Coronavirus COVID-19 Thread

Shadow Reaper

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Out of the 882 people infected from the July 4 event, only a small handful became sick and none died. 75% tested positive which tells us more about the ineffectiveness through false positives of the test, than of any real epidemiology. There is growing concern that CDC has been corrupted though politicalization.
 
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NaffNaffBobFace

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Out of the 882 people infected from the July 4 event, only a small handful became sick and none died. 75% tested positive which tells us more about the ineffectiveness through false positives of the test, than of any real epidemiology. There is growing concern that CDC has been corrupted though politicalization.
I think the main concern with this finding is Delta has shone the harsh light of reality on the dream of Hurd Immunity. Not this time bub, herd immunity is still the myth it has always been, try again.

While infection can be passed between asymptomatic vaccinated persons it's still modifying itself. You may be right no vaccinated person is getting sick or dying at the moment however with Delta varient being most dominant how long do we have until another one which evolves out of those who are unwittingly passing it around? Delta evolved in the Human population. It has features which mean it's transmission is not stopped by vaccines, only sickness prevented by. If it's done it once it can do it again, how long before it modifies itself beyond the scope of the work humanity has done to this point to tackle it?

Lower deaths and symptomatic sicknesses is a very good thing, but calling that a finish line is like having a cold, taking a Lemsip and saying you are cured - they don't cure a cold, they just make the symptoms more comfortable. You still have a cold and are still passing it around.

The vaccines are the most potent weapon in the tool box and the only one we can directly fight back with, but they have to be used as a raft of measures for comprehensive coverage. What warrior takes his sword into battle but leaves his shield and armour behind?

The vaccines can still be modified to more specifically target Delta but that takes time, time is bought by the other measures like distancing and masks.
 
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Aramsolari

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Out of the 882 people infected from the July 4 event, only a small handful became sick and none died. 75% tested positive which tells us more about the ineffectiveness through false positives of the test, than of any real epidemiology. There is growing concern that CDC has been corrupted though politicalization.
What July 4 event? 882 people? Sounds like a small sample pool. Was this in a town? County? State? How many of these people were vaccinated?

With vaccination, you can still be infected but you're less likely to get seriously sick and die. My partner's colleague had both her shots and still caught Covid. Due to her shots, she largely recovered within a week. That's how you know the vaccines are working.

She (my partner) runs the Covid ward at her hospital. At the moment, ALL her patients in the ICU and Ventilators are unvaccinated. One of her patients died completely in denial that he had Covid. The doctors were pleading for him to call his family and say his goodbyes. Even at the very end, he was still screaming that the whole thing was a hoax. The man was put on a ventilator the following day and died shortly after that.

Honestly I don't really care about the 'politicization' of the CDC whatever that means. Hell I don't even live in the States and we work a little bit differently here. All I know is that my family and I are vaccinated with zero complications. We're also still Covid free and life is starting to go back to normal. The same can be said for my community, my town, and my Province. What's the secret? No secret really except vaccine uptake is high and many people still wear masks by choice (There is no mandatory mask wearing in public places anymore, I personally still wear it at work and in public). Meanwhile I read that there are outbreaks (including of the Delta variety) happening elsewhere in the World and they're happening in communities that either don't have access to or refuse to get vaccinated.

What's happening right now is truly a pandemic of the unvaccinated. We still have the odd outbreak here and there throughout the country but it's limited to communities that have vaccine hesitation. What's unfortunate is that we may be heading towards a new Delta variant wave and it's largely propelled by the unvaccinated.

Anyway perhaps something will come along and bite my smug, vaccinated Canadian ass. Perhaps Bill Gates will flick on the mind control switch and we'll all turn into liberal, woke Communist Zombies. More likely though, mutations of Covid like the Delta variant will render our vaccines ineffective and that's what I'm afraid of.

You know what? I'll take my chances, stick with my shots, and cross that bridge when I get to it.
 
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Radegast74

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I know there is a trend to look only at the trend of the new cases to support one desired result but it's starting to really show the lack of any sort of rational thought process.
So, my rational thought process was:
a. There is a highly contagious disease "in the wild";
b. based on previous experience, most cases of the disease get reported 2-3 weeks after the person was first infected;
c. July 4th (big holiday in the US) + 3 weeks = July 25th
so hey, let's see what direction cases are going?

