Corona Virus: It's a Marathon, Not a Sprint

[LawBeefaroni]

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/sta ... 7255926784

The number of cases and deaths of the China Virus is far exaggerated in the United States because of @CDCgov’s ridiculous method of determination compared to other countries, many of whom report, purposely, very inaccurately and low. “When in doubt, call it Covid.” Fake News!

I just can't anymore.

So are our counts exaggerated and ridiculous or are other countries' counts inaccurate and low?

[Zaxxon]

Correct.

[Smoove_B]

I didn't realize Mitt Romney actually put out something good on Friday:

Here’s one idea. It undoubtedly has flaws, but I offer it not as the answer but as an example of the kind of options that ought to be brainstormed in Washington and in every state.

“First, call on people who have carried out widespread vaccination programs elsewhere or in the past. Learn from their experience.

“Second, enlist every medical professional, retired or active, who is not currently engaged in the delivery of care. This could include veterinarians, combat medics and corpsmen, medical students, EMS professionals, first responders, and many others who could be easily trained to administer vaccines. Congress has already appropriated funding for states so that these professionals can be fully compensated.

“Establish vaccination sites throughout the state, perhaps in every school. Make sure that a medical professional is in each school building to be able to respond to a reaction that might occur.

“Schedule vaccinations according to a person’s priority category and birthdate: e.g., people in group A with a January first birthday would be assigned a specific day to receive their vaccination.

I know I shouldn't be surprised that the effort so far has been such a cock-up, but it's getting painful to watch. The theme continues - it didn't need to be this way...

[Jeff V]

I didn't realize Mitt Romney actually put out something good on Friday:

Here’s one idea. It undoubtedly has flaws, but I offer it not as the answer but as an example of the kind of options that ought to be brainstormed in Washington and in every state.

“First, call on people who have carried out widespread vaccination programs elsewhere or in the past. Learn from their experience.

“Second, enlist every medical professional, retired or active, who is not currently engaged in the delivery of care. This could include veterinarians, combat medics and corpsmen, medical students, EMS professionals, first responders, and many others who could be easily trained to administer vaccines. Congress has already appropriated funding for states so that these professionals can be fully compensated.

“Establish vaccination sites throughout the state, perhaps in every school. Make sure that a medical professional is in each school building to be able to respond to a reaction that might occur.

“Schedule vaccinations according to a person’s priority category and birthdate: e.g., people in group A with a January first birthday would be assigned a specific day to receive their vaccination.

I know I shouldn't be surprised that the effort so far has been such a cock-up, but it's getting painful to watch. The theme continues - it didn't need to be this way...

So how do the schools get the extreme deep freezers needed for some of the vaccines? And if they did have such freezers, how would they refrain from stuffing them with detention students?

[Smoove_B]

So how do the schools get the extreme deep freezers needed for some of the vaccines? And if they did have such freezers, how would they refrain from stuffing them with detention students?

I think the answer might ultimately be the military (in terms of logistics). I honestly haven't seen (locally) freezers being named as a reason for slow vaccination delivery. If we could get the freezers we do have to the locations where delivery could be offered in a way that makes sense, that's likely the best plan.

[Paingod]

...it didn't need to be this way...

When we put a demented, xenophobic, narcissistic game show host in charge of our nation we took all of our options away from ourselves.

[RMC]

Just got the call, I get the Vaccine today...
I am hoping for flight or super human strength for my mutation...

[disarm]

Just got the call, I get the Vaccine today...
I am hoping for flight or super human strength for my mutation...

If you get a mutation, I'll be jealous... nothing but 48 hours with a sore arm for me

[coopasonic]

Wife (sonographer in a hospital setting) got the first dose two weeks ago, still no word on the second dose and there are concerns of availability of the second dose and what happens if they miss the window.

[Defiant]

Just got the call, I get the Vaccine today...
I am hoping for flight or super human strength for my mutation...

If you get a mutation, I'll be jealous... nothing but 48 hours with a sore arm for me

In dis arm or dat arm?

[RMC]

Just got the call, I get the Vaccine today...
I am hoping for flight or super human strength for my mutation...

If you get a mutation, I'll be jealous... nothing but 48 hours with a sore arm for me

I'll keep you updated if I do develop flight....

[Jaymon]

aren't we in some sort of national emergency? the type where money can be spent, Would not take much to assign a couple of big contracts. You, Kenmore, figure out how to put one of these big ass freezers on the flatbed of a truck. You, Fridgidare, make a bunch of these big ass freezers. Here is a pile of money.

If only there was a national government type person in charge to make that sort of decision. sigh.

