Coronavirus Megathread 8: Year of Living Dangerously

I wonder why they paywalled thread 7 at around 540 posts.

Is this the new thread?

The old one finally hit the magic 600. I'm kinda surprised Sylvia didn't realize it got Murieled over a week ago, she usually keeps on top of things.

Thanks for the new thread.

I got my Pfizer #2 shot about 5 hours ago. Just a sore arm so far.

Happy for you R4!

And so happy for you and your husband Sylvia!!

It makes me so happy thinking about how far we’ve come.

Whoops! Thread 7 lasted for such a long time I stopped paying attention to the post #s.

I’m dreading my second Pfizer shot tomorrow. Got put through the wringer a bit with the first one-headaches, nausea, body chills and heart palpitations. Covid left me with a form of aarhythmia (premature atrial contractions). My chest hasn’t felt all that great these past three weeks and I’m concerned the second shot will fuck even further with my heart.

I know I’ve got a strong immune system-the awful buzzing/tingling/vibrating/tremor sensation which took over my entire body last April for twenty minutes at three separate occasions was my immune system in overdrive battling the virus. I hope the second shot doesn’t somehow trigger another one of those.

I live in NJ. It was apparent in early March last year we would be in lockdown for a long time. Everyone was wondering when we would get back to "normal". In April last year I received an email from the casino I sometimes visit in Atlantic city. I was informed that my player tier status and all comps and benefits, which must be re-earned each year or expire, would be extended through June 2022. That business made an assessment of when things would return to normal. I am taking their cue.

Btw, here in NJ everyone wears masks and businesses have just moved to 50% capacity. Friends tell me that the casinos are doing good business. This state is also currently the second highest in cases. I have been vaccinated, but still avoiding indoor dining and maintaining social distance.

I am hoping American Airlines extends my $1000 credit and my gold status through 2022. Right now it's set to expire at the end of 2021 but I don't plan on traveling at all this year.

Many Evangelicals say they won't be vaccinated against Covid-19

After the vaccine yesterday, all was fine until I woke at 1:30am with a 99 degree fever. By 4am it spiked to over 101 and stayed there for a few hours. Throughout the day it's been going up and down with occasional 101 spikes. I've been trying not to take anything as this is my body creating the response, but once things reached 101.5, I gave in and took some Tylenol. Brought it down for a bit, but it's spiking again. More Tylenol before bedtime. I did take today as a sick day, and tomorrow may be one too (or a partial).

ugh so this is a good thing, right?

Yes, R4. You'll be fine and it means the vax is working.

I'm starting to feel bad because all I had was a sore arm!

I had just a slightly sore arm from both my Pfzier shots. Does this mean my old immune system is worn out?

[quote] extended through June 2022. That business made an assessment of when things would return to normal. I am taking their cue.

Things will be back to normal WAY before next June. Oh my god.

And if you’re fully vaccinated, you can return to normal right now. There’s nothing to be afraid of.

R8, things change practically daily with this virus and the outlook. I really wouldn't place much credence on any decision made by any company in April of last year.

Article from the Atlantic about CDC's updated guidance on fomite transmission.

Feel much better this morning. Just a residual headache, which I hope caffeine will take care of.

We were talking about what will change now that we've both been fully vaccinated (after 2 weeks). Of course, I will still wear masks and do the distancing, but I think I may start doing things that I've been reluctant to do. i.e., get my hair cut, go into some stores I've been avoiding. Still won't eat inside restaurants for a while since I live in a hotspot.

R16, that’s been common knowledge for quite a while. It’s theatre, yet I’m happy to see some actual cleaning happening where it’s been ignored for decades!

Cleaning is not a bad thing - though I'm waiting to hear about the rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria due to the excessive use of sanitizers (that we used to hear about.)

[quote]In April last year I received an email from the casino I sometimes visit in Atlantic city. I was informed that my player tier status and all comps and benefits, which must be re-earned each year or expire, would be extended through June 2022.

I looked into that with the hotels that I have point-plans with. They've all extended them, some until this summer, most until end of 2021.

Crazy anecdote from my real life. My husband's boss's wife tested positive a few weeks ago (she's unvaccinated) and has been in the hospital for at least a week. They aren't sure where she caught it, but the family hasn't been the safest (visiting grandchildren, etc.) It went undetected for a while because for the longest time, her only symptom was a migraine.

Because husband's boss is a doctor (gastroenterologist), and was vaccinated back in Jan., he has been permitted to visit his wife in the COVID ward! I don't know about you guys, but I think that's completely insane. Anyway, quelle surprise, Dr. Boss has COVID now.

The morals of this story are:

1. A vaccine will protect you, but viral load is still key. R17 will be safe at the shops and the barber, but do NOT go to large gatherings unless everyone is vaxxed, and for fuck's sake don't hang around in a COVID ward!

2. Never trust a gastroenterologist to know fuck all about epidemiology/virology.

I've had more people in my family test positive for Covid in the past month than over the past year. Thankfully, they've all been minor cases so far.

R16, while understanding that more attention should definitely be paid to ventilation, I think the people screaming "OMG, hygiene theater must end!1!!!11!" are also off their damn rockers. Americans, for a large part, are fucking morons and pigs. They cough and sneeze all over everything and the ones most likely to do this are exactly the same ones refusing to wear masks or wash their hands at all, so, more likely to be carrying a larger viral load when they do cough or sneeze all over everything and everyone. And, the number of people I see on a daily basis who still rub their eyes and lick their fingers and probably pick their damn noses, although, thankfully, out of my line of sight, is astonishing. So, I will keep washing shit down for a while longer as well as keeping the windows at work open. Just remember, some of us are working with the disgusting public all the time, not in a sterile office environment.

WSJ: The CDC has identified only 5,800 Covid-19 infections after the final vaccine, out of more than 66 million. And those who got it had mild cases. These "breakthrough" cases represent 0.008% of the fully vaccinated population.

Cue the "there's no proof these vaccines work!" troll.

CNN: Europe has surpassed one million Covid-19 related deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

The grim milestone was passed last week, WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge said in a press conference.

Kluge warned that despite the progress of the European vaccine rollout the situation in the region remained "serious."

"1.6 million new cases are reported every week. That's 9500 every hour, 160 people every minute," he said.

The WHO Europe region is composed of 53 countries and includes non-EU states such as Turkey and Russia.

Those fully vaccinated with Pfizer will likely need a booster dose within 12 months – and it’s possible people will need to get vaccinated against the virus annually.

[quote] and it’s possible people will need to get vaccinated against the virus annually

Has anyone with an ounce of sense ever thought otherwise?

Sylvia, how old is Dr. Boss in your story at R20?

R22, I could not agree more!

R26, yes, anyone who has any knowledge of the 1918 pandemic. The fact is that we have no fucking clue what will be going on six weeks or six months from now, let alone a year from now. "Likely" and "might" are not concrete facts.

Cancer patient saw disease all but vanish after catching Covid

Covid may have caused a cancer patient's tumours to vanish, according to doctors, who said it could have sparked an "anti-tumour immune response" in the man.

The 61-year-old patient at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro had a check-up last summer after being diagnosed with Hogkin's Lymphoma, a rare blood cancer that affects 2,100 people in the UK each year.

The disease, which occurs when white blood cells get out of control and spread to the lymph nodes, is typically treated with chemotherapy and around 90 per cent of patients are still alive five years afterwards.

Days after being told his chest was riddled with tumours and before starting treatment, the man was admitted to hospital after developing severe Covid. After making a full recovery, he had another scan and discovered the cancer had almost completely disappeared.

Sudden remission with Hogkin's Lymphoma is possible but is extremely rare. Just a couple of dozen similar cases have ever been recorded worldwide.

The case was revealed in the British Journal of Haematology.

Dr Sarah Challoner, of the Royal Cornwall Hospital, said: "We think Covid-19 triggered an anti-tumour immune response."

Dr Challoner added that the medical team believed T-cells, which fight infections in the body, may have also attacked cancer cells and led to the remission.

However, other clinicians warned against making early assumptions about the cause of the recovery. Martin Ledwick, Cancer Research UK's head cancer information nurse, said: "At this stage it's too early to draw any conclusions from these cases – it's quite possibly a coincidence.

"Anyone undergoing cancer treatment should continue to follow the advice of their doctors, as well as protecting themselves from catching Covid-19, and we encourage all who can to take up the vaccine."

A report in the Italian medical journal Acta Biomedica, published last year, highlighted a similar case at Cremona Hospital in Italy.

France Covid-19 death toll surpasses 100,000

From CNN’s Saskya Vandoorne

France marked a grim milestone Thursday as its Covid-19 death toll exceeded 100,000, according to the French health ministry’s Geodes website.

France has registered 100,077 total deaths, and currently has the eighth highest global death toll, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Mon dieu.

That's pretty interesting, r30. I didn't study medicine, so I have no idea where it will go, but still.

[quote]Days after being told his chest was riddled with tumours and before starting treatment, the man was admitted to hospital after developing severe Covid. After making a full recovery, he had another scan and discovered the cancer had almost completely disappeared.

I'd wager that it's more likely that what they thought were tumors on the scan weren't actually tumors but some opacities due to his already present severe covid infection.

The coronavirus has killed an estimated 1,300 babies in Brazil since the beginning of the pandemic, even though there's overwhelming evidence that Covid-19 rarely kills young children.

While data from the Health Ministry suggest that over 800 children under age 9 have died of Covid-19, including about 500 babies, experts say the real death toll is higher because cases are underreported because of a lack of widespread coronavirus testing.

R35, they have a variant in Brazil that is actually killing more younger people than older people. A lot of them are in their twenties and thirties, which isn’t surprising because presumably they socialize more than elderly people. But the baby deaths might show that it’s a cytokine storm situation.

Trump Supporters Freak Out After Ivanka Trump Says To Get Vaccinated

German Chancellor Angela Merkel gets AstraZenca vaccine

From CNN's Fred Pleitgen

German Chancellor Angela Merkel received a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine on Friday, her spokesperson Steffen Seibert said on twitter.

“I am happy that I received the first vaccination with AstraZeneca today. I would like to thank everyone who is involved in the vaccination campaign – and everyone who is vaccinated. Vaccination is the key to overcoming the pandemic,” Seibert said on behalf of Merkel.

The AstraZeneca vaccine has been controversial in Germany with many people initially refusing to take shot because of safety concerns.

In March, Germany announced it would only administer the vaccine to people ages 60 and older on the advice of the country’s vaccine committee. The move followed reports of rare blood clots in the brains of 31 people following a first dose.

Australia blood clot death linked to AstraZeneca vaccine

From CNN's Angus Watson

Australia’s drug regulator linked the recent death of a 48-year-old woman to the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.

The woman, who suffered from a low platelet count, died of thrombosis four days after receiving the vaccine on April 8, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said in a statement Friday.

The woman is the third Australian to have suffered an extensive thromboembolic event and thrombocytopenia (TTS) after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The other two patients are recovering in hospital, according to the TGA statement.

As of Friday, Australia has administered at least 885,000 doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine and stressed that the risk of these types of blood clots "are small."

"There have been at least 885,000 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine administered in Australia to date, so while numbers are small, 3 (three) cases of TTS equates to a frequency of 1 in 295,000. The UK regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has concluded from its review of cases reported in the UK that the overall risk of these rare blood clots was approximately 1 in 250,000 who receive the vaccine," the statement said. "The TGA is carefully reviewing all Australian reports of blood clots following the AstraZeneca vaccine, and are requesting further information from reporters where needed, to identify any further possible cases of TTS."

Last week Australia announced that people under 50 would not receive the AstraZeneca vaccine except in cases “where benefit clearly outweighs the risk for that individual's circumstances."

[quote]Gym (in Quebec) That Defied Lockdown Linked to at Least 419 Infections And One Death

Link to Daily Beast article in tweet

The owner of that gym should be arrested for premeditated murder.

what are you supposed to take if you get the chills, body aches etc? advil? chicken soup?

I will be taking the 2nd shot soon and I need to prepare in case I have side effects

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I took Tylenol, Advil and chicken soup with kreplach. If the chills had continued into a second night I would have taken Benadryl but they stopped after the chicken soup. I don’t think CDC has provided any guidance on either the soup or Benadryl. And if you don’t know what kreplach is you don’t have a good enough deli in your area to worry about them. If you are worried that suppressing the inflammatory side of the response will impact your B memory cells (I am not) just take Tylenol and soup. Tylenol stops you from recognizing pain it doesn’t impact inflammation.

thank you R44!

Chris Hayes: The Cost Of Right-Wing Media's Covid Lies | All In | MSNBC

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[bold]65% drop in severe asthma, Israeli hospital says it’s the masks[/bold]

Sheba Medical Center found a 65% decrease in the hospitalization of severe asthma patients and a 45% drop in the number of urgent visits to the hospital’s emergency room by asthma sufferers in 2020 versus 2019.

Prof. Nancy Agmon-Levin, who conducted the study, told The Jerusalem Post that she believes “masks blocked infectious agents and definitely pollen.”

more at link

How long until humans start wearing personal respirators to exist in the world? The way things are going, I'd say within 25 years. Maybe then people will take the environmental and overpopulation issues we have seriously.

The world just had its worst week ever for covid infections. Looks like more people will die of covid in 2021 than did in 2020 – we're already at about 2/3 of last year's death toll.

Macron said on Face the Nation yesteeday that it’s possible France will lift its travel ban for vaccinated Americans at the beginning of May. I doubt Merkel will follow suit. Rutte might, though.

R51 That reminds me, I was supposed to go to Alsace last May!

Global Covid-19 cases increase for eighth week in a row, WHO chief says

From CNN's Naomi Thomas

Global Covid-19 cases have increased for the eighth week in a row, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a news briefing in Geneva on Monday.

“Last week new cases of Covid-19 increased for the eighth week in a row with more than 5.2 million cases reported — the most in a single week so far,” said Tedros.

Deaths also increased for the fifth straight week, he said, with more than 3 million deaths now having been reported to the organization.

“It took nine months to reach 1 million deaths, four months to reach 2 million and three months to reach 3 million deaths,” said Tedros. “Big numbers can make us numb, but each one of these deaths is a tragedy for families, communities and nations.”

Tedros added that infections and hospitalizations among people age 25 to 59 are “increasing at an alarming rate,” possibly due to highly transmissible variants and increased social mixing among younger adults.

UK human challenge trial launches to study Covid-19 reinfection

From CNN Health’s Maggie Fox and Chloé Adams in Glasgow

A year-long trial launched Monday to study how the immune system reacts in people contracting coronavirus for the second time.

Volunteers in the UK who've previously had Covid-19 will be deliberately infected with the virus to discover what it may mean for developing immunity.

The so-called "challenge trial" will happen under carefully controlled conditions, with treatments on hand in case volunteers becomes ill, the team at the University of Oxford said.

“Challenge studies tell us things that other studies cannot because, unlike natural infection, they are tightly controlled. When we re-infect these participants, we will know exactly how their immune system has reacted to the first Covid infection, exactly when the second infection occurs, and exactly how much virus they got,” Dr. Helen McShane, a vaccine specialist at the University of Oxford, said in a statement.

The first phase of the study, starting this month, will find the lowest dose of virus that can infect half of coronavirus survivors without causing symptoms.

Then all 64 volunteers will be infected with that dose. Their immune responses will be studied.

Participants will initially be monitored 24/7 for two weeks while they quarantine in a specially designed hospital suite where they will undergo medical tests, including CT scans of the lungs and MRI scans of the heart.

Any volunteers who develop symptoms will be treated with Regeneron’s monoclonal antibody treatment and discharged from quarantine only when they are at no risk of infecting others.

Speaking on Radio 4’s Today program on Monday, McShane said: “One of the things we can determine with this study is how long that protection lasts. Once we understand exactly the immune response that protects against second infection, we can then use that information to develop vaccines more quickly, test vaccines more quickly, and understand who is protected and who isn't from this virus.”

McShane said they’ll be recruiting people who are young and healthy – ages 18 to 30 -- with the “lowest possible risk of serious consequences from this infection.”

