COVID-19 Outbreak Information Updates (Reboot) [over 150.000,000 US cases (est.), 6,422,520 US hospitilizations, 1,148,691 US deaths.] (7 Viewers)

[faceman]

While I can empathize, at least from my perspective, there's a lot to live for.

My grandaughter for me. she wants to walk with me every time she visits. I'll do it as long as my knees hold up

 

[Saint_Ward]

New COVID mutant 'XE' found in UK, more transmissible than Omicron sub-variant: WHO

A new COVID mutant 'XE' has been found in the UK, the World Health Organisation has said in its latest report and noted that it may be more transmissible than the BA.2 sublineage of COVID-19. XE is recombinant of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 sublineages of COVID-19.

www.helsinkitimes.fi

I haven't seen a lot of news on this, and WHO hasn't even listed it as a variant of concern or anything else.

Looks like XE is a recombination of the BA.1 and BA.2 Omicron strains. So, we'll see how much of a foothold it can gain, if it's similar to either Omicron, and so many people caught it.

 

[Saint_Ward]

Also, if we can, overall, it seems like in the US, Covid is pretty much over. I know we may get another wave. I know it's not really over. But, until there is something really newsworthy (XE counts), or major research, I don't think we need every single sort of related news topic for a while. Give people a mental break from the scourge of the last 2 years.

 

[Optimus Prime]

One of the lingering mysteries of the COVID-19 pandemic is why some people get infected without getting sick and others don't get infected at all, despite exposure.

Beyond a few known risk factors, it's mostly dumb luck that determines how someone will fare if they are exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19, a handful of researchers said.

But they're still trying for more scientific answers by studying people who are intentionally exposed to the virus and those who escape its effects.

People like Faith Paine.

Paine, 26, of London, volunteered for a "challenge trial" – meaning researchers dribbled the virus that causes COVID-19 up her nose, intending to get her sick.

For 17 days last year, she had to stay in a single room in London's Royal Free Hospital, unable to leave, exercise or see anyone who wasn't encased in a hazmat suit. The food was the worst part, she said, ordered ahead for her entire stay and more appropriate for an airplane ride than a regular diet.

Between all the poking and prodding, she was allowed to go to bed only after 11:30 p.m., and was awakened by 6:30 a.m. She felt awful the whole time, but she wasn't sure whether it was because of the lack of sleep and mediocre food, or because she had COVID-19.

She didn't.

Like half of the 36 U.K. residents paid about $6,500 to be willingly exposed to COVID-19, she never developed an infection and never shed virus.

Dr. Andrew Catchpole, who helped lead the research, said he didn't expect everyone to get sick. He runs regular challenge trials for infections like the flu and always aims for about 50% to 70% to fall ill, to ensure he is giving enough, but not an unsafe amount of virus.

But it didn't take much virus to give those 18 people COVID-19, and though data is still being analyzed, they have yet to identify a clear reason why the others didn't catch..........

MSN

 

[SaintInBucLand]

One of the lingering mysteries of the COVID-19 pandemic is why some people get infected without getting sick and others don't get infected at all, despite exposure.

MSN

Maybe take a deeper dive into looking at metabolic health?

 

[Goatman Saint]

Maybe take a deeper dive into looking at metabolic health?

But, there are people whose immune system reacts differently. East Asians have an immune system which leaves them much more prone to stevens johnson syndrome for certain medications. Certain people when exposed to hauntavirus also will get terribly sick as their immune system goes crazy, while others won’t even develop an obvious infection. There is still a massive amount of lack of knowledge with the immune system.
Immunity of lack of serious disease seems to run in family also. My wife was positive, got it chest glassy X-ray all that. I never did. Sons wife got it, son never did. Daughter has been exposed over and over at work, never has had it.

 

[faceman]

Maybe take a deeper dive into looking at metabolic health?

Like Optimus posted it's just luck. Some people can smoke longer than most people live and never be affected.

 

[jayd265]

it's crazy how there's no rhyme or reason as to why people get it/don't get it.

buddy of mine had it, unvaccinated, sick with the bad sinus infection for a week, said worst part was coughing up "all the gunk" in your chest for the next week.
his dad had it, unvaccinated, in hospital, survived though.

my mom and her husband had it, vaccinated, sick for a week.

my wife and i, unvaccinated, had it, me, very little congestion, her, felt like complete crap for 7 days. we slept in the same bed the entire time, etc.

crazy how some get it bad and some don't at all.

 

[faceman]

it's crazy how there's no rhyme or reason as to why people get it/don't get it.

buddy of mine had it, unvaccinated, sick with the bad sinus infection for a week, said worst part was coughing up "all the gunk" in your chest for the next week.
his dad had it, unvaccinated, in hospital, survived though.

my mom and her husband had it, vaccinated, sick for a week.

my wife and i, unvaccinated, had it, me, very little congestion, her, felt like complete crap for 7 days. we slept in the same bed the entire time, etc.

crazy how some get it bad and some don't at all.