Add the the above:
d. There is a *new* mutation of the virus;
e. This virus is even more contagious/transmissable than the original virus;
f. Huge numbers of people in certain states have *NOT* gotten vaccinated;
g. Because of various cognitive errors, mask wearing and other precautions have been thrown by the wayside; &
h. Large percentages of the population are both i) at risk & ii) engaging in high risk behaviors,

therefore, it seemed reasonable to expect that certain locations would be likely to experience outbreaks. So, it seemed like a good time to look at the data!

You are right that others may be trying to twist the data certain ways, but nothing beats have a hypothesis AND a mechanism of action.

Either way, we can expect to see the results in two more weeks.
And here is a check up one week later:
here is Alabama...which way is this going?
Screen Shot 2021-07-31 at 4.59.08 AM.png


A news report stated that Vermont was "the most vaccinated state" with an overall percentage of around 67% of the population vaccinated.
How are they doing?
Screen Shot 2021-07-31 at 5.34.05 AM.png


If there is any saving grace, a year later, it is that the hospital ICU treatment has gotten much better, and deaths have dropped off. However, if the ICU is full, and you can't get that treatment, you are going to be in a tough spot.

Here is the best opinion piece I've read recently:
 

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What's happening right now is truly a pandemic of the unvaccinated. We still have the odd outbreak here and there throughout the country but it's limited to communities that have vaccine hesitation. What's unfortunate is that we may be heading towards a new Delta variant wave and it's largely propelled by the unvaccinated.
We are experiencing a wave of Delta in the US. The July 4th event he spoke of was the wake up call (Provincetown July 4th event). That was Delta. 882 people got sick, 75% of whom were vaccinated. The outcome of this was the CDC recognized that the Delta variant was able to infect, and be spread by vaccinated people - although it prevented serious disease and death in the vaccinated population.
 

Aramsolari

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We are experiencing a wave of Delta in the US. The July 4th event he spoke of was the wake up call (Provincetown July 4th event). That was Delta. 882 people got sick, 75% of whom were vaccinated. The outcome of this was the CDC recognized that the Delta variant was able to infect, and be spread by vaccinated people - although it prevented serious disease and death in the vaccinated population.
Thanks for the context.

Yeah it's extremely worrying that the Delta variant can be spread by vaccinated people. Even if it prevents serious disease and death among them, having it spread to others isn't exactly helping us get the pandemic under control. My family and I still wear masks even though we're fully vaccinated. I consider it my civic duty to continue wearing PPE and social distance until this whole thing is under control. It's not about me, it's about protecting people around me.
 

Aramsolari

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So, my rational thought process was:
a. There is a highly contagious disease "in the wild";
b. based on previous experience, most cases of the disease get reported 2-3 weeks after the person was first infected;
c. July 4th (big holiday in the US) + 3 weeks = July 25th
so hey, let's see what direction cases are going?

Add the the above:
d. There is a *new* mutation of the virus;
e. This virus is even more contagious/transmissable than the original virus;
f. Huge numbers of people in certain states have *NOT* gotten vaccinated;
g. Because of various cognitive errors, mask wearing and other precautions have been thrown by the wayside; &
h. Large percentages of the population are both i) at risk & ii) engaging in high risk behaviors,

therefore, it seemed reasonable to expect that certain locations would be likely to experience outbreaks. So, it seemed like a good time to look at the data!

You are right that others may be trying to twist the data certain ways, but nothing beats have a hypothesis AND a mechanism of action.


And here is a check up one week later:
here is Alabama...which way is this going?
View attachment 21118

A news report stated that Vermont was "the most vaccinated state" with an overall percentage of around 67% of the population vaccinated.
How are they doing?
View attachment 21119

If there is any saving grace, a year later, it is that the hospital ICU treatment has gotten much better, and deaths have dropped off. However, if the ICU is full, and you can't get that treatment, you are going to be in a tough spot.

