TetraNitroCubaneThe DjinneratorAt the bottom of a bottleRegistered Userregular
Both close contact and droplet transmission are considerably less dangerous than airborne transmission, too, which is why COVID has us in a corner.
The fact that SARS-CoV-2 has both an 'infected and contagious but not symptomatic' phase, and is airborne, combines to make a pretty perfect storm of transmission.
Both close contact and droplet transmission are considerably less dangerous than airborne transmission, too, which is why COVID has us in a corner.
The fact that SARS-CoV-2 has both an 'infected and contagious but not symptomatic' phase, and is airborne, combines to make a pretty perfect storm of transmission.
Also, a fortnight is just long enough to be out of memory, but recent enough that it feels like it shouldn't be. What did I do yesterday? I can basically tell you if I really need to. Last Tuesday? A bit hazy, but can probably cover a decent amount of it and if it's life or death will prompt some focus. What did I do on the 7th? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Evidently that was when I picked up my shoes from the cobbler because Google calendar says I did, but I had thought I did that on a Wednesday. So...
All these anecdotes are exactly why it's so frustrating. When I got it all I had was a headache. My kids all tested positive and they didn't have a single symptom. We tested them because I was positive. If every time someone got it and it was "double the flu" strength I'm willing to bet that people would be more likely to mask and get vaccinated. But there are lots of people who get it and don't even know it lol.
It's a virus in a person. How sick you get is inherently going to vary. Just like how some people shrug off flu and others drop dead.
I've mentioned it before but at the beginning of the pandemic there was a kid that had a cold, flu and COVID at the same freaking time and was mostly fine.
All these anecdotes are exactly why it's so frustrating. When I got it all I had was a headache. My kids all tested positive and they didn't have a single symptom. We tested them because I was positive. If every time someone got it and it was "double the flu" strength I'm willing to bet that people would be more likely to mask and get vaccinated. But there are lots of people who get it and don't even know it lol.
It's a virus in a person. How sick you get is inherently going to vary. Just like how some people shrug off flu and others drop dead.
I've mentioned it before but at the beginning of the pandemic there was a kid that had a cold, flu and COVID at the same freaking time and was mostly fine.
Right but that's why I mentioned it. We here talk about the dangers and whatnot and wonder why people don't mask... But ultimately it's because there's so much variance. If 85% of people are fine and don't even know if they have it then the virus is going to thrive. I guess the only way we'll ever see the end of this is when it burns itself out or kills us all.
Speaking of which my sister told me today she is infected. She likely got it from a sleep study she did where she was around people who were coughing like crazy.
All these anecdotes are exactly why it's so frustrating. When I got it all I had was a headache. My kids all tested positive and they didn't have a single symptom. We tested them because I was positive. If every time someone got it and it was "double the flu" strength I'm willing to bet that people would be more likely to mask and get vaccinated. But there are lots of people who get it and don't even know it lol.
It's a virus in a person. How sick you get is inherently going to vary. Just like how some people shrug off flu and others drop dead.
I've mentioned it before but at the beginning of the pandemic there was a kid that had a cold, flu and COVID at the same freaking time and was mostly fine.
Right but that's why I mentioned it. We here talk about the dangers and whatnot and wonder why people don't mask... But ultimately it's because there's so much variance. If 85% of people are fine and don't even know if they have it then the virus is going to thrive. I guess the only way we'll ever see the end of this is when it burns itself out or kills us all.
idk, when people learn it's actually dangerous and still happening in great numbers they start masking up and being at least a little careful. Most of the problem right now is the deliberate misinformation, defunding and destruction of data, and downplaying of it as a thing from businesses and government. Sharing info and organizing in local communities has been shown to have good effects at doing things like bringing back masking in healthcare settings, improving data reporting, etc. We don't have to give up on fighting it, and every little bit is a blocked transmission, which is over the long term either a saved life or at least improved life quality for someone out there.
So I'm only 40 years old but after 2 weeks of having RSV I am going to be looking into the RSV vaccine in the future.
Also having to explain to my boss and coworkers why I was staying home despite not having covid was frustrating.
