LA County COVID cases soar to highest figure since March as Delta variant spreads

Wave 3 and the mask mandate is coming this fall...about 60% certain of it.

We already had the third wave this winter, r1

This may be the interesting part.

[quote] Echoing federal officials, Ferrer again stressed that vaccinated residents have strong protection against COVID-19 -- including the Delta variant. Of nearly 4.7 million fully vaccinated residents in Los Angeles County, there have been only 2,822 people who have subsequently tested positive for the virus, for an infection rate of 0.06%. Of those "breakthrough' cases, only 195 had to be hospitalized and 21 have died, she said.

This is what I'm not understanding in SoCal? Arenas are open to full capacity no masks! Snoop played to a packed sold out arena last night { and again tonight} of 10,000 people and I didn't see one mask the promoter was throwing up on social media of the crowd. It's fucking disgraceful!

Well sorry for not keeping accurate tabs on wave numbers. Ok, so wave 4 is coming. Thanks to the anti-vaxxers and the nature of the Delta variant, lucky us.

I have family members who won’t get vaccinated. I don’t know what they’re thinking.

Smoke weed. Lots and lots of it.

[quote] Echoing federal officials, Ferrer again stressed that vaccinated residents have strong protection against COVID-19

The other day New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy told the news that “100% of the people in the hospital [in New Jersey] were unvaccinated.”

From what I read, country-wide those hospitalized are 99.2% unvaccinated, .8% vaccinated.

[quote] I have family members who won’t get vaccinated. I don’t know what they’re thinking.

Ah, possibly embracing severe illness and death?

r8, those numbers don't reflect the delta variant spread. The daily numbers are already going back up here in NJ. We were holding steady at around 150-200 new confirmed cases/day for the past month or so, as more and more people got vaccinated. That number has been in the mid-300s the past two days, an that has yet to fully take into account all the July 4 seeding maskless get-togethers. I fully expect them to keep rising over the next few weeks, and for us to have another mini-surge. I'm fully vaccinated, and my buddies, and even my PCP, keep telling me to come back to the gym, it's safe. I'm glad I didn't listen to their advice. I also will not sit inside a restaurant. I still wear a mask and even gloves during the couple of times a week I go to the market. Maybe I'm being overly cautious, and maybe if I were to get it, it would just be a mild cold. However, even people with mild illness have been developing long-haul symptoms. It's scary.

[Quote] However, even people with mild illness have been developing long-haul symptoms.

BINGO !!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is something most Americans are not thinking about because most Americans are dumb! Good on you, r10.

[quote] those numbers don't reflect the delta variant spread.

Of course they do.

He said of the people hospitalized with COVID, 100% are unvaccinated. Didn’t say anything about case numbers. We’re talking solely hospitalized people in these percentages.

I read that vaccinated people only have mild symptoms or none at all which should worry anyone that is unvaccinated, it’s a total risk.

My dad recently started feeling sick, chills and body aches coupled with a headache and now he is worried that he caught virus.

It says it's spreading amongst the unvaccinated. I was against getting the vaccine at first, but it seems to be safe enough. Sure there have been a few issues, but that happens with any vaccine. And yes I know it's easy to say when it's not happening to you.

But if you don't want it get the vaccine. Even if you get it, with the vaccine, Covid will not be as serious.

The UK used the Astra Zeneca vaccine as their base vaccination and it has been shown to have reduced durability against the Delta variant compared to the MRNA vaccines. The primary US vaccines are MRNA based and elicit more durable responses in most populations. Some fully vaccinated people have died in the US but the number needs to be quantified so it can reflect the real risk....is the risk the same chance as being killed in a car accident/getting lung cancer from smoking/from being struck by lightning/from being killed in a shark attack/being killed in a plane crash? 30,000 people are killed in car accidents every year in the USA yet there are no headlines and breaking news pieces on the killer death machines on the streets and highways. Making Covid-19 a political issue instead of a public health issue will have repercussions that last for decades........

In NJ the delta variant has not been the dominant strain until very recently. Hospitalizations are at least a two-week lag behind confirmed cases, and deaths even longer. So, those people who are hospitalized or who are dying now probably didn't have the delta variant. Folks, it's going to get worse again.

Don't worry dear OP. Vaccines WILL be mandated, it's only a matter of time.

R17 is trying to foment another Civil War.

Who cares about the rise in cases? People who are unvaccinated, who managed not to get it before, are a little more likely to get it now than they were a few weeks ago when cases were at an all-time low. This is because Delta spreads more easily … among the UNVACCINATED.