BioNTech/Pfizer agree to supply extra 100 million doses to EU

From CNN's Fred Pleitgen in Berlin

The vaccine developer BioNTech and drug giant Pfizer will supply the European Union (EU) with an additional 100 million doses of its vaccine.

BioNTech said in a statement Monday that the additional batch will bring the total number of supplied doses to the EU to 600 million.

“The additional 100 million doses...will further help to support the acceleration of the vaccination campaigns throughout the EU," said Sean Marett, Chief Business and Chief Commercial Officer of BioNTech. "We now intend to deliver a total of 600 million doses to the EU this year, which covers two thirds of the EU population and represents the largest cumulative supply agreement...that we have agreed to date globally,” Marett added.

Thierry Breton, the EU commissioner in charge of vaccines, said on Sunday that the EU had confidence in BioNTech/Pfizer due to their consistent batch supplies.

Breton told CNN affiliate BFM TV that the companies were "supposed to deliver 60 million doses in the first quarter. They delivered 68 million. They were to deliver 190 million to us in the second quarter. They are delivering 240 million doses.”

The official also mentioned the difficulties the trade bloc had seen with AstraZeneca supplies.

"The AstraZeneca vaccine contract was the first to be signed in August 2020, and 120 million doses have been ordered for the first quarter and 180 million for the second quarter. Instead of delivering 120 million doses to us in the first quarter, they only delivered 30 million," Breton said.

From a health point of view however, the official repeated the European Medicines Agency’s advice that “the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine -- and in general the adenovirus vaccines -- outweigh...the disadvantage of having the disease.”

India reports more than 1 million new Covid-19 cases in 5 days

From CNN's Swati Gupta and Esha Mitra in New Delhi

India reported 273,810 new cases of Covid-19 on Monday, a record-high and its fifth consecutive day of more than 200,000 new infections, according to a CNN tally of figures from the Indian Indian Ministry of Health.

The country has reported more than 1 million cases in the past five days alone.

The health ministry also reported 1,619 new deaths, the highest in almost 10 months.

As cases skyrocket, New Delhi is facing a severe shortage of Intensive Care Unit beds available for Covid-19 patients. Only 73 beds with ventilators were available in India's capital as of Sunday, according to government documents.

"Patients are getting admitted to hospitals at a fast pace. Especially for ICU beds, there is now a shortage. There are less than 100 ICU beds left across Delhi," Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said during a press conference Sunday.

Indians have gathered en masse this month during the country's month-long Kumbh Mela festival, where hundreds of thousands of people take a dip in the River Ganges.

The massive crowds are causing concern as India struggles to contain a worrying second wave, with cases rising dramatically every day.

India has recorded a total of 15,061,919 cases of coronavirus and 178,769 deaths, according to the health ministry.

R54 Good God, I hope the volunteers are being well compensated.

Now that it's putting more young people in the hospital and grave, we're going to see some of these countries that had strangely low numbers compared to population start to skyrocket because their populations are so young. The Middle East, Africa, South America, and India are going to explode, even more than some of them already have.

😴This thread reads like a Text-Feast between my mom and her eighty year old friends.

Can your mom spell any better than you?

A disaster is taking place in India..Stay far away!

So, your mom's a frau DLer r59?

The Hill: The Georgia Aquarium announced that their Asian small-clawed otters have tested positive for COVID-19, the latest animals to contract the highly contagious virus.

The Atlanta facility said Sunday that the entire group of animals was exhibiting mild respiratory symptoms including sneezing, runny noses, mild lethargy and coughing.

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[quote] They include: Afghanistan, Argentina, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Central African Republic, Chad, Cuba, Curacao, French Guiana, French West Indies, Georgia, Haiti, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Kosovo, Libya, Mali, Montenegro, Mozambique, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos, Venezuela, Yemen.

Who the fuck wanted to go to the majority of those places, anyway?

R48, isn’t asthma at a much higher rate in poor neighborhoods? I thought it was toxic stuff in the environment, like maybe mold spores or other particulates.

I have bad allergies, and in 2019 I had the worst allergy attacks I’ve had for years. This year, I didn’t go out without a mask and I’m having no allergy problems. There’s a lot of stuff in the atmosphere that probably bothers people more than they realize, and this is the first opportunity to notice there’s something you can do about it.

Amsterdam, here I come!

CDC recommends seeking immediate care for symptoms following Johnson & Johnson vaccine

From CNN's Ryan Prior

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that people who experience certain new symptoms after receiving Johnson & Johnson's Covid-19 vaccine seek immediate medical treatment.

These include sudden, severe headache, backache, new neurological symptoms, severe abdominal pain, shortness of breath, leg swelling, tiny red spots on the skin, and new or easy bruising.

The CDC, along with the US Food and Drug Administration, recommended a pause last week in the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine due to a small number of reports of a rare severe type of blood clot occurring in those who had received the vaccine. Similar issues have not been reported following the administration of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

While Johnson & Johnson's vaccine is still authorized, the pause gives scientists time to review data and determine whether the vaccine is actually linked to the blood clots and, if so, whether recommendations on who should receive it should change.

For those who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine within the last three weeks, the risk of developing the rare blood clot would be very low to start with and would decrease over time, the CDC said.

The agency also recommends that any adverse reactions be reported through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.

Turks and Caicos is a level 4??? We’d actually been looking at going there in May in place of the, once again, pushed back Disney trip Thank goodness we decided to go all of two hours (drive time) away instead.

Ted Nugent has Covid, after calling it a hoax over the past yet.

Yes, and he even once asked why there weren't shutdowns for Covid 1-18.

R69 That jumped out at me, too. I'm decidedly NOT a beach or tropical person, but we had a very pleasant vacation there once, over ten years ago.

And until France gets its act together and stats vaccinating its citizens, I don't think I'll be taking Macron up on his offer to visit. Due to some regulations France passed early in the pandemic to help keep tourism business afloat, I'm not even eligible to get a refund on my Alsace tour until October of this year!

That is annoying Sylvia.

I suspect a lot of domestic places in the US that are down at heel like the Catskills are going to have their best summer in decades.

EU regulator finds possible link of rare blood clots to J&J vaccine but says benefits outweigh risks

The European medicines agency (EMA) has found a possible link between rare blood clots and Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine, but says the overall benefits of getting the shot outweigh the risks.

The agency’s safety committee on Tuesday said that after reviewing all current available information, the vaccine must include a warning over “unusual blood clots with low blood platelets” as “very rare side effects” for use in the EU.

Administration of J&J’s Janssen vaccine was stopped in the EU and paused in the US last week after reports of cases of a "rare and severe" type of blood clot.

“The cases reviewed were very similar to the cases that occurred with the COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca, Vaxzevria,” the EMA said in a statement.

The warning should make the possible side effects clear so people can recognize the symptoms and seek medical advice promptly, it added.

A vaccinated airport worker in New Zealand tests positive for Covid-19

From Angus Watson in Sydney

An airport worker in New Zealand tested positive for Covid-19 Tuesday, a day after the country opened a travel bubble with Australia.

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the border worker was fully vaccinated "early on" in the country's vaccine rollout.

The individual's job is to clean planes that have flown internationally from countries where Covid-19 is widespread, according to a media release from New Zealand's Ministry of Health. The worker was employed at Auckland Airport.

“This was border worker who did work in an environment where they were coming into contact with the planes that are used to transport people from Red Zones, from high-risk countries,” Ardern said.

The person has been placed in isolation, interviewed, and their contacts are being tracked, New Zealand Health said Tuesday.

Ardern said the case was not connected to the travel bubble with Australia, and the agreement was not impacted.

guess NZ gonna be in lock down soon!

Thanks, Greg Abbott: New Texas COVID-19 variant resistant to antibodies, researchers say.

Texas A&M University researchers have identified a new COVID-19 variant called BV-1, after Brazos Valley, where it originated.

The student with the confirmed case showed mild flu-like symptoms for nearly a month, suggesting this new variant may cause a longer than normal infection in young adults. Although only one mild case has been confirmed, researchers are worried that the variant shows resistance to antibodies.

“We do not at present know the full significance of this variant, but it has a combination of mutations similar to other internationally notifiable variants of concern,” GHRC Chief Virologist Ben Neuman said in a press release. “This variant combines genetic markers separately associated with rapid spread, severe disease and high resistance to neutralizing antibodies.”

I hope Abbott gets it and drops fucking dead after suffering many, many long and horrible symptoms. He can take all the other Repugs with him.

Sweden will give different second vaccine dose to people under 65 who had first dose of AstraZeneca

From CNN’s Chloé Adam

People under the age of 65 in Sweden who have received a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine will be given a different vaccine for their second dose, with a so-called mRNA vaccine such as Pfizer/Biontech or Moderna, the Swedish Health Agency announced on Tuesday.

“In view of the very rare but serious side effect reported after vaccination with Vaxzevria [the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine], the Swedish Public Health Agency considers that the vaccine cannot be generally recommended for persons under 65 years of age,” a Swedish Health Agency spokesperson said in a phone call to CNN, following a statement issued by the agency

The Swedish Public Health Agency said both it, and the European Medicines Agency (EMA,) considered AstraZeneca to be effective in preventing Covid-19 disease and reducing serious illness and death, and will continue to use it to vaccinate people over the age of 65 years old.

Sweden paused the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in March after reports of rare blood clots among people vaccinated with the shot.

A mix and match trial was expanded in the UK last week to examine whether different coronavirus vaccines can safely be used for two-dose regimens, with results expected by summer 2021.

Australia is planning to produce their own Pfizer vaccines but it won’t be ready for at least a year. It’s unclear when international students and tourists will be welcomed back.

[quote]Many Evangelicals say they won't be vaccinated against Covid-19

Good. Let The Lord decide he needs some more angels....

The Swedish health decisions so far seem a bit suspect. First, let everyone get it. Now, just throw random vaccines into people and see what happens.

You know how dumb blondes are, r81.

Highest-ever number of new Covid-19 cases reported globally last week, WHO says

From CNN’s Virginia Langmaid

The world added a record-setting 5,236,922 new Covid-19 cases over the past seven days, according to data published Tuesday from the World Health Organization.

This beats the previous record for new cases in a week of 5.04 million, set the week of Jan. 4, 2021.

Cases increased in all WHO regions except for Europe, which saw a 3% decline in cases. The largest increase in cases occurred in the South-East Asia region, where case counts increased 57% over the previous week.

WHO said an ongoing outbreak in India appeared to be driving the cases numbers in the South-East Asia region. New cases in India accounted for 94% of new cases in the region and nearly 28% of new cases worldwide.

Global deaths from Covid-19 crossed 3 million in the past week. According to WHO, it took nine months for the world to hit its first million Covid-19 deaths, and only three months to log its most recent million.

At home tests available now. Though the CDC says it's best if you're symptomatic:

"Compared with real-time RT-PCR testing, the BinaxNOW antigen test had a sensitivity of 64.2% for specimens from symptomatic persons and 35.8% for specimens from asymptomatic persons, with near 100% specificity in specimens from both groups."

CDC's report

[bold]Tyler Memorial Hospital employees to strike for next three days[/bold] (Pennsylvania)

TUNKHANNOCK TOWNSHIP, WYOMING COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU-TV) — Hospital workers are on strike in Wyoming County. Dozens of Tyler Memorial Hospital staff are picketing for the next three days.

Union workers were out since seven o’clock Wednesday morning, striking because of what they call unfair labor practices.

. . .

“We’re asking for obviously fair wages, health and safety language and such in our contract. But unfortunately with the way the hospital is bargaining we can’t even scratch the surface of these issues,” she said.

more at link

CNN: Most fully vaccinated residents of nursing homes were not infected, even after someone in the same facility tested positive for Covid-19, according to a CDC review of a Chicago-area study.

Among the nearly 8,000 nursing home residents and nearly 7,000 staff that have received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine since December, there were only 22 breakthrough infections among the fully vaccinated.

The 22 included 12 residents and 10 staff members who tested positive for Covid-19. Of those 14 were asymptomatic. Two residents were hospitalized and one of those residents died. The person who died had three underlying conditions.

And people on this site still don’t think vaccines stop infection and spread. I guess those people think Israel is being *really* selective about whom they’re testing for coronavirus?

[quote] Today Israel's test positivity of 0.3% is their lowest since the pandemic started.

An interesting way to deal with vaccine hesitancy.

Maybe in Texas they can do meth for Moderna.

Article attached this time

I was really surprised to see so many young people lined up for free joints. I assumed most of the vaccinated population of NYC skewed older. I’m 41 and still haven’t gotten my first shot! How did those assholes do it?!

Oh well, I’m getting it Friday afternoon, and I already have plenty of weed here at home.

[quote]I was really surprised to see so many young people lined up for free joints.

I'm not at all surprised that free joints would lure in young people.

Oh, I see, they have to get the shots first. I think they'd do even better if they handed out the weed immediately after the shot.

The US Vaccination story so far (as of 4/21/21)

134.4 million vaccinated

[quote] The number of people who have received at least one dose of the vaccine-

[quote] covering 50.3% of the eligible population, 16 and older

[quote] and 40.5% of the total population.

So many people still in denial. Yes there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel but this is so far from over. Some of my friends and family are planning big trips in the coming months just because they received the vaccine. Meanwhile, cases are exploding in some countries and a vaccinated worker in NZ has contracted the virus as mentioned above. True, things seem to be improving in places like the US but this is no time for giddiness. As long as the virus is present in significant numbers throughout the world, the threat remains for all us. Keep your guard up!

In India the situation is genuinely terrifying.

R95, just stop.

Q: Is it necessary to wear masks outside?

(trigger warning....)

A: Short answer, no.

Only about 1 in 1,000 Covid infections happen outdoors, and even those only happen where people are gathered for long periods of time with other people, like at a political rally. If you’re just out and about, or running, your risk is much lower still.

Mask wearing outside is just tribalism and virtue signaling.

4-minute story from NPR.

I don't care. I'll wear it until I feel like it's safe enough to take it off, and all these assholes trying to shame me for doing what works for me can fuck right off. They don't have to live in my body, and my wearing a mask doesn't harm them. And if I make them feel guilty for not doing it, well then that's just a bonus.

So you don’t want to listen to the science, is what you’re saying, R99.

So where am I?

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

[quote] So you don’t want to listen to the science, is what you’re saying, [R99].

Science is telling me that there are still good chances to get Covid if you don't wear a mask. That's the science I listen to. But you do what you want to.

If you don’t want to get vaccinated, I guess that’s what science is telling you, R103. Good luck out there!

Who said I wasn't vaccinated?

Here's an article about the mask debate from the New York Times. I am still mostly wearing a mask when outside and no where near anyone else. My wife thinks I am being completely ridiculous and honestly I agree with her and am trying to get over it.

I hear you ElderLez. I walk every morning at 6a.m. and still wear a mask. This morning I decided I would carry my mask and only put it on when I absolutely had to. Couldn't do it. Had to leave it on.

Then again, I am a totally introverted nut.

We're also struggling with this R106/R107. I think it will become much easier once spring and summer come back and wearing a mask becomes hot and uncomfortable. Currently I walk the dog with a mask on, slung under my chin, and when I pass people I pull it up. It's scientifically worthless, but I think I do it for the sociological value. I don't want people to think I'm an anti-masker.

And of course just sheer force of habit.

I don't and never have used a mask outdoors, but I still maneuver myself at least 10 feet away from anyone in my vicinity. I get strange looks as I veer off established nature trails into underbrush, but oh well. Of course, I can't do that much longer, ticks will soon be out and about.

I said it before. The mask takes off 10 years, the mask stays.

And people can't see me talking to myself behind the mask, the mask stays.

I will keep wearing masks until there is a sustained profound drop in cases and there's been a decent amount of time gone by with no announcements of new, deadlier/more contagious strains.

Germany will impose lockdowns on high-infection areas under new law

From CNN’s Nadine Schmidt in Berlin

Germany will impose lockdowns on areas with high coronavirus infection rates under new law approved by the upper house of parliament on Thursday.

The law is designed to end a patchwork approach by the country's 16 federal states, giving German Chancellor Angela Merkel's government more powers to fight a third wave of pandemic.

Germany's President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is set to sign the new legislation into law shortly.