The only thing that got my coughing to stop was taking two prescription cough medicines. One of which can cause hallucinations and shit and I had to take off work a few days this week even though they let me WFH because I was flyyyiiiiiing.
Well my parents ended up getting COVID and got over it a few days later. Then my sister got it (along with my nephew) and felt like crap for 24h but that was mostly because the nephew (who is 2) just couldn't sleep. He seemed to handle it well which is a relief since he's immunocompromised.
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TetraNitroCubaneThe DjinneratorAt the bottom of a bottleRegistered Userregular
COVID-19 hospitalizations increased 20.4% the week ending December 30, 2023. In that same period, deaths went up by 12.5%, with COVID-19 deaths accounting for 3.6% of total deaths in the United States.
Wastewater viral activity levels, an important tool used to detect increases of COVID-19 transmission in the community, are currently high and increasing in all regions. As of December 25, 2023, 66% of wastewater samples had JN.1 as the dominant variant, up from 58% the previous week.
JN1.1 is not only rising in the United States, but globally as well. JN.1 is the most prevalent variant around the world. It is the dominant variant in Europe and is rising sharply in Asia.
Not enough Americans are vaccinated. As of December 30, 2023, only 8% of children and 19% of adults report having received the updated COVID-19 vaccine. Only 38% of adults age 65 years and older report having received this vaccine, which is concerning given that they are at higher risk of hospitalization from COVID-19.
Hospitalizations and deaths are on the rise across the board, but the CDC are quick to point out that those numbers aren't approaching what we saw last year at this time. Nevertheless JN.1 is jumping up rapidly in terms of variant distribution, and cases are trending up just about everywhere (Likely pushed upward by JN.1 being more immune evasive). Our pathetic vaccination numbers aren't helping.
Anecdotally - The place where I work keeps legally-mandated records about reported COVID cases, in terms of 'when was an infectious person at work, and what building & floor were they on while they were sick'. There have been cases in my building and on my floor every single day since the New Year started, and the other buildings aren't looking so hot either.
I just wish I had any hope that it will ever go much higher.
The most lasting effect of an amazing accomplishment in vaccine development and public health will be a strengthened anti-vaxx movement successfully advocating for death and disability
In terms of fully up to date as much as their countries allow, UK has 69%, Canada has 51%, New Zealand has 97%, just off the top of my head. It gets a little difficult because different countries have different vaccines they have access to and different vaccines schedules.
If you're in the US, it's once a year from this point forward.
That's not to say that's sufficient. On the contrary, it's not nearly enough. But it's what will be allowed from now on.
Other countries may be less stupid than the US. Hopefully.
At my last gig, the rule of thumb was that the two main vaccines were good for about six months. (The third only counted as "up to date" for about two, which was... better than nothing, I guess?)
So, choose which half of the year you want to be effectively unvaxxed.
If you're in the US, it's once a year from this point forward.
That's not to say that's sufficient. On the contrary, it's not nearly enough. But it's what will be allowed from now on.
Other countries may be less stupid than the US. Hopefully.
I'm guessing you're phone posting, because my location of "Toronto, Ontario, Canada" would indicate a non-US address. :-P
I believe the Canadian guidelines aren't quite that often, but the local pharmacies don't seem to give a shit, and are generally just happy to have someone coming in for a shot.
Edit: plus I’m overweight and have high blood pressure, so my comorbidities probably cover any reluctance that might exist otherwise.
I work at Gencon each year, so I get a July booster in preparation for being in close quarters with a LOT of people in August, and then again in January to update to the new fall booster.
I wish more people locally were getting boosted, but I can only control myself, so as long as they're willing to hook me up, I'll keep the pattern rolling.
Forar on
First they came for the Muslims, and we said NOT TODAY, MOTHERFUCKER!
I'm... not sure if I'm being marketed to because they think I'm someone who will us it if I get Covid, or if they think I'm going to get Covid and think I should be more aware of their product, with a weird midwesterner running out the tag line "if it's Covid, it's Paxlovid."
With government intervention for the pandemic amounting to covering their ears and screaming, I wonder if capitalism just chooses to chug on and keep demand for their products going regardless of insurance coverage.
