Coronavirus in the United States - news and thoughts

1100% higher hospitalization if unvaccinated? The vaccines work. The argument that vaccines don’t work there are infections of vaccinated people is disinformation. It is an opinion, not a fact, born of utter ignorance. And we never reached levels of herd immunity or endemic spread because not enough people were vaccinated. 60% vaccinated wasn’t enough. All the information is out there. But the stupid prevailed. And always because of a false, “I will do what is good for me attitude.” Which is now why we have to protect ourselves from them. It is really that simple. They don’t deserve respect for prolonging the problem. And we protect ourselves by and large by vaccination and masking. And we protect others similarly. We don’t protect them as much, but only because of their choice.

 

Georgia deploys National Guard to hospitals and testing centers as the state reports record-high COVID cases

 

Here is a CNN Report showing the protective effect of the J&J vaccine against serous illness.
Studies indicate J&J Covid-19 vaccine booster protects people against severe illness from Omicron variant

 

Your post reaches the wrong conclusion from the data.

 

I admit, I don't get the buzz over omicron either. Everything I have seen indicates omicron is mild for the vaccinated although it is contagious. So is the common cold though. I imagine many got it and didn't even realize it.

The main threat is to the non-vaccinated although I suppose the risk to the vaccinated would be if hospitals hit capacity such that non-covid related issues cannot be addressed in time. Part of me would rather just let omicron run its course.

 

Omicron will run its course. The issue is the threat to the unvaccinated and the hospital system. And Delta is still out there.

 

Could Omicron be a blessing in the long run?

Serious question.

My parents, both high risk have had very minor effects from it. (Both vaxed with J&J and they got the antibody infusion immediately after testing positive).
My dad has a serious respiratory illness that puts him at extremely high risk, yet the effects were minor.

4 of the 5 people in my house have tested positive in the past 2 weeks. Nothing more than a minor flu.

So my question is, if this thing spreads to so many more people than previous variants and adds immunity on top of the vaccinated population, does it give the virus fewer hosts and help it begin to fizzle out?

Could a wildly contagious, but weak variant be a good thing?

 

Time will tell. I don’t think Covid is going to fizzle out. But hopefully this is the move towards the common cold/flu where it is less serious.

 

Just Talked to a friend that has Omicron as well as entire family of 8 after traveling to the NE for Christmas.
All fully vaxed, they are the sickest, said it is like strep and bronchitis had a baby. Rest of the family (younger) mainly asymptomatic. Said it would not be good for elderly.
I plan on quarantining on my boat by myself until the boss tells me to come home, which, might or might not happen

 

It could be. The South Africa data suggests Omicron may be more contagious, but less severe. A minor flu that doesn't send many to the hospital isn't a major worry. But there are caveats to the S. Africa data.

This article lays most of them out very well. S. Africa is a smaller country with only a few population centers, and it has been estimated that between vaccination and prior infection, about 90% of S. Africans had some sort of COVID immunity. Omicron was able to infect many who had either or immunity, but cases were mild.

Here in the US, we have a higher vaxxed total, but likely lower natural immunity number. The article states 60% vaxxed and estimated 20% natural, which still leaves 20%, or 66 million COVID naive. It's a possibility that for these people, Omicron will be as dangerous as any variant.

Another variable not discussed in the link is average age. S. Africa is a young country, with an average age of under 28. The US is older, with an average age closer to 38. COVID generally presents more danger the older you are, so US Omicron danger may not match up with S. Africa, because we're older.

 

How do they know what variant they have? RX testing and drive through testing dont tell you that. Here locally doctors tell people their tests don't tell them that. They send them off for further testing, but generally the patient doesn't know the variant. Is that not the norm?

 

It has to be omicron. It's all the rage on msm.

 

I will ask, they do work in Healthcare at a major hospital.

 

So it looks like 60% of hospital admissions were not for covid, but tested positive while in the hospital for something else. Good info and we should get that from all hospitals. We know it's been that way for over a year with pediatric hospitalizations.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article256878197.html


"Of the 212 inpatients with COVID-19 reported at Jackson Health, 127 or 60% were diagnosed after being admitted for another reason, according to the hospital system’s internal tracking report.”

 

In part, yes. It reflects the evolution of the virus to a less virulent form. Mostly a cold virus. Like all other Coronaviruses. That is a natural course for these viruses because they can’t survive if they kill their hosts. It is one reason for relaxed rules concerning quarantine etc. And, it’s even lesser effects on vaccinated people show the advantages of prior immune responses. It is a reason Fauci said we will not need restrictions in a few months. Unless it mutates to a more virulent form again. Bear in mind that some people are still getting nasty congestion and hospitalized. Maybe because Delta is still out there. So, I would not use the word blessing. But it is a step. And as it becomes prominent, immune systems will be trained to deal with Delta too. We just need to keep our health care systems functioning for awhile.

 

How does he know they had omicron? Was a test done to identify their infection? Delta is spreading too. Our condo managers assistant has significant congestion; not just a cold. I suggested she go to the hospital for an X-ray.

 

Really, that is what you offer? Just Pathetic, unhelpful and false. You must have missed the link I posted a couple of days ago from a mainstream media outlet reporting that there are still a significant member of Delta infections. Likely because you filter your information through sources that mislead you.

 

Thanks. That may be it. That hospital may have the capability. It's just not the norm for most folks to know the variant, though it would certainly be helpful.