COVID-19 (f/k/a "the Coronavirus")

[The Sultan]

Get vaccinated.  In places where the delta variant has taken hold, vaccinated people are not being hospitalized.

And my desire to go back to wearing a mask is about at 0%.  I have done what I need to do to make society safe.  If others don't want to do what is painfully obvious that they need to do, that's on them.

[Uncle Rico]

From the Wall Street Journal:

https://apple.news/AYGCnt2Q5Tti1f3bXiXBXdg

[4everwarriors]

Nothin' ta cee heer. Kari on, hey?

[Uncle Rico]

Nothin' ta cee heer. Kari on, hey?

If history is an indicator, this probably is wrong but one thing Americans love is, willful ignorance. 

[Jockey]

Get vaccinated.  In places where the delta variant has taken hold, vaccinated people are not being hospitalized.

And my desire to go back to wearing a mask is about at 0%.  I have done what I need to do to make society safe.  If others don't want to do what is painfully obvious that they need to do, that's on them.

So you don't care what happens to them? I'm trying to think of a word to describe that.

[The Sultan]

So you don't care what happens to them? I'm trying to think of a word to describe that.

I care very much what happens to them.  Unlike you, I don't want them to get sick and die for the sake of scoring political points.  But they control their ability to be healthy and to live.  It's not my fault that they don't take advantage of that.

It's similar to my feelings that my ability to buy Ho Hos should not be infringed because some people have an obesity problem.

[jsglow]

So you don't care what happens to them? I'm trying to think of a word to describe that.

Sultan cares.  So does most everyone.  But the solution is in their hands, not his any longer.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Inevitable.   Americans won't because we have the narcissistic mindset, but we should start wearing masks again.

I don't know that this is true.  US, Israel, UK are all in a different state for the pandemic. US/Israel in a slightly better position because mRNA.  I have been and continue to be for public health measures but defaulting to this doesn't take into account all that have stepped up and gotten fully vaccinated. 

At this point having No-Vaxers wear masks and getting more vaxxed is our best public health actions.  If people don't want to do that, I don't know how to help them.

[The Sultan]

Right.  And it takes away a key motivational factor to actually get vaccinated. 

[MU82]

I care very much what happens to them.  Unlike you, I don't want them to get sick and die for the sake of scoring political points.  But they control their ability to be healthy and to live.  It's not my fault that they don't take advantage of that.

It's similar to my feelings that my ability to buy Ho Hos should not be infringed because some people have an obesity problem.

So you're not at all concerned that the millions upon millions upon millions of people who refuse to get the vaccine -- most (but nowhere near all) living in the south -- will enable COVID-19 to mutate into something that even vaccines won't prevent?

And of course, it isn't just people affecting themselves now. For example, anti-vax adults are preventing their teenagers and other kids from getting vaccines. And kids are very susceptible to the highly contagious Delta variant. And those kids can pass it on to others. As the article said, it's the young people who are starting to fill up the ICUs. It's akin to an adult who doesn't want to wear a seatbelt being stoopid enough, but as soon as he also won't let his kid wear a seatbelt, he's worst than just stoopid.

If history is an indicator, this probably is wrong but one thing Americans love is, willful ignorance. 

It sure would be swell if governors and lawmakers in the most affected states would spent 1/10th as much time and energy pushing for their constituents to get life-saving vaccines as they do trying to subvert democracy through voter-suppression legislation. Heck, some of these sickos are passing laws that OUTLAW any consequences for the unvaccinated.

I guess the hundreds of Americans still dying every day from COVID-19 aren't part of the "all" in "all lives matter."

[The Sultan]

So you're not at all concerned that the millions upon millions upon millions of people who refuse to get the vaccine -- most (but nowhere near all) living in the south -- will enable COVID-19 to mutate into something that even vaccines won't prevent?

Am I concerned about that hypothetical?  Sure.  That's why I want people to get vaccinated.  But as an asymptomatic vaccinated person, I would only carry a minute amount of the virus (at most).  Not enough to spread to others.

And of course, it isn't just people affecting themselves now. For example, anti-vax adults are preventing their teenagers and other kids from getting vaccines. And kids are very susceptible to the highly contagious Delta variant. And those kids can pass it on to others. As the article said, it's the young people who are starting to fill up the ICUs. It's akin to an adult who doesn't want to wear a seatbelt being stoopid enough, but as soon as he also won't let his kid wear a seatbelt, he's worst than just stoopid.

Right.  Which is why I want people to get vaccinated.

Me wearing a mask really doesn't help much - if at all.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Am I concerned about that hypothetical?  Sure.  That's why I want people to get vaccinated.  But as an asymptomatic vaccinated person, I would only carry a minute amount of the virus (at most).  Not enough to spread to others.



Right.  Which is why I want people to get vaccinated.

Me wearing a mask really doesn't help much - if at all.

Let's be honest, masks never really did.

Wasn't until vaccines that people were safe. Open with masks gave a false sense of security that allowed people to resume much of their lives, but coincided with the worst run of infections since this began.  Optics porn at best.

[tower912]

Let's be honest, masks never really did.

Wasn't until vaccines that people were safe. Open with masks gave a false sense of security that allowed people to resume much of their lives, but coincided with the worst run of infections since this began.  Optics porn at best.

Said no scientific study ever.   

[MUfan12]

Let's be honest, masks never really did.

