Coronavirus

[highfigh]

This is no longer as cool of a quote as it used to be.

And when he tied styrofoam pontoons to his feet and tried to walk on water, which went very badly- the pontoons stayed where they were and he did a face plant into the water. When he came out, he said "If I had any dignity, this might be embarrassing".

I was going to post something like "Let's see someone try to use this" and while I was typing, I thought of Kevin McCarthy and the fact that it took 14 votes to name him 'House Speaker'.

 

[mtrot]

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday said there is a possible safety issue with the bivalent Covid-19 vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech, but it’s unlikely it represents a true risk. Possible increased risk of ischemic stroke in people 65 and older.

CDC identifies possible safety issue with Pfizer's updated Covid-19 vaccine but says no changes to vaccination practices recommended | CNN

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday said there is a possible safety issue with the bivalent Covid-19 vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech, but it's unlikely it represents a true risk. The agency said it continues to recommend people stay up-to-date with Covid-19 vaccines.

www.cnn.com

 

[Trell]

>>>Although China has largely abandoned COVID-19 case reporting, evidence of its massive wave of infection readily shows up in airports outside its borders.

On a December 26 flight from the southeastern city of Wenzhou to Milan, Italy, 42 percent of the 149 passengers on board tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Eurosurveillance.

The Italian researchers behind the study also looked at test-positivity rates of three other flights from eastern cities in China to Italy, two to Milan and two to Rome, all at the end of December. Collectively, 23 percent of the passengers from the four flights (126 of 556 passengers) were positive for SARS-CoV-2. The other three flights had positivity rates of 19 percent, 11 percent, and 14 percent.

The passengers were tested either with rapid-antigen tests or PCR tests. Positive antigen tests were confirmed with PCR tests. The testing most likely captured people with mild or asymptomatic cases, as well as those who had recently recovered. PCR tests can remain positive for weeks following an infection. …<<<

Amid China’s massive COVID wave, 42% of people on one flight tested positive

Another reminder to keep those masks on during flights.

arstechnica.com

 

[Mr._Clark]

Another news blurb about the bivalent boosters. I have not yet read the CDC post (second link below), but the bivalent booster does appear to be at least somewhat effective against at least some of the recent variants.

>>>For adults between the ages of 18 and 49, the boosters cut the odds of getting a symptomatic infection caused by the BA.5 subvariant by 52%, and it cut the odds of getting an infection caused by XBB or XBB.1.5 by 49%. For adults ages 50 to 64, the new boosters cut the odds of getting sick with Covid-19 by 43% for BA.5 and 40% for XBB subvariants. For those age 65 and older, the boosters cut the odds of an infection with symptoms by 37% and 43% for BA.5 and XBB subvariants, respectively.

The study authors saw little evidence of waning effectiveness two to three months after people got their shots.<<<

Updated Covid-19 boosters continue to offer substantial protection, even against rapidly spreading XBB.1.5 subvariant | CNN

The updated boosters are cutting the risk that a person will get sick from Covid-19 by about half, even against infections caused by the rapidly spreading XBB.1.5 subvariant.

www.cnn.com

Early Estimates of Bivalent mRNA Booster Dose Vaccine ...

This report describes how a bivalent mRNA booster dose provided additional protection against symptomatic XBB/XBB.1.5 infection for at least the first 3 months after vaccination in persons who had previously received 2–4 monovalent vaccine doses.

www.cdc.gov

 

[cpp]

"For those age 65 and older, the boosters cut the odds of an infection with symptoms by 37% and 43% for BA.5 and XBB subvariants, respectively. "

Another news blurb about the bivalent boosters. I have not yet read the CDC post (second link below), but the bivalent booster does appear to be at least somewhat effective against at least some of the recent variants.

>>>For adults between the ages of 18 and 49, the boosters cut the odds of getting a symptomatic infection caused by the BA.5 subvariant by 52%, and it cut the odds of getting an infection caused by XBB or XBB.1.5 by 49%. For adults ages 50 to 64, the new boosters cut the odds of getting sick with Covid-19 by 43% for BA.5 and 40% for XBB subvariants. For those age 65 and older, the boosters cut the odds of an infection with symptoms by 37% and 43% for BA.5 and XBB subvariants, respectively.

