents a problem for determining which strains to put in this year’s vaccine. 

[ryoder 1,590]

3 hours ago, kallend said:

I have now gone 19 months without getting a common cold or any other respiratory illness.  This is the longest cold-free period that I can remember.   My wife has gone even longer.  I attribute this to mask wearing in public places and caution about contact with possibly infected surfaces.  Despite being fully vaccinated since February, we plan to continue masking up.

I have read that influenza rates have been so low over the past year that due to lack of data, it presents a problem for determining which strains to put in this year’s vaccine. 

[gowlerk 2,259]

The situation where I am has taken a dramatic turn for the better. My wife has now been reassigned back to her regular job and out of the ICU which is now only half full of covid patients and can handle some of it's regular work. Vaccination rates are at 75% for one dose and 51% for two and rising every day. Of course there is the Mennonite/bible belt region where the rates are less than half of that. I'm not sure if it is because those people are stupid, selfish or both.

[JerryBaumchen 1,451]

Hi folks,

IMO the problem begins with the parents:  A flight to the Bahamas was canceled, leaving dozens of travelers stranded. Why? A group of high schoolers refused to wear masks - oregonlive.com

Jerry Baumchen

[ryoder 1,590]

3 hours ago, gowlerk said:

Of course there is the Mennonite/bible belt region where the rates are less than half of that. I'm not sure if it is because those people are stupid, selfish or both.

No, no, the Lord will provide!

(I feel entitled to comment here since I have Mennonite relatives on my mother's side.)

[gowlerk 2,259]

5 minutes ago, ryoder said:

No, no, the Lord will provide!

(I feel entitled to comment here since I have Mennonite relatives on my mother's side.)

I know that about you. And they are correct, The Lord™ has provided a vaccine. 

Edited July 7, 2021 by gowlerk

[ryoder 1,590]

9 minutes ago, gowlerk said:

I know that about you. And they are correct, The Lord™ has provided a vaccine. 

True, but until some religious figure tells them it's a good idea, they won't take it seriously.

[nwt 131]

16 hours ago, gowlerk said:

A 90% vaccinated population is one that is safe. A 65% vaccinated population is one that will have the virus on a slow simmer waiting for a chance to evolve and thrive again. We can wish that the mostly selfish people who won't do the right thing would simply become subject to Darwin's law. But the reality is that most of them will do fine and just spread it around. 

The problem isn't selfishness, it's stupidity. A selfish person who isn't stupid will get the vaccine.

[gowlerk 2,259]

7 minutes ago, nwt said:

The problem isn't selfishness, it's stupidity. A selfish person who isn't stupid will get the vaccine.

They don't have to if the rest of us do. Selfish is a thing. After asking around gently about how some of them think I get two general answers. They agree that it works, but they have leaders who are telling them that it is risky for them to get it. And they are too afraid of upsetting those leaders, so they choose to selfishly rely on the rest of us taking the risk. It is basically a combination of unfounded fear and peer pressure.

[Westerly 61]

19 hours ago, gowlerk said:

A 90% vaccinated population is one that is safe. A 65% vaccinated population is one that will have the virus on a slow simmer waiting for a chance to evolve and thrive again. We can wish that the mostly selfish people who won't do the right thing would simply become subject to Darwin's law. But the reality is that most of them will do fine and just spread it around. 

Even if every human in America was vaccinated, that wouldn’t change the fact that there are still some 120+ countries who have a 0% vaccination rate and the virus could very easily mutate there and then travel to the USA. Vaccinating just one country in a world of 240 countries means little to nothing in the grand scheme of stopping mutations.