Coronavirus

[JRP3]

You raise a good point about testing illegal immigrants... this is a serious health concern and should be addressed.

Is it? And since I'd assume most illegals are keeping a low profile how would you even find them to test unless they are somehow working in jobs which require testing, which I'm guessing from your comments and disagrees you'd be against? But sure if there were a way to do it I say test everyone unvaccinated, better yet vaccinate them.

 

[bkp_duke]

Is it? And since I'd assume most illegals are keeping a low profile how would you even find them to test unless they are somehow working in jobs which require testing, which I'm guessing from your comments and disagrees you'd be against? But sure if there were a way to do it I say test everyone unvaccinated, better yet vaccinate them.

Illegals are presenting themselves at the border, most are NOT sneaking across. That's when you test them, at presentation.

 

[JRP3]

That makes sense. Vaccinate them as well.

 

[Jeff N]

There has been a lot of speculation about whether the Omicron variant is “milder” or less virulent than Delta. This is a useful thread that puts some of the early data from South Africa into context.

The bottom line is that there various confounding factors and not enough data and time yet in order to really know.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1467270450111787012

 

[ElectricIAC]

There has been a lot of speculation about whether the Omicron variant is “milder” or less virulent than Delta. This is a useful thread that puts some of the early data from South Africa into context.

The bottom line is that there various confounding factors and not enough data and time yet in order to really know.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1467270450111787012

And like the mental defectives/scare fetishists they are, the MSM again goes head first in the direction of If in doubt, Freak out!

 

[JRP3]

NYS cases increasing, my local county as well, (almost 80% with at least single dose vax), big jump in Cornell U and Ithaca College, all probably the result of Thanksgiving spreader events.

 

[daniel]

Illegals are presenting themselves at the border, most are NOT sneaking across. That's when you test them, at presentation.

By definition, illegal immigrants are people who enter the country without presenting themselves at the border. Of course, the problem with trying to test (or vaccinate) undocumented immigrants is that they're trying to avoid being found and deported. A rational Covid policy would be guaranteed no-fault testing and vaccination: Allow undocumented immigrants to be tested and vaccinated without risk of being turned in or arrested and deported. Many might still be afraid that the guarantee would not be honored. But telling people "We want to test you, and by the way, we'll deport you also" is not the way to get the virus under control.

It would be interesting to know what percentage of the unvaccinated are undocumented, and would get vaccinated if there was a way to do it without risk of deportation, and what percentage are anti-vax idiots.

Here's a thought: Give a green card to any undocumented person who gets vaccinated. All attempts to keep them out have been abject failures. Use their desire to live and work here as a way to increase the overall vaccination rate.

 

[Tiger]

Could this Omicron variant be taking the same path as Spanish Flu and go herd immune? Should everyone book a trip to Africa, now?

Summary:

The majority of hospital admissions are for diagnoses unrelated to COVID-19.
76% of patients are incidental COVID admissions.

Sewage tests indicate high rise in cases while no rise in hospitalizations or admissions due to COVID.

The clinical profile of admitted patients could change significantly over the next two weeks.

 

[AlanSubie4Life]

Could this Omicron variant be taking the same path as Spanish Flu and go herd immune?

What’s being missed here (didn’t watch the video - maybe it was covered) is the impact of vaccine-acquired natural immunity and infection-acquired natural immunity on preventing severe disease. Most people in South Africa have been infected at least once, many 2-3 times, and some as many as four times. That’s going to likely result in lower chance of negative outcomes even if there is immune escape which allows easy reinfection, based on general knowledge of how immunity works. Plus 0.3% of the population of South Africa has already died of COVID so that helps too.

Beware of extrapolating this result to other places where infection coverage is not as good. Of course it is possible omicron is more mild but it’s very difficult to say right now. The data is probably not good enough to draw a conclusion.

 

[AlanSubie4Life]

I agree this drug doesn’t seem like a great idea. It’s only marginally effective anyway. Need the better therapeutic. Hopefully that approval of Paxlovid comes soon (no word on it, which is surprising given the stunning efficacy) and becomes the drug of choice.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1467611446053851145

 

[msm859]

I completely agree that the pandemic should not have been politicized, but that's like wishing for unicorns in our current society. It was always going to happen, because everything is hyperpoliticized.

We can try to read/cut through the political BS and base our decisions on facts (and not cherry picked ones, but look at the ENTIRE body of evidence), or we can just pick our tribes and get the pitch forks ready.

Covid Vaccinations has become another wedge issue for the GOP. Just like guns, gays, and abortion. Except this time the GOP's playbook is killing off more of "theirs". The question will be what happens if we in fact get a more deadly variant. How far will the GOP go before they do what's right?

 

[bkp_duke]

Covid Vaccinations has become another wedge issue for the GOP. Just like guns, gays, and abortion. Except this time the GOP's playbook is killing off more of "theirs". The question will be what happens if we in fact get a more deadly variant. How far will the GOP go before they do what's right?

This is a bit one-sided. If you look up old videos, the DEM party made vaccines an issue before Biden took office, with many MANY politicians saying they could not trust the current vaccines just because the Trump administration was involved.

Sorry, but both parties are guilty of hyperpoliticization in the "recent past".