If you’re vaccinated, you’re fine. Fully Pfizer’d and DONE wearing a mask.

Wrong, r19! Based on what's going on in Israel, it's estimated that the mRNA vaccines reduce the chance for hospitalization with the delta variant by 94%, but only by around 65% for infection. And yes, if you are fully vaccinated, even if you get infected with the delta variant, the chance of getting seriously ill or dying is extremely low. You'd most likely get nothing more than a bad cold. However, as I stated above, no one knows if asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic people can develop long-hauler symptoms. Why would you chance that?

R20, it appears that the 65% figure is an outlier -- other studies are indicating stronger protection.

Who are these absolute idiots who are not getting the vaccine??! WTF is wrong with people. The whole “I’m not sure”, “I want to wait and see”and “they don’t know enough” are not excuses - they are blatant stupidity, ignorance and mental retardation. Seriously - anyone who doesn’t get the vaccine is an idiot - as well as a narcisstic. Period. Like justifying the “reasons” for Republicnaism - I’m over it. The unvaccinated are officially the enemy and need to be rounded up and vaccinated.

Masks as well as the other previous precautions need following. I read this morning how a leading public health authority said he's convinced the Delta variant is spreading via fully vaxxed as well. This would make sense, as 66% of ages 16 & up in LA are fully vaxxed, slightly higher than the nation's average. NYC is roughly 60% of adults fully vaxxed, and tbey're seeing cases rise as well. This isn't all about hotspots in MO, MS, TN, and AR.

Vaccines give you antibodies without giving you the disease. That's all.

Scotland is another example. Also 60% or slightly better rate of the double jabbed, yet cases of Delta are rising and amongst the worst European hotspots presently.

R24 Sadly vaccines can and do give people a false sense of security, and some may be taking irresponsible risks: i.e. frequenting crowded public places maskless, especially underground transport, crowded shops and pubs, slacking off on hand hygeine, and no longer limiting their socialising in the slightest. Vaccines can equal licence to be a selfish and overly confident bastard (in certain cases).

[quote] Wrong, [R19]! Based on what's going on in Israel, it's estimated that the mRNA vaccines reduce the chance for hospitalization with the delta variant by 94%, but only by around 65% for infection.

This is also wrong. The Israel study is flawed and too small a sample size. The UK study is more accurate. Pfizer’s effectiveness at reducing any infection at all is lowered to 88%, not 65%. There are several articles you can read about this.

[quote] I read this morning how a leading public health authority said he's convinced the Delta variant is spreading via fully vaxxed as well.

Which public health authority was that, Dr. Eric Dingle-Dong?

R26, there’s no evidence that people who have had two doses of an mRNA vax are significantly at risk from not limiting those activities. It sounds like you’re in the UK, though, where AstraZeneca is used. You might want to get an mRNA booster at your earliest opportunity.

First it's the anti-maskers who prolonged this shit and made it 10x worse than it needed to be - now the same fuckers are anti-vaxxers and are continuing the suffering.

Here's what I want: no vaccine, no more government paying for your COVID hospitalization.

It's so hard to have sympathy for these people.

Even the CDC maintains that as regards possibly infected and fully vaxxed people, the vaccinated are NOT reccommended for testing. especially if they have some mild symptoms.

The true prevalence of spread amongst this cohort is likely much more frequent, , as majority of vaxxed individuals would probably be asymptomatic

IL, WA, and other states have high compliance, and they're still experiencing quite a steep rise in cases. There are states (like WA, where hospitalisations are going up more than cases. (According to Dr. Christopher Murray, Director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington... "We're probably missing a bunch of transmission in vaccinated individuals...There's absolutely no doubt in my mind.")

Are most of the breakthrough cases for those with the J&J vaccine? Do we know?

Vax Moderna both jabs. Have started to go back to gym. Not good? So confusing. Any sensible sites available for information? BTW, still wear mask at grocery store.

True, no one can really know for sure the breakthrough rate in vaxxed people, since those individuals would likely be asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms mistaken for the common cold, and thus not get tested. The percentages that have been quoted so far are based on confirmed cases. There are still so many unknowns.

R28 Please tead R30, TIA. No need for you to get nasty, and I'm only a messenger of what I have read today, though I am technically quallified to make interpret the data, and make pronouncements in this arena, as per my bona fides. and my MPH.

There's not much data on the Moderna vaccine. Most is on the Pfizer jab, but those data can safely be carried through the Moderna shot, since they're built on the same mRNA platform.

