Coronavirus in the United States - news and thoughts

I never thought the data is "perfect" for every individual case, but the idea that there was some huge number of deaths "totally unrelated to COVID" was easily dismissible by the excess deaths numbers. The excess deaths studies that have come out are all in the ballpark of the reported COVID figures, at least in the U.S. and other 1st world countries. There may be some that died "with" COVID, there may be some COVID deaths never reported, but the excess deaths confirm the reported numbers were "in the ballpark" of true COVID deaths. If we had very low excess deaths, then you would question if the COVID reporting was attributing large numbers of "with COVID" deaths to the count. If we had like 2 Million "excess deaths", then you would wonder if we were badly undercounting (like people think was going on in India during the Delta wave). Instead, excess deaths pretty much line up within a reasonable margin (maybe +/- 10%).

The problem with the bad actors online spreading the falsehoods about "dying with COVID, not from COVID", is that they latch onto a couple of the more egregious examples (even assuming those examples were true, rather than falsified). How many people latch on to the "guy died in motorcycle crash = COVID death" example? It becomes a talking point that widely circulates. Yet... they totally ignore the excess death numbers, which would be the most obvious way to "confirm" the veracity of the big picture of the pandemic. This was a dishonest tactic of those fake news sites and misinformation peddlers. It's rather unfortunate people couldn't immediately see right through that sort of blatant dishonesty...but some just want to believe whatever they want to believe I guess.

 

Remind me what I must do to get this NI? Is there a injection I can take? BTW please remember I may have diabetes, or hypertension, or be elderly, and I might be obese. This NI sounds great, though. Oh also I am about 60% of the American population that statistically would likely have serious outcomes from Covid-19. Please advise.

 

It's kind of wild that there are people who will bemoan the side effects of the vaccine, then offer NI as a safer alternative.

 

Sorry the facts don't agree with you.
And remember I don't care if you get the vaccine or not if it makes you feel safer and better then getter then get it boost it up.

 

Any impact on the suicide rate is a very very sad result.

However, you seem to want to put the cause 100% on the lockdowns and ignoring every other factor that might have contributed, such as lose of a parent or grandparent to the virus, and increased anxiety from the pandemic, and just general unrest in America. The last couple years have been a $hit show for a lot of reasons.

And sadly, the increase in teen suicides in not a new phenominom. This article from 2019 (pre-COVID) shows that it had been on an increase for the last decade and suggests that a major contributing factor was social media.

Suicide rates in girls are rising, study finds, especially in those age 10 to 14 | CNN

 

are you saying getting actual Covid/natural immunity is safer than getting a shot?

 

It's a sad and dangerous state of affairs when such a large swath of the public has been sucked into the vortex of mis & disinformation. But countless numbers of them were already primed by years of R pols sewing distrust in govt and movement conservatism taking the right over the cliff of extreme reactionaryism. There really shouldn't be much debate about, say, the effectiveness of vaccines in keeping people from dying when over 90% of those who died since April 2021 were unvaccinated. Yet here we are.

 

Thanks. I'm actually a LONG LONG term GC poster (although I haven't posted much in the last few years), but decided to create a separate account to post here.

 

Doesn’t matter. Vax plus convalescent immunity is better than either. That is what the studies show. “Natural immunity” is a poor choice of terms. Not your fault; that is the in-artful term that is going around. And those who get mild cases and regret getting vaccinated should note the higher likelihood of more severe sickness and hospitalization for the unvaxxed

 

I like many others don't live in fear behind children. Also, parents' ages are generally 30s and 40s who have an incredibly low rate of hospitalization and an even lower chance of dying. On top of that, most populations are at least 65% plus vaccinated in those age groups.

See how age and illnesses change the risk of dying from covid-19

Regarding suicides:

Covid-19 school closings linked to increase in depression and suicide, study finds - CNN

Just because someone was not successful in committing suicide doesn't mean a lot of harm was not done.

First, 1918 pandemic was a different animal. It actually was much more dangerous for the younger ages groups than it was for the older age groups.
It is also now well documented that many people including children who are in the hospital are there with covid, not because of covid.
Use the hospitalization chart on NYT website for Florida:
Florida Coronavirus Map and Case Count
During Delta the rate hit 2.5 per 100k for 0-18 age group.
Omicrons peak hit 2.7 per 100k.
Almost no difference in how many needed to be hospitalized yet about 3x more cases per day during Omicron.

I think when a community is experiencing a high rate of infection, a mask should be used. It would help slow the spread some of which of course would keep our hospitals from being overwhelmed.
Mask have not proved to stop covid spread, especially Omicron but I do think slowing it down is important.
Now that the Omicron infection rate has dropped like a rock, I don't see the point in forcing masks especially on children who likely are not wearing it correctly all day anyhow.
My 3 year has been in public school since Jan 3rd. Did not get Omicron and does not have a mask.

 

Yes, I think most would be fine after catching covid. I also think most who caught covid after getting the jabs realize those weren't really that effective

 

Screw them studies, most of the people I know who caught Covid who were vaccinated and had the same reactions of those I know who weren't vaccinated. Those who are susceptible, overweight etc are the ones having the bad reactions

 

Down with data, up with anecdotes. Huzzah!

 

The data can only be accurate if those applying it are truthful. If you and the others want to trust the data, Huzzah! Like I've stated for a long time, I'm not against vaccines that actually work. But if you and others trust it or still believe it's effective then jab up bro, I could care less. My way has worked great for my family and many more that I know.

 

Haven't posted in along time been lurking.

Just throwing in my experience. 51, unvaxed, picked up covid for the first time in Jan.

3 days of sickness followed by 11 days(fatigue/mild cold symptoms) to get a negative. Done.
Most around me are vaxed up and boosted(fitness people like to travel) and had the same reaction when they got it.

Work out of a gym(independent contractor) with zero protocols and no one cares, business as usual. So good that the owners are opening a larger location.

 

And seat belts are of no use until they are.

 

Would rather be a sheep than a lemming.

 

I'm not really sure what you're implying here but I'm glad you and your friends are okay. I hope it wasn't transmitted to someone more vulnerable.

Interestingly, you demonstrated a misalignment of fortunes. Good for you that it was likely Omicron and not Delta given the Delta's more severe symptoms. Bad for your vaccinated friends it was Omicron and not Delta given the vaccine's effectiveness against Delta.

 

Exactly. When the data does not fit the narrative it either somehow does not find its way to be seen or is presented with models and numbers to paint the picture for the narrative.

 

So this "unseen" data is the data that you and flgator2 know about that is now manipulated "with models and numbers to paint the picture for the narrative." Two of the singularly most data averse posters on the site are in the know, but it's unseen to the rest of us. How convenient. I did not see that coming at all.