The law — set to become effective next week or even sooner —enables Germany's government to impose curfews between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. local time, as well as limiting private gatherings, sports and shop openings, in all areas registering more than 100 cases per 100,000 residents in one week.

Schools will close and return to online lessons if the virus incidence exceeds 165 cases per 100,000 residents.

The proposal sparked protests from opposition parties in parliament and in the capital Berlin, where hundreds took to the streets.

The new law comes into effect as Germany reaches its highest number of new Covid-19 infections since January.

On Thursday, Germany recorded an increase of 29,518 new coronavirus cases within the last 24 hours, according to data from the country's agency for disease control and prevention, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). The reported death toll in Germany has risen by 295, bringing the death toll to 80,893.

The country is now reporting a total of 3,217,710 known Covid-19 cases and the seven-day incidence rate stood at 161.1 cases per 100,000 people.

As of Thursday, nearly 22% of Germans have now received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine — and nearly 7% received their second coronavirus vaccine shot, the latest data from the RKI shows. German Health Minister Jens Spahn on Thursday said that he expects to offer coronavirus shots to all adults from June.

EU declines option to buy 100 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses

From CNN's Pierre Bairin and Arnaud Siad

The European Union is declining an option to order an additional 100 million doses of coronavirus vaccine from AstraZeneca, a spokesman said Thursday.

The move follows months of public criticism of the drug maker by European officials.

The European Commission did not exercise the option to buy the doses and the deadline for it has now passed, Commission spokesperson for health Stefan de Keersmaecker said.

The Commission is focusing on getting delivery of the 300 million doses it initially ordered, he said.

"In the first quarter, 30 million doses were delivered, which is less than what was contractually expected. For the second quarter, the contract provided for 180 million doses. The company said it was able to deliver 70 million doses," he said.

European officials have been publicly furious that AstraZeneca has delivered fewer doses than the EU says it ordered, prompting the bloc to impose export restrictions on doses manufactured in the EU. The company has cited delays in production.

The news comes a day after Norway announced that it will send 16,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Iceland, according to a statement from the Icelandic Directorate of Health.

Pfizer and Moderna vaccines do not appear to pose serious risk during pregnancy, new study suggests

From CNN Health’s Jessica Firger

The Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines don’t appear to pose any serious risks during pregnancy, an early analysis of real-world data from the United States shows.

The analysis only looked at Pfizer and Moderna shots, which are both based on newer mRNA technology, so the findings are not relevant to vaccines such as those made by like AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson.

The new data, along with existing research showing mRNA vaccines are effective in pregnant and breastfeeding people, suggest that the benefits of the vaccines outweigh the risks.

The analysis, published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, looked at the data of more than 35,000 pregnant people who had reported their health status through CDC reporting systems, including a smartphone app, and followed up with a group of 3,958 pregnant participants who had received an mRNA vaccine.

It found that adverse outcomes, including pregnancy loss and preterm births, were not significantly higher in people who had been given a vaccine.

Moderna statement on its IP rights - just you wait until this pandemic is over Pfizer.

The health effects of Covid-19 not only can stretch for months but appear to increase the risk of death and chronic medical conditions, even in people who were never sick enough to be hospitalized, a large new study finds.

Between one and six months after becoming infected, these patients had a significantly greater risk of death — 60 percent higher — than people who had not been infected with the virus.

The study also found that nonhospitalized Covid survivors had a 20 percent greater chance of needing outpatient medical care over those six months than people who had not contracted the coronavirus.

Some of the patients’ post-Covid medical issues — like diabetes, kidney disease and some heart problems — could become chronic conditions that would require treatment for the rest of their lives.

[quote]Hello from South Dade Landfill, where $millions in brand-new medical ventilators were dumped & destroyed.... infuriating some who know the need for the most serious #covid19 patients.

[quote]It’s here On video (*salty language alert*). Also, threading what we’ve learned

Moderna working to have Covid-19 vaccine booster available by late summer or early fall, CEO says

From CNN's Naomi Thomas

Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said on Friday that the company is working to get a Covid-19 booster shot to address coronavirus variants authorized by late summer or early fall.

Bancel called coronavirus variants “my biggest worry,” and said Moderna is working on different strategies for its vaccine to address them, including a vaccine that would address the B.1.351 variant first identified in South Africa.

The preclinical data looks very encouraging, Bancel said, and the clinical data should come as early as May.

“We’re working very hard to potentially have late summer, early fall, that boost for the variants authorized to be able to be used in the marketplace for boosting people,” Bancel said during an International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations briefing. “Getting quick action of variants is going to be key.”

They are also looking at increasing capacity for next year, he added.

I wonder if we'll be able to mix n' match original shot brands with different brand boosters?

The CDC today presents data on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine clotting issue - 15 confirmed cases out of 7.98 million doses, all women.

How are you doing R42? Did you get your shot?

The U.S. death rate in 2020 was the highest above normal ever recorded in the country — even surpassing the calamity of the 1918 flu pandemic.

New MIT study says the risk of being exposed to Covid-19 indoors is as great at 60 feet as it is at 6 feet – even when wearing a mask.

“This emphasis on distancing has been really misplaced from the very beginning. The CDC or WHO have never really provided justification for it, they’ve just said this is what you must do and the only justification I’m aware of, is based on studies of coughs and sneezes, where they look at the largest particles that might sediment onto the floor and even then it’s very approximate, you can certainly have longer or shorter range, large droplets,” says MIT professor Martin Z. Bazant.

During the initial stages of the pandemic, we were warned that lockdowns would cause a sacrifice of young lives for older people, specifically:

"Lockdowns to save the elderly will cause increased deaths by suicide of younger people."

So, here's suicide data for last year 2020:

[quote] The number of suicides decreased by 5.6 percent from 2019 to 2020 in the United States, according to research.

[quote] Suicide Rates Decreased but Suicidal Ideation Increased: About 10 percent of people reported that they had seriously considered suicide in the past 30 days, which is about twice the rate of suicidal ideation in 2018.

More people thought about suicide in 2020 than 2019 and 2018, but less people actually did it.

(2020 DID show an increase in deaths related to heart disease, unintentional injury, diabetes, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease from 2019 to 2020. )

Disgusting Anti-Maskers Accost CHILDREN at School

Japan calls a State of Emergency, though still plans on opening Olympics in 3 months

PAYWALL THESE MOTHER FUCKERS, MURIEL!

I'll be curious to see the studies of those that received the vaccine and yet got Covid. Will they experience the long terms affects of those that didn't receive the vaccine? There is still so much unknown about Covid.

Yikes. Exploding oxygen cylinders.

WTF, DL?

To elaborate on R117, the study group was veterans treated by the VA. :

In the study, published Thursday in the journal Nature, researchers looked at medical records of more than 73,000 people across the United States whose coronavirus infections did not require hospitalization. Between one and six months after becoming infected, those patients had a significantly greater risk of death — 60 percent higher — than people who had not been infected with the virus.

The research, based on records of patients in the Department of Veterans Affairs health system, also found that nonhospitalized Covid survivors had a 20 percent greater chance of needing outpatient medical care over those six months than people who had not contracted the coronavirus.

The Covid survivors experienced a vast array of long-term medical problems that they had never had before — not just lung issues from the respiratory effects of the virus, but symptoms that could affect virtually any organ system or part of the body, from neurological to cardiovascular to gastrointestinal. They were also at greater risk of mental health problems, including anxiety and sleep disorders.

“We found it all,” said an author of the study, Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, chief of the research and development service at the VA St. Louis Health Care System.

“What was shocking about this when you put it all together was like ‘Oh my God,’ you see the scale,” he added. “It’s still jarring, honestly.”

What’s more, some of the patients’ post-Covid medical issues — like diabetes, kidney disease and some heart problems — could become chronic conditions that would require treatment for the rest of their lives.

“People have continued respiratory disease, continued headache, this, that and the next thing,” said Dr. Laurie Jacobs, chairwoman of internal medicine at Hackensack University Medical Center, who was not involved in the study. “It’s not gone away. And we don’t yet understand the underlying cause, and it’s become chronic in some cases, disabling in other cases. In some areas, people have gotten better, but it’s very variable.”

The study is believed to be the largest yet to evaluate such a comprehensive array of health conditions. The non-hospitalized Covid survivors in the study tested positive for the virus from March 1, 2020, through November.

Part 2:

Most of the nearly 32 million people who have contracted the coronavirus in the United States have not needed hospitalization, so in some ways the study may be applicable to a wide swath of the population. But the Veterans Health System patients in the study may not be representative in other ways, including that 88 percent of them were male and their median age was 61. Nearly 25 percent were Black, 70 percent were white and nearly 5 percent were other races.

Researchers compared their risk of death and other characteristics with data from nearly 5 million patients in the Veterans system who did not have Covid-19 and were not hospitalized during that time. That group had a median age of 67, was 90 percent male and had a somewhat larger proportion of white patients and a somewhat smaller proportion of Black patients.

Dr. Jacobs said her clinic was seeing the wide range of symptoms in the study. But she said the risk of death among the study’s patients was considerably higher than she would have expected. “I was really shocked by the number,” she said.

Between one and six months after experiencing a relatively mild or moderate infection, 1,672 of the 73,345 patients — about 2.3 percent — died, the study reported. It did not indicate what caused the deaths or anything specific about those patients’ conditions.

The researchers also could not say if people had underlying health conditions and whether their new symptoms were direct effects of their coronavirus infection, corollary effects of medications they were taking to treat some of the symptoms, stress from other pandemic-related problems or other influences. Experts said the study’s findings reflect a cascade of issues driven not just by the virus itself but by the medical system’s struggle to grapple with Covid-19 and its long-term effects.

We have hundreds of thousands of people with an unrecognized syndrome and we are trying to learn about the immune response and how the virus changes that response and how the immune response can include all the organ systems in the body,” said Dr. Eleftherios Mylonakis, chief of infectious diseases at Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School and Lifespan hospitals, who was not involved in the study. “The health system is not made to deal with something like this.”

In many cases, Dr. Mylonakis said, people experiencing new symptoms who were never acutely sick from the viral infection enter a confusing and balkanized medical world, where they seek help from primary care doctors and then are referred to various specialists who each try to figure out how to treat conditions that fall under their particular area of expertise. That helps explain why the study found that the Covid survivors had about one-and-a-half times more outpatient visits a month than patients in the general V.A. population.

“We’re dealing with silos,” Dr. Mylonakis said. “Every time that we have a transfer, something is lost. The patient loses and that may make their other long Covid symptoms worse.”

For example, “if I’m an endocrinologist, I’m going to look at the blood sugar, I’m not going to look at the 14 other systems,” he said. “But the problem with the blood sugar may be because this person has such weakness and fogginess that they cannot go to the supermarket and get healthy foods, so they’re going to order pizza.”

Dr. Mylonakis said the unified nature of the Veterans system may actually make it better at coordinating care and sharing patient information among specialists, so for patients outside that system, the frustration and confusion may add considerable stress that aggravates their symptoms.

Still, the complexity of long-term Covid is abundantly evident within the Veterans system too.

“I have patients that get out of bed for 10 minutes to prepare a salad and they can’t eat it because they’re totally exhausted, so tired by the time they put a small salad together,” said Dr. Al-Aly.

The research showed that Covid survivors were also more likely to be taking a spectrum of medications for their newly emerged health problems, including opioids, which Dr. Al-Aly said was concerning because it might portend another wave of opioid addiction problems in the future.

Dr. Al-Aly and his co-authors Yan Xie and Benjamin Bowe, both at Washington University in St. Louis, also analyzed records of 13,654 patients who had been hospitalized for their initial coronavirus infection. Unsurprisingly, they found that the sickest patients — those who needed intensive care — were at the greatest risk of long-term complications, followed by those who were hospitalized in regular wards, followed by patients who were never hospitalized.

Nonetheless, virtually every category of symptom — from chest pain to shortness of breath to diabetes to muscle weakness — were experienced by at least some of the people who were never hospitalized.

“I would interpret this as saying ‘It’s everywhere,’” Dr. Al-Aly said. “Even if you just stayed at home and then quote-unquote recovered in three or four days. And that’s very important because that segment really is the lion’s share of Covid patients. Most people, when they get Covid, they don’t get hospitalized.”

For people who were hospitalized, their experiences involved significantly greater risk of long-term health complications than people hospitalized for seasonal flu, the study found. They were more likely to develop or have persistent symptoms in a wide array of categories beyond the respiratory manifestations of Covid: neurological, cognitive, psychological, cardiovascular, metabolic gastrointestinal, anemia and blood clotting problems as well as fatigue and malaise.

Dr. Mylonakis and other experts noted that the understanding of the virus and the status of medical treatment are evolving quickly, and this progress is already translating into improvement for some patients. In addition, some people with long Covid have gotten better over time, either on their own or with the help of treatment.

Still, Dr. Al-Aly said: “What we will grapple with for years to come, maybe even for decades, is the effect of the pandemic on the long-term health of Americans.”

He added, “We got caught unprepared for Covid. Let’s not drop the ball on long Covid.”

-end

To summarize, according to a large study of mostly male patients over 60, including blacks in a larger percentage than in the general population, it sounds like Covid basically thrashes your immune system and every pre-existing condition you ever had becomes much more serious. Then you die of whatever else was already ailing you. This is only a year in.

60% more deaths in Covid patients that didn’t require hospitalization, after one year. And that’s the VA, so they have pretty good long term data on these patients.

People are missing the forest for the trees here. What’s it going to be like in five years? Are all the anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers going to be dead?

[quote] Are all the anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers going to be dead?

Wouldn't it be thrilling?

[quote] People are missing the forest for the trees here. What’s it going to be like in five years? Are all the anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers going to be dead?

Hopefully? Either way, we’re getting to herd immunity.

Roll the tape: What evangelicals are hearing from some pastors about Covid-19

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

'It could also change the way we manage the virus - exploring cheap or even free treatments targeted at the mouth and, ultimately, saving lives.'

'Simple measures, such as careful toothbrushing and interdental brushing to reduce plaque build-up, along with specific mouthwashes, or even saltwater rinsing to reduce gingival inflammation (gum inflammation), could help... mitigate the development of lung disease and reduce the risk of deterioration to severe Covid.'

The research team comprised of experts from Salisbury District Hospital, UK; the University of Birmingham, UK; and the Mouth-Body Research Institute, Los Angeles, California and Cape Town, South Africa.

Commenting on the research Professor Damien Walmsley, from the British Dental Association, said more evidence was needed.

'It is an interesting study but more research is needed to prove the link.

'The best way to maintain good oral hygiene is to brush teeth thoroughly twice daily with a flouride toothpaste, before going to bed and on one other occassion.'

There is already some evidence that gum disease can lead to a more severe Covid infection among patients admitted to hospital with the disease.

A College of Dental Medicine, Qatar, study followed 500 patients hospitalised by the disease, almost half of whom were suffering from gum disease.

They found those with mouth problems were nine times more likely to die from Covid, and five times more likely to be put on a ventilator.

But the scientists suggested patients' pre-existing condition may have triggered a more severe immune response, rather than their oral health. The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology.

Gum disease affects more than half of people in the UK, according to estimates, and 47 per cent of adults in the US.

It is triggered by damage to gums in the mouth, which may then lead to tooth and bone loss.

This can be triggered by a build-up of bacteria due to failures to brush the teeth regularly.

Scientists add this damage done to the gums can also open them up to infections from other organisms - like Covid - because they are inflamed and less able to withstand assaults from other organisms.

You will pry my Waterpik from somebody's cold dead hands.

Turkey announces strictest lockdown since the start of the pandemic

From CNN's Gul Tuysuz

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a country-wide full lockdown in a speech after a cabinet meeting in Ankara on Monday.

The lockdown will commence at 7 p.m. local time on April 29 and end at 5 a.m. local time on May 17, Erdogan said.

All intercity travel will be subject to prior permission and there will not be exemptions for hotel reservations, according to the Turkish president. Restaurants will only be allowed to do delivery service, Erdogan said. School exams will be suspended, he said.

The lockdown will be enforced strictly and details will be available through an interior ministry circular, Erdogan said.

