Coronavirus in the United States - news and thoughts

From a conversation with an ER Doctor in Des Moines, IA. The hospital is now seeing return patients who are having post-Covid complications.

Put a push pin in this, because I think we’re going to have a raft of people who survived this virus in their 30s to 50s and have life-long pulmonary vascular disease. Some may be on oxygen the rest of their lives. Some may need lung transplants, and you don’t get a lung transplant unless someone else dies.
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And from the same article about vaccination versus the unvaccinated:

I’ve admitted a few elderly people who are vaccinated, but they get admitted for everything. Generally, the people sick enough to need to stay in the hospital are not vaccinated.

I’m finally realizing something about the anti-vaxxers and all their “sheeple” stuff. They call vaccinated people sheep, but they themselves are the sheep — ones led by bad shepherds.​

The vaccine isn't a silver bullet. It's more like a bullet proof vest. Won't guarantee survival, but would you rather be v wearing a vest in a gun fight or not be v wearing one? Odds for survival are better with the vest, which offers protection. Just like the vaccine, which offers protection from the virus.

 

Great post but apparently to some, having basic common sense makes you better than mere mortals.
Pretty low bar for some.

 

You stop at stoplights and stop signs because this protects you and others. You don't stop because you feel like it is good for you.
Likewise with vaccinations. If everyone is vaccinated, you protect you and others and this protects the entire community.

 

not to mention DUI. Odds are you'll make it home. But obviously putting others at great risk.

 

but you will not lose your job for running a stop sign, unlike biden's attempt at authoratarian rule with mandates.

 

Agreed. But they are where this is headed with new vaccines. Likely ones that target a more robust tcell/bcell response.

Or some can just keep boostering away…

 

It is so widespread right now because the new drugs are not working well at all to slow the spread…

 

You very well could. May also lose your life or cause someone else to.

Are you vaccinated?

 

Until the new vaccines receive approval from the FDA under its EUA authority, I'm going to keep boostering away. The two aren't mutually exclusive.

 

You could if your job involves driving for a living and let's not forget Biden's OSHA mandate also provides an out through frequent testing for those workers who reject the vax.

 

Wearing a seat belt won't stop you from getting into an accident. But it could keep you out of the hospital. Or worse, the morgue. No guarantee, even while wearing your seat belt, but why not increase your odds and wear one?

The vaccine works in much the same way. No guarantees, but odds greatly increase.

 

All of you pointing out seat belts, DUIs, etc. Unless you have some kind of morals clause regarding DUIs or the like, you can't be fired. You're not going to lose your job for speeding. You're not going to lose your job for not getting the flu SHOT (which is highly beneficial when they get the right strand). You're not going to throw families out of restaurants if they don't show they've all gotten the chicken pox vaccine. An older adult isn't going to get fired for not getting the pneumovax.

The government has once again messed things up. Fire healthcare workers who are unvaccinated but make vaccinated workers work while infected because PPE works continues to just stand out in its stupidity & hypocrisy.

Especially since this isn't a vaccine. It's basically a therapeutic. Is it the best option right now? Absolutely! But the mandates are ridiculous.

 

Convenient to q's argument is his constantly pointing out breakthroughs. For many months now, he has ignored how vaccines have kept people out of the hospital and alive, by extremely large numbers even among the elderly and high risk. The numbers clearly demonstrate this.

...as you know.

 

Not true, icequeen. You absolutely can get fired for DUI from pretty much every job. You could get fired for running stop signs and causing an accident, especially if it injures or kills another. Labor laws don't prevent people getting fired for wrongdoing.

As for the flu, we are not in a pandemic as we are with covid, and that is a key difference. Also, covid is considerably deadlier than the flu. OTOH, if we are learning anything about the flu from covid, it's that it would be far better if everyone got their flu shots every year.

 

Btw we're going out to dinner tonight. Let me tell you what that entails. I have to make sure the NY State app has updated (it's buggy). I have to make sure we all have our paper vaccine cards- because they'll check both. I have to grab my son's photo ID because they'll want to confirm my son is my son. Since it was once disputed I have to bring a utility bill. So we have to basically give 3 proofs plus ID to go eat pizza. Pizza. And be thankful for it since the county executive said they may put us back on heavier restrictions soon, and parents will get emails by Sunday as to whether the kids have school Monday.

Oh & all while wearing masks (I'd be wearing one anyway but you get the gist).

Meanwhile our numbers keep going up, and no we're not in NYC.

 

Florida is now reporting over 40k per day.

Delta peak was 17.1k. Omicron wave surpassed that Dec 22nd.

Despite that, pediatric hospitalizations are not spiking like NY.

To give you an idea, this website is excellent:

CURRENTLY HOSPITALIZED - COVID-19 in Florida (Dr. Jason Salemi)

 

Enjoy. Inconvenient as the rules may be, be happy that folks are trying to keep you safe from the stoplight runners who might dine in that same establishment as you but do not care a bit about yours or anyone else's safety in this crisis.

 

That is a 410% increase since Dec. 17. How is that not spiking?

 

You most certainly get fired for a DUI. At a previous job, I supported 3 offices in AZ and 3 in CA. Drove a company car often between the offices. It was part of my employment that if I got a DUI, I'd lose company car privileges, which meant losing my job.

I also know of someone who lost a job running a stop sign. Drove for Sky Chefs, the airline caterer at PHX Sky Harbor. Ran a stop sign, on the job, causing a minor fender bender. Fortunately, nobody got hurt, but delayed a couple of flights, and caused the company likely thousands in repair costs for both vehicles.

By the way, there are 17 states that require flu shots for hospital workers, and other hospital groups that do the same. There are also areas, like Sonoma County, CA, that require a flu vaccine to work in senior homes.

 

Guess I missed the boat & should've demanded requirements like these a year before covid when on heavier chemo than now & a cold could've gotten me intubated. Silly me - everyone else could've protected me.

If they want real not SJW safety then they should be demanding a negative test no earlier than 48 hours prior to attending or going anywhere. Because guess what? If someone is infected vaccinated status doesn't really matter does it, considering they can still spread it.

I'd be wearing an n95 anyway with my issues but I just find it ridiculous when we're still seeing spikes etc even with all the restrictions in place.