The Coronavirus Thread

[Burque73]

We received the gov't issued 4 free covid tests in the mail the other day. We'll keep them around in case anyone feels less than healthy.

One thought though... They came in the mail on a day that was about -4 degrees F. The box they're in says they should be stored at 35.6 - 86 degrees F.

Hope they still work.

Edit: For you city slickers that means they sat outside in the mailbox by the road for several hours.

Glad you got your tests. We ordered them as soon as we were able, got the confirmation email, but that's it. No tracking information or ETA at all.

Friends and family who placed orders at the same time already have theirs. Weird.

[Buffalo Bill]

How much are these gov issued tests going to show?
That you have it today?
That you had it before, but not now?
Oops, please re-test. ???

[Big T]

How much are these gov issued tests going to show?
That you have it today?
That you had it before, but not now?
Oops, please re-test. ???

Yeah, that's an issue
Some tests will show positive for weeks after you've had the disease.

[Eli69]

How much are these gov issued tests going to show?
That you have it today?
That you had it before, but not now?
Oops, please re-test. ???

I don't care. They are free and could be the difference between knowing or guessing. They're here if we need them.

You can also get reimbursed for tests by your insurance. In case you haven't heard.

[Redman]

Of all the negative aspects of all this the last couple years, one big thing for me has been disruption of social gatherings and some friendships.

One example: a Saturday morning breakfast group of about 10-12 years, of course was suspended for a while when resteraunt in-dining was closed, and after was re-opened, was awhile before I went back. But I was too annoyed with the discussions that were then more political. Two or three of the guys in particular were quite annoying . . . I will avoid trying to describe the situation any further, other than to say I quit going.

well, maybe I should say it is like the tshirt saying I had seen, “Yes, I am fully vaccinated, but there are still some people I don’t want to be around.” And these would be guys I don’t need to expose myself to. I was trying to be fairly cautious, having a history of breathing problems, and some of these guys are quite dismissive of the entire situation.

the other day I heard that one of those guys (late 50s) was hospitalized with Covid. He had been the most vocal and most dismissive, saying things like its being blown out of proportion by certain political party, it’s just another flu, most of the reported deaths are falsely reported, vaccines don’t work,… and so forth.


>>update
this afternoon I get word that he died yesterday.

[trevor]

Lol...

[Brendan W]

Experience is hard learned by the village and most of the important stuff takes too long to explain. It's understandable that people distrust yelling or what they perceive as propaganda, rightly or wrongly. Sometimes it boils down to trusting your elders and the people who speak quietly. They too can be wrong but at least you avoid the fighting.

[wyly]

Of all the negative aspects of all this the last couple years, one big thing for me has been disruption of social gatherings and some friendships.

One example: a Saturday morning breakfast group of about 10-12 years, of course was suspended for a while when resteraunt in-dining was closed, and after was re-opened, was awhile before I went back. But I was too annoyed with the discussions that were then more political. Two or three of the guys in particular were quite annoying . . . I will avoid trying to describe the situation any further, other than to say I quit going.

well, maybe I should say it is like the tshirt saying I had seen, “Yes, I am fully vaccinated, but there are still some people I don’t want to be around.” And these would be guys I don’t need to expose myself to. I was trying to be fairly cautious, having a history of breathing problems, and some of these guys are quite dismissive of the entire situation.

the other day I heard that one of those guys (late 50s) was hospitalized with Covid. He had been the most vocal and most dismissive, saying things like its being blown out of proportion by certain political party, it’s just another flu, most of the reported deaths are falsely reported, vaccines don’t work,… and so forth.


>>update
this afternoon I get word that he died yesterday.

It'll be interesting to know if it quietens the others who shared his stance.

[dpep]

Covid deaths highest in a year as omicron targets the unvaccinated and elderly.

That is the Washington Post headline for a story on their website today. Omicron is less deadly when caught but because so many more people catch it the number of people dying on a daily basis has increased not decreased.

