COVID-19 Outbreak Information Updates (Reboot) [over 150.000,000 US cases (est.), 6,422,520 US hospitilizations, 1,148,691 US deaths.] (2 Viewers)

[livefromDC]

Funny how people will bend over backwards in a feeble attempt to defend the actions of such hypocrites.

Not nearly as much as people looking for a reason to not get vaccinated after all this time.

 

[Andrus]

Just an FYI.

Who is dying of COVID amid omicron surge and widespread vaccine availability?

Doctors say U.S. COVID deaths are still mainly occurring among unvaccinated people, most of whom are in their 30s and their 40s with no underlying health issues.

abcnews.go.com

 

[EGLSShin]

My kid still has to wear a mask all day in school in Orleans Parish

Meanwhile, the owner of Katie's instantly lost 50% of his business when the last mask mandates came back. People would rather drive out to Metairie to dine than deal with all the hoop jumping of vaccine and mask mandates in Orleans parish. There was a time where I think those mandates were good ideas but at this stage in the game, its a little ridiculous at this point. She's putting a world of hurt on restaurants in Orleans parish. Talking to the owner of Katies was eye opening on how destructive these mandates are when your neighbor parish doesn't have them.

 

[bclemms]

We could be caught in between a rock and a hard place. Nobody is adhering to restrictions that are in place and a lot of pressure to remove any restrictions. Both of these I agree with for so many reasons.

However, the data coming out from BA.2 or (stealth Omicron) is not good. General consensus seems to show it's more contagious than Omicron and carries the severity of Delta with a very high rate of immune evasion.

More contagious version of omicron spreads in U.S., fueling worries

The omicron BA.2 variant spreads about 30% more easily and has caused surges in other countries. Its steady increase in the U.S. raises questions about the wisdom of rolling back COVID restrictions.

www.npr.org

Cases appear to be slowly doubling and the fear is that restrictions are dropped right as this thing starts to spread and we could see yet another wave.

I don't think we are headed that direction though.

First, we are headed into a time of the year in which Covid tends to hit minimums in the spring. Second, estimates that we have reached Omicron immunity levels in the 70+%.

Next, studies are continuing to show longer and longer lasting immunity against severe disease from the vaccine.

Got a Covid Booster? You Probably Won’t Need Another for a Long Time (Published 2022)

A flurry of new studies suggests that several parts of the immune system can mount a sustained, potent response to any coronavirus variant.

www.nytimes.com

I do think we will have a big wave coming in the fall/early winter as immunity levels wane and we should be preparing with a booster that is better matched to the current variants and coordinate that shot to get maximum protection as we enter the fall wave. It looks like consensus is finally starting to catch up to that line of thinking instead of just boost, boost, boost with vaccine technology that does little to prevent spread on newer variants.

 

[faceman]

For those of you not subscribed to the NY times. Here is the same article

Omicron cases are falling, but this ‘stealth’ coronavirus variant is on the rise

Cases of the omicron variant have fallen nationally, but BA.2, known as “stealth omicron,” is just getting started.

www.news4jax.com

 

[Saint_Ward]

CDC guidance was updated recently.

COVID by County

COVID-19 Community Levels help you decide your prevention steps.

www.cdc.gov

Oh, and WHO's comment on Omicron BA.2

https://www.who.int/news/item/22-02-2022-statement-on-omicron-sublineage-ba.2

BA.2 differs from BA.1 in its genetic sequence, including some amino acid differences in the spike protein and other proteins. Studies have shown that BA.2 has a growth advantage over BA.1. Studies are ongoing to understand the reasons for this growth advantage, but initial data suggest that BA.2 appears inherently more transmissible than BA.1, which currently remains the most common Omicron sublineage reported. This difference in transmissibility appears to be much smaller than, for example, the difference between BA.1 and Delta. Further, although BA.2 sequences are increasing in proportion relative to other Omicron sublineages (BA.1 and BA.1.1), there is still a reported decline in overall cases globally.

Studies are evaluating the risk of reinfection with BA.2 compared to BA.1. Reinfection with BA.2 following infection with BA.1 has been documented, however, initial data from population-level reinfection studies suggest that infection with BA.1 provides strong protection against reinfection with BA.2, at least for the limited period for which data are available.

Just a portion above.