TetraNitroCubaneThe DjinneratorAt the bottom of a bottleRegistered Userregular
My guess is that the marketing campaign is in response to low uptake of Paxlovid. There are a lot of people out there who either don't know or don't care about it, or don't think it's an option.
Still wish we had something better than Paxlovid, though. It's going to become real useless, real quick.
My guess is that the marketing campaign is in response to low uptake of Paxlovid. There are a lot of people out there who either don't know or don't care about it, or don't think it's an option.
Still wish we had something better than Paxlovid, though. It's going to become real useless, real quick.
That and getting a doctor to write a script for it is sometimes like pulling teeth. Because even though you can't come in because you have covid, they don't know how sick you really are so maybe you don't need this.
The COVID spread in anti-vax sentiment didn't stay confined to COVID, of course. Philly is currently dealing with a measles outbreak because an anti-vax set of parents didn't vaccinate their child, then send the kid to day care with measles. Despite being specifically told not to. They also refused anti-measles medication.
The COVID spread in anti-vax sentiment didn't stay confined to COVID, of course. Philly is currently dealing with a measles outbreak because an anti-vax set of parents didn't vaccinate their child, then send the kid to day care with measles. Despite being specifically told not to. They also refused anti-measles medication.
Your kinda backwards on that though, measles vaccines were the big 'scandal' in the 90s etc. Measles antivax sentiment spread to covid.
ohhhh crap that's bad.
when I was learnin' up on the 'vid, measles (and how insanely infectious it is) was talked about a lot.
Measles is commonly understood to have a reproductive number of about 12-18. Meaning that one infected person will typically infect between 12 and 18 other people.
That reminds me: Do MMR vaccines need to be updated? It's been a few decades since I got one, and if we're gonna have a Measles outbreak due to idiocy, I'd like to at least keep myself protected.
ohhhh crap that's bad.
when I was learnin' up on the 'vid, measles (and how insanely infectious it is) was talked about a lot.
Measles is commonly understood to have a reproductive number of about 12-18. Meaning that one infected person will typically infect between 12 and 18 other people.
That reminds me: Do MMR vaccines need to be updated? It's been a few decades since I got one, and if we're gonna have a Measles outbreak due to idiocy, I'd like to at least keep myself protected.
I can actually answer this - according to my doctor in general no. Your doctor can do a test on you to see if you still have the appropriate protection if needed. I asked to have my vaccine updated a few years ago and he wouldn’t do it unless the test showed depletion. Apparently the vaccine is stupid expensive for adults, or that was my understanding from my doctor at least. I was 34 at the time and still had good protection against the virus.
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TetraNitroCubaneThe DjinneratorAt the bottom of a bottleRegistered Userregular
Good to know that not only is there a test that can be performed, but that the vaccine is that durable! Thanks much for the information.
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TetraNitroCubaneThe DjinneratorAt the bottom of a bottleRegistered Userregular
California’s health department has changed its COVID-19 guidance, which could have significant implications for people of all ages statewide.
The new recommendations, issued last week, reflect a more relaxed approach to isolation and testing, allowing people who test positive for COVID-19 but do not have symptoms to return to work and school.
This is the fucking stupidest thing I've ever heard.
Never mind the fact that COVID can easily spread via asymptomatic, presymptomatic, and perisymptomatic individuals. This opens the floodgates to obviously sick people saying "It's not that bad" and going to work, or sending their kids to school.
I can't tell you the number of obviously still contagious people I've talked to who have said "I should go back to work, because I've been like this for days and I'm bored."
What a fucking asinine decision that will obviously harm people.
Yeah that's pretty fucking wild. Now is this saying "you CAN return to work" like letting the person choose or does it mean that their place of work can force people to come back in if they tested positive but have no symptoms?
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TetraNitroCubaneThe DjinneratorAt the bottom of a bottleRegistered Userregular
Yeah that's pretty fucking wild. Now is this saying "you CAN return to work" like letting the person choose or does it mean that their place of work can force people to come back in if they tested positive but have no symptoms?
It looks like there's a bunch of 'recommendations', but no guidelines or rules. Like, kids who go back to school while still testing positive are supposed to wear a mask.
You think there's going to be enforcement on that? Not a chance.
