Omicron variant

[Warriors4ever]

So now we're back to, just stop testing, and that way our numbers will go down?

[jesmu84]

So now we're back to, just stop testing, and that way our numbers will go down?

Sure. Case numbers will go down.

Deaths, however, won't be impacted. And likely will increase as a result of less testing

[rocket surgeon]

I've learned that when I have no idea what Roq is talking about, I can just go to fox news website and look at the top headlines.

ohh wokie, it was on more than fox news...shocked!  something that dumb from the "leader" of the "free" world has got to open some eyes...even yahoo news.  yeah, don't expect it on "main stream media" cuz then the'd have to throw their joe & harry pom pons away

https://theworldnews.net/us-news/harris-says-biden-administration-didn-t-see-delta-or-omicron-coming

https://news.yahoo.com/kamala-harris-interview-says-administration-004723696.html

https://fox26newshenry.com/2021/12/18/kamala-harris-says-administration-did-not-anticipate-omicron/

[forgetful]

ohh wokie, it was on more than fox news...shocked!  something that dumb from the "leader" of the "free" world has got to open some eyes...even yahoo news.  yeah, don't expect it on "main stream media" cuz then the'd have to throw their joe & harry pom pons away

https://theworldnews.net/us-news/harris-says-biden-administration-didn-t-see-delta-or-omicron-coming

https://news.yahoo.com/kamala-harris-interview-says-administration-004723696.html

https://fox26newshenry.com/2021/12/18/kamala-harris-says-administration-did-not-anticipate-omicron/

Anyone saying they expected Omicron right now is a liar.

It is such an evolutionary jump in strains that it confounded many experts even after it was discovered.

[rocky_warrior]

ohh wokie, it was on more than fox news...shocked!  something that dumb from the "leader" of the "free" world has got to open some eyes...even yahoo news.  yeah, don't expect it on "main stream media" cuz then the'd have to throw their joe & harry pom pons away

https://theworldnews.net/us-news/harris-says-biden-administration-didn-t-see-delta-or-omicron-coming

https://news.yahoo.com/kamala-harris-interview-says-administration-004723696.html

https://fox26newshenry.com/2021/12/18/kamala-harris-says-administration-did-not-anticipate-omicron/

You miss the point.  If you're leaving a comment about a news article you just saw, provide a link, otherwise we all just imagine you yelling at your television.  You post with no context, and it comes off as gibberish.

[The Sultan]

You miss the point.  If you're leaving a comment about a news article you just saw, provide a link, otherwise we all just imagine you yelling at your television.  You post with no context, and it comes off as gibberish.

I mean most of the time it's gibberish even with a link.

[Uncle Rico]

ohh wokie, it was on more than fox news...shocked!  something that dumb from the "leader" of the "free" world has got to open some eyes...even yahoo news.  yeah, don't expect it on "main stream media" cuz then the'd have to throw their joe & harry pom pons away

https://theworldnews.net/us-news/harris-says-biden-administration-didn-t-see-delta-or-omicron-coming

https://news.yahoo.com/kamala-harris-interview-says-administration-004723696.html

https://fox26newshenry.com/2021/12/18/kamala-harris-says-administration-did-not-anticipate-omicron/

8 of 10

"Wokie" is really top notch stuff.  It's not the put down you think it is, which makes it even better.

Great use of ellipses and air quotes.  Attacked the media and the President and VP. 

Rounding back into form for the holiday!

[warriorchick]

Articles showing that hospitals are currently overrun with COVID highlights the threat from Omicron.

Right now, only 17% of American's have gotten the booster shot. That means 83% are vulnerable to Omicron, and most live in areas where prevention methods (masks, social distancing) are not absent.

Omicron is far more infectious than any other variant, which means it will spread like wildfire. Even if it is less severe, the increased hospital burden cannot be accommodated, there are already shortages, which means excess deaths.

That is why some schools shut down. That is why a lot of schools are now putting in vaccine booster mandates. It is their civic duty to minimize the hospital burden, and to save lives.

What's the hospitalization rate for Omicron? Honest question.

[The Sultan]

What's the hospitalization rate for Omicron? Honest question.

In South Africa it's a lot less. But if the amount of transmissibility holds, the rate would be lower but numbers would be higher. We will see.

[#UnleashSean]

What's the hospitalization rate for Omicron? Honest question.

I've heard of one death in the uk. But that was several days ago.

[forgetful]

What's the hospitalization rate for Omicron? Honest question.

In all honesty, too early to have reliable numbers. And so far most infections have been in the young.

[warriorchick]

In all honesty, too early to have reliable numbers. And so far most infections have been in the young.

If that is the case, I am not sure that you can presume that the new variant is going to significantly increase the hospital burden.

[Skatastrophy]

If that is the case, I am not sure that you can presume that the new variant is going to significantly increase the hospital burden.

Here's hoping, but that's not where the early data is pointing

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/omicron-five-times-more-likely-reinfect-than-delta-study-says-2021-12-17/

"We find no evidence (for both risk of hospitalisation attendance and symptom status) of Omicron having different severity from Delta," the study said, although it added that data on hospitalisations remains very limited.

"Controlling for vaccine status, age, sex, ethnicity, asymptomatic status, region and specimen date, Omicron was associated with a 5.4-fold higher risk of reinfection compared with Delta," the study, which was dated Dec. 16, added.