 

[winfield100]

This is a bit one-sided. If you look up old videos, the DEM party made vaccines an issue before Biden took office, with many MANY politicians saying they could not trust the current vaccines just because the Trump administration was involved.

Sorry, but both parties are guilty of hyperpoliticization in the "recent past".

it was a bit difficult when the _leaders_ of the trump admin were not the most believable, including his personal doc and folks knew their veracity was quite questionable.
always tell the truth straight up, no matter how unpalatable, and they would have been trusted "magically go away"
trumps doctor, very professional and the epitomy of the picture of health, completely trustworthy
(is that a Windows 98 or Windows XP screen on the display, ie, no security updates for a very long time)

 

[bkp_duke]

it was a bit difficult when the _leaders_ of the trump admin were not the most believable, including his personal doc and folks knew their veracity was quite questionable.
always tell the truth straight up, no matter how unpalatable, and they would have been trusted "magically go away"
trumps doctor, very professional and the epitomy of the picture of health, completely trustworthy
(is that a Windows 98 or Windows XP screen on the display, ie, no security updates for a very long time)

Same when the LEADERS of the Biden admin voiced skepticism of the vaccine. Both Biden and Harris are on video record during their campaign stating they (paraphrased) would have trouble promoting any vaccine developed by the Trump administration.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/biden-trump-coronavirus-vaccine/2020/09/16/2ffbea6a-f831-11ea-a275-1a2c2d36e1f1_story.html

Biden, Seizing on Worries of a Rushed Vaccine, Warns Trump Can’t Be Trusted (Published 2020)

Thrusting the issue of a coronavirus vaccine to the center of the campaign, Joe Biden said he trusted vaccines, but not a politicized development process. His comments came as the president publicly rebuked the top federal scientist.

www.nytimes.com

Guess who undermined public confidence in vaccines?

The Biden administration is trying to shift blame to social media for the predictable effects of its own demagoguery.

thehill.com

Then, the instant they were in office, the message did a 180.

Sorry, but both parties are culpable in the current mess. No one gets a pass. The Biden admin has at least been firm in their stance SINCE taking office, but they used the vaccine development process as a political weapon against the Trump admin before the election, and that really makes it hard for supporters of the previous administration to trust them on this message.

More importantly, this entire situation has made the job of physicians that much more difficult. I have a lot of colleagues retiring early, or strongly considering doing so, just because of how the pandemic/vaccines/healthcare have become so political. They no longer feel valued and are tired of getting drawn into political arguments.

 

[JRP3]

Loud voices and larger lungs make men more likely to spread Covid.

Study shows men spread COVID particles more than women and children

And the louder you talk, the more particles you're likely to emit, one of the study's authors said.

www.yahoo.com

 

[bkp_duke]

We've discussed this a number of times, the Dem position was reasonable in the face of a lunatic desperate to do anything to help him stay in power and the messaging from Dems clearly stated they'd support it where there was evidence of sufficient testing and the experts signed off on it, which they did. Plus the fact that the majority of people refusing the vax are conservative Reps and Trump supporters. Let's not keep pretending that they would jump on board if Dems fully supported anything Trump said about the vaccines. You keep trying to make this indefensible argument that the Dem hesitance to just take Trump on his word is the reason conservative Reps aren't taking the vaccine, it's completely removed from reality. Worse, you know these facts yet still try to twist the narrative.

Literally, I quoted DEM publications above. The Dems made the mistake of associating the scientific institutions (CDC, NIH, etc) with the Trump administration. They should have attacked Trump, but not those institutions and their validity. They made a critical error in eroding confidence in those health institutions, and now them and all of us are paying the price for that hyper political move.

 

[madodel]

Pro-Trump counties now have far higher COVID death rates. Misinformation is to blame

 

[JRP3]

Literally, I quoted DEM publications above. The Dems made the mistake of associating the scientific institutions (CDC, NIH, etc) with the Trump administration. They should have attacked Trump, but not those institutions and their validity. They made a critical error in eroding confidence in those health institutions, and now them and all of us are paying the price for that hyper political move.

Why are you still pretending that the conservative Trump supporters would be positively influenced by anything the Dems say or do? You know it's not true, all of us know it, and we all know the vast majority of anti vax are now the conservative right. Please stop this pointless campaign of whataboutism, you aren't going to fool anyone here.

 

[bkp_duke]

Why are you still pretending that the conservative Trump supporters would be positively influenced by anything the Dems say or do? You know it's not true, all of us know it, and we all know the vast majority of anti vax are now the conservative right. Please stop this pointless campaign of whataboutism, you aren't going to fool anyone here.

Because I have family in this camp, we talk. I doubt you have many conversations with the "opposite camp".

Literally, the flip flop pushed people that were more moderate off on vaccines.

Since you appear to not have had enough coffee, let me condense this down for you:

PREVIOUSLY - CDC and NIH recommendations (made through physicians to these people directly) had some sway. That went POOF when the left politicized these institutions. Now physicians can't quote CDC and NIH guidelines because they are politically tainted.

 

[ElectricIAC]

Trump

Trump

You really shouldn’t give away free rent after SCOTUS said you don’t have to.