I doubt there's a mechanism by which these recommendations can be used to force someone back to work. But that being said, I'm sure any place of employ can simply say "You're out of sick days".
Yeah that's pretty fucking wild. Now is this saying "you CAN return to work" like letting the person choose or does it mean that their place of work can force people to come back in if they tested positive but have no symptoms?
It looks like there's a bunch of 'recommendations', but no guidelines or rules. Like, kids who go back to school while still testing positive are supposed to wear a mask.
You think there's going to be enforcement on that? Not a chance.
Ah okay yeah I was worried that it was giving businesses power to say "you MUST return to work" though in the end what's going to happen is they'll point to this and say "see you can return to work, you have no symptoms, if you don't come in it's unpaid because the health department said it's okay".
Wonder how the numbers for California are going to be in the next few weeks/months now.
Yeah that's pretty fucking wild. Now is this saying "you CAN return to work" like letting the person choose or does it mean that their place of work can force people to come back in if they tested positive but have no symptoms?
It looks like there's a bunch of 'recommendations', but no guidelines or rules. Like, kids who go back to school while still testing positive are supposed to wear a mask.
You think there's going to be enforcement on that? Not a chance.
Ah okay yeah I was worried that it was giving businesses power to say "you MUST return to work" though in the end what's going to happen is they'll point to this and say "see you can return to work, you have no symptoms, if you don't come in it's unpaid because the health department said it's okay".
Wonder how the numbers for California are going to be in the next few weeks/months now.
It's deciding to treat COVID like any/ most other illnesses and have people rely on their best judgement and their employer's generosity for sick leaves.
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The fact that SARS-CoV-2 has both an 'infected and contagious but not symptomatic' phase, and is airborne, combines to make a pretty perfect storm of transmission.
Since 2020, yes. https://www.verywellhealth.com/cdc-covid-19-airborne-transmission-5081242
Also, a fortnight is just long enough to be out of memory, but recent enough that it feels like it shouldn't be. What did I do yesterday? I can basically tell you if I really need to. Last Tuesday? A bit hazy, but can probably cover a decent amount of it and if it's life or death will prompt some focus. What did I do on the 7th? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Evidently that was when I picked up my shoes from the cobbler because Google calendar says I did, but I had thought I did that on a Wednesday. So...
It's a virus in a person. How sick you get is inherently going to vary. Just like how some people shrug off flu and others drop dead.
I've mentioned it before but at the beginning of the pandemic there was a kid that had a cold, flu and COVID at the same freaking time and was mostly fine.
Right but that's why I mentioned it. We here talk about the dangers and whatnot and wonder why people don't mask... But ultimately it's because there's so much variance. If 85% of people are fine and don't even know if they have it then the virus is going to thrive. I guess the only way we'll ever see the end of this is when it burns itself out or kills us all.
idk, when people learn it's actually dangerous and still happening in great numbers they start masking up and being at least a little careful. Most of the problem right now is the deliberate misinformation, defunding and destruction of data, and downplaying of it as a thing from businesses and government. Sharing info and organizing in local communities has been shown to have good effects at doing things like bringing back masking in healthcare settings, improving data reporting, etc. We don't have to give up on fighting it, and every little bit is a blocked transmission, which is over the long term either a saved life or at least improved life quality for someone out there.
Also having to explain to my boss and coworkers why I was staying home despite not having covid was frustrating.
The only thing that got my coughing to stop was taking two prescription cough medicines. One of which can cause hallucinations and shit and I had to take off work a few days this week even though they let me WFH because I was flyyyiiiiiing.
Hospitalizations and deaths are on the rise across the board, but the CDC are quick to point out that those numbers aren't approaching what we saw last year at this time. Nevertheless JN.1 is jumping up rapidly in terms of variant distribution, and cases are trending up just about everywhere (Likely pushed upward by JN.1 being more immune evasive). Our pathetic vaccination numbers aren't helping.
Anecdotally - The place where I work keeps legally-mandated records about reported COVID cases, in terms of 'when was an infectious person at work, and what building & floor were they on while they were sick'. There have been cases in my building and on my floor every single day since the New Year started, and the other buildings aren't looking so hot either.
