10405 replies to this topic

[mweb08]

This sucks a lot right now, but partially due to the horrible timing. This is a time where there's going to be higher spread due to all the holiday gatherings and positive cases of course impact people's ability to gather.

There are silver linings though. Most eligible people are vaccinated and this variant is weaker. Those two things combined lead to far fewer hospitalizations and deaths than what we experienced on a per case basis pre vaccine. It also seems that based on what we know, including how effective omicron is at spreading, we'd rather this variant become the completely dominant one. That is because between vaccination and infection, we can reach the much discussed herd immunity at a far reduced cost in lives compared to if we even approached that level prior to the vaccine.

Oh, and the new pills to treat covid are a huge plus!

These next few weeks will be very difficult though, especially for the unvaccinated and those that need to go to hospitals for other reasons.

Afterwards I think we'll be setup to be in the best position as a nation since this pandemic started. Well specifically regarding the pandemic at least.

Of course this variant is still relatively new and we can't be sure about future variants, so this may prove completely incorrect. There's reason for optimism though.

[You Play to Win the Game]

This. I tested at home, and obviously didn't report it to anyone. That positive number is likely in the 30% zone.

Same for my parents and brothers. Parents are symptom free, brothers a bit behind but doing well so far, fingers crossed. Glad you’re doing well Seth.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Of course this variant is still relatively new and we can't be sure about future variants, so this may prove completely incorrect. There's reason for optimism though.

We can be reasonably sure that future variants will continue to weaken though, right? I mean even if one comes along more contagious than Omicron, which will happen, it would cause a lot of infections, but may hardly be noticeable in the future once this is truly endemic. Or am I just fantasizing?

[mweb08]

We can be reasonably sure that future variants will continue to weaken though, right? I mean even if one comes along more contagious than Omicron, which will happen, it would cause a lot of infections, but may hardly be noticeable in the future once this is truly endemic. Or am I just fantasizing?

I believe that yes, future variants would likely weaken.

[russsnyder]

I do think the National Guard should be deployed, and field hospitals stood up in hard hit areas. Something needs to be done. It really is unacceptable for stories like the one above to be taking place nearly 2 full years into this thing.

Does anyone know what the ratio is of hospitalization for vaxed vs. unvaxed?

One other factor is cost of insurance. According to the link below, unvaccinated Covid related hospital costs cost $13 Billion from June-November 2021 alone. Our heal the insurance costs these next couple years are going to sky rocket.

https://www.healthsy...ons-of-dollars/

The National Guard has been called out to help in a couple of states this month.

https://www.cnn.com/...uard/index.html

[RShack]

I do think the National Guard should be deployed, and field hospitals stood up in hard hit areas. Something needs to be done. It really is unacceptable for stories like the one above to be taking place nearly 2 full years into this thing.

 

The National Guard is not chock full of MD's and RN's... we can't just instantly make more of them... which is Yet Another Reason for triage to keep beds open for folks who need urgent non-covid care:  to keep the hospitals open instead of having the staff dropping like flies due to the need to self-isolate...

 

It's gotten critical enough that in some places, they're paying RN's willing to travel $5K to $10K per *week*... and yet people here say we should just keep doing more of what we have been doing.  This boggles my mind...

[RShack]

We can be reasonably sure that future variants will continue to weaken though, right? I mean even if one comes along more contagious than Omicron, which will happen, it would cause a lot of infections, but may hardly be noticeable in the future once this is truly endemic. Or am I just fantasizing?

 

You *might* be right... or you might not be.  Nobody knows for sure.  All we know for sure is that contagion is likely to increase with each variant that takes over from the previous one... because that's how the new ones take over...

[RShack]

The % of adults who are vaccinated is up to 85%... largely due to mandates.  So the number of hard-core knuckleheads is shrinking... not fast enough, but still...

 

Right now, one big problem is the very low % of kids 5-11 who are vax'd... it's at 20-something %.  I think this is because most folks don't know kids that age can be vax'd.  They should have been shouting this from the rooftops but they haven't been... so most folks don't even know it...

[You Play to Win the Game]

You *might* be right... or you might not be. Nobody knows for sure. All we know for sure is that contagion is likely to increase with each variant that takes over from the previous one... because that's how the new ones take over...

Most epidemiologists I’ve heard talk about this over the past couple years are very consistent on how the virus weakens as it mutates. I think you should try and focus on that instead of all this doom and gloom, just looking out for you, it isn’t healthy.

[You Play to Win the Game]

The % of adults who are vaccinated is up to 85%... largely due to mandates. So the number of hard-core knuckleheads is shrinking... not fast enough, but still...

Right now, one big problem is the very low % of kids 5-11 who are vax'd... it's at 20-something %. I think this is because most folks don't know kids that age can be vax'd. They should have been shouting this from the rooftops but they haven't been... so most folks don't even know it...

I know many people who are vaccinated but are holding out for their kids due to how new mRNA is, and the issues with myocarditis. I know a couple who went ahead and did it in the wake of omicron.

[Old Man]

other than the 2 babies, all my grandkids are vaccinated.

[glenn__davis]

I know many people who are vaccinated but are holding out for their kids due to how new mRNA is, and the issues with myocarditis. I know a couple who went ahead and did it in the wake of omicron.