I worked out in a local park yesterday that has monkey bars, chin-up and dips bars. There were a ton of guys there, and not a mask in sight. I was in such a state of sheer terror, that it was hard to concentrate on my workout, but I did want to get some exercise in. I'm panicking internally, sitting here waiting for symptoms to appear. I stocked up on tylenol and instant soup just in case I do get sick and am unable to get to the store.

R28 I am also living in the US, and have not taken the AZ jab, but rather the Moderna. It would appear it is you who is doing the assuming here. I double check each non-primary or secondary source I read. I do mot casually spew BS or non-factual info as regards Covid-19. I rarely share or present my own conclusions on DL, unless they can be backed up by others prominent in their area of specialty. I keep an open mind, and suggest everyone else do the same. This is a novel virus after all, none of us should be so adamant about our own opinions or hypotheses.

R36, was this an *indoor* park you went to?

R22 - the less educated and the more "rustic" minded aren't getting it. I got it and had nasty flu symptoms for 2 days and my allergies are crazy this year. My roommate was the same but she also had crazy menstrual shit afterwards with pain. Is it better than ending up on a ventilator or being the possible source of a variant like the unvaccinated assholes? Yes. At this point, the first thing they asked us upon leaving Romania and upon entering France was for our vax cards. By the look of those local and western people who instead had a paper with proof of a negative test (what the non-vaxed need to show to travel), they weren't the most high quality individuals. The fact that the US has over half the population unvaccinated makes me very, very worried about new variants. I just hope I can get a booster (if one is available and deemed) as soon as needed.

Nothing is absolute with Covid. It's all about probabilities. The probability of a vaccinated person getting Delta or other variants is low and getting hospitalized or dying is extremely low. Those vaccinated that do get it will be mild. The probability of getting the Covid for the unvaccinated depends on your behavior. Masks do very little unless you have an N-95 mask which are hard to get. Social distancing is marginal. Six feet is probably too low. So if you are unvaccinated and out in the world, you have a high probability of getting the virus and being very sick or dying.

The probability of side effects from the Vaccine are very, very low, but not zero. No vaccine is 100% safe for everyone.

GET VACCINATED!

Okay, mea culpa R37, it’s just that everything you wrote made it sound like you were a Brit living in Britain.

I just don’t see how a fully vaccinated person who experiences an *asymptomatic* breakthrough infection —one which never becomes symptomatic—could spread the virus. Is it even really a breakthrough infection if it’s asymptomatic? Are we talking about an infection that is defanged by the immune response in a fully vaccinated person almost as soon as the virus enters their body and never gets a chance to replicate enough to transmit?

There’s a reason why HIV+ people on antiretrovirals don’t transmit the virus, if their viral load is low. There isn’t a single documented case of an undetectable HIV+ person spreading the virus. Why would Covid-19 be any different?

If we’re talking about breakthrough Covid cases that *are* symptomatic, then yes it seems those people would be able to transmit. But what % of fully vaccinated (mRNA) individuals experience that particular kind of breakthrough infection?

If I’m getting any of this wrong, please let me know.

[quote] Masks do very little unless you have an N-95 mask

Wait, WHAT? Is this true? Or are you trolling us all.

I believe people who happen to be so selfishly concerned only about their own health status are missing the finer point here about TRANSMISSION. It isn't that one is at personal higher risk for increased socialisation without a mask in crowded public spaces such as public transport, sports arenas, shops or restaurants, but they most certainly could be unwittingly contributing to spread.

Vaccinated individuals definitely can be vectors when they are not masked and ditching prior precautions. The ultimate risk is to others: i.e. children too young to be jabbed, the elderly and infirm, as well as others who were not candidates for the vaccines. It isn't all about you, we're in this together whether we like it or not.

Without at least *some* data, it’s hard to implement sweeping public health guidance and mandates, R43.

“People *can* cause this thing to happen” is not as meaningful as “(x)% of people are causing this thing to happen.”

Are we talking about something that’s occurring .5% of the time? .005%? 5? 30%? The distinction is highly relevant for reasons that should be self-evident.

R41 Your mea culpa is duly noted, and I am British, so please don't hold that against me. We also do have the other jabs in the UK, just to clarify. I don't have all the answers. However, I find it somewhat disconcerting that CDC are not tracking breakthrough cases any longer, only hospitalisations.

If we were collectively tracking those cases here, and sequencing, we would have more information to go on: which variants pose the most breakthrough cases, as well as which jabs seem to have an edge against certain variants. I'm sorry I don't have all the answers.

I do think it may be wise to mix jabs, and I'm going out on a limb here, but preliminary studies have shown a synergistic effect on immunity. I also think a Pfizer topping off dose to be a good hedge, despite both our governments' claim it is unnecessary at this time.