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Gotta keep that economy goin tho. Grandma and grandpa are proud to die for it.
What's 100k people ra year more or less right?
right?
I just wish I had any hope that it will ever go much higher.
The most lasting effect of an amazing accomplishment in vaccine development and public health will be a strengthened anti-vaxx movement successfully advocating for death and disability
The January/July rotation remains in effect.
If you're in the US, it's once a year from this point forward.
That's not to say that's sufficient. On the contrary, it's not nearly enough. But it's what will be allowed from now on.
Other countries may be less stupid than the US. Hopefully.
At my last gig, the rule of thumb was that the two main vaccines were good for about six months. (The third only counted as "up to date" for about two, which was... better than nothing, I guess?)
So, choose which half of the year you want to be effectively unvaxxed.
I'm guessing you're phone posting, because my location of "Toronto, Ontario, Canada" would indicate a non-US address. :-P
I believe the Canadian guidelines aren't quite that often, but the local pharmacies don't seem to give a shit, and are generally just happy to have someone coming in for a shot.
Edit: plus I’m overweight and have high blood pressure, so my comorbidities probably cover any reluctance that might exist otherwise.
I work at Gencon each year, so I get a July booster in preparation for being in close quarters with a LOT of people in August, and then again in January to update to the new fall booster.
I wish more people locally were getting boosted, but I can only control myself, so as long as they're willing to hook me up, I'll keep the pattern rolling.
I'm... not sure if I'm being marketed to because they think I'm someone who will us it if I get Covid, or if they think I'm going to get Covid and think I should be more aware of their product, with a weird midwesterner running out the tag line "if it's Covid, it's Paxlovid."
I don't know; I don't like it.
Still wish we had something better than Paxlovid, though. It's going to become real useless, real quick.
That and getting a doctor to write a script for it is sometimes like pulling teeth. Because even though you can't come in because you have covid, they don't know how sick you really are so maybe you don't need this.
The COVID spread in anti-vax sentiment didn't stay confined to COVID, of course. Philly is currently dealing with a measles outbreak because an anti-vax set of parents didn't vaccinate their child, then send the kid to day care with measles. Despite being specifically told not to. They also refused anti-measles medication.
Your kinda backwards on that though, measles vaccines were the big 'scandal' in the 90s etc. Measles antivax sentiment spread to covid.
when I was learnin' up on the 'vid, measles (and how insanely infectious it is) was talked about a lot.
Measles is commonly understood to have a reproductive number of about 12-18. Meaning that one infected person will typically infect between 12 and 18 other people.
That reminds me: Do MMR vaccines need to be updated? It's been a few decades since I got one, and if we're gonna have a Measles outbreak due to idiocy, I'd like to at least keep myself protected.
I can actually answer this - according to my doctor in general no. Your doctor can do a test on you to see if you still have the appropriate protection if needed. I asked to have my vaccine updated a few years ago and he wouldn’t do it unless the test showed depletion. Apparently the vaccine is stupid expensive for adults, or that was my understanding from my doctor at least. I was 34 at the time and still had good protection against the virus.
This is the fucking stupidest thing I've ever heard.
Never mind the fact that COVID can easily spread via asymptomatic, presymptomatic, and perisymptomatic individuals. This opens the floodgates to obviously sick people saying "It's not that bad" and going to work, or sending their kids to school.
I can't tell you the number of obviously still contagious people I've talked to who have said "I should go back to work, because I've been like this for days and I'm bored."
What a fucking asinine decision that will obviously harm people.
It looks like there's a bunch of 'recommendations', but no guidelines or rules. Like, kids who go back to school while still testing positive are supposed to wear a mask.
You think there's going to be enforcement on that? Not a chance.
I doubt there's a mechanism by which these recommendations can be used to force someone back to work. But that being said, I'm sure any place of employ can simply say "You're out of sick days".
Ah okay yeah I was worried that it was giving businesses power to say "you MUST return to work" though in the end what's going to happen is they'll point to this and say "see you can return to work, you have no symptoms, if you don't come in it's unpaid because the health department said it's okay".
Wonder how the numbers for California are going to be in the next few weeks/months now.
Bad. They're going to be bad.
Which is why we also have so many flu deaths.