Fear and Loathing, a Rat Flu Odyssey

[The Tortoise]

One thing about COVID-19 that doesn't seem to mutate is its sense of irony.

[Bunion 2020]

Pfizer # 2 in the arm, awaiting the side effects if there are any.

Maybe if I feel like shit I can get some sleep.

[stuckathuntermtn]

On a positive note U.S. suicides dropped last year, defying pandemic expectations.

The number of U.S. suicides fell nearly 6% last year amid the coronavirus pandemic — the largest annual decline in at least four decades, according to preliminary government data.

https://www.click2houston.com/health...F-GxcF9eRwQGp8

I guess when you know everyone else is having a hard time, it's easier to deal with? I could see that.

[KQ]

Just spoke to someone who railed against Inslee for rolling 3 counties back to Phase 2 because their Covid infection/hospitalization metrics didn't meet the standard that state has put in place (Inslee had even made the metrics easier to meet but these counties still dropped down below the threshold).

He was all pissed off claiming Inslee was "shutting things down again" and "if people just wouldn't get tested this wouldn't happen."

Ugh.... can't believe we are still having these discussions.

[XXX-er]

Neighbor who works at a local 9-12 private school told me yesterday that the obnoxious anti-masker custodian who used to call people liberals for wearing masks ended up in the hospital with Covid. Huh....

Locally we got a school bus driver who has organized all the anti mask rallies & won't mask

[Benny Profane]

Yee gads


https://twitter.com/BNODesk/status/1...329252354?s=20

[glademaster]

That's royally fucked up.

Although there was plenty of similarly fucked up shit that went on here when hospitals were at capacity. Like the longtime family friend (who died in December) that had a heart attack in April, and spent 6 hours in the back of an ambulance being driven around the state of NJ before finally being dropped off back at home, because no hospitals had the ability to admit him.

That episode weakened his heart to the point that his oncologist was no longer willing to perform an operation he needed to address his bladder cancer, so they opted to make the last 7 months of his life a living hell of chemo and radiation instead. RIP, Tom. You were too good a man for the world you were born into.

[Thaleia]

Absolute shit show in Ontario currently. Premier Ford announced new stricter measures including a stay at home order yesterday, and gave police the power to pull over, ID and question residents on why they're outdoors.

Most of the regional police forces have announced today they won't be doing this. (with the glaring exception of the OPP who operate in rural areas and do traffic enforcement on the highways)

When the police turn their backs to a conservative politician that's gotta tell you something.

[wooley12]

I liked how India lets their covid police whip offenders in public with sticks myself.

[XXX-er]

Caining is very popular there

[pureantigravity]

Absolute shit show in Ontario currently. Premier Ford announced new stricter measures including a stay at home order yesterday, and gave police the power to pull over, ID and question residents on why they're outdoors.

Most of the regional police forces have announced today they won't be doing this. (with the glaring exception of the OPP who operate in rural areas and do traffic enforcement on the highways)

When the police turn their backs to a conservative politician that's gotta tell you something.

Are the police there vaxed? What would change their minds and start enforcement?

[BCMtnHound]

Caining is very popular there

Damn, and ol' Mike doesn't mess around. Tough place.

[KQ]

. W2s Covid numbers are increasing exponentially.

[BC.]

. W2s Covid numbers are increasing exponentially.

It’s astounding to me that between the huge growing number of people fully vaccinated plus the number of people who already had it......that the numbers around the country can still be so high....and still making it seem like there is still no light at the end of the tunnel.....

It’s maddening that there just seems to be no end...

[Benny Profane]

Vaccination numbers still low, percentage wise.

Deaths dramatically lower.

[old goat]

. W2s Covid numbers are increasing exponentially.

It’s astounding to me that between the huge growing number of people fully vaccinated plus the number of people who already had it......that the numbers around the country can still be so high....and still making it seem like there is still no light at the end of the tunnel.....

It’s maddening that there just seems to be no end...

Do you know the percentage of positive tests in WW? (It's easier to type WW than W2). The 95% efficacy for the mRNA vaccines is for preventing symptomatic disease as I recall. If percent of positive tests is low--under 5%--it means they're testing a lot, will pick up a lot of asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic cases. Between asymptomatic cases in vaccinees and the plenty of unvaccinated people still there are plenty of people to get infected.

[XXX-er]

it was back in the day my dad was a cop on the docks, he said his job was to smack any coolie who stepped out of line with his night stick and he could swear in chinese malay indian and even english

[XXX-er]

I wonder if those people we on this pretty liberal forum call " dumbass anitvaxxers " will at some point get a clue and get a vax ?

will they stay on the anti vax train or figure it out when enough of them die

or will they not have to if enough of the non-dumbasses are vaxed ?

[Ted Striker]

Do you know the percentage of positive tests in WW? (It's easier to type WW than W2).

Between asymptomatic cases in vaccinees and the plenty of unvaccinated people still there are plenty of people to get infected.

I was just looking at the state dashboard this morning. Statewide, about 60% are at least partially vaccinated.

W2 is a little higher at around 67%. Testing is averaging about 150 per day, with a 2.5% positive result. Over the last two weeks they had 58 new cases.

By contrast, my county has only administered single doses equivalent to 50% of the population (but lots of people engaged in vaccine tourism so the numbers lag reality). We're doing about 600 tests per day, with 3.5% positive. Over the last two weeks we had 368 new cases.

The population difference is roughly 3.6 times

[funkendrenchman]

It’s astounding to me that between the huge growing number of people fully vaccinated plus the number of people who already had it......that the numbers around the country can still be so high....and still making it seem like there is still no light at the end of the tunnel.....

It’s maddening that there just seems to be no end...

Israel had a bump before their vaccination numbers got high enough. They’re under 100 cases/day with a .7% positivity rate.

[LongShortLong]

Israel had a bump before their vaccination numbers got high enough. They’re under 100 cases/day with a .7% positivity rate.

Israel also had a reasonably serious lockdown in Jan/Feb (no flights, no travel between towns, no visiting friends, etc), and continue to require green passes (vaccination) for indoor activities including capacity limits.

It does look like Israel can soon be added to the few countries who've ended an endemic pandemic (China, Australia, ... ?) and few other countries who avoided much covid at all.

[Benny Profane]

So, serious question. As a fully Pfizer vaccinated human, I can pretty much safely go about my business without worrying about getting pretty sick, right? I mean, I have a shield. Right? I'm not asking what responsible behavior is, I get that, but, I'm thinking, if it gets to be, oh, September, months after every American, maybe even children, could get poked, and I still see bad numbers, do you think it's wrong to say, eh, fuck those people? Except the poor undocumented who are having a hard time getting a shot. But, the rest of the anti vaxxers? Fuck em? And then just living life without a fucking mask?

[glademaster]

Between COVID and the increasing prevalence of facial recognition technology, I don't ever see myself not covering most of my face in public again. I'm a fan of the masks, along with leaving your cell phone at home and paying with cash.

[MTT]

In my crowd we figure if you have to wear a mask might as well wear a gun. The world we live in

[wooley12]

If my crowd was full of people that dumb I wouldn't post it. Looks good on you though and you and your crowd have plenty of company.