[Zaxxon]

aren't we in some sort of national emergency? the type where money can be spent, Would not take much to assign a couple of big contracts. You, Kenmore, figure out how to put one of these big ass freezers on the flatbed of a truck. You, Fridgidare, make a bunch of these big ass freezers. Here is a pile of money.

If only there was a national government type person in charge to make that sort of decision. sigh.

T-16 days...

[stessier]

aren't we in some sort of national emergency? the type where money can be spent, Would not take much to assign a couple of big contracts. You, Kenmore, figure out how to put one of these big ass freezers on the flatbed of a truck. You, Fridgidare, make a bunch of these big ass freezers. Here is a pile of money.

Those are owned by the same company.

[Jaymon]

aren't we in some sort of national emergency? the type where money can be spent, Would not take much to assign a couple of big contracts. You, Kenmore, figure out how to put one of these big ass freezers on the flatbed of a truck. You, Fridgidare, make a bunch of these big ass freezers. Here is a pile of money.

Those are owned by the same company.

Its one of those problems that can, in fact, be solved by throwing a pile of money at it.

[stessier]

aren't we in some sort of national emergency? the type where money can be spent, Would not take much to assign a couple of big contracts. You, Kenmore, figure out how to put one of these big ass freezers on the flatbed of a truck. You, Fridgidare, make a bunch of these big ass freezers. Here is a pile of money.

Those are owned by the same company.

Its one of those problems that can, in fact, be solved by throwing a pile of money at it.

I'm just saying you'd be better off throwing money at two different corporations as each corporation has a limited number of resources.

[Pyperkub]

Apparently based on Brazillian data, the Herd Immunity approach the Trump Administration has been following for the past 6 months at least won't work:

https://twitter.com/cstross/status/1346149836408680448

Also, the newer "UK" variant appears to possibly be infecting Children far more readily:

Early analysis of how and where it is spreading have also given "hints that it has a higher propensity to infect children", according to Prof Neil Ferguson from the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, who also sits on Nervtag.

He stressed the link was still being investigated and was not yet proven.

Article is from 12/22, but hearing more about this.

[Exodor]

How worried should we be about the South African variant?

Johannesburg, South Africa — The new coronavirus variant identified in South Africa poses even more of a risk than the strain discovered several weeks ago in England, Britain's top health official warned on Monday. His alarm came as scientists warned that the new strain sweeping through South African coastal communities could be resistant to the COVID-19 vaccines approved or awaiting approval in the U.S. and Europe.

[Paingod]

I'm just going to go back into hibernation.

[Max Peck]

You, Kenmore, figure out how to put one of these big ass freezers on the flatbed of a truck.

Do you mean Kenworth?

[Jaymon]

HAHA, yes I meant Kenworth for the trucks. But the actual companies don't matter. Its more about the principle.

[Smoove_B]

Pharmacist believed it would change people's DNA:

Brandenburg told investigators that he believed the vaccine was not safe for people and would "harm them and change their DNA," the probable cause said. Brandenburg, according to the Grafton Police Department, is an "admitted conspiracy theorist."

Brandenburg was arrested on Dec. 31 on charges of first degree recklessly endangering safety, adulterating a prescription drug, and criminal damage to property.

Pretty sure they need to add some new questions to the pharmacist licensing exam.

[Isgrimnur]

Can we get PeteRock on the enforcement arm?

[RMC]

And remember Moderna's vaccine is just -20 C, which I guess is what a freezer can be kept at. It's what I was injected with, and what the hopsital I work for has, so schools could just use that one, and Pfizer's can be given to hospitals and places with those types of cooling.

[The Meal]

I hope he has to pay for the cost of spoilage.

[Freyland]

I hope he has to pay for the cost of spoilage.

The Moderna vaccine is cheap, so that's only a couple thousand of dollars. That's doesn't include the impact of those who then missed out on protection, however....

[RMC]

Pharmacist believed it would change people's DNA:

Brandenburg told investigators that he believed the vaccine was not safe for people and would "harm them and change their DNA," the probable cause said. Brandenburg, according to the Grafton Police Department, is an "admitted conspiracy theorist."

Brandenburg was arrested on Dec. 31 on charges of first degree recklessly endangering safety, adulterating a prescription drug, and criminal damage to property.

Pretty sure they need to add some new questions to the pharmacist licensing exam.

Umm... Wow.. that's some crazy there...

[Smoove_B]

I can't even process this for LA county:

https://twitter.com/BrennanSpiegel/stat ... 2834809861

* 1 in 5 citizens tested for #COVID19 is positive
* 120% of ICU space is occupied
* 7,697 are currently hospitalized

And story:

Paramedics in Southern California are being told to conserve oxygen and not to bring patients to the hospital who have little chance of survival, as Los Angeles County grapples with a new wave of COVID-19 patients that is expected to get worse in the coming days.

The Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services Agency issued a directive Monday that ambulance crews should only administer bottled oxygen to patients whose oxygen saturation levels fall below 90%.

In a separate memo from the county's EMS Agency, paramedic crews have been told not to transfer patients who experience cardiac arrest unless spontaneous circulation can be restored on the scene.

[Daehawk]

A local medical response helicopter pilot has died of Covid at 49. Leave s a fiance and 4 kids.

https://newschannel9.com/news/coronavir ... e0SDBJMM50

[stessier]

Pfft - if they are only at 20%, they aren't really trying. Our state has been above 30% for a while and my county was at 48.6% last week.

[Smoove_B]

Pfft - if they are only at 20%, they aren't really trying. Our state has been above 30% for a while and my county was at 48.6% last week.

What's your population? LA County is ~10.04 million. That's...quite a few COVID positive people.

[stessier]

Pfft - if they are only at 20%, they aren't really trying. Our state has been above 30% for a while and my county was at 48.6% last week.

What's your population? LA County is ~10.04 million. That's...quite a few COVID positive people.

Isn't it really how many they tested? Buy yeah, not quite that much.

[Jeff V]

Just got the call, I get the Vaccine today...
I am hoping for flight or super human strength for my mutation...

So what did you get? I hear a lot of complaints with the mutation being shrunken testicles.

Wife goes for her first shot at 1 pm. AFAIK, I'm still on the "let him just catch it and die so we don't have to worry about vaccinating" list.

[Smoove_B]

Isn't it really how many they tested? Buy yeah, not quite that much.

Not just numbers, but the reason/parameters for offering the test. I suspect your state is doing what NJ and NY were doing early on last year - testing people they knew had COVID-19 based on medical evaluation and patient interviews. Basically using the test as a confirmation of suspected diagnosis. Now that testing is widely available in our state, the % are much lower (though still concerning) - I think we're hovering around 10-12% now.

[RMC]

Just got the call, I get the Vaccine today...
I am hoping for flight or super human strength for my mutation...

So what did you get? I hear a lot of complaints with the mutation being shrunken testicles.

Wife goes for her first shot at 1 pm. AFAIK, I'm still on the "let him just catch it and die so we don't have to worry about vaccinating" list.

Sore arm is apparently my mutation, like Disarm... Damn, I was hoping for flight..

[YellowKing]

So my wife ran into my son's dental hygienist the other day who told her that she tested positive for Covid on Christmas Day. 3 days after cleaning my son's teeth. What really angered me is that the dentist office never notified us, so we certainly weren't quarantining.

It's almost been 2 weeks so hopefully we're in the clear, but it just goes to show that you never know where the bastard is going to try to take you out.

[LawBeefaroni]

Just got the call, I get the Vaccine today...
I am hoping for flight or super human strength for my mutation...

So what did you get? I hear a lot of complaints with the mutation being shrunken testicles.

Wife goes for her first shot at 1 pm. AFAIK, I'm still on the "let him just catch it and die so we don't have to worry about vaccinating" list.

Sore arm is apparently my mutation, like Disarm... Damn, I was hoping for flight..

Mine lasted for 2 or 3 days despite taking the usual precautions (constantly moving and stretching it).

[RMC]

Just got the call, I get the Vaccine today...
I am hoping for flight or super human strength for my mutation...

So what did you get? I hear a lot of complaints with the mutation being shrunken testicles.

Wife goes for her first shot at 1 pm. AFAIK, I'm still on the "let him just catch it and die so we don't have to worry about vaccinating" list.

Sore arm is apparently my mutation, like Disarm... Damn, I was hoping for flight..

Mine lasted for 2 or 3 days despite taking the usual precautions (constantly moving and stretching it).

That's what I am guessing.. My supervisor who is in a lot better shape than I am, says it aches, but not too much.

[Holman]

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1346 ... 88544?s=20

Scenes from the Trump rally today in DC.

In the tweet above this pair, the speaker admonishes the audience against wearing masks and celebrates that a crowd of them had just gone into a big box store declaring their masklessness.

It's a death cult.

[Smoove_B]

It's why this is never going to end. There's an entire population of people that is going to do everything and anything they can to undermine any effort to make things better. We're desperately trying to empty the sinking boat and they're bringing buckets of water back in. Speaking of which:

https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1 ... 5879614467

Gov. Ricketts (R-NE) says undocumented workers at meatpacking plants will not be eligible to receive the COVID vaccine.

That’s at least 14% of Nebraska’s meatpacking workers, according to @MigrationPolicy

So very concerned about jobs and the economy that we'll intentionally not vaccinate workers we previously identified as essential.