Glad you are ok,but this is a good example of why one should get vaccinated. I lost two friends who would have
survived if they had gotten it.

 

[DaveXA]

Glad you are ok,but this is a good example of why one should get vaccinated. I lost two friends who would have
survived if they had gotten it.

Same here, and damn near lost my 2 bother in laws. They were bed ridden for 2 solid weeks and took them another 2 weeks to recover. My daughter lost 2 teachers in school to it.

 

[gboudx]

Same here, and damn near lost my 2 bother in laws. They were bed ridden for 2 solid weeks and took them another 2 weeks to recover. My daughter lost 2 teachers in school to it.

Freudian slip?

 

[Optimus Prime]

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Mickey Mouse will soon be able to hug again.

For nearly two years, costumed characters at U.S. Disney parks have kept their distance from visitors because of the pandemic. They haven’t been able to give hugs, sign autographs or interact up close with fans.

That is about to change in a few weeks when the parks reintroduce traditional character greetings. As soon as mid-April, personal interaction between visitors and costumed characters will be allowed again at Disneyland in California, Walt Disney World in Florida and on Disney cruises, the company said late last week in a blog post.

The parks closed temporarily because of the coronavirus in spring 2020. After the parks reopened that summer, costumed characters could only be seen waving from a distance in the parks or in parades.

Last fall, the parks allowed the costumed characters to return to locations around the parks for individualized meet-ups with visitors, but they were only allowed to greet visitors and have their photos taken from a distance……

Mickey Mouse can start hugging again at Disney parks

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Mickey Mouse will soon be able to hug again. For nearly two years, costumed characters at U.S.

apnews.com

 

[DaveXA]

I realize it's tempting commentary, but leave the politics for the politics board.

 

[Optimus Prime]

The rise of the ivermectin cult is one of the most nonsensical storylines — in a sea of nonsensical storylines — to emerge during the pandemic. Even now, as Covid begins to become a less dominant force in our lives, the ivermectin bunkum continues.

There have been several recent large, well-done, clinical trials, including one published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday, that definitively show, according to one of the study’s authors, “there’s really no sign of any benefit.”

But this growing body of it-doesn’t-work evidence hasn’t stopped ivermectin champions from championing. “RETRACT PAPER @NEJM NOW!!!!!” an anti-vaccine physician posted on Twitter a few days after the study was published. In her view it is a “CRIMINAL PAPER” that is “PROMOTING MURDER.” (All caps and exclamation marks in original, of course.)

The ivermectin stories have gotten so bizarre that I increasingly need to double-check to see whether they are satire. People are advocating giving it to babies, patients are sneaking it into hospitals inside teddy bears, and a candidate in Wisconsin’s attorney general election wants to investigate potential homicides in hospitals because “loved ones were basically being murdered” because ivermectin is being “withheld from them.”

Reality: There has never been good clinical evidence to support the use of the drug in the context of Covid. In the pandemic’s early days there were laboratory studies — that is, research done in petri dishes and not involving actual humans — that suggested the drug, which is used to treat parasites in horses, had antiviral properties. (This kind of work rarely translates into clinical application.) There were also some observational studies that seemed promising.

MSN

 

[Sailorsaint]

The rise of the ivermectin cult is one of the most nonsensical storylines — in a sea of nonsensical storylines — to emerge during the pandemic. Even now, as Covid begins to become a less dominant force in our lives, the ivermectin bunkum continues.

There have been several recent large, well-done, clinical trials, including one published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday, that definitively show, according to one of the study’s authors, “there’s really no sign of any benefit.”

But this growing body of it-doesn’t-work evidence hasn’t stopped ivermectin champions from championing. “RETRACT PAPER @NEJM NOW!!!!!” an anti-vaccine physician posted on Twitter a few days after the study was published. In her view it is a “CRIMINAL PAPER” that is “PROMOTING MURDER.” (All caps and exclamation marks in original, of course.)

The ivermectin stories have gotten so bizarre that I increasingly need to double-check to see whether they are satire. People are advocating giving it to babies, patients are sneaking it into hospitals inside teddy bears, and a candidate in Wisconsin’s attorney general election wants to investigate potential homicides in hospitals because “loved ones were basically being murdered” because ivermectin is being “withheld from them.”

Reality: There has never been good clinical evidence to support the use of the drug in the context of Covid. In the pandemic’s early days there were laboratory studies — that is, research done in petri dishes and not involving actual humans — that suggested the drug, which is used to treat parasites in horses, had antiviral properties. (This kind of work rarely translates into clinical application.) There were also some observational studies that seemed promising.

MSN

For some reason, I find it hard to take a physician, a professional, seriously when they tweet in ALL CAPS!!!.....