Coronavirus 7: Ring in Delta Plus and then Omicron Takes Over

[danvillebelle]

I finally got my booster yesterday morning.  By bedtime I was feeling pretty badly, and woke up this morning early feeling like shit (fever, deep muscle aches and joint aches).  I took some extra-strength tylenol and went back to bed to sleep it off.  Woke up drenched in sweat but feeling markedly better.  Only thing left is my arm is sore as hell. 

Our tiny school district went back to classes today.  There is no mask mandate (Texas).  People around here have barely ever masked anyway.  I feel like omicron sweeping our town is not a matter of if, but when. All the local businesses are open and the only one that has "MASKS REQUIRED" on the door is the pharmacy.

We've asked our son who works in a hospital to stop visiting for awhile because we don't want to risk him bringing us omicron, even though we're all vaxxed.

[Coconut Flan]

https://archive.ph/4EvaM#selection-549.0-697.164

The Viral Lies that Keep Killing Us

Intro:

Quote

A year ago it seemed reasonable to hope that by early 2022 we’d mainly be talking about Covid — or at least Covid as a major health and quality-of-life issue — in the past tense. Effective vaccines had been developed with miraculous speed; surely a sophisticated nation like the United States would find a way to get those vaccines quickly and widely distributed.

So why didn’t we get past the pandemic? Part of the problem has been the creativity of viral evolution. The Delta variant shocked us with its lethality; now Omicron is shocking us with its transmissibility. Still, we could and should have done far better. And the main reason we didn’t was the power of politically motivated lies.

Before I get to the specifics of those lies and the damage they’ve done, let’s be clear: Yes, this is about politics.

 

[47of74]

4 hours ago, danvillebelle said:

I finally got my booster yesterday morning.  By bedtime I was feeling pretty badly, and woke up this morning early feeling like shit (fever, deep muscle aches and joint aches).  I took some extra-strength tylenol and went back to bed to sleep it off.  Woke up drenched in sweat but feeling markedly better.  Only thing left is my arm is sore as hell.

I get all my shots in my left arm too.  First vaccine shot my arm was sore for a couple weeks.  Second one was sore up through the next morning.  The booster my arm was sore for several hours following the shot but not as bad as the second shot.  Those were the only issues I had post shot.

With the booster my doctor wanted me to wait a bit after I became eligible but I was like hell with that I'm getting it as soon as possible.  If I was going to have a bad reaction I wanted to have it and get it over with sooner rather than later.

[47of74]

Macy's has decided to shorten its store hours.

Quote

Macy's Inc will reduce its US store hours for the rest of January as it prepares for potential COVID-19 cases among workers with the Omicron variant driving up infections across the United States.

Stores will now be open between 11 am and 8 pm from Monday to Thursday instead of 10 am to 9 pm, but the timings remain unchanged from Friday to Sunday, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Our store colleagues will continue to work their normal allocated hours. We will continue to monitor the situation and follow the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and jurisdictional guidelines," said Andrea Schwartz, senior director of external communications at Macy's (M).

The rapid spike in Omicron cases has disrupted businesses across the United States, with Walmart on Monday saying it had temporarily shut almost 60 stores in COVID-19 hotspots in December to sanitize them against the virus.

I don't see a problem with that since I wouldn't label stuff from Macy's as being essential.  At the same time though I'd be a bit wary of grocery stores and places like Target shortening their hours if it makes it harder for health care and other essential workers to get what they need.  That was an issue that did come up around here for some health care workers was that the grocery stores were always closed when they were off work.  I think if such stores need to close they need to be smart about it.  Maybe instead of closing earlier in the evening close for a couple hours in the afternoon or get creative with the opening hours. 

 

[Dandruff]

2 hours ago, 47of74 said:

Macy's has decided to shorten its store hours.

Wouldn't it make more sense for stores to issue their employees N95 masks and require that they wear them?  I don't see how cutting store hours will especially help employees to not get sick.

[Smee]

Well, Australia is fucked I guess. Here are the figures for my state today:

so 32% of tests are coming back positive. HOWEVER, these stories are everywhere:

People are sleeping in their cars the night before the testing centre opens, because the queues close and people get sent home again before the place is even open. Positive RATs are not included in the official numbers, and whole families who test positive on a rapid are just staying home til they get better (understandably) rather than braving a PCR test site queue. Then there’s all those who can’t get RATs either. Price gouging is an issue, with some places selling a 2 pack for $45. A developer made this website so people could avoid driving around to 10 pharmacies while sick https://findarat.com.au because despite buying ourselves 2 years of time our government was not at all prepared for this. And yet refuses to do anything about it, we are officially in the “let it rip, people will die” state.

[Ozlsn]

2 hours ago, Dandruff said:

Wouldn't it make more sense for stores to issue their employees N95 masks and require that they wear them?  I don't see how cutting store hours will especially help employees to not get sick.

I suspect people are staying home, and it's cheaper for them to restrict hours. Someone posted a photo of the largest shopping centre in Melbourne yesterday, and it was deserted. A lot of people just don't feel safe, and shopping behaviour has really changed.

