Octopus Overlords

Smoove_B wrote: Fri Mar 19, 2021 2:03 pmSecond, stop giving economists a megaphone to talk about COVID-19.

How misinformation is affecting pandemic response - by economists.

Political affiliation has deeply shaped how people understand and respond to the pandemic. As noted in parallel research from Gallup and others, attitudes about COVID’s risks and willingness to engage in disease-suppression behaviors like social distancing are strongly related to politics, even more so than to local exposure to the virus or demographic factors that predict severe health consequences from the virus like age or pre-existing medical conditions.

...

The Economics of Recovery Study contributes to this research by showing that the polarization of the pandemic goes beyond behavior and policy preferences. It is happening at the most basic level: the interpretation of facts. Republicans consistently underestimate risks, while Democrats consistently overestimate them.

Smoove_B wrote: Fri Mar 19, 2021 2:03 pm Since this is making the rounds in my circles, I figured it would be good to share here. First, a child is not like your vaccinated grandma. Second, stop giving economists a megaphone to talk about COVID-19. This is a horrible, horrible message:

Children are not at high risk for COVID-19. We’ve known since early in the pandemic that they are much less likely to fall ill, especially seriously ill. Although scientists don’t quite understand why, kids seem to be naturally protected. As a result, you can think of your son or daughter as an already vaccinated grandparent.

But this right here - this is pandering to the anti-vax crowd:

The central goal of vaccination is preventing serious illness and death. From this standpoint, being a child is a really great vaccine. Your unvaccinated first grader appears to have about as much protection from serious illness as a vaccinated grandmother.

Being a child is not a really great vaccine, no. This is why we have an entire element of the CDC devoted to vaccine-preventable childhood diseases. I can understand the confusion because kids in the United States aren't suffering from them en masse anymore, but to simply declare that a child is magically protected from illnesses? No. Bad economist!

Lawbeefaroni wrote:It's crazy. They're only considering risk of serious illness to the individual. Not risk of the individual to acquire and transmit the virus.

In a major policy revision intended to encourage more schools to welcome children back to in-person instruction, federal health officials on Friday relaxed the six-foot distancing rule for elementary school students, saying they need only remain three feet apart in classrooms as long as everyone is wearing a mask.

The three-foot rule also now applies to students in middle schools and high schools, as long as community transmission is not high, officials said. When transmission is high, however, these students must be at least six feet apart, unless they are taught in cohorts, or small groups that are kept separate from others, and the cohorts are kept six feet apart.

Smoove_B wrote: Fri Mar 19, 2021 2:03 pm Since this is making the rounds in my circles, I figured it would be good to share here. First, a child is not like your vaccinated grandma. Second, stop giving economists a megaphone to talk about COVID-19. This is a horrible, horrible message:

Children are not at high risk for COVID-19. We’ve known since early in the pandemic that they are much less likely to fall ill, especially seriously ill. Although scientists don’t quite understand why, kids seem to be naturally protected. As a result, you can think of your son or daughter as an already vaccinated grandparent.

But this right here - this is pandering to the anti-vax crowd:

The central goal of vaccination is preventing serious illness and death. From this standpoint, being a child is a really great vaccine. Your unvaccinated first grader appears to have about as much protection from serious illness as a vaccinated grandmother.

Being a child is not a really great vaccine, no. This is why we have an entire element of the CDC devoted to vaccine-preventable childhood diseases. I can understand the confusion because kids in the United States aren't suffering from them en masse anymore, but to simply declare that a child is magically protected from illnesses? No. Bad economist!

COVID-19 has continued to spread across New Jersey at such a high rate that the Garden State now has an unwanted distinction — it leads the U.S. in new cases per capita over the past week.

...the state's rate of 293 new cases per 100,000 is more than double the national average of 113, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Blackhawk wrote: Sat Mar 20, 2021 9:22 am One of my oldest friends - 30 years or so now - developed symptoms the day before he was scheduled to be vaccinated, and he was careful about things.

Miami Beach Police fired pepper balls into crowds of partiers and arrested at least a dozen people as the city took extraordinary measures to crack down on spring breakers who officials have said are out of control.

Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber declared a state of emergency and set an 8 p.m. curfew Saturday, saying the crowds that have descended on the city recently are "more than we can handle."

"Too many are coming, really, without the intention of following the rules, and the result has been a level of chaos and disorder that is just something more than we can endure," Gelber told CNN's Ana Cabrera.

The attempted crackdown comes as Florida has thrown open its doors to tourists after a year of coronavirus lockdowns and restrictions around the country. Gov. Ron DeSantis has bragged that the state is an "oasis of freedom" during the pandemic -- and the stir-crazy are flocking to the state's restriction-free beaches and nightlife.

Blackhawk wrote: Sat Mar 20, 2021 11:14 am No kidding. My first instinct when I got my appointment for my first shot (three weeks from now) was to lock myself in a bunker. A year of my son's idiotic school district, Michelle getting a job in a hospital, Indiana's general stupidity and I had still managed to avoid it. Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel makes me twice as paranoid. With the end in sight, now is not the time to relax. Now is the time to not screw it up.

Smoove_B wrote: Sun Mar 21, 2021 11:14 am I mean, who could have possibly seen this coming?

Miami Beach Police fired pepper balls into crowds of partiers and arrested at least a dozen people as the city took extraordinary measures to crack down on spring breakers who officials have said are out of control.

Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber declared a state of emergency and set an 8 p.m. curfew Saturday, saying the crowds that have descended on the city recently are "more than we can handle."

"Too many are coming, really, without the intention of following the rules, and the result has been a level of chaos and disorder that is just something more than we can endure," Gelber told CNN's Ana Cabrera.

But why is it so crazy?

The attempted crackdown comes as Florida has thrown open its doors to tourists after a year of coronavirus lockdowns and restrictions around the country. Gov. Ron DeSantis has bragged that the state is an "oasis of freedom" during the pandemic -- and the stir-crazy are flocking to the state's restriction-free beaches and nightlife.

Oh right, Florida is experiencing the consequences of their own actions.

Lorini wrote: Sun Mar 21, 2021 11:15 amI assume there'll be a big surge shortly?

Daehawk wrote: Sun Mar 21, 2021 2:05 pm So 3 million vaxxed in 4 months. The US pop is 328 million. So this is going to take a while...not counting the ones who dont ever get one.

Case numbers in Israel increased among those given an initial dose, they say, up to eight days after vaccination, and then declined.

“Surprisingly, the daily incidence of cases increased strongly after vaccination till about day eight – approximately doubling. We don’t know why there was this initial surge in infection risk but it may be related to people being less cautious about maintaining protective behaviours as soon as they have the injection,” said Hunter.

A state of emergency has been declared in the US city of Miami over concerns large crowds gathering for spring break pose a coronavirus risk.

A 20:00-06:00 curfew has been announced in Miami Beach and will remain in effect for at least 72 hours.

Smoove_B wrote: Sun Mar 21, 2021 11:37 am
Spring Break + Easter is going to make for an interesting April.

Miami Beach declares state of emergency over spring break

Smoove_B wrote: Sun Mar 21, 2021 2:07 pm Just to clarify, we crossed ~100 million vaccinations on Friday (or Saturday); 3 million doses administered on one day nationwide was also achieved on Saturday.

Jaymann wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 2:17 pm @CBSNews
Krispy Kreme will you give you a free doughnut every day this year — if you've been vaccinated.

Maybe this will put some doubters over the top - literally!

Jaymann wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 2:17 pm @CBSNews
Krispy Kreme will you give you a free doughnut every day this year — if you've been vaccinated.

Maybe this will put some doubters over the top - literally!

Isgrimnur wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 3:26 pm

LawBeefaroni wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 3:52 pm Donuts are surprisingly low in sugar but high in sat fat.

Zaxxon wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 4:15 pm I can resolve this debate for you all--if you are routinely consuming either donuts or Coke/Pepsi, you are harming your body.