COVID-19 Outbreak Information Updates (Reboot) [over 150.000,000 US cases (est.), 6,422,520 US hospitilizations, 1,148,691 US deaths.] (9 Viewers)

[Mr. Sparkle]

Johns Hopkins Dr says we have more natural immunity in the population than we think (high rate of unknown/unreported/asymptomatic infections) which is what is driving the rapid drop in cases and hospitilizations.

Opinion | We’ll Have Herd Immunity by April

Covid cases have dropped 77% in six weeks. Experts should level with the public about the good news.

www.wsj.com

I subscribe to this theory personally - I keep reading how everyone finally stayed home or started wearing masks and it does not match my personal observations. People are as out and about as ever IMO and mask wearing remains very spotty (especially indoor dining which is everywhere in the South) - yet cases are dropping like a stone. Its too early for vaccines to have knocked it down with only 15% of the US getting even 1 shot. Seems like COVID just hit the wall in January, right when the 'Xmas Spike' should have been accelerating.

Anyway, I hope he's right.

 

[SoggyBottomBoy]

Johns Hopkins Dr says we have more natural immunity in the population than we think (high rate of unknown/unreported/asymptomatic infections) which is what is driving the rapid drop in cases and hospitilizations.

Opinion | We’ll Have Herd Immunity by April

Covid cases have dropped 77% in six weeks. Experts should level with the public about the good news.

www.wsj.com

I subscribe to this theory personally - I keep reading how everyone finally stayed home or started wearing masks and it does not match my personal observations. People are as out and about as ever IMO and mask wearing remains very spotty (especially indoor dining which is everywhere in the South) - yet cases are dropping like a stone. Its too early for vaccines to have knocked it down with only 15% of the US getting even 1 shot. Seems like COVID just hit the wall in January, right when the 'Xmas Spike' should have been accelerating.

Anyway, I hope he's right.

I hope this is true. I've seen mask wearing greatly improved. As for indoor restaurants, you have to remove it to eat. But to your point, there are a lot of people eating out again. We were invited for a get together with 3-4 other couples, but declined. I'm not ready to go there, yet. Waiting to be eligible for the shot. And I haven't missed eating out greatly.

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

I hope this is true. I've seen mask wearing greatly improved. As for indoor restaurants, you have to remove it to eat. But to your point, there are a lot of people eating out again. We were invited for a get together with 3-4 other couples, but declined. I'm not ready to go there, yet. Waiting to be eligible for the shot. And I haven't missed eating out greatly.

I drove across the South over the long weekend (LA/MS/AL/GA/SC) - mask wearing was about 50/50 in the rural areas, higher in the urban areas but there was indoor dining and pretty well packed restaurants everywhere. It is certainly possible that people have drastically changed - I am admittedly using personal observation here. Just seems like its something else having been in various truck stops and restaurants along the way

 

[buzd]

I hope this is true. I've seen mask wearing greatly improved. As for indoor restaurants, you have to remove it to eat. But to your point, there are a lot of people eating out again. We were invited for a get together with 3-4 other couples, but declined. I'm not ready to go there, yet. Waiting to be eligible for the shot. And I haven't missed eating out greatly.

Same. I think there is probably more herd immunity in the people that just said fork it an kept going out, and then much less in those of us that have played it very conservative. I figure the shots aren't that far away, so I'm going to wait it out.

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

Looks like you only need one Pfizer shot instead of two - that would massively change our available supply....

Some Covid-19 Vaccines Are Effective After One Dose, Can Be Stored in Normal Freezers, Data Show

In a win for global vaccination goals, the BioNTech-Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine is shown to generate a strong response with one dose and to maintain potency in standard freezers for two weeks.

www.wsj.com

The Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE generates robust immunity after one dose and can be stored in ordinary freezers instead of at ultracold temperatures, according to new research and data released by the companies.

The findings provide strong arguments in favor of delaying the second dose of the two-shot vaccine, as the U.K. has done. They could also have substantial implications on vaccine policy and distribution around the world, simplifying the logistics of distributing the vaccine.

A single shot of the vaccine is 85% effective in preventing symptomatic disease 15 to 28 days after being administered, according to a peer-reviewed study conducted by the Israeli government-owned Sheba Medical Center and published in the Lancet medical journal. Pfizer and BioNTech recommend that a second dose is administered 21 days after the first.

 

[faceman]

Johns Hopkins Dr says we have more natural immunity in the population than we think (high rate of unknown/unreported/asymptomatic infections) which is what is driving the rapid drop in cases and hospitilizations.

Opinion | We’ll Have Herd Immunity by April

Covid cases have dropped 77% in six weeks. Experts should level with the public about the good news.

www.wsj.com

I subscribe to this theory personally - I keep reading how everyone finally stayed home or started wearing masks and it does not match my personal observations. People are as out and about as ever IMO and mask wearing remains very spotty (especially indoor dining which is everywhere in the South) - yet cases are dropping like a stone. Its too early for vaccines to have knocked it down with only 15% of the US getting even 1 shot. Seems like COVID just hit the wall in January, right when the 'Xmas Spike' should have been accelerating.