32 minutes ago, Smee said:

despite buying ourselves 2 years of time our government was not at all prepared for this. And yet refuses to do anything about it, we are officially in the “let it rip, people will die” state.

I am so angry at the federal and state governments right now that I am finding it hard to express.  They had two bloody years, bought and paid for in blood, sweat and tears, and they pissed it away and did nothing. They are the most useless pack of incompetent, egotistical fools who shouldn't be running a cake stall let alone a country. The thing that sums it up for me is freaking Harvey Norman (a furniture and whitegoods retailer, also large donor to the Liberal Party) has effing RATs, and is pricing them above RRP. This after receiving JobKeeper and posting record profits, then not returning any of it. The corruption stinks to high heaven, and I have never wanted to torch a furniture store before, let alone this badly.

[danvillebelle]

Text from my son (who works in a hospital) last night:  "It's starting.  On Christmas Day there were 6 covid patients.  Today there are 40." 

[FiveAcres]

7 hours ago, 47of74 said:

Macy's has decided to shorten its store hours.

I don't see a problem with that since I wouldn't label stuff from Macy's as being essential.  At the same time though I'd be a bit wary of grocery stores and places like Target shortening their hours if it makes it harder for health care and other essential workers to get what they need.  That was an issue that did come up around here for some health care workers was that the grocery stores were always closed when they were off work.  I think if such stores need to close they need to be smart about it.  Maybe instead of closing earlier in the evening close for a couple hours in the afternoon or get creative with the opening hours. 

 

Yesterday, I went to my usual King Sooper (local name for Kroger grocery stores) and the doors were shut at 6:10 am. KS workers have voted to strike so I wanted to top off a few items we like that aren't carried elsewhere before the workers go out as well as do my standard shopping. The doors were shut. I presume that they didn't have enough workers to open the store, possibly due to sickness. I shopped elsewhere, including another King Sooper, but that is the first time I have ever gone to a KS and their doors have been shut. (I shop early to avoid the crowds. At that time, there are just a handful of customers, and the employees are wearing masks.)

[WiseGirl]

Stop, seriously? Just stop it! France found a new strain. 

https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/new-covid-19-variant-named-ihu-discovered-in-france-said-to-be-stronger-than-omicron/articleshow/88685048.cms

[Knight of Ni]

I've started using the Walmart curbside pickup both because of Covid and because it's super convenient to pick up my order on the way home from work. I just wish that the shoppers paid a little bit more attention to produce quality. It would be nice if there was a way to add a note saying if there's no good choices don't get it. Or "I plan on making tacos in two days. Pick an avocado that will be good then."

[Dandruff]

13 hours ago, Ozlsn said:

I suspect people are staying home, and it's cheaper for them to restrict hours. Someone posted a photo of the largest shopping centre in Melbourne yesterday, and it was deserted. A lot of people just don't feel safe, and shopping behaviour has really changed.

I'm not sure about Macy's, since I'm almost never there, but shopping in general hasn't seemed to slow much in my area.  No mask mandate either, except for medical facilities.  More people are masking lately in grocery stores, but there are always a few who don't and at least one asshole with a mask on under their nose (Death, taxes, and an asshole in the grocery store with a mask on under their nose).

I went grocery shopping today, a little earlier than planned, but am glad I went.  I'm happier with fresh produce and it was starting to run low.  The snowstorm on Monday made roads a mess, but passable today.  I stayed local.  They're predicting more snow tomorrow evening, over the snow and ice that's left.  Now I shouldn't need to go out for awhile.

Omicron has affected snow plowing and mail delivery.  I won't be surprised if some grocery stores cut back hours due to sick employees, given that Omicron levels are high here with a lack of a mask mandate.  Unfortunately, I would expect that to result in extra-crowded grocery stores, leading to more sick people.

I ordered a COVID test kit over two weeks ago and it finally arrived.  Better to have it on hand and not need it, and hopefully I won't.  The stores around me don't have them and I suspect we'll be waiting a very long time for the ones that Biden is promising.

[Coconut Flan]

I'm so glad my daughter took the cue from me and ordered several boxes of tests.  The ones from the state and Biden are behind schedule and her kids have to be tested before they can return to the classroom next week.  I found some kiddie KN95s and will be mailing those to her.  The kids are also back to having to wear masks on the playground and during youth sports.  

[church_of_dog]

Covid (presumably Omicron) is now running rampant through my mom's care facility.

They started on 12/27 with two cases, then three, then four, then five.  Then yesterday 4 more, then today 7 more.

Eight residents total (none in mom's section) and ten staff total (two in mom's section) currently positive.

Most of the residents testing positive are in the section Mom moved out of last summer when she needed a higher level of care.  Phew?

This facility has done what I think is a great job of keeping the virus to a minimum inside their facility throughout the pandemic, so I think this is a good indication of just how crazy contagious Omicron is.   They never had more than a handful a cases at a time, and have generally gone months between sporadic outbreaks.  I think nearly everyone is vaxxed, both staff and residents.