R41 I can provide a more specific answer to one of your queries... Some variants evolve to be more contagious due to their increased ability or affinity to attach to our "receptors" this is from some change in the spike protein.

. Thus, increased level of infectiousness would not be soley dependent on viral load. Some of these variants are unique in how they neutalise some of the antibodies as well. What we may think we understand about one, may not apply in the case of another. Even the Nepal variant is quite different to the Indian variant (s) for example.

Nepal variant is AKA Delta Plus.

Delta Plus has the very same mutation (K417N) as found in the Beta and Gamma variants. The Beta isn't as transmissible as regular Delta, however it has the ability to neutralise our antibodies like S.African variant, and the Gamma detected in Brazil. This capability evades our defence quite remarkably.

It is the combo of the neutalising mutation, with Delta's lethality in India which has put people on alert for concern. There is some debate on whether or not Delta Plus actually originated in Nepal, only first detected there, but that's not really important.

Thank you R46.

[quote]Who are these absolute idiots who are not getting the vaccine??! WTF is wrong with people.

It’s mostly minorities who aren’t getting vaccinated.

Delta Plus

Sure is causing quite a fuss

'Cause it means the beer bug

Hasn't gone bye-bye,

And if it's here to stay,

I'll stay inside all day.

I'm not ready for that mansion

In the sky-y-y-y-y-y!

R49 YW.

R50 Some may say a majority are making a political statement, whilst others may have "religious issues".

I think conservatives, poor minorities, and Gen Z are the ones mostly not getting the vaccine.

[quote][R50] Some may say a majority are making a political statement, whilst others may have "religious issues".

All of them have a “low intelligence issue”.

1100/10,000,000 = one-hundredth of one percent of the county population.

Anyone making healthcare decisions from a religious standpoint is of questionable intelligence or mindset. Quite often these types still believe in Homeopathy and Essential Oils in the face of actual scientific proof they're ineffective. They probably believe in faith healing by pastors as well.

[quote] 1100/10,000,000 = one-hundredth of one percent of the county population.

Yes, but is soaring. You have to picture it taking flight. More impressive that way.

We’re fucked

We're fucked if large gatherings keep happening.

People are over social distancing.

I don’t know anyone who’s still practicing social distancing.

.........

Let the Covidiots get it and die. Good riddance.

R62 I'm continuing to avoid concerts, crowded shops, and will only dine at a restaurant if there is outdoor seating. I've recently passed on a few invites to baseball games, and a couple of large parties as well. I keep away from close contact in lines as well. Two weeks ago had to visit a DMV, and was quite pleased to see they were only allowing a certain number in at a time, and we had to keep more than the standard away from one another inside. Single chairs were spaced 4' apart.

Masks were also required!

The vaccine will be rendered useless.

It's coming. Again.

Only thing left is mandatory vaccinations -one last chance for us, all.

I think these loons would incite civil war before mandatory vaccines

I am fully vaccinated. I had a mini-family reunion last week, and I felt safe going maskless. However, I was (mis)led to believe that everyone attending had been vaccinated. My cousin who organized it neglected to tell me that her Trump-worshipping husband WHO HAS FUCKING DIABETES has refused to get it, as have her daughter and son-in-law. The daughter takes public transportation and works daily in a busy office, and is just very cavalier about the whole thing. I found all of this out at the reunion. Lord knows who else attending hadn't been vaccinated. This reunion happened 7 days ago, so I'm probably in the clear, but how dare they mislead me about their vax status, and more importantly, how dare they knowingly place others at risk.

slap the bitch!

[quote]Only thing left is mandatory vaccinations -one last chance for us, all.

The government will never mandate vaccines. However, it will put the screws to private employers to mandate it for their employees, and to insurance companies to drop coverage for COVID and its potentially lifelong complications.

And it can't happen soon enough.

R70

These family gatherings are the worst. Yesterday there was a birthday party for my cousin. Much of my family went. My mom and grandma went, but I didn’t feel comfortable going. My mom told me she overheard 2 family members bashing Dr. Fauci and teachers (“they just don’t want to go to work”). She left the room.

Here in NJ, cases are back down well under 300 today after spiking over 300/day for the last few days. I hope the downward trend continues and that the delta variant won't be very consequential, especially for vaxxed people. Daily deaths continue to be low, in the low to mid single digits. We have one of the highest vaccination rates in the country, so hopefully that is helping to stave off a delta spike (no pun intended!).

Covid. Please start wiping out the assholes.

[Quote] The government will never mandate vaccines

Too bad. Idiots.