This is the most comprehensive set of Covid-19 measures Turkey has announced since the beginning of the pandemic. The lockdown will run through the remainder of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Eid al Fitr holiday in May.

US will begin sharing AstraZeneca vaccine doses soon

From CNN's Kaitlan Collins

The US will begin sharing millions of doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine with other countries soon, an official confirms to CNN.

The US has tens of millions of AstraZeneca's vaccine stockpiled but none have been used because it has not yet been granted emergency use authorization by the US Food and Drug Administration. Because President Biden's officials now feel confident the US has enough doses for its population, they will begin to distribute it to other countries pending a safety review.

Multiple world leaders have pressed Biden on the issue of sending vaccines abroad as other countries have struggled to ramp up vaccinations.

The Associated Press was first to report.

Brazil records more Covid-19 deaths in first 4 months of 2021 than all of 2020

From CNN's Marcia Reverdosa

Brazil recorded more deaths from Covid-19 in the first four months of 2021 than all of 2020. The tipping point was reached Sunday (April 25), according to data from Brazil’s health ministry.

Between Jan. 1 and April 25 of 2021, Brazil recorded 195,848 coronavirus deaths, which exceeds the 194,949 deaths Brazil recorded from March through Dec. 31 of last year.

Additionally, April of this year is set to be the most lethal in Brazil since the start of the pandemic, with 69,282 confirmed deaths, surpassing the 66,573 in the whole of last month, which had been the deadliest to date.

The surge of new concerning variants in Brazil, the collapse of the health system, the absence of restrictive measures to curb the spread of the disease, the slow pace of vaccination, combined with the lack of coordination by Brazil’s health ministry, are among the multitude of reasons for the severity and worsening of the crisis in the country, according to multiple specialists on the ground, including Brazil’s Fiocruz biomedical research institute.

Brazil, as of Sunday, surpassed 14.3 million cases and registered 390,797 deaths, the health ministry announced.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

No one should be allowed in or out of India except emergency medical personnel.

"A College of Dental Medicine, Qatar, study followed 500 patients hospitalised by the disease, almost half of whom were suffering from gum disease. They found those with mouth problems were nine times more likely to die from Covid, and five times more likely to be put on a ventilator. "

Good oral hygeine is a must for maintaining overall health. Floss and use a water pik, regular cleanings. I do 3x year. One of the early signs that someone's health is declining is problems with gums and new skin issues. A friend was getting what he thought were age spots on his shin, almost like freckles. Turned out to be one of the warning signs of liver problems. Another friend was dealing with hepatitis C, on meds, this was before the current meds that can cure or force remission. He appeared to be doing better, then broke several teeth, lost teeth. I thought oh no, this is bad. He died two months later.

A single-pill cure for Covid-19 could be available this year.

The drug, called PF-07321332, is currently in a Phase One clinical trial with healthy adults.

A Pfizer press release says that the pill, a protease inhibitor, could be prescribed “at the first sign of infection” without requiring critical care or hospitalization.

A Miami private school has informed its employees that if they choose to get a vaccine, they will have to stay away from students.

One of the school's founders, millionaire anti-vaxxer Leila Centner, claims in the letter that “reports have surfaced recently of non-vaccinated people being negatively impacted by interacting with people who have been vaccinated.”

“Even among our own population, we have at least three women with menstrual cycles impacted after having spent time with a vaccinated person,” she wrote, repeating a false claim that vaccinated people can somehow pass the vaccine to others and thereby affect their reproductive systems.

WaPo talks some more about breakthrough infections among people who were already vaccinated.

[quote] In recent data, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that at least 5,800 people had fallen ill or tested positive for the coronavirus two weeks or more after they completed both doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine.

[quote] More than 95.9 million Americans are now fully vaccinated.

[quote] These “breakthrough” infections occurred among people of all ages. Just over 40 percent were in people 60 or older, and 65 percent occurred in women.

[quote] Twenty-nine percent of infected people reported no symptoms, but 7 percent were hospitalized and just over 1 percent, 74 people, died, according to the CDC.

[quote] (P)eople are usually shocked and befuddled when they become the rare breakthrough victim. After months of fear and taking precautions to avoid contracting covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, they felt safe once they got their shots.

5,800 breakthrough infections vs. 95,900,000 vaccinated

The Washington Post can fuck off with their bullshit fearmongering.

The US sitting on millions of vaccines we aren’t going to use is one of the most inhumane things we’ve done in the last decade. What on earth is the Biden admin thinking?

Vaccinated Americans will be able to travel to Europe this summer! Booking my trip to Paris to visit my folks!

Nice try, R154. Already announced that we're shipping tons of vaccines all over the place.

Hey R154 maybe you should read/view the news. We are sending vaccines to countries that don't have enough.

What took them so long to make that decision? By the time those logistics are worked out it’ll be June. India needed the doses a month ago.

Fuck off, R158. We practically were India a month ago.

I'm gonna still be wearing a mask while outside, I don't care what the CDC says!

You can still get it, esp the variants are more contagious!

Australia to vaccinate its Olympic athletes ahead of Tokyo Olympic Games

From CNN’s Sarah Faidell

Australian Olympic athletes and staff heading to Japan for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in July will be granted access to Covid-19 vaccines, Australia’s National Cabinet agreed Tuesday.

Approximately 2,050 Australians identified by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) and Paralympics Australia will be able to take the vaccinations, comprised of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and the AstraZeneca vaccine, for those over 50.

“We want to see our athletes head to Tokyo to compete and then return to Australia safely,” said Greg Hunt, Minister for Health and Aged Care.

Richard Colbeck, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services and Minister for Sport, said vulnerable Australians remain “an absolute priority” as vaccine rollout continues.

“This will be a very different Olympics and Paralympics, but our athletes deserve the opportunity to compete,” Colbeck said.

The vaccine rollout in Australia has been hit with delays, with around 1.78 million doses administered to a population of more than 25 million as of last week.

The AOC welcomed the decision, saying in a media release Tuesday that the move provides comfort for athletes and officials.

“There will be hundreds of very grateful athletes, coaches and their families relieved to know that their hard work over five years has been worth it. This added layer of assurance is what they were seeking,” AOC CEO Matt Carroll said.

The Opening Ceremony for the postponed Tokyo 2020 games is set for July 23, 2021.

Countries pledge oxygen and medical assistance to India as crisis deepens

From Manveena Suri in New Delhi, CNN’s Pierre Bairin in Paris, Niamh Kennedy in Dublin and CNN’s Gawon Bae in Seoul

A number of countries have pledged to send oxygen and other medical assistance to India as the country is battling the force of a devastating second coronavirus wave, with hospitals in the capital reporting severe oxygen shortages.

For the past two weeks, medical facilities there have been running out of oxygen and ICU beds, with patients left to die at home and outside hospitals while waiting for care.

On Tuesday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said Tuesday that Delhi government is importing 18 tankers of oxygen from Thailand, adding that they are expected to arrive on Wednesday.

“If these 18 tankers start arriving from tomorrow [Wednesday], the issue of transporting the oxygen will be resolved,” he said.

France has also pledged to help, saying that it would begin sending medical aid to India by the end of this week, according to a press release from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.

Eight medical oxygen production units, each of which will be able to make an Indian hospital autonomous in oxygen for ten years, will be part of the shipment. Liquefied oxygen containers and “specialized medical equipment,” -- in particular 28 respirators and their specific supplies -- will also be part of the shipments, the press release said.

“In response to the needs expressed by the country's authorities, this material is intended to respond to the emergency but also to significantly and sustainably strengthen the capacities of Indian hospitals to treat the sick and fight the pandemic,” the French foreign ministry said. "France and India have always stood in solidarity with each other in difficult times. This solidarity is at the heart of our strategic partnership and of the friendship between the French and Indian peoples,” it said."

Kejriwal said on Tuesday that Delhi is “importing 21 ready-to-use oxygen plants from France” which “can be brought in to be used immediately.” They will play a part in “in resolving the oxygen crisis in those hospitals,” he said.

Ireland became one of the first to confirm “concrete support” for India on Monday, according to Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney. The Irish health minister announced that Ireland would send 700 oxygen concentrators -- which were originally purchased by the Irish health service as part of their pandemic planning.

Meanwhile, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said it was looking to help its citizens in urgent need with medical oxygen concentrators on Tuesday, while also planning to send medical and Covid-19 supplies like testing kits to the country.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Choi Young-sam said in a briefing Tuesday that the Foreign Ministry were closely communicating with the embassy and consulates in India to secure the safety of South Korean citizens.

A total of 20,201 cases and 380 deaths were recorded in Delhi on Monday evening, according to a bulletin issued by the local health department.

The capital has reported more than 20,000 cases every day for the past ten days, with the total number of cases standing at 1,047,916, including 14,628 deaths.

South Dakota = Always had them California = 2030

R160, are you unable to get vaccinated? Or are you immunocompromised or otherwise high risk? I’ve heard some heavy-set people don’t take to the vaccine because the needle can’t reach the muscle if their arms are really fat.

Cases are trending downward in the U.S. I think we’re turning a corner. We’d have to be, because the vaccines work to prevent infection and spread.

Hopefully the formatting here works:

Inflection point, US (-18% 7 day ave):

Mon 4/26/21 47.4k vs. 4/19 70.5k, -32.8%.

4/25 33.7k vs. 4/18 41.6k, -19.0%.

4/24 50.6k vs. 4/17 53.5k, -5.4%.

4/23 63.8k vs. 4/16 78.4k or -13.0%.

4/22 66.4k vs. 4/15/ 73.8k or -10.0%.

4/21 62.9k vs. 4/14 75.8k or -17.0%.

Three new real-world UK studies highlight the effectiveness of one or two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech or AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccines in preventing both symptomatic and asymptomatic infections and related hospitalizations, with one study showing an effectiveness above 90% for only one dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

Where we stand with vaccines vs. variants:

I agree w/ R160. I'm fully vaccinated, and I am encouraged by the downturn in cases in the US. However, as we've seen before, it's very easy for these variants to make it to the US, and until ALL the variants have been on a sustained decline, I'm happy to continue to take precautions.

I'm going back to my office today for the first time since December (when Los Angeles was hit with that awful wave of new cases). The two people in the office with me have both been vaccinated, but have basically been running around unmasked ever since. So I will be double masked and in my own office alone.

Last week I did some remote work with a group of people in NYC. These are all people I know well and we follow each other on social media. They all worked steadily through the pandemic (which I'm not at all judging them for, just stating it) and one of them was off every weekend with his family getting together with other friends and family, wives, kids, etc. All unmasked. And this went on for the better part of a year. While he made no anti-mask comments and I know the staff in his office were masked, I was annoyed at his posts because I found them incredibly irresponsible. We were supposed to work together remotely throughout the year, but my business partner, who is in NYC, refused to do so because she didn't want to be anywhere near him, nor did she want to bring in any of our clients to their space. So we lost out on a decent bit of work in 2020, but I agreed with her.

So cut to last week, and our first session back, I come to find out that his entire staff had Covid at one point or another, all the while they were telling us everything was fine, not to be worried about working with them. I'm glad I listened to my partner.

I am the poster who posted about still going to wear a mask while outdoors. I'm in NYC and people can come close to you on the street, in parks etc.

I'm getting 2nd does next week but I'm taking Claritin D for my seasonal allergies currently. Do you think it's ok to take this while getting the 2nd dose?

*2nd dose.

Yes, it's okay to take Claritin.

Thank you R171!

I'm on a few different meds, including an allergy nasal spray, so I checked them all out. : )

COVID-19 survivors regain smell thanks to ‘magician’ perfumer

They had a nose for nothing this past year, but now some COVID-19 long-haulers can finally stop to smell the roses — thanks to a legendary perfumer who’s leading them on a $650 “fragrance journey.”

Perfumer Sue Phillips, who has created scents for Tiffany and Burberry, is helping virus survivors who’ve lost their sense of smell.

“A piece of my life was missing, and I’m elated that something dormant for more than a year is triggered. Now [my sense of smell] is on full blast,” said Tammy Farrell, 51, after her hourlong session at Phillips’ eponymous fragrance boutique on the Upper East Side.

Farrell lost her ability to smell when she came down with the coronavirus in March 2020. The Long Island mom of three kept waiting for her nose to kick into action but, despite sniffing garlic powder and walking past fragrant bakeries, she had no luck.

“I figured I’d suck it up for a few weeks, but then weeks turns into months and months,” said Farrell, a customer success manager. She eventually sought out neurologists and had brain scans and blood work done, but everything turned up normal. “I couldn’t smell anything, and no one knew why. You just can’t help but cry,” she said, adding, “I couldn’t smell my favorite candles or my husband’s cologne. I couldn’t enjoy eating — it just became fuel for my body, not pleasure.”

When her daughter alerted her to a gas odor in the basement and Farrell couldn’t smell it, she knew she needed help. “When you can’t smell gasoline leaks, it’s a huge problem,” said Farrell. “I didn’t have any more options.”

Phillips, who has owned her custom perfumery for 12 years, launched the scent therapy healing program earlier this year.

“When smell is out of reach, it affects many realms of life, including eating and taste. People get very depressed … It’s devastating,” said Phillips. “People say their life is not worth living. Smell is such a big part of life’s pleasures.”

According to a study by the American Academy of Neurology, some 51 percent of people who lost their sense of smell due to COVID had not regained it five or more months later.

Starting at $650, clients get one meeting with Phillips (she also offers a Zoom option, where she sends smell strips ahead of time) and a custom fragrance to take home.

She blends scents using ingredients such as lavender, musk, amber and vanilla, which are divided between top, mid and base notes. The client then smells individual scented strips to help arouse the dormant sense.

It sounds simplistic, but Phillips said she has helped 20 people regain at least some of their ability to smell since the new year.

Last Thursday, as she went through various notes with Farrell, the perfumer gave specific commands: “Smell with your brain — try to absorb the aromas with your brain … your brain is fogged up.”

Suddenly, Farrell began to cry. “It smells lovely,” she said of a balsamic vanilla-scented strip. “It smells very rich. I haven’t smelled anything this strong, ever. This is a dream.”

The night after her one session, Farrell said she detected the taste of pepper in her dinner, and she’s committed to doing her “homework,” which includes smelling their own perfume, flowers and fruit throughout the day with a meditation-like focus.

Days later, Farrell said she had smelled garlic, albeit faintly, for the first time in over a year, although she lamented she still can’t smell bacon or popcorn.

Even doctors working with COVID survivors are open to the therapy. “I think it’s interesting and exciting. There may be some opportunities with some stimulation with different scents,” said Dr. Yosef Krespi, an otolaryngologist at Lenox Hill Hospital who noted that two-thirds of the COVID survivors with longterm smell loss are women. “It’s like training or rehabilitation of . . . the nerves located at the roof of the nose. There’s an opportunity for ‘physical therapy’ [and] the re-learning of those scents.”

“I’m still in shock that it works,” said Phillips’ client Marissa Karen, a 27-year-old Google account manager from Soho. She lost her sense of smell after contracting COVID last March. “I went to a million different doctors, six or seven ENTs, a neurologist, and went on oral and nasal steroids to reduce inflammation. I left every doctor hysterically crying.” COVID survivor Marissa Karen now smell trains with lemons to trigger memories.

She met with Phillips last week and could smell again after one session. “It’s associating smells with memories,” said Karen, who does her training with lemons. “I associate it with going to a lemon farm I went to in Sorrento in southern Italy where I had a lemonade and limoncello tasting.”

Added Karen: “You don’t realize how important smell is until you don’t have it anymore. I can walk outside now and smell the spring flowers blooming.”

Mind over matter.

Money over everything.

My 86-year old Dad, whose in great health, has been given the green light by his doctor to get the vaccine! He gets his first shot today at 1 pm. He's getting the Moderna shot. He called me last night sounding like a 5 year old excited for his first day of kindergarten!

I'm the poster who talked about my Dad's recently-developed (in the last 5 years or so), a shellfish allergy. A couple of years ago, he had lobster. He got dizzy, hit his head on a glass-covered picture, cut his head pretty badly, and passed out. That's when the doctor told him no more shellfish and that's the reason his doctor was reluctant to allow him to get the shot(s) earlier. He'll be fully vaccinated by Father's Day and I'm looking forward to seeing him.