Anyway, I hope he's right.

I believe it's a combination of people who've already had it and the vaccinations. The drops started around 2 weeks after
the vaccines were first administered

 

[bclemms]

In the last three weeks I've been in 14 states and 2 countries. I can see an overwhelming difference in mask usage. The exception here is the rural areas of Ms, Al, La and Tx. The cities in these states seem to be much improved though.

Combine that with vaccines and antibodies from the virus itself it's had a huge impact on the virus spread. I do think we will keep declining for the next week or two but the rate of decline will slow and we'll level off soon. Problem spots are going to be the deep south, mid atlantic coastal areas, southern Tx and southern California. I do think we will start to see cases rise in March as the country comes out of deep freeze but only briefly and then we will begin to see a nosedive in cases again. Still do not think the variances will matter all that much. The idea that it would be the dominant strain by March leading to another big surge seems like quite the longshot.

With all that said, the only family members left on my wife's side that haven't had covid yet tested positive today with symptoms.

My second shot was postponed due to weather but will get it tomorrow morning.

 

[jrdbrn]

With all that said, the only family members left on my wife's side that haven't had covid yet tested positive today with symptoms.

I'm curious.. when you say the only family members left, how many people are you talking about in the family?

 

[bclemms]

I'm curious.. when you say the only family members left, how many people are you talking about in the family?

Dozens. For two of them it is their second time getting covid. My father in law has been exposed a half dozen times but managed to avoid it but now it looks like he has it after skipping his vaccine appointment his doctor set up because he didn't trust the vaccine. The only family member member on my wife's side that hasn't had it is her aunt who has been super safe.

Just hung up with my dad. His brother in law that had covid with him back in December is now showing symptoms after his son got on a plane with them with symptoms and later testing positive and he exposed my dad and stepmom. This just a few weeks after my dad passed in his vaccine a few weeks after spending 25 days in the hospital.

Just shows this won't completely go away but at least it is for the most part optional at this point.

 

[nolaswede]

Veterans of all ages now eligible to get coronavirus vaccine at New Orleans VA, officials say

You can make an appointment or walk in.

www.nola.com

 

[nolaswede]

Down to 3.27% positivity rate and “only” 530 cases including probable cases. And it’s the first time in a while, that Orleans parish had a higher case # than Jefferson Parish. If that continues, my guess is that actual number is way higher than the official one.

 

[jrdbrn]

Dozens. For two of them it is their second time getting covid. My father in law has been exposed a half dozen times but managed to avoid it but now it looks like he has it after skipping his vaccine appointment his doctor set up because he didn't trust the vaccine. The only family member member on my wife's side that hasn't had it is her aunt who has been super safe.

Just hung up with my dad. His brother in law that had covid with him back in December is now showing symptoms after his son got on a plane with them with symptoms and later testing positive and he exposed my dad and stepmom. This just a few weeks after my dad passed in his vaccine a few weeks after spending 25 days in the hospital.

Just shows this won't completely go away but at least it is for the most part optional at this point.

That's wild. My family is pretty active and no immediate family has gotten it. 1 friend got it. Out of town family from TX and MS got it.

Maybe it's something in our water keeping us safe

 

[nolaswede]

Dozens. For two of them it is their second time getting covid. My father in law has been exposed a half dozen times but managed to avoid it but now it looks like he has it after skipping his vaccine appointment his doctor set up because he didn't trust the vaccine. The only family member member on my wife's side that hasn't had it is her aunt who has been super safe.

Just hung up with my dad. His brother in law that had covid with him back in December is now showing symptoms after his son got on a plane with them with symptoms and later testing positive and he exposed my dad and stepmom. This just a few weeks after my dad passed in his vaccine a few weeks after spending 25 days in the hospital.

Just shows this won't completely go away but at least it is for the most part optional at this point.

Sorry to hear about your family. Always difficult!

Been curious about the chances to get it twice and wonder how common it really is. Can’t really find much information out there. Your family members that have had it, did they have a milder version?

 

[Booker]

We just had a close call. My son's girlfriend tested positive after finding out people she worked with Thursday and Sunday were positive. My son saw her on Saturday and Sunday evening, so we were bracing ourselves that he was positive and may have spread it to the rest of the household, but fortunately his test came back negative. It looks like she contracted it Sunday afternoon (she just lost her taste and smell yesterday, which usually happens 3-4 days after infection), so not enough time had passed for her to spread it when he saw her Sunday night.

Needless to say we were quite releived when we received his results yesterday, and this was good wake up call for him and us. I think since school returned to two days a week in class last month he and some of his friends were beginning to act and socialize like it was over. Eleven months in, vaccines around the corner, the finish line almost in sight, this is not the time to get careless.

 

[bclemms]

Sorry to hear about your family. Always difficult!

Been curious about the chances to get it twice and wonder how common it really is. Can’t really find much information out there. Your family members that have had it, did they have a milder version?

Just the opposite for them. They had a mild case the first time, this time they are getting their arses kicked.