The study authors saw little evidence of waning effectiveness two to three months after people got their shots.<<<

Updated Covid-19 boosters continue to offer substantial protection, even against rapidly spreading XBB.1.5 subvariant | CNN

The updated boosters are cutting the risk that a person will get sick from Covid-19 by about half, even against infections caused by the rapidly spreading XBB.1.5 subvariant.

www.cnn.com

Early Estimates of Bivalent mRNA Booster Dose Vaccine ...

This report describes how a bivalent mRNA booster dose provided additional protection against symptomatic XBB/XBB.1.5 infection for at least the first 3 months after vaccination in persons who had previously received 2–4 monovalent vaccine doses.

www.cdc.gov

And thats why I keep getting a booster. To old to take chances

 

[GO-NAD!]

COVID-19 misinformation cost at least 2,800 lives and $300M, new report says | CBC News

The American equivalent would be 25,000 lives and US$2 Billion. That's just for a 9-month period.

 

[Mikado463]

and three years later............

It's Time for the Scientific Community to Admit We Were Wrong About COVID

Intellectual elitism, credentialism, and classism must end. Restoring trust in public health—and our democracy—depends on it.

www.newsweek.com

 

[mtrot]

and three years later............

It's Time for the Scientific Community to Admit We Were Wrong About COVID

Intellectual elitism, credentialism, and classism must end. Restoring trust in public health—and our democracy—depends on it.

www.newsweek.com

Yup, pretty much. Good opinion piece.

I remember way back when covid was getting started, upon being asked by reporters if he would listen to what the medical people were telling him, Trump immediately responded something to the effect of, "well, if I only listened to the doctors, the country would have big problems". He seemingly was able to foresee pretty much the adverse effects of covid policy that this author is now pointing out.

 

[Swerd]

and three years later............

It's Time for the Scientific Community to Admit We Were Wrong About COVID

Intellectual elitism, credentialism, and classism must end. Restoring trust in public health—and our democracy—depends on it.

www.newsweek.com

Yup, pretty much. Good opinion piece.

I remember way back when covid was getting started, upon being asked by reporters if he would listen to what the medical people were telling him, Trump immediately responded something to the effect of, "well, if I only listened to the doctors, the country would have big problems". He seemingly was able to foresee pretty much the adverse effects of covid policy that this author is now pointing out.

I have to respond. That opinion piece is a piece of BS, and little else. Shame on Newsweek for publishing it.

The public health community, both physicians and scientists got the Covid-19 pandemic right. The right wing politicians who tried to turn a genuine public health threat into political football got it wrong. Ignoring the virus would have led to millions more deaths than we had. It was wrong to advocate that 3 years ago, and it's wrong to pretend that now. Likewise it was wrong to overreact in the other direction, with long-lasting nation-wide lock downs, as the Chinese did.

I'd say we took a middle ground approach and got it right, as much as was possible. Covid-19 was a never before seen, life threatening viral pandemic. It was certainly not "just like the flu". There is no text book advice on how to handle it.

The author of that BS piece is only a medical student, not a qualified physician and not at all a qualified scientist. What's worse, he's an MD/PhD student. They don't yet know medicine or science. I used to teach medical students back in the day, and in my experience, the MD/PhD students were the worst combination of arrogance and ignorance. His written opinions only confirm my suspicions.

 

[Mikado463]

I have to respond. That opinion piece is a piece of BS, and little else. Shame on Newsweek for publishing it.

It's my understanding it is just that, an 'opinion'. One to which we are all entitled, you, me and everyone else.

My take is, we could have done better !

 

[mtrot]

I have to respond. That opinion piece is a piece of BS, and little else. Shame on Newsweek for publishing it.

The public health community, both physicians and scientists got the Covid-19 pandemic right. The right wing politicians who tried to turn a genuine public health threat into political football got it wrong. Ignoring the virus would have led to millions more deaths than we had. It was wrong to advocate that 3 years ago, and it's wrong to pretend that now. Likewise it was wrong to overreact in the other direction, with long-lasting nation-wide lock downs, as the Chinese did.

I'd say we took a middle ground approach and got it right, as much as was possible. Covid-19 was a never before seen, life threatening viral pandemic. It was certainly not "just like the flu". There is no text book advice on how to handle it.

The author of that BS piece is only a medical student, not a qualified physician and not at all a qualified scientist. What's worse, he's an MD/PhD student. They don't yet know medicine or science. I used to teach medical students back in the day, and in my experience, the MD/PhD students were the worst combination of arrogance and ignorance. His written opinions only confirm my suspicions.