I get my second shot next Tuesday and my sister gets hers this coming Sunday.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said Tuesday rising COVID-19 hospitalizations threaten to overwhelm doctors, and she is moving 15 counties into the extreme risk category, which imposes restrictions that include banning indoor restaurant dining.

Some of the state’s biggest cities, including Portland, Salem, Bend and Eugene, are in the counties that will be in the most dire category, effective Friday.

I've managed to go three consecutive days walking my dog (mostly) without wearing a mask. What helped is that I've started wearing the mask on a lanyard around my neck so that I can put it on if I have to pass near a large clump of people. And even if I don't, it helps to have my "security blanket" close to hand during this transitional time.

Nearly one-third of my county has been fully vaccinated and after a nasty spring spike, we've had a decrease in the 7-day average case numbers for 13 straight days.

I took my mask off walking the dog this morning too! (Monday and Tuesday I went back to the office so my wife was back to primary dog parent) I’m in the most vaccinated county in New York State and our hospitalization and infection numbers are likewise dropping.

R179, that's disheartening. Are those areas less vaccinated or something? I ask because Illinois has about the same numbers vaccinated and I had hoped things would stay on a good track. It seems to me that last year the surge went from Michigan to Washington/Oregon/California and then to Illinois and the rest of the Midwest before heading South. I hope that's not repeating.

Thanks SylviaFowler! I just got this one.

R183, why is the neck strap so huge? That's weird.

You're welcome R183, though I could have just mailed one to you. Partner has a big tangled collection of lanyards from conferences he's attended.

Just got my second shot—woo-hoo!

Pfizer and Moderna vaccines reduce risk for Covid-19 hospitalization by 94% among older adults, study shows

From CNN's Jacqueline Howard

The Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines were found in the real world to be 94% effective against Covid-19 hospitalization among fully vaccinated adults ages 65 and older in the United States, according to a new US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study.

The study also found that the vaccines were 64% effective among those older adults who were partially vaccinated, meaning they had only received one dose of vaccine so far.

These findings are consistent with the vaccines' clinical trial results, which showed an efficacy of about 94% to 95%, researchers from the CDC and several other institutions noted.

"These data suggest that continuing to rapidly vaccinate U.S. adults against COVID-19 will likely have a marked impact on COVID-19 hospitalization and might lead to commensurate reductions in post-COVID conditions and deaths," the researchers wrote in their study.

Some more context: The study included data on 417 adults ages 65 and older with Covid-19-like symptoms who were admitted to 24 hospitals in 14 states between January 1 and March 26. Among those patients, 187 tested positive for the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 and 230 tested negative.

The researchers found that among those who tested positive, most were unvaccinated. Only 18 of the patients, or 10%, were partially vaccinated with a first dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines and just one person — representing 0.5% — was fully vaccinated.

Among the 230 adults who tested negative, 44 of them, or 19%, were partially vaccinated and 18, or 8%, were fully vaccinated, the data showed.

The new study included data from California, Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. More research is needed to determine whether similar findings would emerge across more states to represent the entire US population.

So with vaccination rates in my red state at around 30% and unlikely to go higher due to hesitancy .... and we reopen without masks and no social distancing.... will our case rates explode like in Oregon?

Maybe this will kill off some deplorables.

I went for a walk outside yesterday for the first time in probably 8 months. I've been outside several times since then, but never for more than 5 minutes or less at a time. I went back to the office yesterday for the first time since December, and my boss met me outside as I arrived and said- Let's go for a walk first! So we walked around the neighborhood for about 45 minutes. I still had my masks on for the whole walk, but he was walking unmasked (which was fine with me). It was sooo nice to get out in the sunshine again. It made me feel alive. Hoping to do it again next week, but the rest of the week in LA it's supposed to be in the 80s in the valley and I don't want to get all sweaty before starting work.

I had my second Pfizer shot yesterday at 1pm. My arm hurt like hell last night and I felt punky and achy. It's been 12 hours and I'm feeling better. If the worst is over, it wasn't bad at all.

Yay Cosmo’s Dad, R186 and R190.

Maybe there will be a miraculous protease inhibitor after all. (just sadly not Kaletra)

Alpacas are like big fluffy dogs that can also serve as lawn mowers, Happy to see that this research is moving forward also.

Wow, I'd forgotten all about the alpacas! Sorry, alpacas.

Everything old is new again it seems today.

I got my first Moderna shot this morning. It didn't really hurt. So far, so good.

I am going to take low dose aspirin every day to ward off any blood clots. The nurse who gave me the injection thought that it is a good idea. My PCP doesn't feel it's necessary but I don't want to take any risks.

My second shot is scheduled on my birthday. That's a bit of a drag.

^^ The pharmacy was sold out of baby aspirin, so other people must be doing the same thing.

Random stuff.......I believe blood clots only associated with the JJ vaccine. and mostly in women 20-60 and very, very rare. But if you do want to take a baby aspirin a day and they are out of stock just take a quarter of a regular aspirin.. All aspirins are the same (except Bayer whichcomes with a coating).........The breakthrough infections may come because once vaccinated people become so reckless they expose themselves to a massive viral load that would overcome any vaccine........ The one pill covid cure talked about is not really a cure because you have to contract the virus first before you take it. I hope it works but who wants to get covid to begin with?

Biden DROPS HAMMER on Troll Reporter Over Dumb Question

R198 I bought this low dose Bayer aspirin.

[quote]The one pill covid cure talked about is not really a cure because you have to contract the virus first before you take it.

Yes, that's how the rest of us define "cure."

If you don't/can't find aspirin, almonds, cherries oil of oregano, foods rich in fatty EFA oils (salmon), and vitamin E all thin out the blood as well.

I found out the hard way when I was consuming a bag of almonds for a week, and probably a pound of cherries, and got some botox. I bled like a stuck pig for about 5 minutes, something that has never happened before. I noticed that if I got small cuts, it took a long time for the blood to coagulate.

Not a bad plan from "That Woman from Michigan", seeing as she's committed to the vaccines. I didn't hear her speech, but I guess there is some variability between rural and suburban/urban areas.

More on the Michigan "MI Vacc To Normal" challenge. Though this article does not mention any rural variability, so I don't know if that was just someone talking out of their ass.

Joe Rogan's Dangerous Anti-Vaccine Statements

Coronavirus patients are at increased risk of experiencing a stroke compared with those of similar age who have not contracted the illness. In many cases, the patients did not present typical symptoms of COVID-19, and were not known to have any pre-existing risk factor.

The data also showed that coronavirus patients under 55 were more likely to suffer from strokes related to large vessel occlusion – which tends to lead to poorer outcomes – as opposed to small vessel occlusion, while the opposite is true in the non-corona affected population.

The findings showed that the strokes were likely caused or influenced by the virus.

Isn't that rather old news?

Yes, but I'll be happy to share the article with the people I know who contend Covid strokes only happen to those who are already high risk.

From the article: “Many patients, especially the younger ones, did not present any traditional risk factor for strokes, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart problems and so on. Basically, individuals younger than 55 had no risk factors other than COVID.”

Sorry, R208, that wasn't meant as a criticism to you, just wondering why it's being presented in that article as new news.

EU's Covid-19 certificates must facilitate free movement without discrimination, parliament says

From Sharon Braithwaite and Lindsay Isaac in London

The European Union’s much awaited “Covid-19 certificate” must "facilitate free movement without discrimination."

The EU made the announcement in a press release published Thursday by the European Parliament. ""The document, which may be in digital or paper format, will attest that a person has been vaccinated against coronavirus or, alternatively, that they have a recent negative test result or have recovered from the infection. However, EU Covid-19 certificates will neither serve as a travel document nor become a precondition to exercise the right to free movement," EU lawmakers said in the press release"

The certificates were initially slated to be called “Digital Green Certificates” and recommended for use only by EU citizens traveling within the EU.

The EU has already launched discussions with the United States regarding the possibility of granting certificates to vaccinated US citizens according to EU spokesperson Adalbert Jahnz.

Under the legislative proposal approved Thursday, holders of an EU Covid-19 certificate “should not be subject to additional travel restrictions, such as quarantine, self-isolation or testing."

The proposal only applies to EU nationals who may use the certificates “for 12 months and not longer.”

Members of the European Parliament added that in order to avoid discrimination against those not vaccinated and for economic reasons, EU countries should “ensure universal, accessible, timely and free of charge testing."

The EU Parliament and the EU Council will now begin negotiations, with the aim to reach an agreement ahead of the summer tourist season.

Turkey prepares for a national lockdown, beginning Thursday evening

From CNN's Gul Tuysuz in Ayvalik

Turkey is bracing itself for its first national coronavirus lockdown as infection rates continue to climb in the country, now the highest in Europe.

The lockdown will begin on Thursday at 7 p.m. local time and will last through the remainder of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and over the Eid al Fitr holiday. It is scheduled to end at 5 a.m. local time on May 17, according to a statement from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

On Thursday, streets across the country's main cities were packed with people preparing for the restrictions, with traffic accidents and queues of traffic reported across the country's main Anatolian Highway.

In the seaside town of Ayvalik on Thursday, the streets were thronged with shoppers stocking up on essentials before the three-week lockdown kicks into effect.

Hakan Keskin, a vegetable seller at the farmers' market in Ayavilik told CNN that "there are more people at the market today and they are buying more of everything." He added Thursday was the "last chance" for vendors such as himself to sell before the "3 hard weeks ahead."

"It's going to be difficult, our vegetables are going to get old and we won't be making any money," he said. "It's going to be hard days ahead for us.""

Leyla Ilmen, who was shopping at the farmers' market, told CNN that there were "more people than usual" and that "everything is more expensive."

Turkey initially responded to a surge in Covid-19 infections back in early April -- when the country recorded its highest daily cases and deaths with more than 60,000 daily new cases -- by tightening some Covid-19 restrictions. But on Monday, the government took that step further by announcing the national lockdown.

On Wednesday, Turkey recorded 40.444 new Covid-19 cases and 341 deaths, according to the Turkish Health Ministry Covid-19 online dashboard.

The lockdown comes as the country faces expected delays in its vaccine rollout, according to Health Minister Fahrettin Koca.

To counter any delays in the campaign over the next two months, Koca said that the government had consequently decided to space out the two doses for the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine.

The doses will be now be administered 6 to 8 weeks apart instead of the current interval of 28 days, the health minister said.

Koca added that there is also concern around the import of one of the variants first identified in India, known as B1.617.

"We identified 5 cases of the Indian variant in Istanbul. Those cases have been isolated and are under observation" Koca said.

Meanwhile, the highly transmissive UK variant, known as B.1.1.7, continues to be the most prevalent in Turkey, he said.

Turkey isn’t a European country, as much as it wants to be.

Been to Turkey half a dozen times and love that country, but their culture is all about sitting outside socialising with their friends. Many houses don't have aircon and it's the only way to escape the stifling temps, which can reach 110f in the summer. They are going to suffer if they have to stay inside their cramped houses all day and evening.

[quote] COVID-19 vaccines may not offer complete protection for people with compromised immune systems

[quote] Although clinical trials found vaccines were highly effective in preventing symptomatic or severe COVID-19 infections, these trials largely excluded people who were immunocompromised.

[quote] That means these estimates may not apply to people with weakened immune systems, such as people with cancer or HIV.

[quote] It can also include people who are taking medications that weaken the immune system to manage medical conditions, like those with autoimmune conditions or who have had transplants. Approximately 3% of the U.S. population is immunocompromised, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health Interview Survey.

100 million people in the US are fully vaccinated, White House will announce

From CNN's Kaitlan Collins

The White House will announce a new milestone soon: 100 million adults in the US are now fully vaccinated, according to a White House official.

President Biden's coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients will announce during a briefing with reporters shortly that the US is expected to hit 100 million at some point today.

The news comes as CNN reported that Biden's coronavirus advisers are moving into the next phase of their response, from ramping up availability to reaching those who have not yet gotten their shot.

White House officials have three overarching goals for the next 100 days:

Increasing accessibility

Combating misinformation

Assisting those without the resources to get vaccinated

Turkey grants emergency use authorization for Russia's Sputnik V vaccine

From CNN's Gul Tuysuz

Turkey granted emergency use authorization for Russia's Sputnik V vaccine on Friday, according to Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca.

"Turkey's Medicines and Medical Devices Agency approved the emergency use of the Sputnik V vaccine after examination and evaluation," Koca wrote on his Twitter account. "With this, the Sputnik V vaccine becomes the third vaccine available for use in our country," he said.

On Wednesday, Koca said he expects difficulty in vaccine procurement over the next two months.

Turkey has administered 22,808,726 million doses of coronavirus vaccines, according to the Health Ministry Covid-19 vaccine dashboard on Friday. So far, 13,708, 098 people have received both doses, according to the ministry.

Turkey has so far relied primarily on China’s Biotech Sinovac with smaller batches of Pfizer/BioNTech for its vaccine campaign.

Turkey went into lockdown on Thursday for the remainder of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the following Eid al Fitr holiday.

UK rave experiment without masks or social distancing will test how events may be able to reopen

From CNN's Chloe Adams

British music fans will gather by the thousands on Friday at a live music event without face masks or social distancing, as part of the government’s Events Research Program (ERP).

The event will provide scientific data to help officials determine how nightclubs and events might return to the UK this summer, according to a government notice

The "First Dance" event will be hosted in a specially converted warehouse near the docks in the northern English city of Liverpool and will feature live music acts including Fatboy Slim and Jayda G, according to the city council.

Those living in the area can apply for tickets online and would need a negative result to enter the event. Partiers are advised to take another test five days after the event.

Normal coronavirus restrictions, like social distancing, will apply to attendees until they enter the event. While England has eased some restrictions – including allowing outdoor dining from April 12 – large indoor events are still banned.

Yousef Zahar – a DJ and founder of the nightclub hosting the event – said he couldn’t wait to see the dance floor erupt for the first time after nightclubs were closed fourteen months ago.

Speaking on BBC radio Friday morning, Zahar said the event was going to be “monumental” and the response on social media had been encouraging.

“The overwhelming reaction is disbelief, people are really excited that they can come and have a dance,” Zahar said.

The city’s Director of Culture, Claire McColgan, said, “This hasn’t been an easy process, and it’s particularly hard as the night time sector hasn’t been open for over a year,” according to a statement from Liverpool council.

The experiment will see revelers enjoy an outdoor music event at Sefton Park in Liverpool on Sunday, with The BRIT Awards, London also welcoming a live audience to its annual UK music industry awards show on May11.

People will likely need a booster shot about 9 to 12 months after their second dose of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, says company president

From CNN Health’s Lauren Mascarenhas

People will likely need a booster about 9 to 12 months after their second dose of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, company president Stephen Hoge said Thursday.

“I think somewhere between 9 and 12 months after your vaccination series is when people will probably need a booster vaccine -- only while the pandemic is raging,” Hoge said during an event hosted on the social media platform Clubhouse. "That’s because we need to keep people as protected as possible, while there's this really high risk of infection.”

Hoge said that he hopes the boosters will not be necessary once the coronavirus pandemic is over.

“My sense is that we all fear a winter epidemic, with respiratory viruses like influenza at the same time,” he said. “Giving a boost going into the fall is going to be the right thing. We’ve beaten back the pandemic. We need to stay ahead of it.”

Hoge noted the decision to recommend booster doses of Covid-19 vaccines will be up to public health officials, including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Co-administration with an influenza vaccine would be the ideal way to do it,” Hoge said. “One of the things we're going to look hard at over the summer this year, is how do we create data so that the CDC can provide that recommendation to healthcare systems so that it can be done as a single visit.”

R217 I read that Spain has done a concert experiment with 5,00 masked people in an arena and no one got COVID. Which has very little to do with real life because you'd never find 5,000 people in a real concert scenario who'd go the entire length of the concert without removing their masks. How could they swill terrible overpriced beer? And drunkenly make out?

I don't really trust spain's experiment, they probably dying to get people back in the soccer stadiums.

Los Angeles has seen their first vaccinations drop by about 50% and it's concerning. I think this is probably happening in many cities, but I read an article in the LA Times today that they're practically begging people to get vaccinated here.