There is probably a pay wall so here is an excerpt.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Though considered milder than other coronavirus variants, omicron has infected so many people that it has driven the number of daily deaths beyond where it was last spring, before vaccines were widely available, according to Washington Post data.

Omicron has been particularly lethal to people over 75, the unvaccinated and the medically vulnerable, according to doctors and public health officials. The soaring death toll also illustrates why experts pleaded with the public to beware of the highly contagious variant even though it is less virulent than others.

“That feels quite jarring to people who may have assumed omicron is generally on a per-case level less severe and given the fact we have vaccinated at least some portion of the country,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “Even if on a per-case basis fewer people develop severe illness and die, when you apply a small percentage to a very large number, you get a substantial number.”
...

[wyly]

Covid deaths highest in a year as omicron targets the unvaccinated and elderly.

That is the Washington Post headline for a story on their website today. Omicron is less deadly when caught but because so many more people catch it the number of people dying on a daily basis has increased not decreased.

There is probably a pay wall so here is an excerpt.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Though considered milder than other coronavirus variants, omicron has infected so many people that it has driven the number of daily deaths beyond where it was last spring, before vaccines were widely available, according to Washington Post data.

Omicron has been particularly lethal to people over 75, the unvaccinated and the medically vulnerable, according to doctors and public health officials. The soaring death toll also illustrates why experts pleaded with the public to beware of the highly contagious variant even though it is less virulent than others.

“That feels quite jarring to people who may have assumed omicron is generally on a per-case level less severe and given the fact we have vaccinated at least some portion of the country,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “Even if on a per-case basis fewer people develop severe illness and die, when you apply a small percentage to a very large number, you get a substantial number.”
...

Less virulent but more infectious so essentially the same consequences, a lot of needless preventable deaths.
This is a pandemic perpetuated by arrogance and stupidity.

[Gorminrider]

Exactly. We have a lot of stupid people gathered in our nation's capital because they don't read the Washington Post. Nor do they understand vaccines, pandemics, viruses, mutation, death....

[Cipher]

Exactly. We have a lot of stupid people gathered in our nation's capital because they don't read the Washington Post. Nor do they understand vaccines, pandemics, viruses, mutation, death....

Or facial recognition or slow evidence gathering. Actually calling for insurrection and replacement of government. Sedition.
and the MPs going to talk to them are in violation of their oath by definition.

[bccap]

Exactly. We have a lot of stupid people gathered in our nation's capital because they don't read the Washington Post. Nor do they understand vaccines, pandemics, viruses, mutation, death....

I'd add bitter and angry to your assessment of " stupid " ..... I was on Burrard and Davie on Saturday when they came by ..... People hanging out of windows yelling and screaming and giving the finger to people walking on the sidewalks ..... It was a true display of volatile ignorance ..... Apparently one trucker even tried to run over a cyclist ......

[trevor]

Thought this was interesting...Oregon

[earlfor]

Covid deaths highest in a year as omicron targets the unvaccinated and elderly.

That is the Washington Post headline for a story on their website today. Omicron is less deadly when caught but because so many more people catch it the number of people dying on a daily basis has increased not decreased.

There is probably a pay wall so here is an excerpt.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Though considered milder than other coronavirus variants, omicron has infected so many people that it has driven the number of daily deaths beyond where it was last spring, before vaccines were widely available, according to Washington Post data.

Omicron has been particularly lethal to people over 75, the unvaccinated and the medically vulnerable, according to doctors and public health officials. The soaring death toll also illustrates why experts pleaded with the public to beware of the highly contagious variant even though it is less virulent than others.

“That feels quite jarring to people who may have assumed omicron is generally on a per-case level less severe and given the fact we have vaccinated at least some portion of the country,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “Even if on a per-case basis fewer people develop severe illness and die, when you apply a small percentage to a very large number, you get a substantial number.”
...

I've noticed here as of late that mask wearing in the grocery store had previously been about 25%. Now, it's around 95%.