I have to respond. It was the left wing politicians who used covid as a bully club to impose all manner of draconian measures on the American people, resulting in adverse societal sequelae, including setting back a generation of students in their academic achievement. Suicide rates up, addiction up, work ethic way down, etc.

 

[Trell]

It's my understanding it is just that, an 'opinion'. One to which we are all entitled, you, me and everyone else.

My take is, we could have done better !

Is that all you got out of @Swerd's reply that you so selectively quoted?

 

[Trell]

I have to respond. It was the left wing politicians who used covid as a bully club to impose all manner of draconian measures on the American people, resulting in adverse societal sequelae, including setting back a generation of students in their academic achievement. Suicide rates up, addiction up, work ethic way down, etc.

Only in USA in the democratic world is the handling of this pandemic so politicized, anti-scientific and moronic, which almost all of that from the right-side "conservatives". The price was hundreds of thousands unnecessary deaths, and the death toll was much higher in districts that voted Republican. In contrast to Republicans, the Democrats wanted to save as many lives as possible.

 

[mtrot]

Only in USA in the democratic world is the handling of this pandemic so politicized, anti-scientific and moronic, which almost all of that from the right-side "conservatives". The price was hundreds of thousands unnecessary deaths, and the death toll was much higher in districts that voted Republican. In contrast to Republicans, the Democrats wanted to save as many lives as possible.

Well, the USA is the only country in the "democratic world" in which individual constitutional rights are mostly not abrogated by adverse medical events. So, of course, conservative politicians and commentators are going to question draconian governmental lock downs and medical mandates. If covid had the mortality rate of, say, ebola, that might be a different situation. But, for a respiratory virus with overal mortality that is perhaps 1%, it is reasonable to discuss how much governmental control should be exercised over the individual.

I do agree that the covid shots(I don't consider them true vaccines) would have saved thousands of lives in the US and I have argued the last two years against the anti-vaxxers who have indeed made a lot of ignorant claims about the covid shots and their efficacy. I, too, wanted to save as many lives as possible, but not at the expense of widespread loss of individual freedoms.

 

[Trell]

Well, the USA is the only country in the "democratic world" in which individual constitutional rights are mostly not abrogated by adverse medical events

Really? You must live in the MAGA world to “think” that, not that there are much thinking going on there in the first place.

If Trump has won his second election there would have been many more dead Americans. Is that what you want? My guess is that Republican districts, especially the rural ones, would take the great majority of unnecessary and preventable deaths.

 

[mtrot]

Really? You must live in the MAGA world to “think” that, not that there are much thinking going on there in the first place.

If Trump has won his second election there would have been many more dead Americans. Is that what you want? My guess is that Republican districts, especially the rural ones, would take the great majority of unnecessary and preventable deaths.

Is there something wrong with the "MAGA world"? You do realize it's about half the country, right? It's your kind of arrogant, disparaging comments that turn people off to your thoughts.

Also, your assumption that that there would be more deaths if Trump won again seems dubious, at best, to me. After all, it was under Trump that the shots were developed in record time and he encouraged people to get the shots. So, I don't think you can make your assumption, at all. Now, I do agree that many people in the rural areas stubbornly refused to get the shots, and many died because of that. But I don't see where Trump ever personally encouraged that kind of thinking.

 

[Trell]

Is there something wrong with the "MAGA world"? You do realize it's about half the country, right? It's your kind of arrogant, disparaging comments that turn people off to your thoughts.

Any real conservative dislikes the MAGA world and that world is an inspiration and guiding star to the far right in Europe, while the rest look at it with alarm and contempt. A clear and present danger to our democracy and freedom, and you even had a failed coup attempt by Trump in which you refuse to hold him accountable. Some foot soldiers in the assault on the Capitol are sentenced but the planners, not so much.

Also, your assumption that that there would be more deaths if Trump won again seems dubious, at best, to me

I’ve posted earlier in this thread, last autumn, showing statistics between voting in 2020 and deaths from COVID. And yes, Republican districts had much more dying

I did watch a few of Trumps COVID briefings and they where absolutely appalling, but sadly they set the tone how to handle the pandemic, along with a number of other statements, actions as well as inactions. And that deadly influence is still ongoing.

 

[mtrycrafts]

...

My take is, we could have done better !

How so? What should we have done differently and better?
Don't forget who was in charge all of 2020.

 

[isolar8001]

In not so fond memory of our former "Chump In Chief"'s DISASTROUS CoronaVirus briefings....thank goodness he eventually gave up on them.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Really? You must live in the MAGA world ...

East Texas.