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

[Jeff V]

Heh, I do monthly prescription refills. In all my time going to my pharmacy I've never seen anyone get vaccines there. Both my visits since the election have seen a line of people with vaccine appointments. I would have thought when the made COVID available, you'd see 'em but nope. It was not until just over a month. The lady getting poked as I was picking up was getting 4!!!! COVID, Flu, TDAP, and I didn't hear the 4th. Also, for the first time in I don't know how long, most of the pharmacy staff are wearing masks. That should tell me something. Like maybe I need to start masking more again.

I wonder how much is news, how much is seasonal illness increasing the desire for prophylactics, and how much is fear of the change of federal Gov't come January.

I need to take me and the kids for Covid/Flu vaccines. Walgreens annoyed me when after waiting nearly an hour (and I had an appointment) that insurance no longer covers Covid vaccines. We left without getting poked, my insurance agent confirmed that this is the case, but they will reimburse me if I pay. I've yet to make an appointment (this time at the supermarket which gives 10% discount coupons), but my daughter keeps asking when they will get vaccinated. Need to do it soon, she is going to the Philippines next month.

Also, when I went for an appointment for my shoulder at the hospital last week, I was told at registration that masks are mandatory again. Later on, the PT told me I could ditch it if I wanted to.

[Max Peck]

Yale School of Public Health: Study: More Than 335,000 Lives Could Have Been Saved During Pandemic if U.S. Had Universal Health Care

In the United States, death rates from COVID-19 are higher than in any other high-income country—and our fragmented and inefficient health system may be largely to blame, Yale researchers say in a new study.

If the U.S. had had a single-payer universal health care system in 2020, nearly 212,000 American lives would have been saved that year, according to a new study. In addition, the country would have saved $105 billion in COVID-19 hospitalization expenses alone.

The research team further calculated that in a non-pandemic year, some $438 billion would be saved by single-payer universal health care, like Medicare for All.

The results make a powerful case for health care reform, according to lead author Alison Galvani, Ph.D.

“Americans are needlessly losing lives and money,” said Galvani, director of Yale’s Center for Infectious Disease Modeling and Analysis and an endowed chair in the Department of Epidemiology (Microbial Diseases) at the Yale School of Public Health. “Medicare for All would be both an economic stimulus and life-saving transformation of our health care system.”

[Zaxxon]

Yes, but how many lives were saved by creating value for shareholders?

[hepcat]

And now the good sir from Georgia, Marjorie Taylor Greene , is running around claiming vaccines cause autism. What is this dude’s problem? First he goes after his fellow trans community members, now he’s going down the celebrity mom rabbit hole of anti vax? This fucking guy.

[Blackhawk]

First he goes after his fellow trans community members

I'm confused - did I miss something?

[Smoove_B]

Absolutely absurd:

A group of high-level managers at the Louisiana Department of Health walked into a Nov. 14 meeting in Baton Rouge expecting to talk about outreach and community events.

Instead, they were told by an assistant secretary in the department and another official that department leadership had a new policy: Advertising or otherwise promoting the COVID, influenza or mpox vaccines, an established practice there — and at most other public health entities in the U.S. — must stop.

NPR has confirmed the policy was discussed at this meeting, and at two other meetings held within the department's Office of Public Health, on Oct. 3 and Nov. 21, through interviews with four employees at the Department of Health, which employs more than 6,500 people and is the state's largest agency.

According to the employees, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they fear losing their jobs or other forms of retaliation, the policy would be implemented quietly and would not be put in writing.

If this is any indication as to where we're headed (especially in Red states) for 2025 and beyond, JFC already - just put me up against the wall as soon as possible.

[LordMortis]

But hey, now insurance companies won't have deny request for vaccine claims, right?

[LawBeefaroni]

Yes, but how many lives were saved by creating value for shareholders?

It's being sold to the masses as a battle for freedom. "You don't want the big, bad government to tell you what is and isn't covered, do you?"

Apparently the masses agree and want the billionaire class to tell them what is and isn't covered instead.

[Max Peck]

The thing they're doing in Louisiana seems to be working out just about exactly as you'd expect.

Flu surges in Louisiana as health department barred from promoting flu shots

Flu season is ramping up across the US, but Louisiana—the state that has reportedly barred its health department from promoting flu shots, as well as COVID-19 and mpox vaccines—is leading the country with an early and strong surge.

Louisiana's flu activity has reached the "Very High" category set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to the latest data. The 13-category scale is based on the percentage of doctor's visits that were for influenza-like illnesses (ILIs) in the previous week. Louisiana is at the first of three "Very High" levels. Oregon is the only other state to have reached this level. The rest of the country spans the scale, with 13 jurisdictions at "High," including New York City and Washington, DC. There are 11 at "Moderate," 10 at "Low," and 19 at "Minimal."

COVID does get a mention in the article:

COVID-19 is also ramping up a winter wave. While standard disease burden indicators—hospitalization and deaths—are low, they're trending positive. Wastewater surveillance, meanwhile, is showing a steep incline, with levels of the virus being detected at "moderate" levels.