Here is the best opinion piece I've read recently:
I hate politicizing this but well....this whole pandemic has been political since day one.

It would appear that the 'New Cases and Trend' graphs when mapped out geographically can almost predict the region in question's political and social persuasion to a tee.

Here in Canada, the province of Alberta has decided to lift almost all Covid measures even though the province has the second lowest vaccination uptake and some of the fastest growing rates of new cases. This is a province which is "home to many rural regions where the overwhelming majority of people are unvaccinated, and which either ended or is about to end nearly all public health measures including masking, has now decided to largely do away with tracing the contacts of people infected with COVID-19." I have friends who come from ultra religious families there and some of their folks believe that getting vaccinated imparts you with the Mark of the Beast. Crazy stuff like that. These people are ignorant and proud of it.

Alberta is probably the most Conservative of our provinces. You're thinking of a province that prides itself on being the Texas of Canada. It absolutely infuriates me because my province (British Columbia) has fought so hard to keep Covid at bay and well...it may be all for naught as we share an open border with.....you guessed it, Alberta.

Also...Jason Kenney, the Premier of Alberta is an Asshole and a Grade A idiot. Fucking 'Berta.
 
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Radegast74

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COVID Catharsis Corner - reports from around the world from today Saturday 31st of July:

- World: 197,665,605 confirmed cases and 4,214,090 confirmed deaths.

- World: World Health Organization, World Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund and World Bank issue a joint call for vaccine makers to focus doses on poorer countries: "We reiterate the urgency of providing access to Covid-19 vaccines, tests and treatments to people throughout the developing world. In the area of vaccines, a key constraint is the acute and alarming shortage in the supply of doses to low and low-middle income countries, especially for the rest of 2021. We call on countries with advanced Covid-19 vaccination programmes to release as soon as possible as much of their contracted vaccine doses and options as possible to Covax, AVAT (the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust), and low and low-middle income countries."

- Australia: Brisbane goes in to lockdown as Delta spreads.

- Australia: Sydney down-town area cordoned off and police checkpoints put in to stop a planned anti-lockdown protest.

- Australia: Prime Minister indicates they need to vaccinate 80% of the population to reopen boarders. The current number is 18%.

- France: Multiple cities see protests as Health Pass continues to cause controversy.

- Malaysia: Hundreds join a protest to call for the Prime Minister to be sacked over the countries handling of the pandemic.

- UK: Plateau continues with latest new daily cases remaining fairly level at 26,144, scientists still unable to pinpoint exactly why.

- UK: Following Freedom Day and the removal of all restrictions, a UK government adviser states in a radio interview his concerns that people are just not coming forward for testing any more to avoid self isolation, which is still enforceable for those confirmed to have COVID. “One of the things that is a concern is that people may not be coming forward as they used to do for testing. One of the reasons for that may be that the messaging from the government in a way has sort of given a bit of a green light to people to say: ‘Well, it is not so bad if you get the infection.’

- UK: Vaccines offered at public events such as festivals and even a circus.

- US: Ohio plants a grove of trees as memorial to those lost to the pandemic.

- US: Disney becomes latest company to require all staff be vaccinated. “Employees who aren’t already vaccinated and are working on-site will have 60 days from today to complete their protocols,”

- US: Whitehouse releases statement asking media companies to tone down alarmism on reporting: “The media’s coverage doesn’t match the moment, it has been hyperbolic and frankly irresponsible in a way that hardens vaccine hesitancy. The biggest problem we have is unvaccinated people getting and spreading the virus.”

- Bangladesh: Has to reopen garment factories which were closed in restriction measures to manage COVID cases: “The brands would have diverted their orders to other countries,”

- China: Records 328 symptomatic COVID infections in July.

- Uganda: To relax some restrictions following fall in cases.

- Vietnam: Extends lockdown as cases continue to climb.

- Thailand: Sees record high new daily cases.

- Thailand: Converts a Bangkok cargo warehouse into an 1800 bed COVID hospital.
 

Shadow Reaper

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What July 4 event? 882 people? Sounds like a small sample pool. Was this in a town? County? State? How many of these people were vaccinated?
It's not a sample. It's the entire pool of people connected to a supposed super-spreader event.

