Coronavirus in Massachusetts (Salem, Holyoke, Harvard: insurance, home, school)

[OutdoorLover]

From South Africa, some positive signs regarding Omicron:

A new research paper pre-print indicates that they have seen 80% less hospitalization from Omicron than Delta: "Early assessment of the clinical severity of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in South Africa"
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1....21.21268116v1

They're extrapolating some here, but the top infectious disease specialist in South Africa, Salim Abdool Karim, observes that while they had a very rapid rise of Omicron cases, they seem to have peaked and now appear to be rapidly falling: "South Africa’s huge omicron wave appears to be subsiding just as quickly as it grew"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world...navirus-cases/

For both aspects, it is still possible that subsequent events or analysis will revises these early assessments, but you know what, it's positive news, and I like that. :-)

[robr2]

Originally Posted by redplum33

Breaking News


FDA authorizes 1st antiviral pill for COVID


"In a highly anticipated decision, the Food and Drug Administration authorized the first antiviral pill to treat COVID-19 at home.

The pill, called Paxlovid, is made by Pfizer. It's taken twice a day for five days in combination with a second medicine called ritonavir, a generic antiviral.

"Today's authorization introduces the first treatment for COVID-19 that is in the form of a pill that is taken orally — a major step forward in the fight against this global pandemic," said Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "This authorization provides a new tool to combat COVID-19 at a crucial time in the pandemic as new variants emerge and promises to make antiviral treatment more accessible to patients who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19."

The Pfizer treatment could help keep people infected with the coronavirus from getting so sick that they need to be hospitalized."

So a preemptive $60 series of vaccines does the same thing as a $530 treatment of pills.

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by L00k4ward

Did you try depart of health?

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/find-a-covid-19-test

You can buy some instant ones: Walmart has it - it is better used if symptomatic

Originally Posted by robr2

So a preemptive $60 series of vaccines does the same thing as a $530 treatment of pills.

You think that's a** backward logic? Just imagine pushing $1500-$3000 antibody treatments and not pushing vaccines, like some Governors are.

[Msats]

https://www.boston.gov/departments/m...ing-b-together

Timeline to be excited about

DATE REQUIREMENT
Saturday, January 15 People age 12+ must show proof of one dose of vaccine
Tuesday, February 15 People age 12+ must show proof of full vaccination
Tuesday, March 1 Children age 5-11 must show proof of one dose of vaccine
Sunday, May 1 People age 5+ must show proof of full vaccination

[porterhouse]

What is the point of putting out a May 1 date? As if this pandemic has been predictable at all that the buffoons in government could plan policy for five months out. Even if we do think advance planning is possible, I think we can all agree that this is a seasonal virus. Just comical.

[porterhouse]

Originally Posted by OutdoorLover

From South Africa, some positive signs regarding Omicron:

ssssshhhhh, we’re trying to panic over here

[tribecavsbrowns]

Originally Posted by porterhouse

What is the point of putting out a May 1 date? As if this pandemic has been predictable at all that the buffoons in government could plan policy for five months out. Even if we do think advance planning is possible, I think we can all agree that this is a seasonal virus. Just comical.

You answered your own question -- it's because by May 1st, transmission of the virus will be drastically lowered due to seasonality. Then they can credit their mandates, even though places who don't institute this, at least if they have the same seasonality pattern as Boston, will see the exact same decrease in viral transmission.

Remember when Joe Biden asked people to wear masks for "the first 100 days" of his presidency? Exact same thing.

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

You think that's a** backward logic? Just imagine pushing $1500-$3000 antibody treatments and not pushing vaccines, like some Governors are.

As if pushing anything is logical? The goal should be to have as many viable options available to people as possible and to encourage an open and vigorous conversation to take place.

Your incessant pushing and shaming campaign has achieved nothing. Pfizer and Moderna by the way have collected $18 billion and J&J $500 million. The more the vaccines fail the more profit they make with a booster.

[tribecavsbrowns]

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

As if pushing anything is logical? The goal should be to have as many viable options available to people as possible and to encourage an open and vigorous conversation to take place.

Your incessant pushing and shaming campaign has achieved nothing. Pfizer and Moderna by the way have collected $18 billion and J&J $500 million. The more the vaccines fail the more profit they make with a booster.

Wouldn't that mean that it has achieved something?

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by tribecavsbrowns

Wouldn't that mean that it has achieved something?

The gift that keeps on giving!