Most of the unvaccinated people you're wishing COVID on will fully recover. Don't forget, the virus has a >99% survival rate. However, and unfortunately for them, the people at highest risk for poor outcomes/death are the very ones refusing the vaccine: obese deplorables down south and, yes, minorities who tend to have higher rates of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes compared with non-minorities. We know for a fact that those conditions can lead to poor outcomes.

[quote]Most of the unvaccinated people you're wishing COVID on will fully recover

10-30% of them will develop lifelong complications that we will all pay for as they consume more healthcare resources, social security disability and other governmental assistance.

r78, just playing devil's advocate, but many vaccinated people who get even an asymptomatic or mild case of COVID could also develop long-hauler complications. I believe those transcend disease severity.

R79, I was just thinking the same thing.

I'm fully vaxxed and still wear my mask wherever I go. We're not even 2 years into this pandemic. We don't know how it will play out. I'd rather err on the side of caution and mask up and avoid large gatherings. In the grand scheme of things, for me, those are small sacrifices to make.

r83, why are you posting this anti-vax propaganda? Millions and millions of people around the globe have been vaccinated with no long-term side effects. To quote an old cliche, getting a serious, long-lasting side effect from the vaccine is akin to getting struck by lightening in a house you've won from Ed McMahon. You have an exponentially greater chance of getting a severe case of covid that getting these types of long-lasting vax side effects.

R83 I'm unaware of his particular case, but these individuals should not be swept under the carpet, or belittled. The cases are exceedingly rare, however the information shouldn't be censored. AZ isn't a good choice for every age group, nor is it without some additional risks when compared with mRNA jabs.

Obviously the flu shot is built on a different platform than the mRNA vaccines, but I'm sure a tiny certain percentage of people develop long-lasting side effects of the that, but no one trots them out in an effort to delegitimize the flu shot, which, even at optimal efficacy, is not even nearly as effective as the covid vaccine.

[quote] It's coming. Again.

What is?

[quote]many vaccinated people who get even an asymptomatic or mild case of COVID could also develop long-hauler complications.

We don't know that yet. It's frustrating that I have to see an expert even begin to broach the subject.

I read r83's tweeter as Wayne CUNTINGTON, and I assumed he was a less well-off distant relation to Didi and Vivi von Cuntington.

YOU IN DANGER GURL!

Wow it’s bad

Local health authorities said Saturday that transmission of Covid is increasing among younger, unvaccinated county residents. Of the 1,094 new cases reported by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, 83% are among people under the age of 50 years old with the highest number of new cases among residents between the ages of 18 and 49 years old: 70% of new cases.

Oh no^.

So sick of covid. It's been a year and a half and this thing still have us running scared. Enough. Time to live our lives. I don't care anymore. Let cases soar. I just don't care.

There's still no cure for the flu or the common cold.

"2,822 (FULLY VACCINATED) people who have subsequently tested positive for the virus, for an infection rate of 0.06%. Of those "breakthrough' cases, only 195 had to be hospitalized and 21 have died, she said."

195 hospitalizations out of 2,822 infections, and 21 deaths out of 2,822 breakthrough cases - really doesn't sound encouraging.

It means if the virus DOES breakthrough vaccine protection (rare) - its pretty fucking serious.

[quote] “100% of the people in the hospital [in New Jersey] were unvaccinated.”

These people need to be vaccinated by force.

We can't have contagious zombies stumbling around our streets.

There needs to be context with the number of breakthrough infections. For instance, how many were among people with suppressed immune systems/on immunosuppressant drugs? The vaccines don't seem to be very efficacious in them. How many got the Pfizer of Moderna vaccine vs. J&J, which has been shown to show significantly lower efficacy compared with the mRNA vaccines? A blanket statement about so and so breakthrough infections reveals nothing without context.

[quote]It means if the virus DOES breakthrough vaccine protection (rare) - its pretty fucking serious.

Or, it could mean that breakthrough cases predominantly take place in vaccinated people over 80 who then go on to be hospitalized and die at a high rate. I'm not sure why they don't provide the numbers along with demographics, etc., except that people are stupid, including those writing the articles and don't understand the numbers in the first place.

I *like* the percentage of breakthrough infections. Shouldn’t it be higher? Isn’t Delta like 3x as infectious? Shouldn’t there be FAR more fully vaccinated people coming down with Delta? Shouldn’t there be more young people hospitalized with Delta?

I can only hope that these numbers — the 0.06% breakthrough infection rate noted in R96 — are slightly out of date, and that the current numbers are much higher.