The July 4th event he spoke of was the wake up call (Provincetown July 4th event). That was Delta. 882 people got sick, 75% of whom were vaccinated.
No. 882 people tested positive. The vast majority never showed any symptoms. Only 5 people were hospitalized and 4 of those were vaccinated. No one died.

This is why I said the field has lost its roots in science and instead is pandering to politics. We know that the tests we have amplify any covid in anyone's system so much that it will give a positive when in reality, a doctor would call them negative. This is what has screwed with our statistical analysis, along with paying hospitals more to report covid cases from motorcycle deaths, etc.

Point is, here in the US, the pandemic has been so penetrated by politics you cannot take at face value ANYTHING reported by the press. The fact the press daily contradict one another should be enough to realize this is not science.


Testing everyone connected to a supposed super-spreader event tells us virtually nothing, because our tests tell us virtually nothing. THAT is the only scientific claim one can make here. The fact 4 people could get sick enough to show symptoms who had had the vaccine shows that the vaccines do not protect from the delta varient completely. Note, they don't protect from the original competely either, so really we haven't learned anything here.

 
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NaffNaffBobFace

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It's not a sample. It's the entire pool of people connected to a supposed super-spreader event.

No. 882 people tested positive. The vast majority never showed any symptoms. Only 5 people were hospitalized and 4 of those were vaccinated. No one died.

This is why I said the field has lost its roots in science and instead is pandering to politics. We know that the tests we have amplify any covid in anyone's system so much that it will give a positive when in reality, a doctor would call them negative. This is what has screwed with our statistical analysis, along with paying hospitals more to report covid cases from motorcycle deaths, etc.

Point is, here in the US, the pandemic has been so penetrated by politics you cannot take at face value ANYTHING reported by the press. The fact the press daily contradict one another should be enough to realize this is not science.


Testing everyone connected to a supposed super-spreader event tells us virtually nothing, because our tests tell us virtually nothing. THAT is the only scientific claim one can make here. The fact 4 people could get sick enough to show symptoms who had had the vaccine shows that the vaccines do not protect from the delta variant completely. Note, they don't protect from the original competely either, so really we haven't learned anything here.

It shows that the Herd Immunity dream is still just a dream. The idea was you hit 70% vaccinated who can't harbour the infection and it runs out of easy routes to infect vulnerable people who can't/won't get vaccinated and the epidemic in that area cannot continue, there is an immune wall which it cannot pass - but that doesn't exist if the vaccinated are still passing it on to and between each other just as easily as the unvaccinated, although it is not seriously harming those who get it, they are still getting it and passing it on, until it hits someone it can harm.

It's great people are not getting seriously sick or dying, however the pandemic is not going to become manageable until transmission can be severed. Delta found a way around that which some other variants hadn't. I believe the next generation of vaccines will be made more Delta-centric and immune response will be modified.
 
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Aramsolari

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Testing everyone connected to a supposed super-spreader event tells us virtually nothing, because our tests tell us virtually nothing. THAT is the only scientific claim one can make here. The fact 4 people could get sick enough to show symptoms who had had the vaccine shows that the vaccines do not protect from the delta varient completely. Note, they don't protect from the original competely either, so really we haven't learned anything here.
I'm not sure what you're getting at here. Saying that testing tells us 'virtually nothing' is a bold statement to make.

Nobody is claiming that the vaccines protect us from the Delta variant 'completely'. Most authorities aren't bold enough to claim that the vaccines protect us from the original virus 'completely' either. The simple fact is that there is no 100% protection for anything.

On the other hand transmission rates have gone down in most jurisdictions that have reasonable vaccine uptake. The simple FACT is that as long as you're fully vaccinated, you'll less likely to get seriously ill and die from the virus. Yes you can still contract it but you'll less likely to require hospitalization. Now as for the Delta variant, things get a bit murkier. You can still contract and transmit the variant as a vaccinated individual but it seems like the vaccines still remain largely effective.

