Coronavirus in Massachusetts (Harvard: house, university, living)

[rach5]

Originally Posted by OutdoorLover

It's a good point. The reason that omicron subsided so sharply (after a big wave) was that between those already vaccinated, and those already infected, there weren't that many naive hosts left anymore within a few months of omicron takeoff. While BA.2 and co are new variants, what we seem to have seen is that there is still useful residual immunity left from prior exposure to Covid-19 antigens, whether they came from vaccines or viruses. It's an educated guess, but I'll take that over the fevered delusions of the conspiracy mongerers.

"Most scientists expect the surge by BA.2 – including all its different versions – will be much smaller than that observed with BA.1, Luban says. That's because many Americans have some immunity to these variants, given the massive number of people exposed to the virus during the first omicron surge. Nearly 50% of Americans could have been infected over the winter"
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsan...s-what-we-know

Then why did the UK experience widespread illness, hospitalization and deaths with BA.2 right after a massive BA.1 wave? They have more immunity and higher booster coverage than we do. (I hope that we won't experience as significant of a surge, but I don't think immunity will be the reason).

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by rach5

Then why did the UK experience widespread illness, hospitalization and deaths with BA.2 right after a massive BA.1 wave? They have more immunity and higher booster coverage than we do. (I hope that we won't experience as significant of a surge, but I don't think immunity will be the reason).

Do you accept that omicron BA.1 subsided in the USA? If so, why do you believe it did?

No one - including me, is saying that no one is going to go to the hospital or die due to BA.2. The point that's being made is that we expect that the rate of hospitalization and death, relative to the rate of infection, should be modest.

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by timberline742

So, once again, you didn't or couldn't answer a fairly straightforward question. Great.

She answered.

[jbgusa]

Originally Posted by rach5

You only need to look at some of the very hard hit European countries that have had more protections, higher vaccination and booster rates and a fraction of deaths. We are literally terrible - just look at the life expectancy drop in the US compared to other high income countries. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-...-year-in-a-row

Biden had a decent plan but abandoned it far too early in May 2021, relying on a vaccinations-only message, which also failed, while he celebrated victory over the virus again and again and again. And we can't even get together as a country to fund tests, treatments and updated vaccinations for all, not just the rich and famous (of course, why would politicians want to fund something when the nation has celebrated victory for the better part of the year, they can get Paxlovid to pop after large scale events, and life is back to "normal" for the working class - except of course for hundreds of thousands of deaths and who knows how many millions of cases of long covid disability?). We suck, and when I think we can't suck any more - we do. I can't believe we are arguing over wearing masks on public transportation during a pandemic - that surely doesn't put people out of work (and neither does masking in grocery stores!)!

In the meantime, Howard University is moving classes and finals online due to covid in the hopes of being able to hold in-person commencement. https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/c...lowTwt_DCBrand

And "among those working in government, personal concern about infection is mounting alongside efforts to blunt the worst outcomes of it. Among the dozens infected in the administration and on Capitol Hill, Pfizer’s antiviral pill — which sharply cuts the risk of serious illness — has been in widespread demand, according to two people with knowledge of the matter." Tell us the truth. When you tell us to "live with covid" and show off the mask and care-free lifestyle, we all deserve the same treatment. They are allocating 175,000 courses of Paxlovid and 30,000 Bebtelovimab a week - how long will that last with a significant BA2 spike? https://www.politico.com/news/2022/0...fight-00025201

The idea of test and treat when they announced the change in mask guidance was great in principle - but another lie to mislead the public, as they knew they didn't have the funding.

Originally Posted by OutdoorLover

Do you accept that omicron BA.1 subsided in the USA? If so, why do you believe it did?

No one - including me, is saying that no one is going to go to the hospital or die due to BA.2. The point that's being made is that we expect that the rate of hospitalization and death, relative to the rate of infection, should be modest.

Rach5, what's your "solution", continuing lockdown? At some point society must be done with this.

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by rach5

You only need to look at some of the very hard hit European countries that have had more protections, higher vaccination and booster rates and a fraction of deaths. We are literally terrible - just look at the life expectancy drop in the US compared to other high income countries. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-...-year-in-a-row

US life expectancy dropped because of alcohol and substance abuse (and probably an increase in mental illness) not covid. If anything it was probably exacerbated by the needless isolation restrictions.

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

US life expectancy dropped because of alcohol and substance abuse (and probably an increase in mental illness) not covid. If anything it was probably exacerbated by the needless isolation restrictions.

It was Covid. Covid went from unknown to the #3 leading cause of death in 2021.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by OutdoorLover

Do you accept that omicron BA.1 subsided in the USA? If so, why do you believe it did?

No one - including me, is saying that no one is going to go to the hospital or die due to BA.2. The point that's being made is that we expect that the rate of hospitalization and death, relative to the rate of infection, should be modest.

The hospitalization rate for age 70+ here in Bristol County is back up approaching 10 per 100,000. It's modest if you're age 30. The average 70+ here isn't double boosted and they abandoned masks months ago. Your style of messaging isn't helpful since the high risk part of the population isn't getting the proper information.

[msRB311]

People should do what they are comfortable with at this point. Pre covid plenty of idiots were out and about sick, spreading germs, getting snot all over everyone. This is just a new virus to deal with. The germ conscious people will need to stay home.

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

It was Covid. Covid went from unknown to the #3 leading cause of death in 2021.

Except that it was dropping long before COVID. And a large chunk of the deaths from COVID period were young people. Alcohol killed more people under 65 in 2020 than did COVID.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart...tes-180970942/

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/med...nds/ar-AAVnKi8

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

And a large chunk of the deaths from COVID period were young people.

This is complete nonsense.


Link to CDC death counts: https://data.cdc.gov/widgets/9bhg-hc..._redirect=true


So almost 1 million deaths. I get ~ 900,000+ age 50+.