Shouldn't R100 shove his head farther up his own ass? Shouldn't it be way higher up his colon? Shouldn't the top of his head be showing near his tonsils by now?

Ad hominem attack noted, R101. Don’t worry, there’s still a chance you have a better chance than 0.06% of getting that breakthrough infection that all the best people are getting.

What are chances of another 3 week stay at home situation? Will there be more stimulus

I think the days of shelter in place are long over. Nobody wants that again, and it wouldn't be politically useful for Biden and the democrats to advocate for that. They COULD revert to mandating masks in stores and restaurant/bar/gym limits again, but that would be the extent of the limitations.

Can you negotiate with a virus?

It’s called getting vaccinated and going on with your life.

Indonesia vaccinates over 50,000 in one day- everyone wearing a mask.

I think its back to normal daily life now and they'll any number of vaccine boosters into us and it will probably work out. Pity for the unvaccinated. And they need to move FASTER on vaccinating kids because kids will incubate new variants.

I really hope the variant that kids will incubate doesn't end up being one that kills kids as every other pandemic in the world has seemingly excelled at. Wonder what the moron Trumpster anti-vaxxers will do if their kids start dying?

R108

[quote]What is?

The Russian Tzar, Rose. I heard it from Yente.

Is there an expected timeframe as to when FDA will be granting full approval of mRNA vaccines? Hopefully that'll convince some folks still on fence. Once that happens and they're still unvaccinated, we just can't fix stupid.

Not even the nurses are taking it. Worrying...

I disagree that there won’t be another lockdown. It’s coming.

They should never have opened everything up to everyone. There was no reason to not require proof of vaccination to start going out, to enter stores without a mask, to go to baseball game and concerts, etc. If these assholes had actually had to pay a price for their ignorance, that might have actually had an impact. The Repugs are never held responsible for any of their actions, ever.

Do they make flu vaccines mandatory?

The flu kills 80,000 people in a bad year, but no one is calling for mandatory flu vaccines. Just hippocracy.

[quote]hippocracy.

Leave me out of this. You might as well; the medical profession only pays lip service to me at this point.

[quote]The flu kills 80,000 people in a bad year, but no one is calling for mandatory flu vaccines. Just hippocracy.

Most hospitals require it for employees. Mine requires a doctor’s excuse if you refuse.

A friend of mine tried to make the flu argument to me for her not getting the vax. I told her- We've been friends for a really long time. If you want to continue being friends, don't finish your sentence. I'm never going to agree with you and I'm just going to get pissed.

[quote]The flu kills 80,000 people in a bad year, but no one is calling for mandatory flu vaccines. Just hippocracy.

Polio kills 0 people a year in the U.S. but the vaccine is mandatory for schoolchildren. Just hippopotamusy.

Shitty hippocrits ruin everyone's day in the sun.

When the fuck is shithole China going to come clean with the origin of this man-made Chinese plague? It's no way in hell that this virus just jumped out of a bat cave. Impossible!

r123 where's your evidence? i'm sure given your extensive background in virology and epidemiology, you'll be able to enlighten us.

see Jon Stewart r124

It started in a city that has a virus lab in it. Just a coincidence I guess.

Mississippi Dept. of Health issues new recommendations, which will stay in place through July 26:

All Mississippi residents ages 65 and older, as well as anyone with a chronic underlying medical condition, should avoid all indoor mass gatherings regardless of their vaccination status.

All unvaccinated Mississippians wear a mask when indoors in public settings.

All Mississippians 12 years of age and older get vaccinated.

Such a hodgepodge patchwork of a mess. All we'll really accomplish in the end is a sort of modified herd immunity.

Mississippi Dept. of Health issues Moree recommendations:

Eat healthy, and stay fit. Avoid fast food. Cook real Whole Foods. Get some regular exercise. Get checkups annually.

Stay in school and learn a kill.

Save your money.

Be honest and kind. Love thy neighbor, even if your church or television channel or Internet sites of ignorance and hate tell you not to love them.

Try not to raise kids alone.

The mask, restriction lovers etc are getting their panties all wet at the thought of mask wearing requirements again.

Bizarro Trumper^.

just got back from the bank and everyone was wearing their masks, even the customers.

Let them eat ventilator.

It's true, #129! The Hall Monitors were licking their chops about going back to office in masks, then they cruelly snatched that morsel away from them.

3,000 more pos cases for the entire weekend.

My (LA Co.) senior center had a "soft opening" today and is ramping up to full operation. I don't understand why they're doing this with all of the Delta news. And they aren't even requiring proof of vaccination or social distancing.

Delta is 4x stronger than original COVID .

