Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #96

[WichitaFalls]

Vaccinated America Has Had Enough — The Atlantic

“In the United States, this pandemic could’ve been over by now, and certainly would’ve been by Labor Day. If the pace of vaccination through the summer had been anything like the pace in April and May, the country would be nearing herd immunity. With most adults immunized, new and more infectious coronavirus variants would have nowhere to spread. Life could return nearly to normal.”

I fixed a mimosa after reading this.

Vaccinated America Has Had Enough — The Atlantic

“In the United States, this pandemic could’ve been over by now, and certainly would’ve been by Labor Day. If the pace of vaccination through the summer had been anything like the pace in April and May, the country would be nearing herd immunity. With most adults immunized, new and more infectious coronavirus variants would have nowhere to spread. Life could return nearly to normal.”

I fixed a mimosa after reading this.

Exactly . . . Could not have said it better than David Frum! Half of my family haven't taken the vaccine, just no words. Thanks for posting this.

 

[MimosaMornings]

How concerned should we be about breakthrough coronavirus infections? One expert weighs in — STAT

Some good questions in this article.

If the numbers are rising this quick with it being summer and people being outdoors so much - the upcoming fall/winter is going to kick it into high gear. JMO
———-
“At the beginning of the pandemic, the CDC said that a close contact was somebody that you’re indoors with unmasked for 15 minutes or more. The equivalent of that with the Delta variant is not 15 minutes, it’s one second.”

 

[ilovewings]

"The consequence of DeSantis’s weeks of pandering to COVID-19 denial: More than one-fifth of all new COVID-19 cases in the United States are arising in the state of Florida—24,000 recorded on a single day, July 20."

Biden, CDC Mulling New Mask Mandate as Delta Variant Surges Among Unvaccinated - News & Guts Media
some days I don’t know whether to laugh or cry

The messaging on the part of the CDC during this pandemic has been, and remains, inexcusably confusing and awful. I have always respected the CDC- not any longer. Of all the putrid messaging to come from that organization, the most recent one that vaccinated people could shed their masks, may be the most dangerous and thoughtless. They knew when they made that statement would it would mean in light of the Delta variant just beginning to show itself in the United States.

 

[ilovewings]

"The consequence of DeSantis’s weeks of pandering to COVID-19 denial: More than one-fifth of all new COVID-19 cases in the United States are arising in the state of Florida—24,000 recorded on a single day, July 20."

Biden, CDC Mulling New Mask Mandate as Delta Variant Surges Among Unvaccinated - News & Guts Media
some days I don’t know whether to laugh or cry

The messaging on the part of the CDC during this pandemic has been, and remains, inexcusably confusing and awful. I have always respected the CDC- not any longer. Of all the putrid messaging to come from that organization, the most recent one that vaccinated people could shed their masks, may be the most dangerous and thoughtless. They knew when they made that statement would it would mean in light of the Delta variant just beginning to show itself in the United States.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Jill Biden was discussed as to reasoning of travelling during COVID. Addressed somewhat here as to her other meetings while there.

Warning: This has information on the opening ceremony and what happened as won't be broadcast till later in many places. (hhmmmm, does WS have a link for Olympics and such?)

Tokyo Olympics 2020 Opening Ceremony: Live updates



CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who is in Tokyo, described the atmosphere inside the stadium at the Olympics Opening Ceremony as "so quiet."

While it looks like there are people in all of the seats filling up the stadium, there are not. It's "just seat coverings in different colors to make it look like there's people here," according to Gupta.

There are 950 VIPs taking part in the ceremony, according to Tokyo 2020 spokesman Hidemasa Nakamura, including around 800 foreign guests and 150 from Japan, CNN affiliate TV Asahi reported.

 

[jjenny]

Masks were always explained as not just helping to protect the wearer, but help protect others. If vaccinated people are getting infected with delta (which they are), then what sense does it make to continue insisting (like CDC does) that they don't need masks?
They can still spread it around, to other vaccinated or un-vaccinated people.