BUT

"The conclusions made are based on making assumptions about Omicron where we still don't have sufficient data," Dr Dix said. "For example, we have no data on the cellular immune response which is now probably driving effectiveness of vaccines."

"This is a crucial missing assumption in the modelling."

[warriorchick]

"The conclusions made are based on making assumptions about Omicron where we still don't have sufficient data," Dr Dix said. "For example, we have no data on the cellular immune response which is now probably driving effectiveness of vaccines."

"This is a crucial missing assumption in the modelling."

[rocket surgeon]

i realize this is very early and the amount of time needed to study our vaccines efficacy on the omicron variant are limited, but early indications, if i am reading this right, don't bode well.  if forget could peruse this short abstract and give us his thoughts-

https://clinicalnews.org/2021/12/14/effectiveness-of-covid-19-vaccines-against-the-omicron-b-1-1-529-variant-of-concern/

[warriorchick]

i realize this is very early and the amount of time needed to study our vaccines efficacy on the omicron variant are limited, but early indications, if i am reading this right, don't bode well.  if forget could peruse this short abstract and give us his thoughts-

https://clinicalnews.org/2021/12/14/effectiveness-of-covid-19-vaccines-against-the-omicron-b-1-1-529-variant-of-concern/

Isn't it a moot point if you don't believe in the vaccine in the first place?

[rocket surgeon]

Isn't it a moot point if you don't believe in the vaccine in the first place?

who said i don't believe in the vaccine??  i got both doses moderna last january-february.  knock on wood, except for a pretty severe rxn of the man gland, i remain unscathed so far.  lots of zinc, vitamin c & d, multivitamin, exercise, and quercetin w/bromelain

  and this after being in probably well over a thousand faces since may 2020

[Mutaman]

   yeah, don't expect it on "main stream media" cuz then the'd have to throw their joe & harry pom pons away

Is the LA Times ""main stream media"? Who do you think the VP's interview was with?

CNN?

The Guardian?

https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2021-12-17/kamala-harris-in-interview-says-administration-did-not-anticipate-omicron-variant

https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/18/politics/kamala-harris-biden-administraton-delta-omicron-variant/index.html

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/18/kamala-harris-la-times-interview-covid-variants-vaccines

[forgetful]

If that is the case, I am not sure that you can presume that the new variant is going to significantly increase the hospital burden.

My statement is mainly because it exposes a 2nd group to infections. Delta can continue to spread to those who have not been infected yet, or who have not received a booster.

That is driving the present hospitalization rate.

Omicron can infect those who have already been vaccinated, and those who have already been infected. Any hospitalizations from this group then increases the burden.

That was the logic behind my statement. I now realize (my apologies), that my statement may be premature. An alternative is Omicron ravages both groups, and if significantly less severe, could result in fewer net hospitalizations if it displaces a more severe Delta.

Either way, mitigation measures should be taken.

[forgetful]

i realize this is very early and the amount of time needed to study our vaccines efficacy on the omicron variant are limited, but early indications, if i am reading this right, don't bode well.  if forget could peruse this short abstract and give us his thoughts-

https://clinicalnews.org/2021/12/14/effectiveness-of-covid-19-vaccines-against-the-omicron-b-1-1-529-variant-of-concern/

This article is consistent with everything I have seen so far regarding Omicron. No booster, little to no protection, with a booster, you gain protection but more similar to vaccine efficacy against Delta (without a booster).

[rocket surgeon]

sounds like the omicron variant is similar to other serious, but manageable illnesses such as pneumonia, influenza, etc in which the very young, old and those with compromised immune systems are most at threat.  otherwise, the omicron variant could be the "topping on the cake" providing us with the herd immunity we need to really put this thing into a category or the aforementioned

[The Sultan]

That would be the hope.  We will see.

[Skatastrophy]

It's hard for me to imagine dismissing the best, most recent, medical study we have on Omicron. You do you I suppose.

[Hards Alumni]

ohh wokie, it was on more than fox news...shocked!  something that dumb from the "leader" of the "free" world has got to open some eyes...even yahoo news.  yeah, don't expect it on "main stream media" cuz then the'd have to throw their joe & harry pom pons away

https://theworldnews.net/us-news/harris-says-biden-administration-didn-t-see-delta-or-omicron-coming

https://news.yahoo.com/kamala-harris-interview-says-administration-004723696.html

https://fox26newshenry.com/2021/12/18/kamala-harris-says-administration-did-not-anticipate-omicron/

Okay, so you don't understand how media works at all.  And you've confirmed it.  The "yahoo news" article is just a reposting of a LA times article.  It says so when you click the link. 

who said i don't believe in the vaccine??  i got both doses moderna last january-february.  knock on wood, except for a pretty severe rxn of the man gland, i remain unscathed so far.  lots of zinc, vitamin c & d, multivitamin, exercise, and quercetin w/bromelain

  and this after being in probably well over a thousand faces since may 2020

Why no ivermectin and HQC? 

[rocky_warrior]

  Why no ivermectin and HQC?

I'm just glad someone quoted his "severe rxn of the man gland" comment.  I don't think that's a covid/vaccine problem.  Perhaps he should ask his assistants if they've been around too much, if you know what I mean.

Also, no booster rocket?