The Politics of Covid 19, mask wearing and the vaccination process

[Zaxxon]

Might be the only 24 states actively tracking and reporting breakthrough infections. Testing is so 2020.

I should have known better.

Also,

[Blackhawk]

Its time to press the giant meteor button and start fresh.

Are you sure this isn't our giant meteor? I mean, 'Giant meteor' could just be a generalization...

I do wonder sometimes if I was wrong about there being a higher power. That we're all in a giant game of Sim City, and the player is finally getting bored and keeps hitting the random disaster button to see what happens.

[Smoove_B]

Update on what's happening with kids in TN:

https://twitter.com/NC5PhilWilliams/sta ... 5390630923

BREAKING: All August reports for #COVID19 in Tennessee are now posted, and it was not a good month for the state's school-age (5-18) children. A whopping **42,599** tested positive for the virus - a 72% increase over December and 44x higher than June. MORE TO FOLLOW. Overall, 162,724 Tennesseans tested positive for #COVID19 in August - school-age children (5-18) made up 26% of that number. August was the highest month for reported #COVID19 deaths in Tennessee since February. ***777*** of our family, friends and neighbors became victims to the virus. Death is a lagging indicator. So with skyrocketing hospitalizations, this number could be higher in Sept. As we reported early this morning, #COVID19 hospitalizations are now at an all-time high in Tennessee. 3,338 hospitalized, with 943 in ICU, 661 on ventilators. (Pediatric numbers: 73 hospitalized, 18 in ICU, 7 on ventilators.)

Largely over politics. We have met the enemy and he is us.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

Might be the only 24 states actively tracking and reporting breakthrough infections. Testing is so 2020.

Joke's on you - we didn't really care about testing in 2020, either.

[Zaxxon]

Smoove may enjoy* this recap of Monday's health board meeting...

* - In a 'make your blood boil' sorrt of way...

The inevitable fallout...

[Smoove_B]

W.T.F. is that??? Wow. I am speechless.

[Isgrimnur]

[Smoove_B]

No, no. That's not good. It would be like if the county commissioners said, "We don't like how the regional fire department is handling fires, so we're going to start our own local fire response team - from scratch."

It's f-ing madness and the people that live in the affected area should be calling for all kinds of hell to be raised. Well, unless they really also hate masks, then I guess congratulations you're getting what you voted for.

I am having a hard time believing they're going to be able to find qualified staff willing and able to function the way they want.

[Zaxxon]

No, no. That's not good. It would be like if the county commissioners said, "We don't like how the regional fire department is handling fires, so we're going to start our own local fire response team - from scratch."

It's f-ing madness and the people that live in the affected area should be calling for all kinds of hell to be raised. Well, unless they really also hate masks, then I guess congratulations you're getting what you voted for.

Indeed. Hell will be raised, but this group isn't going to be receptive to logical argument.

I am having a hard time believing they're going to be able to find qualified staff willing and able to function the way they want.

Your mistake is assuming that 'finding qualified staff' is one of the priorities here.

[Isgrimnur]

Who would have thought a radiologist wouldn't be the best board member during a pandemic?

[Zaxxon]

Who would have thought a radiologist wouldn't be the best board member during a pandemic?

She was overruled by a board with rational actors on it. Now imagine that the County is run by 3 people with more politically-fueled rage against public health, much less health knowledge, and no rational actors.

[LawBeefaroni]

No, no. That's not good. It would be like if the county commissioners said, "We don't like how the regional fire department is handling fires, so we're going to start our own local fire response team - from scratch."

It's f-ing madness and the people that live in the affected area should be calling for all kinds of hell to be raised. Well, unless they really also hate masks, then I guess congratulations you're getting what you voted for.

I am having a hard time believing they're going to be able to find qualified staff willing and able to function the way they want.

"We are sorry that our 50+ year history of serving Douglas County residents may be coming to an end and that the separation has been catalyzed at such a divisive moment," according to the statement. "If the county does choose to make a change, we will continue to serve the residents to the best of our ability as long as we remain their Public Health Department and will provide whatever support we practically can in the transition."

They left out the implied, "After which, good luck, you're fucked."

[Zaxxon]

They left out the implied, "After which, good luck, you're fucked."

[YellowKing]

For all those who say "Masks don't work."

I have a co-worker who's school started the year with no mask mandate. Cases first week? 60+. Board of Health forced them to implement mask mandate. This week's cases? 7.

I know it's anecdotal, but it just showcases how frustratingly simple this all would be if people would just stop being so damn hardheaded and do the right thing.

[Max Peck]

Might be the only 24 states actively tracking and reporting breakthrough infections. Testing is so 2020.