 

[Angleterre]

I think that it is not helpful for people's general understanding when the news media are often IMO confusing the issue by using incorrect nomenclature, and misrepresenting scientific studies.

As I understand it, vaccines are often given in a series, in order to adequately protect an individual.
The initial dose "primes" the immune system to recognize the foreign antigen. The second, or subsequent dose of the vaccine, is a "booster" and is administered to reinforce the effects of the first dose, and provide more stimulation to the immune system.

How Vaccines Work: A Step-By-Step Guide | St. Luke's Health

When a virus mutates enough, so that the immune system does not adequately recognize and respond to the newly mutated variant, then a NEW or tweaked vaccine is needed, for example as happens almost every year with the influenza vaccine. This is not a booster, per se, but a new vaccine. JMO

From what I have read so far, the Pfizer vaccine is still providing good efficacy (80%+) against the Delta variant infection (screenshot from)
DEFINE_ME
However it is my understanding that the Astra Zeneca vaccine is still effective against Delta infection, but somewhere in the 60-70% range.
AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine shows effectiveness against Delta variant

BOTH Pfizer and AZ seem to be effective against HOSPITALIZATION from the Delta variant:
AstraZeneca, Pfizer vaccines effective against Delta COVID-19 variants-study

All JMO until I can find links.

Also, the UK relied heavily on the AZ vaccine, and extended the vaccine interval between first and second doses. I think that this strategy actually wasn't a bad idea (I'm still not sure!), but maybe people relaxed too much, before they were fully vaccinated?

Also, it seems that the UK were not as strict as they could have been with regard to international travel.

In addition, I think that there has been a lot more testing over in the UK (compared to where I am in the US), but there seems to be great reliance on "lateral flow tests" which depending on the manufacturer, may not be as reliable as a lab based PCR test.
How reliable are lateral flow COVID-19 tests? - The Pharmaceutical Journal

How likely is a positive COVID-19 lateral flow test to be wrong?

It's my understanding that if one is testing every day using a less reliable test however, it is more likely to pick up a positive test, than say just doing a random once weekly test?

Vaccine efficacy, effectiveness and protection

These CV19 vaccine efficacy levels are still favorable when compared to annual influenza vaccines, although obviously, more effective is better.

Apparently, there are plans to "tweak" vaccines to provide improved efficacy against emerging variants, and/or possibly provide boosters for those, such as seniors who may mount a less robust immune response to the initial 1-2 doses.

ETA Links:

How Vaccines Work | PublicHealth.org

Booster Shots

Efficacy and effectiveness

Here in the U.K. we have twice weekly lateral flow tests unless you feel poorly and you can test however often you like
If you get a result on that then you can either attend for PCR or have it posted out within 24 hours and sent to lab for 24 hours turnaround
I was sick Monday 12th and it took until Thur 15th for it to show positive on lateral flow. My son daughter and (ex) hubby all got positive but I have been the most ill even double vaccinated. My two kids and hubby were testing negative within 7 days and have been well but I’m day 12 now and just turned the corner in the last 12-24 hours. I have just tested and I’m now negative albeit still poorly but I can tell I’m on the way back to health as firstly I’ve stopped vomiting which has plagued me throughout and I’m starting to crave food . It’s been 12 days of hell. Imagine how much worse it would have been if I wasn’t vaccinated. Our local hospital is closed to new admissions as people are in the 20-30 age group, dying . So utterly tragic

 

[jjenny]

Here in the U.K. we have twice weekly lateral flow tests unless you feel poorly and you can test however often you like
If you get a result on that then you can either attend for PCR or have it posted out within 24 hours and sent to lab for 24 hours turnaround
I was sick Monday 12th and it took until Thur 15th for it to show positive on lateral flow. My son daughter and (ex) hubby all got positive but I have been the most ill even double vaccinated. My two kids and hubby were testing negative within 7 days and have been well but I’m day 12 now and just turned the corner in the last 12-24 hours. I have just tested and I’m now negative albeit still poorly but I can tell I’m on the way back to health as firstly I’ve stopped vomiting which has plagued me throughout and I’m starting to crave food . It’s been 12 days of hell. Imagine how much worse it would have been if I wasn’t vaccinated. Our local hospital is closed to new admissions as people are in the 20-30 age group, dying . So utterly tragic

Which vaccine did you get?

