Coronavirus in the United States - news and thoughts

Part of the problem is that the graphs on the Israeli dashboard toggle between raw numbers and "numbers per 100,000" and some of those graphs look very different. I cannot read Hebrew, but Jewish wife can and when we read the dashboard together we could not find anything that specifically called out that 250 of 400 severe cases were vaccinated. It might still be there, but we could not find which graph spelled that out.

Meanwhile, the Times of Israel is not reporting the data that way either and continue through Wednesday reporting that the data are showing that that you are 6.3 times less likely to develop severe disease if vaccinated than unvaccinated.

So, I am not sure what to make of the Dashboard and interpretations at this point.

 

Seems like good news for those awaiting a second shot too.

 

No we aren't.

 

My sisters family all got Covid in the past 10 days. Even with multiple confirmed cases in his home, my symptomatic brother-in-law tested somehow tested negative yesterday, yet somehow ended up admitted to the hospital and a second test popped back as a +. He is on steroids and his O2 is improving a bit. They are keeping him for observation.

 

Delta does seem to reduce vaccine efficacy by some % (either that or its a function of time, i.e. the immunity starting to wear off in some people after x# of months).

The thing is this variant is also much MUCH worse for the unvaccinated based on the numbers. So relatively speaking, it’s extremely ignorant to focus on the breakthrough cases while ignoring what is happening to the unvaccinated.

 

Extreme ignorance seems to be the order of the day for some. Seems like some on here like to skew and cherry pick data, it is like they want to see more Americans die. When variant Echo or Foxtrot rolls around due to anti science people, some here might celebrate if the vaccines prove less effective.

 

I know a family that has recently had COVID. They are hardcore anti-vax in general. The dad was fatigued/sick for a good week and a half. Didn't impact the mom at all; the kids had very mild cold like symptoms. The dad says to me that he would have gotten the shot if he knew it could have saved him from all the down time. I asked him what is biggest reservation was, and he said that he didn't like the idea that the vaccine was being forced.

Three takeaways from that (for me personally):

(1) there are some people that can be reached in a positive way, and jamming vaccination talks down people's throat may still have a negative impact on people (rather than engaging them in meaningful conversations and soliciting questions)

(2) the children still, for the most part, don't seem to be being heavily impacted

(3) people who go through a similar experience or worse will be advocates for the vaccines going forward, or at a minimum, they'll have an appreciation for another perspective (perhaps for other vaccinations as well)

This is a giant learning experience for not just our society, but for the entire world. Be patient, because we won't get the results we are looking for in the short-term, but there will be much to learn from this experience for future generations as they reflect back on this time period.

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

 

So 80% effective against hospitalization is the same as zero?

As to masks, how are they worthless? Obviously they block some degree of airflow. How is it Asian countries heavily use masks and greatly reduce spread of seasonal diseases, including covid?

You could argue we don't do masks very well, with some hanging below noses, and some scarf type cloth masks that are probably pretty poor.

 

In fairness, there are whiners coming from the other side as well. There's a civil way to discuss disagreements, and it's most productive for us to shoot for that.

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

 

Eventually most non vaxed will get Delta anyway.

 

I was with the anti-vax wing of my family about a week ago and heard them talking about how "they" have all the variants named already through 2023 - citing this as further proof of the evil master plan.

I avoid these convos, but couldn't help myself. I said, well yeah - "they" have them named already because "they" already know the letters of the greek alphabet. They just blinked. Then I mentioned that there were 26 names for 2021 Atlantic storms already queued up as well, and rhetorically asked if that meant we will see 26 hurricanes. More blinking. I'm sure they thought I was just a sheep. I almost wept.

 

Come on, be fair, you can't envision any settings where masks can have utility?

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

 

They need to knuckle down and understand the fluidity of science in a pandemic. Michael Osterholm refers to it as "corrected science."

 

The masks were lab tested to be effective as follows: 10% cloth, 40% surgical, 95% N95.

So yeah, the cloth masks actually are kind of worthless (although 10% is still better than 0%, but I do think based on the science they should emphasize the surgical type mask which are easy and painless to wear... the reason N95 aren’t recommended is they are a nightmare to wear for long durations). I’d say if everyone wore surgical masks amidst an outbreak, and wore them properly, that 40% would substantially reduce the spread in the public. Not to 0, but when you reduce the exponent in an exponential equation by 40% that is HUGE. Seems people still don’t understand something that is in essence based on 10th grade math, that’s all this R0 epidemiological function is. A basic exponential math equation. Other than that, how is this still a debate?

 

Was he reached in a positive way, or did he have to learn from experience (i.e. the hard way)? I don't think coddling anti-vaxxers will help either. They simply will not be reached - must reach their own conclusions. Your friend's suggestion about why not vax was likely at least in part a deflection.

 

I can almost picture the blinking.

Years ago I was talking to someone about directions.
Me: If I exit the interstate on Bitters road, do I go east or west?
Her: Well, that depends which direction you are coming from.
Me: Actually no it doesn't, that is kind of the point of cardinal directions.
Her: (Blink)

 

Masks work. If they didn't hospitals would have been full of nurses, techs and doctors suffering from Covid a year and a half ago. They weren't.

 

Unfortunately there are two sides, but one side is right. Parents in FL, TN, KY, etc. are fighting about mask mandates. Meanwhile . . .
Broward County, Florida: 4 educators died in 24 hours from Covid-19 complications - CNN

 

The hard way, but he'll be able to act as a voice of experience as he encounters others that have not yet arrived at his situation.

People tend to want immediate change, but we simply aren't built that way as a society; I know we may disagree, but sometimes I think our efforts to push for an immediate change end up turning people off from wanting to be a part of that change. Not turning them off will have more utility in the long run.

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

 

In my opinion, being right does not justify whining.

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS