Octopus Overlords

https://twitter.com/DrAliSKhan/status/1 ... 8688100352

As of 14Jan, 2.5 million US kids tested positive for #COVID19. Some 211,000 children were diagnosed between Jan. 7 and Jan 14 — the largest single-week increase. In states with mortality data, 0.00%-0.06% of all child COVID-19 cases resulted in death

surprising no one:

The Biden administration's pandemic response team continues to express shock at the lack of a vaccine distribution plan under the Trump administration. CNN reported Thursday that one Biden administration source claimed no plan was left for them and that "we are going to have to build everything from scratch."

Thankfully, a plan has been released. It's 200 pages, so...yeah. Gotta get to work...

EDIT: I guess as a quick introduction, the plan is focused around 7 goals:

1. Restore trust with the American people.
2. Mount a safe, effective, and comprehensive vaccination campaign.
3. Mitigate spread through expanding masking, testing, data, treatments, health care workforce, and clear public health standards.
4. Immediately expand emergency relief and exercise the Defense Production Act.
5. Safely reopen schools, businesses, and travel while protecting workers.
6. Protect those most at risk and advance equity, including across racial, ethnic and rural/urban lines.
7. Restore U.S. leadership globally and build better preparedness for future threats.

The consultant in me wants to ask the author...are those numbers a semblance of an idea about priority? Especially since 1 is seems to be key to nearly everything below and 7 is aspirational and frankly 'nice to have' at this point.

My quick take from reading is yes, it's a scaling / building list. Without question the restoration of trust is and should be first. The damage that has been done is real.

Faucci just cornered for joking about the difference in POTUS. His response was that was not a joke, it was very serious. It's uncomfortable to contradict the president... but the science must speak for itself.

Smoove_B wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 4:47 pm Thankfully, a plan has been released. It's 200 pages, so...yeah. Gotta get to work...

EDIT: I guess as a quick introduction, the plan is focused around 7 goals:

1. Restore trust with the American people.
2. Mount a safe, effective, and comprehensive vaccination campaign.
3. Mitigate spread through expanding masking, testing, data, treatments, health care workforce, and clear public health standards.
4. Immediately expand emergency relief and exercise the Defense Production Act.
5. Safely reopen schools, businesses, and travel while protecting workers.
6. Protect those most at risk and advance equity, including across racial, ethnic and rural/urban lines.
7. Restore U.S. leadership globally and build better preparedness for future threats.

Can't they just find the plan that the previous administration tried to hand off to the Trump Administration? The one they said they didn't need and trashed right before they needed it?


I mean the sad thing is that we had the framework for these plans before.

LordMortis wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 5:25 pm Faucci just cornered for joking about the difference in POTUS. His response was that was not a joke, it was very serious. It's uncomfortable to contradict the president... but the science must speak for itself.

It felt so weird watching that. A press briefing, by an expert, speaking fairly freely, answering questions in good faith.

Zaxxon wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 5:50 pmIt felt so weird watching that. A press briefing, by an expert, speaking fairly freely, answering questions in good faith.

At this point, it should remove all doubt over whether or not the Trump administration had a choke-hold on the CDC, the NIH and anyone else that could have done or said anything even remotely helpful.

Smoove_B wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 6:49 pm

Zaxxon wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 5:50 pmIt felt so weird watching that. A press briefing, by an expert, speaking fairly freely, answering questions in good faith.

At this point, it should remove all doubt over whether or not the Trump administration had a choke-hold on the CDC, the NIH and anyone else that could have done or said anything even remotely helpful.

Fauci was pretty clear on that, even if he was very Fauci in the way he confirmed it.

Smoove_B wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 6:49 pm

Zaxxon wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 5:50 pmIt felt so weird watching that. A press briefing, by an expert, speaking fairly freely, answering questions in good faith.

At this point, it should remove all doubt over whether or not the Trump administration had a choke-hold on the CDC, the NIH and anyone else that could have done or said anything even remotely helpful.

Yeah. They are murderers. Or negligent homiciders if that upsets too much.

hitbyambulance wrote:surprising no one:

The Biden administration's pandemic response team continues to express shock at the lack of a vaccine distribution plan under the Trump administration. CNN reported Thursday that one Biden administration source claimed no plan was left for them and that "we are going to have to build everything from scratch."

Kind of explains why some of the Trump people involved in the vaccine effort ducked the Biden staff during the transition.

It's not all bad news, though.

In last week’s update, we wrote that the United States had reported the worst weekly case, hospitalization, and death numbers of the pandemic. At the time, it wasn’t clear what proportion of the case and death increases were related to postholiday reporting backlogs. This week brings some clarity: The backlogs appear to be largely behind us, and the underlying trends are moving in the right direction for most of the country. Even for the states experiencing the worst outbreaks, we are seeing early indications that the rates of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are easing, though some areas are still reporting dangerously high case and hospitalization levels and wrenching death rates.

Amazing what putting competent people in charge can do.

Little Raven wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 7:54 pm It's not all bad news, though.

In last week’s update, we wrote that the United States had reported the worst weekly case, hospitalization, and death numbers of the pandemic. At the time, it wasn’t clear what proportion of the case and death increases were related to postholiday reporting backlogs. This week brings some clarity: The backlogs appear to be largely behind us, and the underlying trends are moving in the right direction for most of the country. Even for the states experiencing the worst outbreaks, we are seeing early indications that the rates of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are easing, though some areas are still reporting dangerously high case and hospitalization levels and wrenching death rates.

Amazing what putting competent people in charge can do.

https://deadline.com/2021/01/joe-biden- ... 234677845/

Biden also rattled off brief descriptions of each of the executive orders as he signed them. According to the president, they addressed:

Supply chain
Keeping workers safe
Ensuring equitable response
Promoting safe travel
Setting up a pandemic testing board
Studying a safe schools commission
Maintaining Covid data
Expanding access and care and treatment
Making sure the National Guard and FEMA are available
Our global response directive

SEE! MASKS DON'T WORK ARGLBARGL@$%?&3*!

The French government is now recommending that people wear surgical masks in public because they offer better protection from COVID-19 transmission than fabric face coverings, Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Thursday.

France already requires masks to be worn in public places, but until now has not made recommendations about the type of masks. French authorities are worried they could be hit by new, more contagious variants of the virus.

“The recommendation that I make to the French people is to no longer use fabric masks,” Veran told French broadcaster TF1.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-heal ... SKBN29Q2R7

Little Raven wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 7:54 pm It's not all bad news, though.

In last week’s update, we wrote that the United States had reported the worst weekly case, hospitalization, and death numbers of the pandemic. At the time, it wasn’t clear what proportion of the case and death increases were related to postholiday reporting backlogs. This week brings some clarity: The backlogs appear to be largely behind us, and the underlying trends are moving in the right direction for most of the country. Even for the states experiencing the worst outbreaks, we are seeing early indications that the rates of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are easing, though some areas are still reporting dangerously high case and hospitalization levels and wrenching death rates.

Amazing what putting competent people in charge can do.

MA started to plateau last weekend. We're still at a high level, but it's stopped getting worse. But another surge from the new supervirus seems baked in, and unless we vaccinate a lot of people in a hurry, it's going to evolve its way around the vaccine.

hitbyambulance wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:26 pmFrance already requires masks to be worn in public places, but until now has not made recommendations about the type of masks. French authorities are worried they could be hit by new, more contagious variants of the virus.

I'm not trying to filter out toxic particulates with my mask. I'm trying to avoid exhaling in a hemisphere of potential infection around me. I suppose if I was around people not wearing masks, I'd be a lot more interested in switching to the N95 medical masks. As long as we're all masked up, does N95 really help enough to warrant dipping into medical PPE for the general population?

Smoove_B wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 5:13 pmMy quick take from reading is yes, it's a scaling / building list. Without question the restoration of trust is and should be first. The damage that has been done is real.

Beyond real. It's slipped into downright surreal territory. I'd never have thought, before Trump, that millions of people would flare up in anger because they were being asked to be mildly inconvenienced in order to save lives. The lies they were told from the beginning of the pandemic warped the fabric of the nation and has left it nearly impossible to deal with this as just a public health crisis.

Footnote: I was in a gas station this morning to get Windshield washer fluid and I was one of two people wearing a mask, out of 8 I saw come and go. One of the other guys with no mask, who kind of looked like maybe he lived in a basement, tried to engage me in idle banter about how annoying "all of this was" and how he couldn't wait for things to get back to normal and we could all stop wearing masks. July, he said. By July it would all be blown over. I wanted to slap him, but that would have meant getting within 6' and actually touching him. All I did was grunt at him noncommittally.

The UK is considering paying people 500 pounds if they test positive.

Everyone who tests positive for coronavirus could soon receive a one-off payment of £500, in a government move to persuade more people to get a test and self-isolate after a positive result.

The dramatic plan being considered by ministers follows research that suggested only 17% of people with COVID-19 symptoms come forward to get a test because they fear losing their income if they stop working.

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-any ... e-12195040

I can't even...

Defiant wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 9:20 am The UK is considering paying people 500 pounds if they test positive.

Everyone who tests positive for coronavirus could soon receive a one-off payment of £500, in a government move to persuade more people to get a test and self-isolate after a positive result.

The dramatic plan being considered by ministers follows research that suggested only 17% of people with COVID-19 symptoms come forward to get a test because they fear losing their income if they stop working.

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-any ... e-12195040

I can't even...

You couldn't do that here in the US. You'd have people throwing COVID transmission parties just for the cash.

Blackhawk wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 9:35 am

Defiant wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 9:20 am The UK is considering paying people 500 pounds if they test positive.

Everyone who tests positive for coronavirus could soon receive a one-off payment of £500, in a government move to persuade more people to get a test and self-isolate after a positive result.

The dramatic plan being considered by ministers follows research that suggested only 17% of people with COVID-19 symptoms come forward to get a test because they fear losing their income if they stop working.

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-any ... e-12195040

I can't even...

You couldn't do that here in the US. You'd have people throwing COVID transmission parties just for the cash.

People in the UK aren't immune from such stupidity, either. Hence my reaction.

(Actually, maybe people in the US would think 500 pounds was weight rather than money and wouldn't do it because who wants to gain that much weight?)

Yeah, that's not a US thing. Paying people to contract the virus is an incredibly stupid idea regardless of nationality, because people will try to contract the virus.

If the idea is to encourage people to get tested, why not just pay them something smaller (say 10 pounds) for getting tested regardless of the outcome?

El Guapo wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:13 am If the idea is to encourage people to get tested, why not just pay them something smaller (say 10 pounds) for getting tested regardless of the outcome?

People might not be interested in risking having to quarantine for a couple of weeks in exchange for that 10 pounds.

Wonder if they can do something like: Here's 500 pounds in exchange for committing to getting tested every week for the next year. Or something like that.

Defiant wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:38 am Wonder if they can do something like: Here's 500 pounds in exchange for committing to getting tested every week for the next year. Or something like that.

Go old school: stamp book. "Collect 40 out of 50 weekly stamps and earn £500!"

Defiant wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:37 am

El Guapo wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:13 am If the idea is to encourage people to get tested, why not just pay them something smaller (say 10 pounds) for getting tested regardless of the outcome?

People might not be interested in risking having to quarantine for a couple of weeks in exchange for that 10 pounds.

Well, the idea is that they'd be getting maybe 10 pounds a day for getting tested daily, or something.

But there should be income support for people who have to quarantine, right? I guess one could call that money for testing positive, but at least replacing lost job income seems reasonable.

Today's Bloomberg COVID vaccine tracking update has the US jumping by 1.4M doses in the past 24 hours. 7-day average jumped to 982k.

Still far less than we need, but good to see it continuing to climb.

Florida is putting rules in place since they gave 41,000 shots to out of state and foreigners who flocked there for their shot. So Florida citizens only now unless you are a health care working helping the state. But yet they say those people that got the first one can come back for the second. Id tell them tough titty.

This seems helpful.

https://mobile.twitter.com/RobertKenned ... 9665645569

Kaiser Health News, May 2019

Family Of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Publicly Chastise Him For Disseminating ‘Dangerous Misinformation’ About Vaccinations

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s sister, brother and niece wrote an op-ed piece that denounces Kennedy's stance on immunizations. “On this issue, Bobby is an outlier in the Kennedy family,” they wrote. Kennedy is chairman of the board of Children’s Health Defense, a groups that's website links to information and videos that blame vaccines for food allergies and claim that vaccines against diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus are killing people.

Daehawk wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:14 pm Florida is putting rules in place since they gave 41,000 shots to out of state and foreigners who flocked there for their shot. So Florida citizens only now unless you are a health care working helping the state. But yet they say those people that got the first one can come back for the second. Id tell them tough titty.

My folks (aged 82 and 70) live in Florida from December through April. They received their first shot in accordance to Florida's rules. How would you handle their second shot?

malchior wrote: Sat Jan 23, 2021 12:14 am This seems helpful.

https://mobile.twitter.com/RobertKenned ... 9665645569

This was identified up front as a concern of prioritizing vaccines to the elderly. What a POS for putting out a tweet in that manner.

Yeah, he's definitely on the Top 10 list as being a genuine POS, for sure - and he's been at it for years. There's so many scientists, researchers and public health advocates countering everything he says and speaking out against him, but they just don't have that "star power" to convince the anti-vaccination crowd of anything other than his lies. It's beyond frustrating.

Daehawk wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:14 pm Florida is putting rules in place since they gave 41,000 shots to out of state and foreigners who flocked there for their shot. So Florida citizens only now unless you are a health care working helping the state. But yet they say those people that got the first one can come back for the second. Id tell them tough titty.

If they were following the rules (and it sounds like it was previously ok for out of state people to get the shot) they should get the follow up shot.

Hell, even if someone lies/knowingly cuts in line in order to get a shot, I think they should get the second shot at the right time if one is available.

Punish them by fining them or something like that, not by withholding the second shot.

Kennedy has been an asshole idiot for many years. Not sure how being from his family got him to the point he is. The rest turned out ok it seems. But he is a ass.

As of today, the US is over 1M doses/day for the rolling 7-day period. Now let's do 2M.

Well, the school shutdown lasted exactly five days. Back to hybrid in the morning.

CDC reviewing new data that suggests coronavirus variant identified in UK could be more deadly

Thats not more deadly because it infects more but because each case could be more deadly.

Daehawk wrote: Sun Jan 24, 2021 9:53 am CDC reviewing new data that suggests coronavirus variant identified in UK could be more deadly

Thats not more deadly because it infects more but because each case could be more deadly.

…which was specifically elucidated clearly last year in a much more informative article from The Atlantic that is well worth reading in its entirety.

Zaxxon wrote: Sat Jan 23, 2021 9:09 pm As of today, the US is over 1M doses/day for the rolling 7-day period. Now let's do 2M.

1.16M doses/day.