 

[Angleterre]

Which vaccine did you get?

Oxford Astra Zeneca

 

[SoCalDavidS]

A California man in his early 30s who derided vaccines on Twitter and Instagram died of COVID-19

A man who joked about not getting vaccinated died of the coronavirus a little more than a month later. Stephen Harmon's death was announced by the Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston on Twitter on Thursday.

Before his death, Harmon made jokes about the virus on Twitter, including references to his decision not to get vaccinated. On June 3, Harmon tweeted: "If you're having email problems, I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a vax ain't one!" The tweet was a reference to the Jay-Z song "99 Problems."

Three days later, Harmon made another reference to being unvaccinated. "Since everything is a social construct these days & folks out here identifying as different races than they're born as (Rachel Dolezal now Nkechi Amare Diallo) I've decided that I, now, identify as a 6'3 D1 collegiate athlete. And, if you prefer, I'll identify as vaccinated, too," Harmon wrote.

Harmon also made a joke about the widespread trust in Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious-disease expert. "When you can't trust the Bible cause it was written by man, but you trust the CDC/Fauci guidelines cause they were written by man. Makes total sense," Harmon tweeted on May 26.

Harmon posted on Instragram on June 30 from the hospital saying he had contracted the virus. He then gave regular updates on his condition. On July 8, he posted another anti-vaccine joke and criticized what he termed undue pressure to encourage people to take the shot. He wrote alongside the post: "i'm not against it, i'm just not in a rush to get it… ironically, as I continue to lay here, in South Corona, in my covid ward isolation room fighting off the virus and pneumonia. And no, i will not be getting vaccinated once i am discharged and released."

In the days that followed, Harmon wrote that his condition had improved, then worsened again. His last tweet was posted Wednesday, when Harmon said he was choosing to be intubated.

A California man in his early 30s who derided vaccines on Twitter and Instagram died of COVID-19

 

[WichitaFalls]

How concerned should we be about breakthrough coronavirus infections? One expert weighs in — STAT


“At the beginning of the pandemic, the CDC said that a close contact was somebody that you’re indoors with unmasked for 15 minutes or more. The equivalent of that with the Delta variant is not 15 minutes, it’s one second.”

Oh my word. Talk about a stop in your tracks statement.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

AP-NORC poll: Most unvaccinated Americans don't want shots (detroitnews.com)

Most Americans who haven’t been vaccinated against COVID-19 say they are unlikely to get the shots and doubt they would work against the aggressive delta variant despite evidence they do, according to a new poll that underscores the challenges facing public health officials amid soaring infections in some states.

Among American adults who have not yet received a vaccine, 35% say they probably will not, and 45% say they definitely will not, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Just 3% say they definitely will get the shots, though another 16% say they probably will...

 

[Angleterre]

We've been using at home lateral flow tests for some time here in the UK. They are free and arrive next day. School kids and their families test I think three times per week and they recommend the rest of the working population do too. They can give a false positive, but if you test positive you get a PCR test anyway which confirms either way. I have some, and take one if I'm going into work (still work from home mostly) or if I see my parents for instance.

If you have symptoms, you're supposed to get a PCR test but that said, there have been a couple of times where I just felt a bit unwell and I took a lateral flow for peace of mind. Despite this we of course have this big outbreak, with self isolation also affecting day to day life - and as an example, in the school where my friend works 500 kids were self isolating last week.

We also have track and trace in place for venues. So when I was in work last week and had coffee in our cafe, I scanned in. This legal requirement lifts tomorrow but is optional if people want to scan. Just no obligation on the venue to take details manually if a customer does not have the app.

