COVID-19

[Doohicksie]

20 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Only 58 new cases yesterday.

...and only 44 the next day.  I really want to see single digits in our county (2.1 million population).

[Doohicksie]

15 hours ago, Weave said:

The only concern I have at this point is fully opening with less than heard immunity increases the likelihood of a resistant variant.  But yeah, I'm out in public with 0 stress now.

My theory (which I talked about upthread) is that between vaxed people, infected-but-recovered people who were formally tested, and infected-but-recovered that do not show in the numbers*, we pretty much are at herd immunity, even here in Texas with a ~40% vax rate.

*Anecdotal:  My brother's son-in-law drives an ambulance in Buffalo and caught the virus in mid-2020.  He got sick, tested positive, quarantined and recovered.  His wife (my niece) and her parents (my brother and sis-in-law) also got sick, but not so sick that they sought out medical care.  They also quarantined and recovered.  They likely had Covid but were never counted in the system.  I've encountered several people here at work that are pretty sure they had Covid but never got tested or sought treatment, they just quarantined.

I think a conservative estimate that every counted Covid case produced at least one uncounted case, especially early in the pandemic, isn't a bad assumption.  If you assume that those people contribute to herd immunity, Texas is at 60-something% immune, which is getting pretty close to actual herd immunity (they say around 70%).  Also, the vaccines have been far more effective than hoped, further contributing to herd immunity.

This is all my personal theory, an attempt to explain the numbers I'm seeing.  Because at this point Texas has been open for a while.  Unlike in other states, though, some businesses and workplaces (like the grocery store I mentioned upthread) have chosen to continue mask mandates, and many people continued to voluntarily wear masks in crowds.  So even though we opened early compared to most other states, it was in some respects a soft opening.

More and more people are starting to ditch masks though.  If numbers continue to drop even with that, I think you could say we're approaching herd immunity.

Edited June 16, 2021 by Doohickie

[nucci]

17 hours ago, Doohickie said:

It's becoming apparent that the vaccinations are working far better than anyone hoped.  They don't totally prevent a person from getting the virus but it keeps them from getting gravely ill, with very, very few exceptions.  So if you're fully vaxed and don't have regular contact with someone who isn't, or who has a compromised immune system, there's no reason not to open.  And at this point I don't even care who's vaxed and who isn't.

Texas has been loosy-goosy all along and with not even 50% vaxed, cases are way, way, way down.  Unless a variant emerges that gets past the vax, I think we're nearing the end of the pandemic.

I did read most that are catching this and going to hospital are not vaccinated. 

[Doohicksie]

12 minutes ago, nucci said:

I did read most that are catching this and going to hospital are not vaccinated. 

Yeah, something like less than a half percent of people hospitalized with Covid are vaxed.  It doesn't mean vaxed people aren't getting it at all though.  A family friend who's an ER nurse and was vaxed months ago recently caught it.  For her it was like a bad flu.  I haven't heard whether she's fully recovered yet, but she was not admitted to the hospital or anything.  (Due to some congenital issues she does have a weak immune system.)

Edited June 16, 2021 by Doohickie

[Wyldnwoody44]

I got vaxxed in November, it's certainly made travel easier the last 6 months or so, it also feels good not wearing a mask (except at work, we all still have to; which is fair) 

I've avoided this thread and most of SS for the past 9 months or so. Obviously my opinion on this matter hasn't fallen in line with most, I suppose it still doesn't 100% but I'm hoping that with the recent guidelines that were getting past this all. 

I'm currently in Colorado hiking the Rockies, only one store asked for us to put a mask on and we obliged, but overall things are opening and looking up. 

Cheers! 

[bg17]

Children should not be vaccinated for the moment.

There is not yet enough evidence on the use of vaccines against COVID-19 in children to make recommendations for children to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Children and adolescents tend to have milder disease compared to adults. However, children should continue to have the recommended childhood vaccines. 

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/covid-19-vaccines/advice

[JujuFish]

17 minutes ago, bg17 said:

Children should not be vaccinated for the moment.

There is not yet enough evidence on the use of vaccines against COVID-19 in children to make recommendations for children to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Children and adolescents tend to have milder disease compared to adults. However, children should continue to have the recommended childhood vaccines. 

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/covid-19-vaccines/advice

Are you vaccinated?

[bg17]

7 hours ago, JujuFish said:

Are you vaccinated?

Do you take issue with the World Health Organization’s current recommendation that children not be vaccinated? 

[Eleven]

4 hours ago, bg17 said:

Do you take issue with the World Health Organization’s current recommendation that children not be vaccinated? 

I'm glad my niece (12) is vaccinated.

[That Aud Smell]

12 hours ago, bg17 said:

Children should not be vaccinated for the moment.

There is not yet enough evidence on the use of vaccines against COVID-19 in children to make recommendations for children to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Children and adolescents tend to have milder disease compared to adults. However, children should continue to have the recommended childhood vaccines. 

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/covid-19-vaccines/advice

Interesting. I wonder how much of this is a function of the WHO's desire to see vaccinations reach more vulnerable adult populations first.

