Omicron variant

[MU82]

Yeah butt, how due ewe 'splain awey dat da book wuz ritten bye won of yo own, Bobby Kennedy, hey?

Eye 1der if Bobby joonyer iz also waytin' for cuz JFKay joonyer two joyn 2024 prez tikket lyke ewe ar, q?

[MU82]

How 'bout these for some eye-popping numbers:

At Cornell University, where cases of the omicron variant have been confirmed and many more are suspected, more than 1,100 students tested positive for the virus this week. The spike led school officials to switch final exams online, close libraries, and call off activities, including a ceremony for December graduates.

All kinds of universities and colleges are having to take drastic measures.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2021/12/15/colleges-omicron-cases-finals-online/?utm_campaign=wp_the7&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_the7&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F35890c9%2F61bb2c289d2fdab56bca355e%2F5f8d147cae7e8a56e5b732a4%2F10%2F40%2F61bb2c289d2fdab56bca355e

How might this affect college sports next semester? We'll see.

[JWags85]

Cornell has a student vax rate of 97%.  Seems a bit of an overreaction

[The Sultan]

If they are testing positive, they have to isolate.  I don't know if they have much choice.

[tower912]

Omicron is far more infectious than delta.  And it has shown the ability to bypass natural immunity as well as waning vaccination immunity.   Boosters.

[forgetful]

Cornell has a student vax rate of 97%.  Seems a bit of an overreaction

I discussed this early on, but the vaccines will likely prove very ineffective against Omicron.

If you have two doses and eligible for the booster (more than 6-months out), you probably don't have much if any resistance to infection, but remaining efficacy against severe infection (probably in the 30-40% range).

If you are boosted. Efficacy against infection of ~70%. Better against severe infection.

They may have 97% vaccination. But they were a mandate school, and most were vaxxed more than 6-months out and are not boosted. So go back to go...do not collect $200.

Not to mention that they are a global school. So once finals are over, Cornell students will be inoculation centers around the country. Bad.

They are doing the smart and right thing.

And students would prefer online finals. They can cheat easier.

[MU82]

Cornell has a student vax rate of 97%.  Seems a bit of an overreaction

Given the details forgetful provided, I'm curious what you would have done differently if you ran Cornell.

[JWags85]

I discussed this early on, but the vaccines will likely prove very ineffective against Omicron.

If you have two doses and eligible for the booster (more than 6-months out), you probably don't have much if any resistance to infection, but remaining efficacy against severe infection (probably in the 30-40% range).

If you are boosted. Efficacy against infection of ~70%. Better against severe infection.

They may have 97% vaccination. But they were a mandate school, and most were vaxxed more than 6-months out and are not boosted. So go back to go...do not collect $200.

Not to mention that they are a global school. So once finals are over, Cornell students will be inoculation centers around the country. Bad.

They are doing the smart and right thing.

And students would prefer online finals. They can cheat easier.

The article says only 2 of the cases were confirmed omicron, correct?

Everything coming out about omicron suggests its less severe.  None of the Cornell cases are severe.  Cornell is treating it, IMO, like they are back to square one and they are near lockdown.

I don't run a university, I'm not a medical professional, so I'm not baselined with an excess of caution.

It just speaks to my underlying wonder of when this breaks.  When we stop treating vaccinated (and boosted) individuals testing positive with the same caution and concern we do the unvaxxed months ago.

[4everwarriors]

Certainly not before the mid-terms and possibly not until Nov. 2024. Never let a good crisis go to waste. Fear and control, aina?

[Hards Alumni]

Certainly not before the mid-terms and possibly not until Nov. 2024, aina?

You're the same dope that said this would all be over Nov 2020, aina?

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Certainly not before the mid-terms and possibly not until Nov. 2024. Never let a good cris in s go to waste. Fear and control, aina?

More like fear and stupidity

[4everwarriors]

You're the same dope that said this would all be over Nov 2020, aina?

Like I said, the plan is working so well. Why waste a good opportunity, hey?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

And students would prefer online finals. They can cheat easier.

Funny you say this.  My kid finished finals Dec. 3.  Got her grades last week.  In regards to one of the science classes she said for all the in-person tests this semester she was above average for every test.  The final was online and she remarked that "she obviously didn't cheat because for the first time she was below average on a test in the class".

[MUBurrow]

Certainly not before the mid-terms and possibly not until Nov. 2024. Never let a good crisis go to waste. Fear and control, aina?

I don't think its some sort ham-fisted Machiavellian, Brave New World crap, but I do think that the Dems are pot-committed on not looking "soft on covid."  They have been the only adults in the room for most of this time, and want to reap benefits from that.  But that's going to require a house to fall on them before they support this:

It just speaks to my underlying wonder of when this breaks.  When we stop treating vaccinated (and boosted) individuals testing positive with the same caution and concern we do the unvaxxed months ago.

[tower912]

The preliminary data on Omicron intrigues me. 

IF this becomes the dominant variant...

IF it turns out to be consistently less dangerous, ......

IF it provides long lasting anti-bodies...

Until the next, nastier variant arrives.

[Hards Alumni]

Like I said, the plan is working so well. Why waste a good opportunity, hey?

Just say what you mean.  Is the implication that covid is good for Biden?

[Uncle Rico]

Fear and control

What are we afraid of?

Big city crime
Scary immigrants
Vaccines
Fauci
Big Pharma
CRT

[4everwarriors]

Just say what you mean.  Is the implication that covid is good for Biden?

The entire Party and its minions, hey?

[4everwarriors]

Fear and control

What are we afraid of?

Big city crime
Scary immigrants
Vaccines
Fauci
Big Pharma
CRT

Fear of the big, bad virus. I don't know how to navigate. All rational thinking, along with common sense, goes out the door. Just give me a cookbook recipe how to survive this pandemic and I will do as you command, hey?

[Hards Alumni]

The entire Party and its minions, hey?

lol no shot.  It'd be great for them if they could get rid of it.

But they can't.

[tower912]

Yes, the worst pandemic in a century has revealed schisms.   Science vs quackery.   Me first vs communitarianism.   
Economic.  Health care delivery.  Education.   How social media is used.  Philosophically, our responsibility to each other.     Like a sudden influx of wealth, it has revealed character. 

Doc what you rail against as 'control' is viewed by many as science, logic, and common sense.

[The Sultan]

The preliminary data on Omicron intrigues me. 

IF this becomes the dominant variant...

IF it turns out to be consistently less dangerous, ......

IF it provides long lasting anti-bodies...

Until the next, nastier variant arrives.

As I said when this started, isn't this what endemic Covid looks like?  A version of the virus that, although it spreads easier, by and large causes mild symptoms and less hospitalization and death?  Why would it mutate to a more virulent form from there?

[tower912]

That is the dream.

[JWags85]

That is the dream.

But yet you seem pretty inclined to the nightmare of this getting worse for the next 12-18 months?

[tower912]

Omicron is new.   I am always open to new data.     And it could all fall apart.  All it takes is one mutation that makes it more lethal.     BTW, I told you I thought this was a 5 year arc, and we are now in year 3.