The New Normal

[MarzNC]

This is also somewhat comforting to me. It’s not over yet and this doesn’t make any individual’s suffering easier but things are generally getting better.

Clearly vaccinating over 160,000 million people in just a few months has made a big difference. We were lucky to have opened up vaccination eligibility to all adults just before Delta arrived.

As has been the case from the beginning, there is a lot of variation between regions and states. With vaccination, it's down to the county level. It's pretty clear to me that the counties in southwest Texas and along the Gulf that had overwhelmed hospitals in the winter have much higher vaccination rates. The mess is mostly in the counties of Texas that weren't in dire straights before.

I looked at Maine recently. The northern counties have pretty low vaccination rates even though overall the state vaccination rate is pretty good. The case numbers are rising there. Northern Maine didn't have many cases before Delta. I'm guessing that there are people there who thought they were "safe" and didn't need to be vaccinated. <sigh>

I use CovidActNow to look at an individual state. Trends (scroll down) is good for comparing a few states. I like being able to look at just the last 60 or 180 days.

 

[CNY Skier]

That sounds valid. Are you doing anything to protect others?

If I feel sick (i.e. cold, etc.) I stay home for a few days just to be safe. I'm just getting over a "summer" cold (cough and congestion) and have laid low for awhile. I get a cold every summer but in this day and age I decided to play it safe. On any given day I am congested every morning when I wake up (especially in these hot, humid summer days) so it's hard to tell what might be going on. Plus I'm allergic to pollen...last year was brutal.

I'd ask, very respectfully, what are people doing to protect themselves? Staying fit/trip, taking vitamin supplements, etc.? Am I responsible for your well being?

This epidemic largely affects the unhealthy and the elderly (a condition that I am rapidly approaching!). The elderly are always susceptible to death from many causes and sadly none of us can live forever.

For the CDC worshippers in the crowd: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/08/cov...le-hospitalized-were-overweight-or-obese.html

The headline is "CDC study finds about 78% of people hospitalized for Covid were overweight or obese". I realize that this statistic is not definitive because 40% of the US falls into this category, but it makes sense that an obese person is already in an inflammatory condition and breathing can be tough on a good day. However the numbers work out, I think we (as a nation) would have done better if we were all a lot healthier.

I realize that we are "all in this together". My main concern is that the only focus is on covid; all other conditions (suicide, business closures, school shutdowns, despair, etc.) have been shoved aside. No one gives a shit about the restaurant owner that spent his/her whole life building a business only to be shut down by some bureaucrat that knows better.

Look at it this way: the world has close to 7.9 billion people and (if you believe the numbers) covid has killed 4.4 million people in the past year and a half. That amounts to 0.056% of the world population. In a sane world this would not even be talked about.

 

[Harvey]

It's pretty clear to me that the counties in southwest Texas and along the Gulf that had overwhelmed hospitals in the winter have much higher vaccination rates. The mess is mostly in the counties of Texas that weren't in dire straights before.

That's encouraging in a way.

 

[tirolski]

... is what everyone who doesn't know anything about it says.

But what was your original point? That we should ignore the knowledge gained by actual geniuses because we don't understand it? Is the anti-vax movement a corollary of that? If Ignoring math and science becomes the new educational standard civilization will devolve back to subsistence farming.

mm

Are you accusing me of not knowing anything about electricity?--Wrong if you assume this.
My point was math uses imaginary sometimes.--It’s a fact.
I’m not an anti-vexer.--Wrong to assume this.
Have a double major undergraduate degree in both Mathematics & Chemistry., & a graduate degree--I’ll never ignore Math & Science.
Farmers are the backbone of civilization.--I enjoy eating good food.

Gracie, prego, scusi

 

[Tjf1967]

If I feel sick (i.e. cold, etc.) I stay home for a few days just to be safe. I'm just getting over a "summer" cold (cough and congestion) and have laid low for awhile. I get a cold every summer but in this day and age I decided to play it safe. On any given day I am congested every morning when I wake up (especially in these hot, humid summer days) so it's hard to tell what might be going on. Plus I'm allergic to pollen...last year was brutal.

I'd ask, very respectfully, what are people doing to protect themselves? Staying fit/trip, taking vitamin supplements, etc.? Am I responsible for your well being?

This epidemic largely affects the unhealthy and the elderly (a condition that I am rapidly approaching!). The elderly are always susceptible to death from many causes and sadly none of us can live forever.

For the CDC worshippers in the crowd: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/08/cov...le-hospitalized-were-overweight-or-obese.html

The headline is "CDC study finds about 78% of people hospitalized for Covid were overweight or obese". I realize that this statistic is not definitive because 40% of the US falls into this category, but it makes sense that an obese person is already in an inflammatory condition and breathing can be tough on a good day. However the numbers work out, I think we (as a nation) would have done better if we were all a lot healthier.

I realize that we are "all in this together". My main concern is that the only focus is on covid; all other conditions (suicide, business closures, school shutdowns, despair, etc.) have been shoved aside. No one gives a shit about the restaurant owner that spent his/her whole life building a business only to be shut down by some bureaucrat that knows better.

Look at it this way: the world has close to 7.9 billion people and (if you believe the numbers) covid has killed 4.4 million people in the past year and a half. That amounts to 0.056% of the world population. In a sane world this would not even be talked about.

I'm fitter than most. Sticking with your logic. 2.5 billion vaccines have been administered. .0002 have had negative effects. You must see the positive impacts of it.

 

[Campgottagopee]

COVID-19 Vaccines

Vaccines are seen as one of the best ways to stop COVID-19. Learn more about the types of vaccines, including the newly approved Novavax.

www.webmd.com

"While stereotypes about those with higher education levels or certain ethic groups more likely to get the vaccine abound, the new research did not always fit those notions. During the 5-month study period, those with a high school education showed the most movement toward vaccination and away from their previous hesitancy. The eye-opener: By May, the group with PhDs were more hesitant than those with lower educational levels."

 

[Harvey]

Sources: US to recommend COVID vaccine boosters at 8 months

U.S. experts are expected to recommend COVID-19 vaccine boosters for all Americans, regardless of age, eight months after they received their second dose of the shot.

apnews.com

 

[Campgottagopee]

Sources: US to recommend COVID vaccine boosters at 8 months

U.S. experts are expected to recommend COVID-19 vaccine boosters for all Americans, regardless of age, eight months after they received their second dose of the shot.

apnews.com

I'll be getting mine
My wife adores this one doc she works with. He's more concerned/scared now than the first go around due to how much more contagious this variant is.
Take that for what it's worth.

 

[Brownski]

I hope that doesn’t slow down getting the rest of the world caught up on the first round of shots.

 

[Campgottagopee]

I hope that doesn’t slow down getting the rest of the world caught up on the first round of shots.

Honestly?!??? This shit has been around long enough. If someone isn't vaxed by now, oh well. Don't mean to sound harsh but that's the truth of it.