All of my kids got vax'd - including the ones who are between the ages of 12 and 18. I trust the scientists who approved Pfizer for the middle school and up cohort. 

[Brawndo]

40 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Interesting. I wonder how much of this is a function of the WHO's desire to see vaccinations reach more vulnerable adult populations first.

All of my kids got vax'd - including the ones who are between the ages of 12 and 18. I trust the scientists who approved Pfizer for the middle school and up cohort. 

This is spot on, the CDC is strongly recommending everyone who can receive the vaccine over the age of 12 do so as there are plenty of Pfizer Doses available in the US. 
 

The WHO Recommendations are based on allocating limited vaccine doses to those who need it most until the World Supply catches up. 
 

Pfizer might ask for EUA for ages 4-11 in September. 
 

My 12 and 16 year olds are fully vaccinated, just waiting for My 9 year old age group to be approved. 

[JujuFish]

6 hours ago, bg17 said:

Do you take issue with the World Health Organization’s current recommendation that children not be vaccinated? 

Are you vaccinated? It's a simple yes or no question.

[Doohicksie]

2 minutes ago, JujuFish said:

Are you vaccinated? It's a simple yes or no question.

And one that bg17 is not compelled to answer (which is probably an answer in itself).

[pi2000]

Should I force my 15yo to get vaccinated?

[Eleven]

1 minute ago, pi2000 said:

Should I force my 15yo to get vaccinated?

Is it really forcing? Child is a minor and you make the medical decisions.

[bg17]

22 minutes ago, JujuFish said:

Are you vaccinated? It's a simple yes or no question.

Why do you care? It’s an irrelevant question as it doesn’t relate to the view of the WHO re: vaccinating children. All I did was share a link. Many folks believe it’s black and white to vaccinate everyone. The WHO sees it differently at the moment. More information is better than less, isn’t it? 
 

Not every vaccinated person feels the need to advertise their status. Folks such as yourself and doohickie may find that telling or suspicious but that’s just how it is. 

[JujuFish]

10 minutes ago, bg17 said:

Why do you care? It’s an irrelevant question as it doesn’t relate to the view of the WHO re: vaccinating children. All I did was share a link. Many folks believe it’s black and white to vaccinate everyone. The WHO sees it differently at the moment. More information is better than less, isn’t it? 
 

Not every vaccinated person feels the need to advertise their status. Folks such as yourself and doohickie may find that telling or suspicious but that’s just how it is. 

It absolutely matters, because if you're not willing to vaccinate, then you're not commenting in good faith.  Why is the WHO's recommendation not to vaccinate children acceptable but not their recommendation for adults to vaccinate?  And if you're not commenting in good faith, you're thread-crapping/trolling.

 

[bg17]

Just now, JujuFish said:

It absolutely matters, because if you're not willing to vaccinate, then you're not commenting in good faith.  Why is the WHO's recommendation not to vaccinate children acceptable but not their recommendation for adults to vaccinate?  And if you're not commenting in good faith, you're thread-crapping/trolling.

 

I didn’t comment. I shared information that you appear to be unhappy with. That’s on you. 

[JujuFish]

4 minutes ago, bg17 said:

I didn’t comment. I shared information that you appear to be unhappy with. That’s on you. 

So you're just threadcrapping.  Good to know you're worth ignoring, then.

[Eleven]

52 minutes ago, JujuFish said:

So you're just threadcrapping.  Good to know you're worth ignoring, then.

158 posts in 15 years, about 150 of which seem to be in the COVID thread.  Take it for what it's worth.

[LTS]

3 hours ago, Eleven said:

Is it really forcing? Child is a minor and you make the medical decisions.

Yes, it is.

The way the world works these days is that you might be the adult but you aren't necessarily the final decision maker.  I suspect a child will challenge their parent in court at some point. 

Beyond that, I can force a lot on my children.  They in turn can make my life hell. It's not a one way street.

[LGR4GM]

[miles]

the nj governor made a comment that i think is amazing.  I cant find the exact quote, but it was mostly like this

 

For the vaccinated, the pandemic is over....This is becoming, increasingly by the day, a pandemic of unvaccinated individuals.

 

Edited June 22, 2021 by Mike Honcho

[Sabres Fan in NS]

23 minutes ago, Mike Honcho said:

the nj governor made a comment that i think is amazing.  I cant find the exact quote, but it was mostly like this

 

For the vaccinated, the pandemic is over....This is becoming, increasingly by the day, a pandemic of unvaccinated individuals.

 

I think he/she is sadly mistaken.

We know someone who recently passed away from COVID.  A young and strong individual with no underlying medical issues.  Fully vacinated with Pfiser.

[Weave]

2 hours ago, Mike Honcho said:

the nj governor made a comment that i think is amazing.  I cant find the exact quote, but it was mostly like this

 

For the vaccinated, the pandemic is over....This is becoming, increasingly by the day, a pandemic of unvaccinated individuals.

 

Until the right variant evolves...