 

[Saint_Ward]

CDC numbers show more than 90 percent of people in U.S. can ditch masks

The updated figures indicate that nearly everyone in the country lives in areas with low to medium risk for Covid.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Doug B]

At this point ... I'm curious how soon it will be before it becomes uncommon to see employees masked in groceries, retail outlets, and so forth. I'm betting, also, that all those plastic shields hanging from the ceilings will be in place for a long while.

Will we ever see healthcare facilities go back to 2019 masking protocols? I spent a lot of time in hospitals that year and saw lots of MDs', RNs', and staff's bare faces. Seemed normal at the time because it was -- never thought about it for a second. Will that ever be again?

I've never minded masking, so it's not that. I just think that pre-COVID levels of masking, generally, will be the true indication that the page has turned. And I'm not sure how much of a top-down thing occupational masking really is in practice -- I know many who mask at work and still want to remain cautious for the immediate future.

 

[gboudx]

Will we ever see healthcare facilities go back to 2019 masking protocols? I spent a lot of time in hospitals that year and saw lots of MDs', RNs', and staff's bare faces. Seemed normal at the time because it was -- never thought about it for a second. Will that ever be again?

I last saw my PA in December. We talked a bit about this topic and I expressed that it would be good if all healthcare facilities kept the mask requirement. Especially dr's offices. There's a good chance someone in the waiting room is there for a flu or strep test, and it would be good to keep those germs covered. Even if they're sick with just a cold, who wants to get that?

 

[nolaspe]

I last saw my PA in December. We talked a bit about this topic and I expressed that it would be good if all healthcare facilities kept the mask requirement. Especially dr's offices. There's a good chance someone in the waiting room is there for a flu or strep test, and it would be good to keep those germs covered. Even if they're sick with just a cold, who wants to get that?

The health system I work for isn't dropping the mask requirement anytime soon for everyone who visits a campus, and as far as I know, I'll be working remotely for the foreseeable future (which I'm totally cool with)...

 

[livefromDC]

At this point ... I'm curious how soon it will be before it becomes uncommon to see employees masked in groceries, retail outlets, and so forth. I'm betting, also, that all those plastic shields hanging from the ceilings will be in place for a long while.

Will we ever see healthcare facilities go back to 2019 masking protocols? I spent a lot of time in hospitals that year and saw lots of MDs', RNs', and staff's bare faces. Seemed normal at the time because it was -- never thought about it for a second. Will that ever be again?

I've never minded masking, so it's not that. I just think that pre-COVID levels of masking, generally, will be the true indication that the page has turned. And I'm not sure how much of a top-down thing occupational masking really is in practice -- I know many who mask at work and still want to remain cautious for the immediate future.

I don't know about other people, and I don't care what other people choose to do, but I'm going to continue wearing a mask in public. I like that I haven't had so much as a cold since 2019. I'm not going back.

 

[nolaspe]

I don't know about other people, and I don't care what other people choose to do, but I'm going to continue wearing a mask in public. I like that I haven't had so much as a cold since 2019. I'm not going back.

Mask mandates were dropped in NOLA, I'm still wearing mine and will continue to do so...

 

[Optimus Prime]

BANGKOK (AP) — The official global death toll from COVID-19 is on the verge of eclipsing 6 million — underscoring that the pandemic, now entering its third year, is far from over.

The milestone is the latest tragic reminder of the unrelenting nature of the pandemic even as people are shedding masks, travel is resuming and businesses are reopening around the globe. The death toll, compiled by Johns Hopkins University, stood at 5,997,994 as of Sunday afternoon.

Remote Pacific islands, whose isolation had protected them for more than two years, are just now grappling with their first outbreaks and deaths, fueled by the highly contagious omicron variant.

Hong Kong, which is seeing deaths soar, is testing its entire population of 7.5 million three times this month as it clings to mainland China’s “zero-COVID” strategy…..

Death toll nears 6 million as pandemic enters its 3rd year

The world is on the verge of recording its 6 millionth official COVID-19 death, underscoring that the pandemic is far from over.

apnews.com

 

[Saint_Ward]

Mask mandates were dropped in NOLA, I'm still wearing mine and will continue to do so...

I'm still using it at stores for now. I'm more relaxed at work, since we ended it for the second .. or third ... time.

But CDC guidance is stating it's not needed, so that means more to me than local leaders. We'll see if things change. However, I also enjoy not being sick with much of anything in a long time.

 

[Optimus Prime]

It’s probably going to take me awhile to feel comfortable not wearing it

Mandate has been lifted in my county but everyone I’ve seen out running errands still wears their mask indoors