Pretty much. This is the article associated with the infographic:

Breakthrough cases aren’t the cause of the US Covid-19 surge

Although not every state, nor the CDC, is attempting to track all reported breakthrough cases, the data we do have from about 25 states suggests the vast majority of serious cases, hospitalizations, and deaths still involve the unvaccinated.

[Smoove_B]

Your mistake is assuming that 'finding qualified staff' is one of the priorities here.

Well, I'm not entirely familiar with the laws in CO, but I would hope there are licensing requirements to practice public health - like most states (including my own). Here, the state would be stepping in to remind the county that they need to using qualified/licensed staff as part of their experiment.

Or like in my state, allow a county to operate for over a year during a once in a lifetime pandemic without a licensed health official running local health function. It's not like I'm keeping track or anything.

[Zaxxon]

One can hope.

[LordMortis]

Sixty-nine studies were included, describing 57,420 adult patients with COVID-19 who received IMV [invasive mechanical ventilation]. Overall reported CFR [case fatality rates] was estimated as 45% (95% confidence interval [CI], 39-52%). Fifty-four of 69 studies stated whether hospital outcomes were available but provided a definitive hospital outcome on only 13,120 (22.8%) of the total IMV patient population. Among studies in which age-stratified CFR was available, pooled CFR estimates ranged from 47.9% (95% CI, 46.4-49.4%) in younger patients (age ≤40 yr) to 84.4% (95% CI, 83.3-85.4%) in older patients (age >80 yr).

I guess 50/50 isn't a death sentence I assume that includes earlier cases where people were dying more.

Doctor's say call "Call in the family". I'm ashamed to say I'm quite happy M&D aren't going down. Terrible. Now his sister is on O2 and can't talk. When you can't tell your family "just get the damned shot already!" and have them pay one bit of mind. Heartbreaking.

[Kasey Chang]

For all those who say "Masks don't work."

I have a co-worker who's school started the year with no mask mandate. Cases first week? 60+. Board of Health forced them to implement mask mandate. This week's cases? 7.

I know it's anecdotal, but it just showcases how frustratingly simple this all would be if people would just stop being so damn hardheaded and do the right thing.

Antivaxxers are claiming COVID is just like the flu and survival rate is 99.9%.

Children so far are showing less severe symptoms than adults when it comes to COVID. That is true. But with 4.8 million children testing positive as of August 26, even with a near-zero mortality rate, parents are taking chances with their children's lives to "prove" their ideology. Is that what freedom really means to them?

[malchior]

I can't wait unt this moron tells his huge audience that horse paste worked.

https://mobile.twitter.com/atrupar/stat ... 0905836546

[Zaxxon]

Shame on Vice for using 'unproven' there.

[Smoove_B]

Children so far are showing less severe symptoms than adults when it comes to COVID. That is true. But with 4.8 million children testing positive as of August 26, even with a near-zero mortality rate, parents are taking chances with their children's lives to "prove" their ideology. Is that what freedom really means to them?

I'm going to tell you a secret. When you're running epidemiological comparisons, the first rule is to make sure the populations you're comparing are standardized. So comparing COVID outcomes in kids vs COVID outcomes in adults tells me the person making the claims has no idea what they're talking about.

[Smoove_B]

I can't wait unt this moron tells his huge audience that horse paste worked.

He was given human prescription version, not the apple flavored horse paste his audience is buying. And that's what continues to be so fuct up about all this. Joe Rogan likely will be fine and he'll tell all his fans it was NBD because he was given treatments that the average person will never have access to. And so the cycle will continue.

[El Guapo]

I can't wait unt this moron tells his huge audience that horse paste worked.

He was given human prescription version, not the apple flavored horse paste his audience is buying. And that's what continues to be so fuct up about all this. Joe Rogan likely will be fine and he'll tell all his fans it was NBD because he was given treatments that the average person will never have access to. And so the cycle will continue.

Setting aside invermectin, why can't more people get regeneron and monoclonal antibodies? They can't make enough?

[Smoove_B]

The monoclonal antibodies are only approved for use in specific populations that have been identified as "high risk" after they've been exposed and once they are starting symptoms. I would presume "being wealthy" and "having connections' also qualifies you based on how they're being doled out.

Again, this all goes back to the core difference between private health and public health. Get vaccinated ahead of time to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death -or- do nothing and get the disease and then rush to treat someone with medication that you hope will improve their outcome and stop them from needing to go to the hospital or dying.

It's the same end result but starting from a different point in the disease progression. America is absolutely fixated on the private medical route - despite it costing magnitudes of money more than the treatment you're getting (antibodies, invermectin, etc...) after you've already been diagnosed and they're trying to keep you from dying.

