COVID-19 Outbreak Information Updates (Reboot) [over 150.000,000 US cases (est.), 6,422,520 US hospitilizations, 1,148,691 US deaths.] (3 Viewers)

[St. Widge]

Mayor Avegno just announced New Orleans is returning to an indoor mask mandate, which seems pretty silly at this point.

Possibly setting up for cancelling Mardi Gras again.

I don't really care about the mask mandate one way or the other. It's no big deal to me either way. People will do what they are going to do and I will do what I am going to do. And I don't see how an indoor mask mandate, especially now, would change anyone's Mardi Gras plans. I mean, being worked up about masks now and calling for doom and gloom about canceling Mardi Gras seems more like the theater going on here to me.

But, I suspect it's the opposite from setting up canceling Mardi Gras. It's how they are going to try to sell that it's safe to have Mardi Gras and they are hoping that maybe it brings the numbers down so the optics look better. I think they are too far down the road on commitments to cancel Mardi Gras for anything short of there literally not being a single hospital bed open in the city with people dying in the streets which is, of course, is highly unlikely to happen.

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

I don't really care about the mask mandate one way or the other. It's no big deal to me either way. People will do what they are going to do and I will do what I am going to do. And I don't see how an indoor mask mandate, especially now, would change anyone's Mardi Gras plans. I mean, being worked up about masks now and calling for doom and gloom about canceling Mardi Gras seems more like the theater going on here to me.

But, I suspect it's the opposite from setting up canceling Mardi Gras. It's how they are going to try to sell that it's safe to have Mardi Gras and they are hoping that maybe it brings the numbers down so the optics look better. I think they are too far down the road on commitments to cancel Mardi Gras for anything short of there literally not being a single hospital bed open in the city with people dying in the streets which is, of course, is highly unlikely to happen.

Its going to wipe out all the mardi gras balls (unless everyone just ignores it).

 

[St. Widge]

Its going to wipe out all the mardi gras balls (unless everyone just ignores it).

Right because nobody wears masks during Mardi Gras. It's just too uncomfortable.

Beyond that bit of sarcasm, there is still time for the numbers to come down, which we know they are now, and for LaToya to pretend that she brought them down enough to end the mask mandate. Even if not, I don't think most people or Krews are so freaked out about wearing a mask indoors that they would cancel Balls. Beyond that people will still take them off to eat and drink and nobody is going to enforce it anyway.

 

[efil4stnias]

Its going to wipe out all the mardi gras balls (unless everyone just ignores it).

ooohweee you are a ball of sunshine when it comes to Latoya. lolol

Like others have said, if the numbers are correct, and i have no reason to think they arent since we ramped up so exponentially in late December ( in Orleans parish ) , we are really about to hit the downslope and from every previous omicron downslope, we lookin at double black diamonds.

I think Mardi Gras, the pomp and circumstance that comes along with it, will be just fine.

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

Right because nobody wears masks during Mardi Gras. It's just too uncomfortable.

Beyond that bit of sarcasm, there is still time for the numbers to come down, which we know they are now, and for LaToya to pretend that she brought them down enough to end the mask mandate. Even if not, I don't think most people or Krews are so freaked out about wearing a mask indoors that they would cancel Balls. Beyond that people will still take them off to eat and drink and nobody is going to enforce it anyway.

You're not going to see debs presented wearing masks I don't think. The last mask mandate came down on a Friday when there was a presentation scheduled for that night (first one of the year) - the band was all set up, alcohol delivered, etc., and then they made the call to cancel it on 3 hours notice when the city made their announcement. The organizers ended up talking to Avegno who basically said if everyone wears a mask the entire time its fine, otherwise the city is going to stop it. So they cancelled it.

I suppose the superkrewe parties will go on because they won't GAF and will ignore it and LaToya made it clear she's not willing to mess with them but most of the traditional balls (which start in about 2 weeks) are in a major squeeze.

I know not a ton of people care about that but the ripple effects are pretty big for hotels/restaurants/bars/caterers/suppliers.

 

[efil4stnias]

Just received email from High School that Jan 14th ( Friday ) will be an "asynchronous virtual day"

birch please.

You are deep cleaning because 2/3 of the student body are out with omicron lololol

 

[St. Widge]

You're not going to see debs presented wearing masks I don't think. The last mask mandate came down on a Friday when there was a presentation scheduled for that night (first one of the year) - the band was all set up, alcohol delivered, etc., and then they made the call to cancel it on 3 hours notice. The organizers ended up talking to Avegno who basically said if everyone wears a mask the entire time its fine, otherwise the city is going to stop it. So they cancelled it.

I suppose the superkrewe parties will go on because they won't GAF and will ignore it and LaToya made it clear she's not willing to mess with them but most of the traditional balls (which start in about 2 weeks) are in a major squeeze.

I know not a ton of people care about that but the ripple effects are pretty big for hotels/restaurants/bars/caterers/suppliers.

Debutant Balls are different from Mardi Gras Balls and frankly LaToya's constituents would probably love to stick it to groups like the Bachelor's Club where as they can't stick it to d'Etat, Hermes/Rex/Comus without sticking it to Zulu, Muses, Bacchus, Krewe Du Vieux, and Endymion.