That is why I'm not taking my mask off yet.

Oops!

I was able to get my Excelsior Pass here in NY via my recent negative Covid test but I can’t seem to find a link to get my Vaccination Passport. Is it not yet in operation?

CDC says dozens of adverse reactions attributed to the J&J vaccine were instead caused by anxiety.

Let that be a lesson, r224. If you get the J&J...pop some Nervine!

Vaccines created false sense of security worldwide, WHO chief scientist says

From CNN’s Keri Enriquez

The safety and availability of Covid-19 vaccines created a false sense of security worldwide that the pandemic was ending, according to World Health Organization’s Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan.

“I think vaccines did create a false sense of security, to the extent that people around the world, even in countries that were not significantly vaccinating, thought that now the end of the pandemic had come because just because we had developed a number of vaccines and that they were proven to be safe and effective,” Swaminathan said in a panel discussion hosted by Physicians for Human Rights Friday.

Swaminathan said "vaccine euphoria," or the collective relief that Covid-19 vaccines were effective and rolling out, has led countries with small vaccinated populations to reopen and loosen restrictions.

“You relax your restrictions without having that herd immunity in the population, cases go up, deaths go up. So I think it's going to take us a while to vaccinate 70, 80% of the world's population. Until then, unfortunately, all of us will have to continue to be careful,” she said.

US travelers will be required to wear a mask until September

From CNN's Pete Muntean

The Transportation Security Administration is extending the Biden-era transportation mask mandate.

The rule requiring masks on all travelers in airports, airplanes, terminals, trains, buses and boats was set to expire May 11. The mandate now lasts until Sept. 13.

The TSA says it has received reports of 2,000 people who violated the rule, which took hold Feb. 2.

Republican Asks Doctor: Does COVID Vaccine Have Tracking Device?

My friend was spazzing out so much about blood clots prior to her vaccine that she took half of a 2mg Xanax bar for the first time in years an hour before she had the injection. She now goes round telling everyone the vaccination made her 'really tired and I slept for four hours straight afterwards'. NO bitch, that was the Xanax.

^^^Ha^^^

[quote]US travelers will be required to wear a mask until September

Say what? I will STILL be wearing a mask on those disgusting airplanes with recycled air LONG past September. Even before COVID I always used to get sick with a cold or flu often after flying.

Me too, R231. I am never flying without a mask again.

Yesterday's data on breakthrough infections out of the CDC: 87,000,000+ fully vaccinated

5079 symptomatic infections (0.005%)

331 COVID-related hospitalizations (0.0003%)

77 COVID-related deaths (0.00009%)

I do know two fully vaccinated people who are sick with covid right now ... a married couple in their 40s, he says it feels like he has the world's worst sinus infection, she feels like a 200-lb. man is sitting on her chest. They've been assiduously careful through this whole thing but went to an indoor restaurant 2-1/2 weeks after their last shot.

Shit, r233.

Australia threatens jail time for anyone arriving from India

From CNN’s Angus Watson in Sydney, Australia

Australia has threatened to jail anyone entering the country from India -- including its own citizens.

Anyone who has been in India over the past 14 days will be shut out of Australia as of Monday, according to a Health Ministry statement released Saturday.

If they enter, they face a possible penalty of up to five years in prison under Australia’s Bio Security Act.

“The risk assessment that informed the decision was based on the proportion of overseas travellers in quarantine in Australia who have acquired a Covid-19 infection in India,” the statement reads.

There are about 9,000 Australian citizens in India registered as wanting to return to Australia, according to the federal government.

Only Australian citizens, permanent residents and those travelling from New Zealand can enter Australia, with few exceptions.

All arrivals into the country must spend 14 days in state-managed quarantine.

Singapore closes border to South Asian countries in response to increasing Covid case

From CNN’s Jake Kwon in Seoul

Singapore will deny entry to visitors from Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the country’s Health Ministry said in a press release on Friday.

From Sunday, long-term visa holders and short-term visitors who have traveled to or transited through those countries in the last 14 days will not be allowed entry or transit through Singapore, the Ministry said.

Starting Monday, travelers from Thailand will no longer be able to opt out of 14-day quarantine in government-designated hotels.

“We will further tighten our border measures given the sustained increase in cases reported in the regions,” the Ministry said.

Singapore banned entry from India last week following the surge of cases in India.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

I don't understand why China's leadership wouldn't want to put all their country's efforts into building their reputation on the world stage instead of covering everything up and hiding data and making the world distrust them more and more.

this is why China has to steal everything and spy on everyone. They are useless.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Religion and sports (as if those are two different things anymore) are going to be the end of us.

Looks like some are now getting their 2nd shot very quickly.

My exact thoughts R240, except I’d clarify that I meant the mainland CCP led Chinese government. I’ve got nothing but love for Taiwan.

The CCP can steal and bribe and threaten and blackmail all they want, but the same lack of research (and general) ethics that allows that type of behavior also gives rise to fabrication and falsification which leads to crap science and shoddy research products.

The longest UK covid patient is Derek Draper, wife of TV presenter Kate Garraway. He was in intenisive care since March 2020 but came home a couple of weeks ago, still bed bound and needing specialist care 24/7.

Better to have just died, R245.

Those fucking Ajax fans in Amsterdam might help to get the Eurovision Song Contest (the final is in Rotterdam on May 22nd) cancelled again. The Netherlands is still struggling with cases. In one nursing home several residents have gotten Covid weeks after being vaccinated.

WTF is going on in Canada? Two of my elderly relatives living outside Toronto are on a waiting list! They have pre -existing conditions. They say they may get an appointment in fucking June! My 65 year old brother who lives in Alberta just came down with COVID and has pneumonia. Get on the ball Jussy. Who would have thought 6 months ago the USA would exceed Canada in vaccinations?

They seem to be doing the long space between shots thing even if you do get vaccinated too.

Sorry to hear about your brother R248.

[quote] WTF is going on in Canada? Two of my elderly relatives living outside Toronto are on a waiting list!

Sorry but that’s on them at this point, vaccines in Ontario have been available for ages 60+ for nearly 2 months now. Same thing in Alberta.

Canada has no ability to physically produce their own vaccines. It's a cautionary tale that America should listen to about shipping their manufacturing base overseas. Cheaper in the short term isn't always better in the long run.

if you have minor side effects like fever and body aches from the vaccine, is tylenol the only thing you can take?

Yes what is happening in Canada? Two of my relatives in Alberta in the 40-50 age group have just caught Covid.

R253, it's probably the variants, they are more infectious.

Speak to your doctor R252.

You are allowed to take ibuprofen or aspirin as well. Some (not me) people worry that taking an anti-inflammatory will interfere with the response to the vaccine so they only take Tylenol.

Here’s the CDC page.

There is widespread consensus among scientists and public health experts that the herd immunity threshold is not attainable — at least not in the foreseeable future, and perhaps not ever.

Instead, they are coming to the conclusion that rather than making a long-promised exit, the virus will most likely become a manageable threat that will continue to circulate in the U.S. for years to come, still causing hospitalizations and deaths but in much smaller numbers.

How much smaller is uncertain and depends in part on how much of the nation, and the world, becomes vaccinated and how the coronavirus evolves. It is already clear, however, that the virus is changing too quickly, new variants are spreading too easily and vaccination is proceeding too slowly for herd immunity to be within reach anytime soon.

[quote] Canada has no ability to physically produce their own vaccines. It's a cautionary tale that America should listen to about shipping their manufacturing base overseas. Cheaper in the short term isn't always better in the long run.

Canada has plenty of vaccine manufacturing, but it’s mainly for influenza and other less serious conditions.

If you can buy codeine at your local pharmacist, you can take that for chills. Solpadeine Max in the UK.

R202, turmeric is a blood thinner. They add it to chicken soup to make the broth yellow. If you’re going to have the vaccine, just add turmeric to some chicken soup or broth a few days in advance, it will look and taste about the same as you’re used to, just a little bit more golden yellow. Or add it to orange juice. Don’t overdo it too much. It’s good for arthritis too. Or they have turmeric pills. I can’t take them because they upset my stomach, they’re very concentrated.

About stopping all precautions after the second vaccine, the vaccine is only about 95% effective. That means millions of people can still get Covid anyway. Five percent doesn’t seem like much, but what if you’re in the 5%?

I had surgery recently. There was a side effect that was so rare, my doctor barely mentioned it in the fine print of the disclosure. Lucky me, I had that side effect. It’s six months later and I still have some lingering side effects. Normally I’m pretty healthy, it was just a fluke.

So the five percent can be you, it’s not impossible.

"Important nuances lead us to a very different conclusion: There are few to no legal barriers to employers or schools requiring vaccines being distributed under EUAs."

The reason the blood clots are an issue is because they are occurring in combination with low platelets (thrombocytopenia) and blood thinners are contraindicated for that.

[quote]Five percent doesn’t seem like much, but what if you’re in the 5%?

You're very likely to only have minor symptoms in that case, if any at all.

[quote]New numbers suggest only a small percentage of Canadians who have received that first dose have gone on to develop the virus. The number sits at only 1.3 per cent. An even smaller share of that total have gotten seriously ill or died

I recently went back to work and am in production and have told my entire crew and anyone planning on working with us- No vaccine, no job. Two people will not be returning and that is A-OK with me. I think there should be even tighter restrictions. I know it's a slippery slope, but I am increasingly frustrated at the growing number of people I've become aware of who refuse to get vaccinated. People's selfishness and stupidity this past year are what contributed mightily to the virus running rampant (that and Shitler's refusal to do anything). They had their freedom, now it's time to pay the piper. No vax, no work. No vax, no unemployment insurance. No vax, no welfare. Enough is enough.

Not really, R257. And, of course, it was profit-mongering conservatives who caused the problem.

[quote]About stopping all precautions after the second vaccine, the vaccine is only about 95% effective. That means millions of people can still get Covid anyway. Five percent doesn’t seem like much, but what if you’re in the 5%?

That's not what 95% efficacy means. It means you are 95% less likely to get infected than unvaccinated people. Unvaccinated people are not 100% likely to get infected. The protection levels that the vaccines have shown in the real world are almost 100%. Astronomically successful beyond all hopes.

I am not “stopping all precautions” at the moment since we have a ways to go, but being vaccinated surrounded by a majority vaccinated population brings the risk level down to seasonal flu or less levels.

R263, are you in the show business?

My boyhood cub/boy scout leader just died from Covid breakthrough infection, 8 weeks after his 2nd dose of Pfizer. He was an NPR liberal, and followed the rules. Very sad.

I am 1 hour into my 2nd Moderna, and I've chills, but I am glad it is done. I will be wearing a mask, still.

Just recommending this book which is 99p on Amazon Kindle. It's written by a doctor who worked in London hospitals on covid wards throughout 2020.

I just had a plumber in my apartment to fix my bathroom sink, which has been clogged for months. I've been using my kitchen sink to brush my teeth and shave.

He was masked and gloved, and I asked him to take his shoes off. He put booties on instead, which I was fine with until he left to get some parts and came back in the same booties (plus he wheeled his filthy cart in to my place. After he left, I got on the floor and scrubbed the entire pathway from the front door into the back bathroom with bleach and paper towels, and then bleached my whole bathroom.

Why? Because of stories like the one at R268

Vaccines are very, very nice, but future treatments that ward off death are everything. Maybe this year.

Yes, that was me, sans the cold cream. But only because I was wearing a mask.

One thing that happened to me after my first vax (Pfizer), my scalp eczema came back (it was really bad during my pre-pubescent years to my early 20's), and a got a herpes (from the 2nd guy I had sex with) breakout. Then after my 2nd vax, the eczema got worse and I got a 2nd herpes breakout. So I guess my immune system was overloaded and rebelled.

R274, I got a BAD herpes breakout after my first Pfizer shot. And I only get breakouts a few times a year. It obviously affected us neurologically.

P.S. R274, I’m pretty sure I got herpes from the second guy I slept with (back in 1979). Was your guy named Eddie, too? Heh heh. I actually credit herpes with making me curb my sexual behavior dramatically and maybe belping me avoid contracting HIV. Still testing negative to this day and I’m 60 years old.

Anyway, those herpes breakouts we endured following our shots was clearly connected to our immune/nervous systems duking it out.

[quote]After he left, I got on the floor and scrubbed the entire pathway from the front door into the back bathroom with bleach and paper towels, and then bleached my whole bathroom. Why? Because of stories like the one at [R268]

I guarantee R268's scoutmaster did not get his breakthrough Covid infection from the floor.

I doubt it, too, R277. His wife wrote articles and books on etiquette and homemaking.

Thanks to the poster who calmed me down about the 2nd shot. I had terrible side effects with the first (Moderna), but I don't feel nearly as bad as I did. I walked a lot last evening, and stayed hydrated, alternating tylenol and ibuprofen.

Got my second shot of the Pfizer vaccine this morning at 8:30 am. No side effects so far and I’m almost 59 years old. When I left the house this morning, I felt like a kid on Christmas morning!

I wonder if having anxiety about the vaccine exacerbates side effects for some people. My partner, my mother and I all were really happy to get our shots and none of us had anything but super mild, barely noticeable side effects. We all got Pfizer, fwiw.

[quote]I wonder if having anxiety about the vaccine exacerbates side effects for some people.

It absolutely does. For some, the side effects are caused entirely by anxiety.

Thank you for that laugh R277!!

COVID-19 antibodies still detectable at 12 months

Some COVID-19 survivors infected early in the pandemic still have detectable antibodies against the virus a year later, according to a new study. In the small subset of those followed for a full year, 8-of-8 people who had been hospitalized still had antibodies, as did 9-of-11 former outpatients.

Researchers said vaccination of COVID-19 survivors "would be prudent" because vaccine-induced protection against the virus will likely be more long-lived than antibodies induced by mild COVID-19.

US will send 60 million AstraZeneca stockpile doses to other nations by July 4, Biden says

From CNN's Jasmine Wright and Kaitlan Collins

President Biden said Tuesday that the United States will send 60 million doses from its AstraZeneca vaccine stockpile to other nations by July 4.

“We are going to be, by the Fourth of July, have sent about 10% of what we have to other nations including some of the ones you mentioned,” Biden said during remarks at the White House on Tuesday.

An administration official confirms that the 10% number is the 60 million doses the administration already committed to sharing with other countries should the US Food and Drug Administration issue an emergency use authorization for that vaccine.

“We expect that there are approximately 10 million doses that could be released, if and when FDA gets gives its concurrence, which could happen in the coming weeks. Further there's an estimated additional 50 million doses that are in various stages of production and these could be completed in stages across May and June,” a senior administration official said in late April.

Biden added that he spoke with another head of state just today on the issue, but he wasn’t prepared to announce who.

“With regard to the AstraZeneca vaccine which we had, we have sent that vaccine to Canada and to Mexico. And there are other countries that we're talking to now, as a matter of fact, I talked to a head of state today,” he said

Tuesday, President Biden also said he is sending India’s Prime Minister Modi “what he needs most,” which is the material and the parts to make vaccines work on their own.

My mother in law has had both doses of her Astra Z vaccine but she was also enrolled in a programme to check how many antibodies people had six weeks after the final dose, and she was told she had none! Not a nice thing to hear when you're 74.

Yikes, R285. If that’s the case, can she get another vaccine, preferably from another manufacturer?

They're checking again after three months and then if still none she will be offered a different one, but they're all fairly similar in the way they react with the body.

R287, did she have any reactions to the shots? I know that reaction doesn't directly correlate to amount of antibodies produced but if she produced none at all I would think she wouldn't have had any reaction either. If she did have a reaction, where did her antibodies go? Maybe the antibody test was wrong. Did they do another to verify right away? Does she have any immune system issues? My mom is in her 70s and I don't want her walking around with no antibodies!

Maybe this will make you feel better about the negative antibody test...

[quote]The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discourages antibody testing for assessing immunity after getting the vaccine. A vaccinated person is very likely to get a negative result from a serology test, even if the vaccine was successful and protective. That’s because different serology tests detect antibodies to different parts of the virus.

The rest explaining this more is at the link. Hope that's the case here.