All this over a glorified cold! People need to get a grip. The lamestream media needed an angle to keep covid alive in the news, and they sure found it with the benign delta strain. Stop watching the news, and ditch the masks. Live your life.

Better pay more stimulus

What is King Fauxi's latest proclamation? I'm all ears.

Had the Lambda variant invaded us yet?

Not yet

[quote]Had the Lambda variant invaded us yet?

I'm waiting for the Lambada variant -- THE FORBIDDEN VIRUS.

I love that it’s going to kill off Red State deplorable R-voters in large numbers.

It will also kill the economy.

What is wrong with you people? Why would you wish death on other people because their opinions are different from yours? First off, just because someone lives in a state that went republican, doesn't necessarily mean they are republican. There are tons of democrats in states that went "red." Just as there are tons of republicans in states that went "blue." Second, a large proportion of people refusing the vaccines are minorities who vote democrat and who live in blue states.

I hope Delta Plus doesn't gain a foothold here. That's the variant of concern for me. Recently, an unvaxxed 90 yr.-old Suisse woman was infected with three variants simultaneously. (she died)

These incidents are pause for concern as there exists the real possibility they may swap bits and pieces and become the next variant of concern. There was an Indian triple mutation, but it didn't gain as much traction as regular Delta.

Yes, elderly people and obese people (especially people of color) will die from COVID.

I think it’s a bio weapon and these new variants are the real Mcoy

What’s after Lambda? Cenobite.

Despite these awful variants, I don’t believe they’re going to help Democrats in next year’s Midterms.

A glorified cold which has killed over 600,000 of your countrymen since January 2020, R137.

If you think that the Delta variant is benign, then you’re even stupider than is indicated by your first statement. And that beggars belief.

[quote]Stop watching the news, and ditch the masks. Live your life.

Wish we could.

A lot of people in my "virtual office" are getting sick. Lots of coughing (like, barely able to speak because they keep coughing). I pray we aren't sent back soon.

It killed a lot of people before we had a vaccine. And most of them had underlying conditions or were elderly and not the fittest. Yes it’s sad, and serious, but it didn’t attack everyone the same way that HIV did in the 80s and 90s.

For most people who get it, it really is like a cold or the flu. And we have vaccines now. For anyone who is unlucky enough to suffer a breakthrough infection after being fully vaccinated, it’ll be like a… glorified cold… for them, too.

I’m not R137, but I agree broadly with his sentiment.

R154, if you want to roll the dice that's your choice. But compared to eating healthy and exercising, putting a fucking mask on and taking precautions doesn't take a lot of effort. I do not want long haul symptoms.

Get a load of the Copium this one's smokin'! Whatever it takes mate, whatever it takes...just don't encourage people taking more risk, like ditching their masks. You tell yourself whatever helps you feel cozy and safe come beddy-bye.

Do I want to roll the dice with a breakthrough infection? Yes. I’m not worried that I’ll be one of the less than 1% who experiences one.

The vaccine won’t stop this

Let’s hope it doesn’t, R158.

^ The best medical advise available to us critical thinkers.

Newsmax Host Proudly Rails Against Vaccines And Says Diseases Are Supposed To Wipe People Out

The Newsmax guy looks hot

4,800 positive people in the last 4 days.

is dry cough a symptom?

The most common Delta symptoms are a sore throat, cough and nasal congestion, R165. I would think it's more likely a productive cough, given these are more like cold symptoms.

My boss got a super bad cough and congestion last week. He was vaxxed back in Feb/Mar with Moderna and had been super careful but I know since the mask mandates got lax in LA, he and his wife have been running around maskless and visiting with friends. He told me not to come in last Friday because he wasn't feeling well. I spoke to him yesterday and he already sounds better, but I told him I'd be staying away a few more days. I have always (and still do) wear a mask around him and his wife, even though they don't. His wife had the gall to ask me this weekend if I had any symptoms, the inference being that I gave him something.

I don't know that it's Covid, but I'm not taking any chances.

I do believe that everyone has the responsibility to stay home if not feeling well

Most likely feverish, r163.

r163 He used to be a DL fave before he went to the dark side.

CNN: The United States is now averaging about 23,346 new cases a day over the past seven days, a 97% increase from the week prior, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

[quote] I don't know that it's Covid, but I'm not taking any chances.

You do realize at this point your boss is well past the contagious stage, whatever the infection was.

it's been less than a week since he first started feeling sick, R172. If it is Covid, I don't know that he's past the contagious stage.

[quote] getting struck by lightening

Beats getting hit by darkening.