My opinion is that vaccines work as does social distancing, and PPE like masks. Even fully vaccinated we should still try maintain those personal health measures due to the much more transmissible nature of the Delta variant. I'm not in favour of strong arm measures like lockdown restrictions and forced mask mandates because they're counterproductive. The 'Muh Freedoms' types will still do what they want.

Of course the other option is to just give up on the vaccines all together (because they don't protect us completely?), is that what you're implying? I'm not sure that's a road any reasonable national government is willing to take (cue India, Brazil, certain States in the US).
 

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Getting tested, yet again, after being exposed to an outbreak of 100% Vaxxed and because the Delta V is a nasty little variant (no alligator 🐊 Loki haha 😆 but still pretty gnarly) and tho we're all Vaxxed cause you know we're not idiots, all plans have been canceled to visit jobsites in Canada and Mexico, and all family meets have been canceled until Covid-19 infection rates flatten out. Right now things are just moving too quickly and just too sketchy to take many chances with our young children older family.
 
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Aramsolari

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Yeah I get tested twice a week as per Netflix policy to work on set. If you don't get tested, you don't step foot on the studio lot.

Sooner or later they'll probably extend the 'no vaccine, no work' policy to my jurisdiction as well just like they have in California.

We had a guy come in a couple of months ago who refused to get tested ("Covid was created to make Trump lose the election!"). We ended up telling him to gtfo and sent him home. Last I heard he's ok with tests now, got his first shot, and is awaiting his second. It's interesting how much months of employment will change a person's tune.
 

Shadow Reaper

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My opinion is that vaccines work as does social distancing. . .
The judgement of CDC after reviewing the details of this particular event was to offer their latest guidance that people should begin masking again. This event is the justification for that guidance they gave us half week ago. My point is that we know virtually NOTHING from this event because 5 sick people out of 882 can't be blamed on Delta, nor on lack of vaccination. It is not statistically valid to draw either of these conclusions from this data, when the efficacy rate of the vaccine is so much less than what we're seeing in this instance. However, CDC's statement is that this is exactly what they have done--they have concluded not from statistical analysis--which can never reach this conclusion--but simple CYA, put your masks back on.

This is not science. This is politics.
 

Aramsolari

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The judgement of CDC after reviewing the details of this particular event was to offer their latest guidance that people should begin masking again. This event is the justification for that guidance they gave us half week ago. My point is that we know virtually NOTHING from this event because 5 sick people out of 882 can't be blamed on Delta, nor on lack of vaccination. It is not statistically valid to draw either of these conclusions from this data, when the efficacy rate of the vaccine is so much less than what we're seeing in this instance. However, CDC's statement is that this is exactly what they have done--they have concluded not from statistical analysis--which can never reach this conclusion--but simple CYA, put your masks back on.

This is not science. This is politics.
I wouldn't say it's politics, I'll say it's poor science. They've taken a "We don't know what's going on, oh whelp...back to wearing masks" approach. Honestly I'm fine with it, wearing masks doesn't harm me. I understand people's frustration if it's an actual decree (wear masks or else!). If it's just a guideline, I have no problem with that.

Again...I'll like to stress that I'm not American and the CDC's guidelines aren't as relevant to me as it is to your countrymen.

I follow the guidelines of my provincial and national health authorities. Their advice is that people continue to social distance when possible and wear masks. It's not enforced, they trust us to be reasonable adults and do the right thing. You'll be surprised to know that our health authorities (along with the rest of the World's) don't always toe the same line as the CDC. We've done things a bit differently here. In British Columbia, our lockdown hasn't been nearly as restrictive as say New York or California's early on in the pandemic.
 

Shadow Reaper

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I agree. In fact I think much of the world has done better than CDC. The trouble is that CDC is political when it should be exclusively scientific. They make pronouncements without suitable scientific analysis in support on virtually every occasion.

The result of Fauci lying repeatedly to the American public is that Blue states are going to take heavy handed measures and Red states are going to have light touch measures--none of which are going to be supported by real science.
 

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No. 882 people tested positive. The vast majority never showed any symptoms. Only 5 people were hospitalized and 4 of those were vaccinated. No one died.
That's pretty much what I said... For the record, there is a large gulf between people getting sick, and people getting hospitalized.
 
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