The antibody test for prior natural infection for sure won’t register for vaccinations, but if it is a trial of vaccinated people specifically hopefully they are using a custom antibody test. What’s the clinical trials.gov number R287?

Antibodies always fade though. As long as your B and T memory cells remember that’s what is important.

Tucker Goes Full Vaccine Conspiracy Theorist in Dangerous, Delusion Rant

CVS now offering walk-in Covid-19 vaccination appointments at more than 8,300 locations

From CNN’s Virginia Langmaid

CVS said Wednesday it is now offering walk-in Covid-19 vaccinations at over 8,300 pharmacy locations in the United States.

In an email to CNN, the company confirmed that it will be administering Covid-19 vaccinations without requiring an appointment, and that same-day scheduling is also available through its vaccine appointment system.

According to CVS, the company has a second-dose compliance rate of 90% at its vaccination locations, and has administered over 17 million doses through federal and industry partnerships.

Broadway shows will reopen in September at 100% capacity, New York governor says

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo just announced that Broadway shows will be "ready to open September 14 at 100% capacity."

Tickets will go on sale tomorrow, he announced in a tweet.

The logistics regarding how theaters will reopen are still being ironed out, State Budget Director Robert Mujica said at the news conference.

I'll be in NYC from Aug 15-Nov 1 and I will not be seeing any theater, which is a killer for me, but it's too early.

She had a sore arm but that was all, R288

[quote] My boyhood cub/boy scout leader just died from Covid breakthrough infection, 8 weeks after his 2nd dose of Pfizer. He was an NPR liberal, and followed the rules. Very sad.

Sorry to hear that. Was his infection reported to the state/CDC? Did he have any underlying conditions? Immunocompromised? Obese? I’m guessing he wasn’t young. Any idea where he caught COVID, if he was following all protocols?

R270, you sound truly disturbed. Scrubbing the floor where he walked?? That’s not how COVID is transmitted. I’m assuming you at least had the sense to stay outside your home while he was working on your sink?

I did it because I have animals. And I also walk around barefoot.

And you don't live here so shut the fuck up. No one asked your bullshit opinion.

[quote] I did it because I have animals. And I also walk around barefoot.

So you were worried about him tracking dirt inside in general, not COVID. On his feet. From the ground outside. Phew.

Yes, you’re right, I DON’T live there. Thank fucking god.

Never will we gather like before. Mass socializing is over.

You're an old busybody, aren't you, R298. I'm sorry you don't get laid. Maybe if you did, you'd mind your own business.

If you don’t want to interact with people or be questioned or have your neuroses remarked upon, R300, just don’t post about this stuff on the internet. Sorry if I came off too mean or judgmental, though, really. The pandemic will be over one day soon, like a miracle.

I don't mind being questioned. It's your shitty air of superiority I can do without.

[quote] Never will we gather like before. Mass socializing is over.

People have been posting some variation on this since the start of COVID-19. It’s always struck me as overly dramatic and completely unrealistic. We will gather *just* like before, and probably much sooner than you’re comfortable with. Like, this summer.

R302, there will always be superior people. Don’t let it get you down. The internet is awful!

[quote]Never will we gather like before. Mass socializing is over.

You're soooo right.

Oh, wait...

😷 Nobody Knows Nothin'Bout The Corona

R296, he was never a smoker, and a still healthy Marine, like my father. He was 72, and yes, reported in Illinois. I have no idea how he got it- he and my father had been friends for 66 years, but hadn't seen each other without masks/inside in over a year. If I find out, I will post, they are still trying to plan a funeral.

New York City wants to offer the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine to tourists

From CNN's Laura Ly

New York City has now administered 6,809,451 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday.

City officials also announced an intention to offer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to any tourist who visits New York City, pending state approval.

De Blasio announced that the city wants to install mobile Covid-19 mobile vaccination sites at various tourist attractions throughout the city — such as Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Highline — to offer the J&J vaccine. The mayor said the city needs state approval to vaccinate non-New Yorkers and that they plan to begin as soon as they get that approval. "“This summer you’re going to see tourism come alive in New York City,” de Blasio said. "

India reports highest-ever 24-hour surge in Covid-19 cases and a record-high daily death toll

From CNN’s Swati Gupta in Delhi

India reported a 412,262 new Covid-19 cases Thursday, a new single-day record, according to a CNN tally compiled from figures released by the Indian Health Ministry.

To date, authorities have identified 21,077,410 cases of coronavirus.

The country also reported 3,980 Covid-19 related deaths on Thursday, another new single-day record. It was the ninth consecutive day that the number of fatalities identified in a 24-hour period exceeded 3,000.

To date, 230,168 who have contracted the virus in India have died.

India is in the midst of a severe second wave of cases. In the past 30 days, the country has recorded 8.3 million cases. Since April 22, more than 300,000 cases have been added every day.

Moderna says Covid-19 vaccine shows 96% efficacy in teens in early data

From CNN's Jacqueline Howard

Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine, mRNA-1273, has shown an efficacy of 96% among teens in early data, CEO Stéphane Bancel announced during an earnings call on Thursday.

Moderna's trial in teens, called the TeenCOVE study, includes people ages 12 to 17.

"We are pleased to report this morning an interim update to our TeenCOVE study," Bancel said. "An initial interim analysis of our Phase 2/3 TeenCOVE study of mRNA-1273 showed vaccine efficacy against Covid-19 of 96% and mRNA-1273 was generally well tolerated with no serious safety concerns identified to date."

Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine is currently authorized for use in people ages 18 and older.

Pfizer/BioNTech to donate vaccine doses for Olympic athletes

From CNN's Chandler Thornton

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that Pfizer/BioNTech will donate Covid-19 vaccine doses to Olympic athletes for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games scheduled for July. ""As part of the plans to ensure safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE to donate doses of the companies’ COVID-19 vaccine to Games participants from National Olympic and Paralympic Committees around the world," the IOC said in a statement Thursday. "

The IOC said the national committees will work with local governments to coordinate distribution of the vaccines "in accordance with each country’s vaccination guidelines and consistent with local regulations."

The committee added it encourages athletes to get vaccinated in their home countries before traveling to Japan. "This is not only to contribute to the safe environment of the Games, but also out of respect for the residents of Japan," the IOC said, adding that based on feedback from national committees it expects "a significant proportion" of athletes will be vaccinated before arriving.

"It is important to note that any additional doses delivered by Pfizer and BioNTech will not be taken out of existing programmes, but will be in addition to existing quotas and planned deliveries around the world," the IOC added. "“This donation of the vaccine is another tool in our toolbox of measures to help make the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 safe and secure for all participants, and to show solidarity with our gracious Japanese hosts,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. "

“By taking the vaccine, they can send a powerful message that vaccination is not only about personal health, but also about solidarity and consideration of the wellbeing of others in their communities,” Bach added.

The US CDC lists the B.1.617 variant first detected in India as a variant of a interest

From CNN Health's Naomi Thomas and CNN's Swati Gupta in Delhi

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday listed the B.1.617 coronavirus variant first detected in India as a "variant of interest," suggesting it may have mutations that would make the virus more transmissible, cause more severe disease or reduce vaccine efficacy.

B.1.617, which is now the most common variant in India, has also been found in the United Kingdom and the United States, and was recently detected in Israel.

How the CDC defines variants of interest: Variants with specific genetic markers that have been linked with changes to receptor binding, reduced neutralization by antibodies from previous infection or vaccination, reduced efficacy or treatments, potential diagnostic impact or predicted increase in transmissibility or severity of disease. Attributes of the variant include potential reduction in neutralization by some monoclonal antibodies and potential reduction in neutralization from vaccines.

The Director of India’s National Center for Disease Control, Sujeet Singh, said Wednesday that the surge in Covid-19 cases in India in the last 1.5 months in some states shows a correlation with the rise in the B.1.617 variant, though further analysis is needed.

"We have not been able to establish the epidemiological and clinical correlation completely yet," Singh said in a health ministry press briefing. "This correlation is the main aspect and without it we cannot link a particular surge to the variant."

The CDC classifies coronavirus variants by three levels: variant of interest, variant of concern, or variant of high consequence.

Current variants of concern include B.1.1.7, the variant first identified in the United Kingdom, P.1, the variant first identified in Brazil, B.1351, the variant first identified in South Africa and B.1.427 and B.1.429, variants first identified in California.

Study from Israel shows Pfizer's vaccine works far better with two doses

From CNN Health’s Maggie Fox

The first nationwide study of coronavirus vaccination, done in Israel, shows Pfizer/BioNtech’s vaccine works far better after two doses.

Two shots of the vaccine provided greater than 95% protection from infection, severe illness and death, researchers reported Wednesday in the Lancet medical journal.

With its small population, Israel was able to quickly vaccinate much of its population.

The study found the vaccine provided 95.3% protection against infection and 96.7% protection against death seven days after the second dose.

It was about 92% effective against infections that caused no symptoms.

“By 14 days after vaccination, protections conferred by a second dose increased to 96.5% protection against infection, 98% against hospitalization, and 98.1% against death,” the researchers wrote.

But people who received only one dose of the vaccine were far less protected. One dose alone gave just 57.7% protection against infection, 75.7% against hospitalization, and 77% against death.

The study was funded by the Israel Ministry of Health and Pfizer.

Walt Disney World will end temperature checks for staff and guests at Walt Disney World Resort

From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch

Walt Disney World will phase out onsite temperature for staff and guests this month, the company said on their website.

“Since reopening, we have considered guidance from public health authorities, government agencies, and our own team of health and safety experts as we assess and update health and safety measures to help prevent the spread of Covid-19," it said.

Park attendance is still being managed via the park reservation system and face coverings are required for cast members and all guests 2 years old and older.

“We will continue to follow the guidance of health and safety leaders going forward and most importantly encourage people to get vaccinated,” the park said.

Thai travel agencies offer COVID-19 ‘vaccine tours’ to US

Travel agencies in Thailand are selling coronavirus “vaccine tours” to the United States, as some wealthy Thais grow impatient awaiting mass inoculations that are still a month away amid the country’s biggest outbreak so far.

The tours reflect global differences in vaccinations, with the United States and Britain making swift immunization gains, but many lower-income nations – and increasingly their well-off citizens – are still working to secure doses.

Bangkok tour operator, Unithai Trip, has packages from 75,000 baht to 200,000 baht ($2,400 to $6,400) for trips to San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York, with prices dependent on the time gap between doses.

“Johnson & Johnson is one jab, but 90 percent of inquires want Pfizer,” which needs about 20 days between the first and second doses, the agency’s owner, Rachphol Yamsaeng, told Reuters.

He said a group was tentatively scheduled to leave next week.

My Journey Travel is offering a 10-day trip to San Francisco for a Johnson & Johnson shot and said it has received hundreds of calls in three days.

The vaccine tours could be a boon for Thailand’s tourism agencies after travel collapsed during the pandemic.

“All tour agencies are suffering now,” said Rachapol, whose agency is also offering similar trips to Serbia. “Whatever we can do, we have to try to do it.”

A spokesman at the US embassy in Bangkok declined to immediately comment, but the US State Department’s website lists medical tourism as a valid reason to visit.

The United States is not the only destination offered to Thais. Another agency, Udachi, advertised a 23-day “VACCation in Russia” to receive the Sputnik V vaccine for up to 210,000 baht ($6,700).

Thailand’s main vaccination drive is set to begin in June with locally-produced AstraZeneca shots.

Its latest outbreak has accounted for more than half of its total 74,900 infections and 318 fatalities.

Thailand’s tourism ministry warned on Wednesday that customers should carefully examine vaccination packages after the foreign ministry said US regulations may vary by state.

Well, with the massive surge in vaccinations and the even more massive surge in large-scale activities such as the Olympics, New York and Disney reopening, I guess we will get a crash course in how well these vaccines actually work in the real world.

Israel's 7-day average of daily coronavirus cases, from 6,882 in February to 63 today.

India is so screwed.

The Eurovision Song Contest and the Olympics should both be postponed again for another year.

A new study estimates that the number of people who have died of COVID-19 in the U.S. is more than 900,000, a number 57% higher than official figures. Worldwide, the study’s authors say, the COVID-19 death count is nearing 7 million, more than double the reported number of 3.24 million.

Pfizer is starting the process for filing a BLA for full approval of their vaccine.

[quote] Pfizer is starting the process for filing a BLA

We prefer AFR AM

Sad to hear Nancy Messonnier is leaving CDC.

Good.

Cruise ships shouldn’t be operating anymore. PERIOD.

Truly, madly, deeply false': Keilar fact-checks Ron Johnson's vaccine claims

Florida Governor Does Nothing As COVID Cases Surge Following Spring Break

The Albany Times Union reports: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Monday that State University of New York campuses will require COVID-19 vaccinations for students starting in the fall semester. The policy will also apply to the City University of New York, and Cuomo said he would encourage private colleges to adopt it as well.

Excellent new, let's hope that all Democratic governors quickly follow suit. (Republican govs are likely a lost cause.)

[quote]Republican govs are likely a lost cause.

I am very old and this has always been the case.

Why Rand Paul is still picking fights with Dr. Fauci

Lake Garda in person for the Vaccine Congress. this fall. That's exciting news.

Also on a personal note, the middle of my three younger sisters (not the one who had it, and not my SIL) who up to late last week was vehemently stating she'd never be vaccinated got her first Moderna shot today. She and her husband both did.

Three members of the NY Yankees organization test positive for Covid after being fully vaccinated. All three got the J&J shot.

That is a little worrying since it happened to three people in the same proximity, all of whom were vaccinated. It kind of blows the randomness and the teeny tiny eentsy percentage of a percentage possibility out of the water. Would love to get more information.

Re: the Yankees, I think if it were a common thing that were simply being underreported in communities where people all got J&J, it would have come out sooner than this. And one case like this one wouldn’t blow anything out of the water—there would have to be a larger trend happening among J&J recipients.

I think something else is amiss here, like false positives, or maybe these guys didn’t actually get their vaccines. Seriously.

The Yankees got the J&J an April 7th. It’s insanity telling people they are fully vaccinated two weeks after getting that shot. 40 days people! Shot + Lent and then you can take the mask off in the dugout.

I will be flying out to Colorado this weekend with my brother, to visit my other brother who has been very seriously ill (not Covid-related). We are both fully vaccinated, but I'll admit that I am very nervous about getting on an airplane and staying in a hotel room. Hope brother doesn't mind eating in outdoor restaurants because I have not dined indoors yet either.

Do you have good quality masks R334? Remember to turn your plane seat's air nozzle on high and point it so the air blows down directly in front of your face. It forms an air shield that will redirect any particles that may be wafting towards you down to the floor.

Godspeed!

I have KN95 masks which I plan on bringing. Good suggestion on the fan, thanks.

[quote] Do you have good quality masks [R334]? Remember to turn your plane seat's air nozzle on high and point it so the air blows down directly in front of your face. It forms an air shield that will redirect any particles that may be wafting towards you down to the floor.

Really? I have never heard this. I'm not saying you're wrong, but I would think the recycled air would not be good. I always keep the vent closed when I fly.

My understanding is a lot of airlines installed uv filters for their air recycling R337. Delta for sure did.

Ahhh, got it. Thanks! I'm of the old school understanding that it's all recycled air so don't let it blow on you or you'll get sick. I don't know how much of an old wives tale that was, but I never liked it, anyway. But it's great that they have done that.

ElderLez, I forgot about the 40-days advisory. I hadn’t seen that mentioned anywhere in the discussion about the Yankees. That would account for it, and it would mean they aren’t actually breakthrough infections, just regular infections because they didn’t have the immune response yet from the vaccine. Ugh!

Oh yes, the 40 day advisory. This is the only place I've read about that. I hadn't seen it anywhere else, and I did a search for it and couldn't find it anywhere. The recommendation I did find was 28 days, which would have jibed with their vaccination date. So if it is indeed 40 days, then why does no one know about it? And I'm not saying it's not true, but if it is, I find it troubling that none of us know it.

ElderLez has some ‘splainin’ to do.

Well, I'm not meaning to hold ElderLez' feet to the fire at all. I'd just like to see where the 40 day waiting period has been stated, and see who's saying it. I had Pfizer, but I know a few people who got J&J, and I'd like to keep up with as much as I can in general.