They are in Santa Clara County, which, according to a healthcare journalist I follow, has quadrupled reported cases in the past two weeks.

[Bluebirdbluebell]

I don't know if you've heard this, but Omicron COVID is not supposed to cause havers to lose taste and smell. The main symptoms are sore throat, cough, runny nose/congestion, and fatigue. I also read somewhere that it can cause night sweats. 

[adidas]

46 minutes ago, Bluebirdbluebell said:

I don't know if you've heard this, but Omicron COVID is not supposed to cause havers to lose taste and smell. The main symptoms are sore throat, cough, runny nose/congestion, and fatigue. I also read somewhere that it can cause night sweats. 

I know I’ve posted about it a thousand times 🤣 but a lot of my extended family has it. All of them would attest to what you’ve said, except two did lose some of their taste - not completely but enough to notice that it was dulled. They said that the night sweats were insane. 

[Smash!]

Switzerland has now over 32‘000 cases a day  which is around 360 cases per 100‘000 persons. Test positivity rate around 33%. We do 100‘000 tests per day which is the maximum test capacity. 

Our government does nothing and just lets the virus rip through the population. Several public transportation lines within my city don’t operate anymore since lots of staff is sick. Its crazy and I don’t get why this is even legal?

[adidas]

My state had over 38,000 cases today. Our premier cares nothing for people, only the economy - so he won’t do anything to help to flatten the curve. Actually it’s not a curve now, it’s a near vertical line. 

[Smash!]

22 minutes ago, adidas said:

My state had over 38,000 cases today. Our premier cares nothing for people, only the economy - so he won’t do anything to help to flatten the curve. Actually it’s not a curve now, it’s a near vertical line. 

I’m so sorry @adidas ! Especially because I had the impression all States in Australia did really well until recently. 

[adidas]

20 minutes ago, Smash! said:

I’m so sorry @adidas ! Especially because I had the impression all States in Australia did really well until recently. 

Absolutely. The new premier’s start coincided with omicron, but I think even his fans would agree that our previous premier would have at least tried to stop it spreading so crazily. 

[Smash!]

8 minutes ago, adidas said:

Absolutely. The new premier’s start coincided with omicron, but I think even his fans would agree that our previous premier would have at least tried to stop it spreading so crazily. 

Especially since the non-pharmaceutical interventions work. A good contact tracing (the money needed to expand that got never approved here), testing, high quality masks and air filtration also works with Omicron. Once the numbers are down it‘s easier to keep them down. This let it spread strategy is so shortsighted since this virus can cause autoimmune diseases. Having Lots of disabled people isn‘t cheap for a economy.

I‘m disappointed in your State! I always had Australia as an example of a excellent pandemic response.

Edited January 6, 2022 by Smash!

[Ozlsn]

48 minutes ago, adidas said:

My state had over 38,000 cases today. Our premier cares nothing for people, only the economy - so he won’t do anything to help to flatten the curve. Actually it’s not a curve now, it’s a near vertical line. 

And yet the shops are very empty here as people stay away and staff get sick. Still wondering how that's working out for them.

What is really annoying me is that this is all being pushed as part of "achieving endemicity" for which there is literally no evidence whatsoever. Humans lived with smallpox for millennia and it remained epidemic. Ditto measles. Ditto influenza. Even the current cold causing coronavirus strains aren't endemic, they circulate in epidemic waves. Where this came from I honestly don't know. And I'm waiting on news of a child in ICU from covid, who was born prem and had chronic lung disease (common in prems) and asthma. Yeah, underlying conditions - but identical to my child and basically all the prems I know. Still trying to get a vaccination appointment for him after they opened on Wednesday. So angry at the government right now.

[Smash!]

1 minute ago, Ozlsn said:

And yet the shops are very empty here as people stay away and staff get sick. Still wondering how that's working out for them.

At least in Switzerland the reason for letting this happen is if they closed the shops/restaurant etc. the government would have to pay some sort of compensation. So they rather put the burden of the pandemic on the companies than doing what‘s written in the constitution: protect the health and life of its people.

I hope the child in the ICU gets better soon. And I cross my fingers that you‘ll find a vaccination appointment for your kid quickly. I understand your anger, especially since the children and vulnerable are considered collateral damage and not worth protecting. 

It worries me that you guys have such a surge when it‘s summer now in Australia. Here the summer months are the ones with relatively low cases. Or is it different in (your part of) Australia? 

[clueliss]

My county has had three days in a row of highest cases during pandemic.

and tomorrow afternoon is the HR phone call that I’m titling OSHA Covid call. Meaning it’s the announcement that if you haven’t turned in your proof of vaccination to HR you have to start wearing a mask and you’ll have until sometime in February to either get your vaccine prove your vaccine or begin paying possibly for your own test on some frequency to prove that you don’t have it. Frankly I’m the evilOne who is thrilled to death about this.

[WiseGirl]

Flurona-having COVID and the flu at the same time. Hard pass.

https://people.com/health/flurona-getting-covid-and-the-flu-at-the-same-time-isnt-new-heres-what-to-know/