The mask mandate has been legal up until tomorrow and most people wear them where required. From tomorrow as I said before, some supermarkets are keeping the policy in place, asking customers in good faith to continue searing masks.

Despite all of this, our cases are still rocketing. The football, people travelling around the UK on hols, Unis finishing terms and schools I think must be aggravating factors.

Whilst fully vaccinated people here are getting covid, I think it's important to remember that our younger people are not yet fully vaccinated. People in their 20s have had the first, with the second still some weeks to go. They are out and about in pubs and restaurants, cinemas, gyms. Also school kids are not vaccinated. The younger people will account for IMO the majority of new cases - definitely reflected at my work, where all positives are early 20s so far.

I think what's good for us is firstly our vaccination programme, but also schools are closing for summer now. The weather here right now is very warm and that makes a difference, people will use pub gardens and eat outside more.

We do feel like we are taking part in some experiment which is v unnerving.

Bit of a ramble from me, but a layman's view of how it is here at the moment.

I know exactly where I got it from - Sunday 11th July I went with my son and ex husband into our local town to a bar belonging to a friend. We purposely only stayed for the first half of the England v Italy final and left to return home for the second half of the game. Looking back, the bar wasn’t cramped BUT I made the mistake of having two bottles of CORONA ( of all things ) and I purposely chose bottled beer as I felt it was safer however, I didn’t bank on the lime being already placed in the bottle so personally, I think that the chopped up lime had been sat awaiting ‘stupid gullible me ‘ and oh how wonderful hindsight always is later on reflection …… Prior to that event out, I hadn’t left the house in a week and I again haven’t since so it’s definitely where and how I picked it up. And I think that’s why I got it far worse out of the 4 of us. My daughter clearly got it by being in the same house hold. In order of how badly affected by covid was Me 51 double vaccinated, Olly 14 not vaccinated, Mike 65 ex hubby double vaccinated, Alexa 14 not vaccinated. Mike and Alexa just felt a bit yukky. Olly our son struggled for a full week with headaches and fever and flu symptoms whereas I have been ill for 11.5 days of severe sickness, headaches, joint and bone pain, fever, cough, awful taste in my mouth…. I’m now feeling ravenous and want some Heinz tomato soup …. I have been unable to keep any fluid in so it’s been very worrying indeed but the tide has turned and I’m very grateful for that x

 

[jjenny]

AP-NORC poll: Most unvaccinated Americans don't want shots (detroitnews.com)

Most Americans who haven’t been vaccinated against COVID-19 say they are unlikely to get the shots and doubt they would work against the aggressive delta variant despite evidence they do, according to a new poll that underscores the challenges facing public health officials amid soaring infections in some states.

Among American adults who have not yet received a vaccine, 35% say they probably will not, and 45% say they definitely will not, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Just 3% say they definitely will get the shots, though another 16% say they probably will...

Then they will get to herd immunity the hard way.

 

[jjenny]

I know exactly where I got it from - Sunday 11th July I went with my son and ex husband into our local town to a bar belonging to a friend. We purposely only stayed for the first half of the England v Italy final and left to return home for the second half of the game. Looking back, the bar wasn’t cramped BUT I made the mistake of having two bottles of CORONA ( of all things ) and I purposely chose bottled beer as I felt it was safer however, I didn’t bank on the lime being already placed in the bottle so personally, I think that the chopped up lime had been sat awaiting ‘stupid gullible me ‘ and oh how wonderful hindsight always is later on reflection …… Prior to that event out, I hadn’t left the house in a week and I again haven’t since so it’s definitely where and how I picked it up. And I think that’s why I got it far worse out of the 4 of us. My daughter clearly got it by being in the same house hold. In order of how badly affected by covid was Me 51 double vaccinated, Olly 14 not vaccinated, Mike 65 ex hubby double vaccinated, Alexa 14 not vaccinated. Mike and Alexa just felt a bit yukky. Olly our son struggled for a full week with headaches and fever and flu symptoms whereas I have been ill for 11.5 days of severe sickness, headaches, joint and bone pain, fever, cough, awful taste in my mouth…. I’m now feeling ravenous and want some Heinz tomato soup …. I have been unable to keep any fluid in so it’s been very worrying indeed but the tide has turned and I’m very grateful for that x

Major route for covid transmission is by air. So the lime probably had nothing to do with, it's whatever people you were near. They used to say you need to be within six feet of someone for 15 minutes to get covid. But with delta it literally could take seconds to get it, instead of 15 minutes.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

It is funny (not funny) that Murdoch got himself fully vaccinated - and says that people should get vaccinated - yet he allows the media companies he owns to cast doubt on the vaccines.