 

That's us, my wife and I got vaccinated and our teenage sons did as well, we haven't gotten our 10-year old daughter vaccinated yet.  It was tearing through her school prior to the break and she was exposed like 5 times, so I'm hoping that maybe she had it and just had a mild case and didn't even know it.  In any event, probably too late for the vaccine at this point, so just have to pray that if she gets it it stays mild.

[Old Man]

That's us, my wife and I got vaccinated and our teenage sons did as well, we haven't gotten our 10-year old daughter vaccinated yet.  It was tearing through her school prior to the break and she was exposed like 5 times, so I'm hoping that maybe she had it and just had a mild case and didn't even know it.  In any event, probably too late for the vaccine at this point, so just have to pray that if she gets it it stays mild.

I hear ya.

 

We have been Blessed, 2 of my grandkids and 1 grandbaby got mild to moderate symptoms of covid. They were able to stay home, take meds and lots of rest. I dont like to point fingers, but most likely the school was where they got it from.

 

another grandson has been sent home from school 5 times for covid explosure, and he didnt get it.

 

Personally, at some point, everybody on this planet is going to test positive or have covid.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Everyone is going to get it imo. I don't see how it can be avoided with 30%+ of population unvaccinated.  Hopefully if you are vaccinated and boosted; the symptoms will be mild. 

I feel horrible for Doctors and Nurses working in ER's....  
I feel horrible for those with preexisting conditions, who are in real jeopardy when it's passed on to them, even if they are vaccinated. 
I feel horrible for teachers, and kids, and parents trying to work at home with their kids forced to be at home. 

 

It's going to be a very rough couple of months for the unvaccinated.  

I think we're going to have this with us in some form for the foreseeable future.... and that sucks. 

I operate live events for our Pacesetters groups and BMBD networking events. I did the Pacesetters events virtual from March '20 - April '21.  I have no plans to go back to a virtual environment again. 

We meet in Annapolis (Anne Arundel) and Hunt Valley (Baltimore County). Both jurisdictions currently have inside mask mandates. That's fine. Will do that.   When it warms up, we will meet outside when we can.   



Ultimately everyone has to make decisions that are right for them.  
I appreciate that I was able to get vaccinated and boosted.
 

In '20 we all dealt with the on-set of the pandemic, and in '21 we've all tried to operate as best we can. The current variant is a reminder we're not quite through this... but we are going to get there.

 

In these last two years, it was inspirational to be surrounded by so many individuals / companies / organizations who continue to strive for excellence, have found ways to adapt, and are looking for ways to help improve our home. It's helped me stay sane. 

I don't know all of you posters, but I 'know' you. I know many of you are going through real tough times. 
I'm thinking of you. If there is something I can do for you or your families, reach out. 

Happy New Years to each of us, and let's hope that '22 is better for all.

[RShack]

Most epidemiologists I’ve heard talk about this over the past couple years are very consistent on how the virus weakens as it mutates. I think you should try and focus on that instead of all this doom and gloom, just looking out for you, it isn’t healthy.

 

I'm not feeling gloomy, I'm doing fine. I'm in a very fortunate situation where I can stay cooped up with my bride.  Good thing she likes me 

 

I just said nobody knows for sure whether we'll get a variant that's more toxic.

[RShack]

That's us, my wife and I got vaccinated and our teenage sons did as well, we haven't gotten our 10-year old daughter vaccinated yet.  It was tearing through her school prior to the break and she was exposed like 5 times, so I'm hoping that maybe she had it and just had a mild case and didn't even know it.  In any event, probably too late for the vaccine at this point, so just have to pray that if she gets it it stays mild.

 

I don't understand what you mean by it being too late.  It's never too late.  Vax immunity is stronger than what you get from having had covid... but the best protection of all is the combination of vax and having had it... so, if she's already had it *and* she gets vax'd, that's the best protection she can have...

 

But I fully realize the weight of these decisions falls on your shoulders, not mine...

[RShack]

Fauci just said kids over 5 should be vax'd. 

New study shows it's incredidly safe for kids 5 and up.

Only 14% 5-11 vax'd.

Huge diff in in outcomes between kids vax'd vs. not.

[You Play to Win the Game]

I don't understand what you mean by it being too late.  It's never too late.  Vax immunity is stronger than what you get from having had covid... but the best protection of all is the combination of vax and having had it... so, if she's already had it *and* she gets vax'd, that's the best protection she can have...

 

But I fully realize the weight of these decisions falls on your shoulders, not mine...

But isn't there risk in inoculating someone who at any point in time, due to school, could easily interact with Omicron? I feel like fighting both could be a lot for a kid. Or anyone.

[RShack]

But isn't there risk in inoculating someone who at any point in time, due to school, could easily interact with Omicron? I feel like fighting both could be a lot for a kid. Or anyone.

 

You could look up what Fauci said this afternoon.  For the first time, he said to get kids over 5 vax'd. 

Not just could but should.

 

AFAIK, any who have been to school may have been exposed.

[mweb08]

Regarding the impact of being vaccinated vs not:

https://twitter.com/...v8Ycz1icFg&s=19