Me too, R343. I was just teasing ElderLez.

But seriously, ElderLez. Link it or else!

I go to sleep on vacation and this is what happens. I am trying to link on my phone, but it keeps crashing. If I start a new thread to link, will someone post it here?

R345 is me and I did start a thread with the link.

40 days? Is that just J&J? I'll be at 32 days after Pfizer #2 when we fly out. Hopefully that's within the standard deviation of wherever the heck that 40 days number comes from.

Two weeks after the second dose of Pfizer assuming you had the doses 3 weeks apart is 35 days from the first dose. You should be close to maximum efficacy R347. And based on the line on the slide set I posted maybe 48 days is more accurate than 40 J&J.

Yes R348, my doses were 3 weeks (21 days) apart, so from Pfizer #1 it'll be 53 days when we fly out.

I think I'm good, though still being overly cautious.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on CBS This Morning that people vaccinated against Covid-19 do not need to wear masks outside.

“We’ve got to make that transition,” Fauci said. “If you are vaccinated, you don’t have to wear a mask outside. It would be a very unusual situation, if you were going into a completely crowded situation where people are essentially falling all over each other, then you wear a mask. But any other time, if you’re vaccinated and you’re outside, put aside your mask. You don’t have to wear it.”

Vaccine efficacy against selected variants, presented by the CDC yesterday:

Thank you ElderLez. And yes, this thread is starting to get glitchy for me. And I’m not even trying to post a link right now.

[quote] Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on CBS This Morning that people vaccinated against Covid-19 do not need to wear masks outside.

Oh, honey, he said a LOT more than that. This boob says we don't need masks indoors or outdoors, nor do we need to physically distance.

And also, it's now being reported that SEVEN of the Yankees staff had breakthrough cases of Covid.

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness!

What happened to Moderna in that r351 link?

I think it's too soon to drop the mask entirely. Vaccine rates are not high enough yet, IMO, and too many variants are flying around.

Yeah, I am fully vaccinated, but that does not make me immune. (Even the science, which I do believe in, says that.) Heck, I don't want even a minor or asymptomatic case of Covid. So, I'm going to keep my mask on, and keep distance from people, for a while longer.

Agree R356. I was at the DVM today and thankfully their requirement was mask. I'm fully vaccinated and am aware I could get covid and pass it on to someone that is not vaccinated and therefore I will continue to wear a mask.

I am fully vaccinated. I will continue to wear a mask indoors in most situations for another month or two, not outdoors. I have begun to see friends who are vaccinated and eaten in a restaurant outdoors (or indoors just with 2 or 3 other full tables 6 feet apart). I want to see if there are surges or increases in breakthrough cases following mask lifting. We are not doing much tracing so hard to tell what leads to breakthrough cases or the number of them.

Data Proves Republican Controlled States Had Higher COVID Death Rates

The term "breakthrough" infection is so off the mark —Most only show up because a routine PCR test was done —Rarely are there symptoms. —The viral load is so low sequencing is not possible in most —The chance that someone could spread covid is close to zero, yet to be documented.

^^^ The above was a tweet by scientist Eric Topol, sorry.

Old people update, NYT 5/15/21 :

[quote] More than 70 percent of Americans who are 65 or older are fully vaccinated, and 84 percent have received at least one dose, a much higher proportion than for younger Americans, according to federal data.

[quote] Some counties have blown far past that threshold, getting shots into more than 90 percent of residents 65 and older and offering an example for other areas where vaccine campaigns have lagged.

[quote] Two of the most populous 90-percent-plus counties are Jo Daviess County, Ill., across the Mississippi River from Dubuque, Iowa, and Dane County, Wis., which includes Madison, the state capital.

I've read statistics from some US states that indicated that 97% of the deaths from Covid-19 were from people 50 years and older.

Still seeing most people wearing masks out on this beautiful, warm day in NYC. I think the “unmasking” will be very gradual outdoors.

It's similar here in LA. I was driving to and from the office yesterday and noticed more people outdoors wearing masks than not. Thank goodness. I'm also seeing editorials in several major newspapers questioning the CDC's pronouncement. It's clear there is some sort of political and economical pressure on them to have made that ridiculous announcement.

[quote]It's clear there is some sort of political and economical pressure on them to have made that ridiculous announcement.

Well, it wasn't coming from the White House.

I didn't say where it was coming from.

Where do you think it was coming from?

Most likely his ass r366.

Oh, pardon me, R368, you're so right. Nothing is ever politically or economically motivated, even when it's to the detriment of the general population. What, oh WHAT was I thinking?

Republican Florida Governor Pardons Everyone Who Violated COVID Protocols

Anybody watch that video of Ricky Schroder being a total dick at Costco in LA?

R364, why should people outdoors wear masks?

Further, Los Angeles County seems to have reached herd immunity. It’s hardly necessary for Angelenos to continue masking INDOORS, let alone outdoors.

There’s an exceptionally well written article in the Washington Post Fact Checker today about the Fauci - Paul - WIV brouhaha. My only quibble is that the author Glenn Kessler lets an inaccurate definition of GOF research by EcoHealth’s Craig Kessler (relation?) stand. GOF absolutely includes making zoonotic only viruses transmissible in humans.

Also Ralph Baric really is a mensch.

So far, I can say that airports/planes, rental car places, and the hotel we were in are still following masking protocols. Airlines still taking temp before boarding. Also, we went to a Walmart and 7-11/gas station in Colorado, the 7-11 required masks and while the Walmart did have a sign saying that vaccinated people don't have to wear masks, everybody we saw was.

Medical places are all still following full Covid protocols. Hospital cafeteria was indoors, though tables were far apart.

Ask me in about 10 days how I'm feeling and weather I've caught anything.

whether, not weather.

Michigan lifts all Covid restrictions July 1.

Pelosi Criticizes House Members Who Choose Not To Be Vaccinated | MSNBC

Up to three times more people have died due to the pandemic than indicated by the officially reported COVID deaths, the World Health Organization said Friday.

So far, more than 3.4 million deaths worldwide have officially been attributed to COVID-19 since the disease first surfaced in China in late 2019.

Asked how many excess deaths could be attributed to the pandemic today, Asma said that "I think safely, about six to eight million deaths could be an estimate, with a cautionary note."

No shit, WHO.

Oooh my building just put up fully vaccinated people don’t need to wear mask signs.

So...honor system?

Kevin McCarthy caught in lie, IMMEDIATELY runs away

Brianna Keilar: How the Wuhan Covid-19 lab leak theory evolved

There’s a really good timeline by Kessler in the Washington Post today on the lab leak hypothesis timeline as well.

Is the New England geneticist still around? You may yet be vindicated.

The state of Victoria in Australia, including Melbourne, is going into a 7 day lockdown.

That’s what happens when you get too smug.

What's the vaccination situation in Australia, R386?

Not good, Sylvia, from what I gather.

Bloomberg Vaccine tracker indicates that currently Australia has about 7.7% of its population vaccinated.

They can get away with this slow vaccine launch because of the incredibly good numbers they have on Covid-19 cases and Covid-19 deaths. It appears that most recorded Covid-19 deaths stopped around last October. Incredible.

Pastor's anti-vaccine stance divides Tennessee family

^ Pastor = Psycho living in delusion.

Lunatic Republican Claims ZERO Covid Deaths in TX Since March

I am finally starting to get back to going to essential places like doctor appts. Found out my long term chiropractor has not been vaxxed and I'm thinking of dumping him. I think he's wonderful as a doctor, and I am in serious need of an adjustment, but I don't understand putting one's patients in jeopardy.

[quote]I don't understand putting one's patients in jeopardy.

Job security.

Whistleblower Who Exposed Florida Governor's COVID Coverup Given Protection

COVID Has Made People INSANE

[quote] I'm not saying you're wrong, but I would think the recycled air would not be good. I always keep the vent closed when I fly.

That’s a myth, the air in aircraft is not recycled, it’s continuously refreshed with outside air. That, combined with the filtration system makes sitting 8 hours on a flight much safer than sitting at a desk in an office building for 8 hours, where the air might be refreshed every few hours.

Not really related but, with concerts and plays getting rescheduled, StubHub has decided to offer refunds for things that were cancelled due to the pandemic. They had offered only a 120% credit toward another event. At the beginning of May, they offered full refunds. I opted for that and received the full credit!

It's really quite amazing what medical science has accomplished:

Dr. Fauci Reacts To The Release of Thousands Of His Work Emails

Tucker Carlson Claims Medical Jim Crow Has Arrived In America

Wow, after 18 months, are these threads finally dying out?

R402 It may well be. Even my county health dept. has cut back its COVID case reporting to three times per week.

I think they're dying out from being Murieled more than anything, but yes, interest in COVID-related info is waning.

Agreed

Thread 9 is a little more active since it isn’t paywalled, other than yay vaccines there isn’t much to say.

Still plenty of arguments to be had about dropping mask mandates, the immunocompromised, how do I know if an unmasked person is actually vaccinated, should I still wear a mask outdoors, and won’t someone think of the children.

Plenty of vitriol left to go around, if you ask me!

Fauci Responds To Attacks From Republicans

Anti-Vaccine Nut Goes Completely Off the Rails

I sincerely doubt she was ever remotely on the rails r408.

Lindsey Graham's Alternative Trump-Covid Timeline

Battle Erupts At Texas Hospital Over Covid Vaccination Mandate

Lindsey Graham Says the Quiet Part Out Loud

Chris Wallace lays into Trump official...

Elderly Couple Films Themselves Harassing Children For Wearing Face Masks

^^ Just because they’re old doesn’t mean they can’t have fun. God love em!

Those who lost everything to COVID feel left behind amid reopening

Delta variant threat looms large in states with lagging vaccination rates

COVID Cases rising again...Among Unvaccinated

^^^ Good. Who cares.

R415 God take em.! ..soon.

'That's the way science works': Fauci fires back at critics

Trump’s COVID-19 Response Had ‘More Missteps We Just Narrowly Avoided’

Florida Voters Aren't Happy With Ron DeSantis's Ban On Vaccine Passports

"Trump got hundreds of thousands of Americans killed who did not need to die. And I will be damned if that is going to go down the memory hole," says @chrislhayes

. "That is the true legacy of Donald Trump. That legacy lives on in many states now, particularly conservative states"

Cruise Ships Report Outbreaks Of COVID After Florida Governor Banned Vaccine Requirement

And just like that....

Got my hair cut for the first time in 18 months. Went to my stylist who I have been with for 17 years. No one in the salon was wearing masks (I was, an N95). My stylist had Covid at the end of last year, as did much of her family. I sat down in the chair and was asking if people were concerned and did any of her staff want to wear masks, etc. And then I said- but you're all vaxxed, right?

No.

Okay, but you're vaxxed, right?

No.

She said her doctor told her she couldn't get vaxxed because she had too many antibodies from being sick. I told her that was nonsense, that yes, one had to wait a certain amount of time after having Covid to get vaxxed, but it was a matter of a few weeks, not months and months, and even if she had antibodies, she could still carry the virus, so she should be wearing a mask especially if she's not vaxxed.

I'm pissed because I should have asked beforehand but knowing what she and her family went through, and knowing her for as long as I have, figured she was more sensible. I hope my stupidity doesn't come back to bite me in the ass.

In any case, I'll be looking for a new stylist going forward.

If you’re vaccinated, it doesn’t matter who around you is unvaccinated. Unless for some reason you’re one of those people in whom the vaccine doesn’t trigger the immune response, and you’re bombarded from all sides by COVID+ people.

I wish serious breakthrough infections really did happen more frequently. The kind with extremely nasty symptoms, hopefully hospitalization, and even death.

Not for you, R427, but for people who harp on about how breakthrough infections are occurring all around us all the time, and how vaccinated people carry and spread the disease asymptomatically. I wish all of that really were so common.

I'm pretty certain I'm okay, R428 (though I had zero side effects from the vaccine other than a sore arm, but I'm not necessarily certain that means it's not as strong within me. I'm not sure science is all that certain about that, unless something new has been published I'm not aware of.) I just made a decision to just not see or patronize anyone who can't be bothered to be vaccinated. I've stopped talking to a friend I've had for 30 years because she thinks it's all bullshit and she'll be fine, and I gave up my treasured chiropractor because he doesn't trust the vaccines and won't take any of them.

And I understand the hesitancy about taking something that was pushed through so fast, but look at the alternative. We already know what a killer Covid is. We already know it manifests itself in several insidious ways that can last for years to come, and we know that it's basically shutting everything down in terms of travel, the economy, etc.

Is it possible that the vaccine could wind up causing problems en masse for people a few years down the line? Anything is possible, but we don't know. We happen to be in a position where the devil we DO know is so deadly that we need to do whatever we can to eradicate it. And if that doesn't supersede all for someone, then they're on their own.

99.2% of May COVID Deaths Were Unvaccinated

Republicans Are Apparently Trying To Get Their Followers Killed

CPAC Crowd Cheers Low Vaccination Rates In America

That's insane.

You just know most of those cpac assholes cut right to the front of the line when vaccines came out. I wish that information would leak

Fauci: Vaccine booster isn't needed now, but that could change

As to Fauci's comment, strike could change to will change. Eventually a new mutation will take over and then.....

…and then what, R436?

I knew he would say this about Delta and a booster. The data does not show that protection has started to wane among people who got 2 doses of mRNA. Pfizer is just being a business.

Republicans Want To Make It Illegal For Businesses To Refuse Unvaccinated People

Newsmax Host Proudly Rails Against Vaccines And Says Diseases Are Supposed To Wipe People Out

I mean, the planet IS way overpopulated.

R440, I majored in Sociology in college. One of my professor argued that crime is needed so we have police. Wars and diseases are needed to control population. We don't have WWs anymore and, in fact, there are fewer and fewer wars. He would say the pandemic was a necessity.

I just saw that there's been a Thread #9 going on since late May. Could we please stop doing that?

The wallpaper is prettier in this thread and they empty the ashtrays more frequently.

Florida Governor Profits Off Republican Fauci Hatred As COVID Cases Soar

Yeah, killing people off with a pandemic is so much easier than curbing fossil fuel use or ending single-use plastics.

r444 - Rachel's take...

Lara Trump Attacks Vaccines, Forgetting Her Father In Law Oversaw Their Release

Ex-Fox reporter reveals why Tucker Carlson is lying about vaccines

Fox Viewers Freak Out After Steve Doocy Tells Them To Get Vaccinated

Bookend for r449...

Fox Host Says Its OK If His Audience Chooses Death Over Vaccination

Dr. Fauci excoriates Rand Paul

Fox Reporter: Biden Can Ask Trump for Help to Vaccinate Trumpists

Oh my god, this guy is a fucking dick.

Rand Paul Demands Dr Fauci Be Criminally Charged

Agree with this 100%. I feel like the CDC communications are so obviously terrified of offending Trumpsters they are completely without merit at this point.

Marjorie Taylor Greene Laughs Maniacally When Asked About COVID Deaths

Fox is Killing Us

200 Americans Being Monitored for Monkeypox

Florida Governor Downplays COVID Spike As Florida Becomes Nation's Top COVID Hot Spot

[quote]Is it possible that the vaccine could wind up causing problems en masse for people a few years down the line? Anything is possible, but we don't know.

Put your fears to rest. Vaccines weren't invented this year. It's a technology that's been in use since the Middle Ages.

Lara Trump Says She's ‘Thrilled’ When Her Kid Gets Sick From Not Wearing A Mask

Gottlieb says U.S. likely "much further in this epidemic than we're picking up

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Will Make It Illegal To Protect Children From COVID

Republican Governor Calls Out Anti Vaxxers For Aiding Pandemic

How One Doctor Is The 'Most Influential Spreader Of Covid Misinformation'

CNN host nearly ends interview after mask answer

I've been wondering lately, what with Delta spiraling out of control and the possible waning of vaccine-induced protection...WHET research into COVID *treatments*? SO I'll be posting a few articles below. Because I need to feel a little hope.

Also, wouldn't hurt to buy a Costco-sized bottle of Naproxen.

More on Molnupiravir.

Fenofibrate, a drug used to treat high cholesterol.

And good old Naproxen.