You'd need to ask a private health person what the supply levels of antibodies are like. I'd be amazed if we had more antibody treatment than vaccines.

[Freyland]

Doctor Narrator: We don't.

[gbasden]

Its time to press the giant meteor button and start fresh.

Are you sure this isn't our giant meteor? I mean, 'Giant meteor' could just be a generalization...

I do wonder sometimes if I was wrong about there being a higher power. That we're all in a giant game of Sim City, and the player is finally getting bored and keeps hitting the random disaster button to see what happens.

I must have missed the "deplorable" disaster when I was playing.

[Skinypupy]

I can't wait unt this moron tells his huge audience that horse paste worked.

He was given human prescription version, not the apple flavored horse paste his audience is buying. And that's what continues to be so fuct up about all this. Joe Rogan likely will be fine and he'll tell all his fans it was NBD because he was given treatments that the average person will never have access to. And so the cycle will continue.

Setting aside invermectin, why can't more people get regeneron and monoclonal antibodies? They can't make enough?

Aren't they stupid expensive? I remember seeing a cost of $1,200/dose at some point, but maybe that wasn't accurate.

[LawBeefaroni]

I can't wait unt this moron tells his huge audience that horse paste worked.

He was given human prescription version, not the apple flavored horse paste his audience is buying. And that's what continues to be so fuct up about all this. Joe Rogan likely will be fine and he'll tell all his fans it was NBD because he was given treatments that the average person will never have access to. And so the cycle will continue.

Setting aside invermectin, why can't more people get regeneron and monoclonal antibodies? They can't make enough?

It's cost prohibitive. Rogan gets the full treatment because rich/famous. Not everyone who is "feeling shitty" gets Regeneron.

If you break your leg it would probably be cool to get airlifted.to Dr. Andrews. But it's not considered medically necessary so that's not what you get unless you pay for it.

[El Guapo]

I can't wait unt this moron tells his huge audience that horse paste worked.

He was given human prescription version, not the apple flavored horse paste his audience is buying. And that's what continues to be so fuct up about all this. Joe Rogan likely will be fine and he'll tell all his fans it was NBD because he was given treatments that the average person will never have access to. And so the cycle will continue.

Setting aside invermectin, why can't more people get regeneron and monoclonal antibodies? They can't make enough?

Aren't they stupid expensive? I remember seeing a cost of $1,200/dose at some point, but maybe that wasn't accurate.

This is semi-anecdotal, but it sure seems like regeneron and monoclonal antibodies significantly increase the COVID survival rate. So even if it's more expensive and less ideal than vaccination, given that a lot of people are going to choose not to vaccinate seems like a major public policy goal should be to make those treatments more widely available.

[Unagi]

and what is their stock symbol?

[Isgrimnur]

NASDAQ: REGN

[LawBeefaroni]

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — who has been criticized for opposing mask mandates and vaccine passports — is now touting a COVID-19 antibody treatment in which a top donor’s company has invested millions of dollars.

Old news but bears repeating.

Also worth noting, Citadel is the same firm that pays Robinhood for overflow, effectively fleecing all the meme-stock sheep every time they buy and sell.

[Smoove_B]

I can't say I ever remember seeing anything like this before. I hope it works.

https://twitter.com/Yair_Rosenberg/stat ... 0238691329

Powerful pro-vaccination PSA today from Orthodox rabbis in New York: "The ribono shel olam [creator of the world] has given us a precious gift. It's called the covid-19 vaccine." "Unvaccinated people die! They die." "What's the shaylah [question] over here? Are we playing games?"

[El Guapo]

We need one of these for basically every demographic sub-group, but yeah I imagine that'll help within the Orthodox community.

[Kasey Chang]

He was given human prescription version (ivermectin), not the apple flavored horse paste his audience is buying. And that's what continues to be so fuct up about all this.

KFOR reports that an ER doctor has ranted that they are getting so many ivermectin overdose cases in "rural Oklahoma" that ambulances are STUCK at hospitals waiting for beds to open up, which means no ambulance for the rest of the patients of trauma.

[Smoove_B]

Yes. And just like FL, people in parts of Oklahoma are being asked to use less water to free up LOX supplies.

This really is the dumbest timeline.

[Freyland]

Yes. And just like FL, people in parts of Oklahoma are being asked to use less water to free up LOX supplies.

This really is the dumbest timeline.

Hey, they need that water! Do you know how hard it is to get horse paste down? That stuff is sticky!

[Smoove_B]

I shouldn't, but without gallows humor, I'm afraid I'd implode.

[Blackhawk]

I do wonder - with this stuff flying off the shelves or being removed from sale, is there going to be a livestock worm epidemic?