Beyond that, the City doesn't really make any where close to as much money off of Debutant Balls as they do off of Mardi Gras Balls. Anyway, even if some of the smaller Krewes cancel balls and I doubt many, if any, would even if the mask mandate is not lifted by then, the parades will go on. And the parades are what bring in the tourist and the big money to our economy which is I think your and my big worry in regard to any effect this would have on Mardi Gras.

I get that the Balls bring money to food/drink vendors, wait staff, and hotels/venues, but I really don't think a mask mandate is going to stop them from going forward given that enforcement will no doubt be very light if present at all. Beyond that, there is a least a couple weeks to go in which the mandate can be ended.

Anyway, if LaToya cancels Mardi Gras or all the Balls get cancelled, I'll buy you a pitch fork and torch to start the revolution.

 

[Saint_Ward]

I think I like your wife's version better. I am now team Ohmnicron.

So, you're not an American? The British use the O up front.

 

[efil4stnias]

Anyway, if LaToya cancels Mardi Gras or all the Balls get cancelled, I'll buy you a pitch fork and torch to start the revolution.

and pamphlets.

 

[St. Widge]

I grew up in Chalmette and my mom pronounces sink as zinc, oil as earl, and John as Jawn. And, even I can pronounce Omicron properly. I don't understand the issue.

 

[Saint_Ward]

Remember when the heat maps were just certain regions... well, it's pretty much everyone now.



You can see the change with per capita hospitalizations among 50-59 yr olds. They were a hair above average, to well above during Delta, and then back to average. However, rates are still high. Now, yes, some of that is they went to the hospital for something and found they had covid, vs going FOR covid.


Not sure I'd say anywhere, other than maybe DC has peaked, but some places are getting close to it.



Here's Louisiana






Remember when it was only South Florida about a month ago?



Miami-Dade has more daily cases than the State of Louisiana...



Texas



Cali

 

[brandon8283]

Remember when the heat maps were just certain regions... well, it's pretty much everyone now.



You can see the change with per capita hospitalizations among 50-59 yr olds. They were a hair above average, to well above during Delta, and then back to average. However, rates are still high. Now, yes, some of that is they went to the hospital for something and found they had covid, vs going FOR covid.


Not sure I'd say anywhere, other than maybe DC has peaked, but some places are getting close to it.



Here's Louisiana






Remember when it was only South Florida about a month ago?



Miami-Dade has more daily cases than the State of Louisiana...



Texas



Cali

Omicron makes the other waves look like background noise.

 

[bclemms]

Remember when the heat maps were just certain regions... well, it's pretty much everyone now.



You can see the change with per capita hospitalizations among 50-59 yr olds. They were a hair above average, to well above during Delta, and then back to average. However, rates are still high. Now, yes, some of that is they went to the hospital for something and found they had covid, vs going FOR covid.


Not sure I'd say anywhere, other than maybe DC has peaked, but some places are getting close to it.



Here's Louisiana






Remember when it was only South Florida about a month ago?



Miami-Dade has more daily cases than the State of Louisiana...



Texas



Cali

The hospitalization data is so bad at the moment from the combination of Omicron being so widespread and very few states separating the difference between hospitalizations from covid and hospitalizations with covid that it is really a useless stat at this point.

I'll even go a step farther. I bet hospitalization data shows the Omicron decline before regular testing data does since there appears to be less delay in the hospitalization data. In other words it is so widespread that when it starts to decrease the hospitalization data will actually serve as a better surveillance than the testing data.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Coronavirus loses 90% of its ability to infect us within 20 minutes of becoming airborne – with most of the loss occurring within the first five minutes, the world’s first simulations of how the virus survives in exhaled air suggest.

The findings re-emphasise the importance of short-range Covid transmission, with physical distancing and mask-wearing likely to be the most effective means of preventing infection. Ventilation, though still worthwhile, is likely to have a lesser impact.

“People have been focused on poorly ventilated spaces and thinking about airborne transmission over metres or across a room. I’m not saying that doesn’t happen, but I think still the greatest risk of exposure is when you’re close to someone,” said Prof Jonathan Reid, director of the University of Bristol’s Aerosol Research Centre and the study’s lead author……..

Covid loses 90% of ability to infect within 20 minutes in air – study

Exclusive: Findings highlight importance of short-range Covid transmissionCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverage

www.theguardian.com

 

[Saint_Ward]

The hospitalization data is so bad at the moment from the combination of Omicron being so widespread and very few states separating the difference between hospitalizations from covid and hospitalizations with covid that it is really a useless stat at this point.

I'll even go a step farther. I bet hospitalization data shows the Omicron decline before regular testing data does since there appears to be less delay in the hospitalization data. In other words it is so widespread that when it starts to decrease the hospitalization data will actually serve as a better surveillance than the testing data.

Individual hospitals or hospital networks may have that data. I'm just lazy and go to the NYT for most of the graphics. If I get time later. I'll dig more.