They certainly aren't the panacea that people make them out to be. I think as a minimum precaution it's fine, but making vaccinated people wear them again is silly.

[ATL MU Warrior]

Let's be honest, masks never really did.

Wasn't until vaccines that people were safe. Open with masks gave a false sense of security that allowed people to resume much of their lives, but coincided with the worst run of infections since this began.  Optics porn at best.

No, idiots that refused to wear masks coincided with the worst run of infections since this began.

[cheebs09]

Could some of the spike be that people who had it before and refuse to be vaccinated are getting it again? We are getting beyond that 3-6 month immunity stage for people that had it?

Like others have said, I hope we can get to a point where there's 0 deaths and we are beyond this. I can help by encouraging the unvaccinated to get vaccinated. I don't know that there's much else I can do to help those who refuse to be vaccinated.

[The Sultan]

Let's be honest, masks never really did.

Which is absolutely false.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Like others have said, I hope we can get to a point where there's 0 deaths and we are beyond this.

I don't know that this is a realistic goal.  In my opinion, having seasonal corona-virus outbreaks being equivalent to a flu outbreak seems more than reasonable with vaccination.  I think Singapore's change in strategy from containment to 'managing/living' with the virus is another recognition its going in this direction.

[pacearrow02]

Absolutely shocked how the focus and blame attributed to any rise in infections has shifted from the Republican president down to the Republican governors now.  No fault or blame being pointed towards Biden or the many states run by democrats who are seeing increased rates.

Saw an article yesterday stating it was only Iowa, Maine, and I believe South Dakota who are currently not seeing 10%+ increases in infection numbers. 

For all the garbage being thrown at Missouri right now they still only have 100 or so hospitalized Covid patients in the entire state the last time I checked.    Talking point in the media suggests it is because of the low vaccination rate in Missouri but when you compare their hospitalization rate to that of Vermont who has done a great job at getting folks vaccinated, it is essentially the same when you factor in population differences between the two states. 

Personally I fall in line with the scoopers who believe that because we now have wide open availability to several safe and effective vaccines it is up to individuals to either get it or not.  Consistent with how we view as a population the annual influenza vaccine.  If you're high risk and foolish enough not to get it and you get a bad case of it, then that's on you.   

I understand the concern about vaccine resistant variants and everything else but until that becomes a reality it'll be nothing but shouting in the wind for folks that haven't been vaccinated at this point.  We're now at a place where the unvaccinated will either have to be forced (whole heartedly disagree with that approach) to get the vaccine or unfortunately they will need some sort of personal negative experience with the virus to convince them to get it.

[The Sultan]

Absolutely shocked how the focus and blame attributed to any rise in infections has shifted from the Republican president down to the Republican governors now.  No fault or blame being pointed towards Biden or the many states run by democrats who are seeing increased rates.

Which party is more anti-vax?

[Jockey]

I care very much what happens to them.  Unlike you, I don't want them to get sick and die for the sake of scoring political points.  But they control their ability to be healthy and to live.  It's not my fault that they don't take advantage of that.

It's similar to my feelings that my ability to buy Ho Hos should not be infringed because some people have an obesity problem.

I don't want them to die either. But if they choose to do so, then I don't care.

[The Sultan]

I don't want them to die either. But if they choose to do so, then I don't care.

Well I do.  I just can't save people from themselves.

[tower912]

My concern boils down to this.   I look at what is happening around the world due to the delta variant.    I look at how it is projecting in the under-vaccinated areas of the USA.    Vaccines aren't forever.    Eventually, the vaccinated are going to need boosters.   Eventually, because of a failure to sufficiently control the virus, there is going to be a breakthrough variant that renders the existing vaccines ineffective.   
    Yes, square one.     Well, maybe not quite square one as big Pharma will use knowledge gleaned going forward.   

Don't throw away your masks yet.     

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

My concern boils down to this.   I look at what is happening around the world due to the delta variant.    I look at how it is projecting in the under-vaccinated areas of the USA.    Vaccines aren't forever.    Eventually, the vaccinated are going to need boosters.   Eventually, because of a failure to sufficiently control the virus, there is going to be a breakthrough variant that renders the existing vaccines ineffective.   
    Yes, square one.     Well, maybe not quite square one as big Pharma will use knowledge gleaned going forward.   

Don't throw away your masks yet.   

The question you brought up is whether or not masks are a major contributor to lower virus spread for the vaccinated.  Thus far the research doesn't support that it is needed. 

Vaccinations have limits, but so far we have learned they do show benefits even when they are less effective on a new variant.  So not necessarily square one.  Plus we have a safe and approved delivery method that can be modified from variants.  So again not square one. 

[cheebs09]

My concern boils down to this.   I look at what is happening around the world due to the delta variant.    I look at how it is projecting in the under-vaccinated areas of the USA.    Vaccines aren't forever.    Eventually, the vaccinated are going to need boosters.   Eventually, because of a failure to sufficiently control the virus, there is going to be a breakthrough variant that renders the existing vaccines ineffective.   
    Yes, square one.     Well, maybe not quite square one as big Pharma will use knowledge gleaned going forward.   

Don't throw away your masks yet.   

Is the risk of a variant being resistant to the vaccine that much higher than a new virus popping up like this one did last year?

Maybe I'm being too nonchalant about the risk of a vaccine resistant variant, but this idea that we need to brace ourselves for the next wave seems to be against the science. Granted, that's just my knowledge based on a few articles.