Murdoch receives COVID-19 vaccine as Fox News host casts suspicion on campaign

Fox has quietly implemented its own version of a vaccine passport while its top personalities attack them - CNN

And they basically have a vaccine card for all employees!!

Spokespeople for Fox Corporation and Fox News did not comment in response to questions Monday about why the right-wing talk channel has been so forcefully against vaccine passports while the company has itself implemented a version of one.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Vaccinated America Has Had Enough — The Atlantic

“In the United States, this pandemic could’ve been over by now, and certainly would’ve been by Labor Day. If the pace of vaccination through the summer had been anything like the pace in April and May, the country would be nearing herd immunity. With most adults immunized, new and more infectious coronavirus variants would have nowhere to spread. Life could return nearly to normal.”

I fixed a mimosa after reading this.

lets toast to that.... right there with ya.

 

[Skigh]

I know exactly where I got it from - Sunday 11th July I went with my son and ex husband into our local town to a bar belonging to a friend. We purposely only stayed for the first half of the England v Italy final and left to return home for the second half of the game. Looking back, the bar wasn’t cramped BUT I made the mistake of having two bottles of CORONA ( of all things ) and I purposely chose bottled beer as I felt it was safer however, I didn’t bank on the lime being already placed in the bottle so personally, I think that the chopped up lime had been sat awaiting ‘stupid gullible me ‘ and oh how wonderful hindsight always is later on reflection …… Prior to that event out, I hadn’t left the house in a week and I again haven’t since so it’s definitely where and how I picked it up. And I think that’s why I got it far worse out of the 4 of us. My daughter clearly got it by being in the same house hold. In order of how badly affected by covid was Me 51 double vaccinated, Olly 14 not vaccinated, Mike 65 ex hubby double vaccinated, Alexa 14 not vaccinated. Mike and Alexa just felt a bit yukky. Olly our son struggled for a full week with headaches and fever and flu symptoms whereas I have been ill for 11.5 days of severe sickness, headaches, joint and bone pain, fever, cough, awful taste in my mouth…. I’m now feeling ravenous and want some Heinz tomato soup …. I have been unable to keep any fluid in so it’s been very worrying indeed but the tide has turned and I’m very grateful for that x

Sorry to hear how unwell you have been. Hope you continue to feel better.

 

[GRT]

Entertainers have alot of influence.

Eric Clapton refuses to play venues requiring vaccines for concertgoers

 

[nhmemorymaker]

"The consequence of DeSantis’s weeks of pandering to COVID-19 denial: More than one-fifth of all new COVID-19 cases in the United States are arising in the state of Florida—24,000 recorded on a single day, July 20."

On local facebook/social media pages... people are just parroting his take on this situation. "just the typical summer infections...and he believes it will be way down in August (his way of still saying no masks for children)

"It's a seasonal virus and this is the seasonal pattern it follows in the Sun Belt states," DeSantis said earlier this week, before adding that he believes the cases will drop in August.

I don't know about any summer seasonal viruses???? But ;people are now believing it...

Helen Aguirre Ferre, executive director of the Republican Party of Florida, dismissed the items being sold as nothing more than a "great opportunity to have some lighthearted fun and give his supporters a chance to feel even more connected with his message of keeping Florida free" and stood by the Fauci criticism.

"keeping Florida Free".... lets see how this one plays out....

Ron DeSantis stays the course on Covid as Florida cases surge - CNNPolitics