Relax, fellas. If you're vaccinated, Covid is over. You'll get nothing more than a cold, if that. Wham bam, thank you ma'am, and it's done. Yes, you can transmit it to unvaccinated people, but it's their problem if they choose not to get vaccinated, not yours. They have to live with the consequences of their (in)actions. Work out at the gym (and enjoy the eye candy). Eat in restaurants (they need your business). Shop at brick and mortars (they have killer sales atm). Exhale!

R175 no irresponsible advice please

r176, out of the millions upon millions upon millions of people who have been vaxxed throughout the country, and have not and most likely will not have a breakthrough infection. Your chance of having an asymptomatic breakthough infection after being vaxxed is exponentially lower than 1%, and even lower for dying of a breakthrough infection. The chances are negligible. Numbers need context.

The dead breakthrough infections are most likely in people that are 100 years old, have compromised immune systems, or have other serious medical conditions.

R175 and R177 are correct. Some people LIVE to worry about breakthrough infections and vax’d people asymptomatically transmitting. They desperately want mask requirements to come back, either because they’re paranoid or they like the ritual of it for whatever reason.

Other people have kids under 12, and they’re hysterical because parents are overprotective and they don’t understand that kids aren’t really at risk of serious illness OR long Covid. Then there are the people who are immunocompromised, which if you just went by the sheer numbers of people online saying “I’m immunocompromised and I don’t want to take any chances,” you would think that something like 50% of Americans are immunocompromised. Well, it’s actually closer to 5%. But they’re ALL ONLINE announcing it every single day.

For the vast majority of us, who got fully vaccinated and have an understanding of the data and a normal, mentally healthy way of proceeding through life post-vaccine, we can really go about our lives and not worry about fucking Delta or Lambda or or Epsilon or whatever the fuck is next. If—IF—a variant comes along that’s actually way more formidable than Delta, there’ll be a booster shot available. There is no point in hand wringing or wearing masks outside or saying no to parties (although, really, who wants you people at a party anyway? Who wants to go to any party at all, anywhere? Are we all 25 or something?).

The “it’s coming,” “it’s bad,” “it’s here,” “wear your masks!” people are just Internet trolls at this point. Truly.

For idiots like R179, Covid is still too new to know what the long term effects will be even for people who get breakthrough infections that may or may not be severe at the outset. If I can wear a mask and take precautions for a few more months and keep myself out of harm's way, then I'm going to do just that. If R179 wants to be irresponsible, he/she is free to do so.

[quote]Wham bam, thank you ma'am, and it's done.

I don’t know what this means.

[quote] If I can wear a mask and take precautions for a few more months and keep myself out of harm's way, then I'm going to do just that.

I’m not the guy you’re referring to, but if you feel comfortable doing that, that’s fine and no one will fault you for it. Just don’t pretend there’s any science whatsoever to support it.

R182- OAN reporter

About 50 millions Americans have had Covid. Many others have had the vaccine (including former group). Chance of dying from Covid, very small.

And yet, people still want to live like hermits and ruin the economy once again.

I wore a mask and nitrile gloves to my PCP's office the other day. When he entered gloveless, he went to shake my hand. He was practically laughing at me for wearing gloves and being overly cautious; he thought I was being ridiculous. He basically told me that the pandemic is over for those of us who's been vaccinated, even with the delta variant becoming dominant. He's been my doctor for 25 years, and I love him because of his common sense approach to medicine. He has never steered me wrong.

[quote] He was practically laughing at me for wearing gloves and being overly cautious; he thought I was being ridiculous.

He ain’t the only one.

I think the people advocating for endless mask wearing and social distancing and isolation tend to be extreme introverts/anti-social types/super-hypochondriacs who wallowed in their opportunity not to interact with others, and they just don't want that to end. Their time finally came, and they're not going to let that go. I'm no extreme extrovert and I did enjoy the solitude of isolation to an extent in the early stages of the pandemic, but I need to be around people.

r185 What a lie.

[quote] About 50 millions Americans have had Covid. Many others have had the vaccine (including former group). Chance of dying from Covid, very small.

I don't know why it's so difficult to get this concept through people's thick fucking heads. There's more to Covid than dying. Yes, we all know a small percentage have died. No shit. But there's also a lot of long hauler issues that have yet to fully reveal themselves. Do I think I'll die of Covid if I get it? No. Do I know I won't wind up with several long term health issues a few years down the line? No. So why the fuck would I do anything but take the utmost precaution until I do know? This virus is 18 months old and how many times have information and proclamations about protocols changed? No one knows anything for sure. So stop acting like know-it-alls and admit you're just irresponsible and stupid.

r189, you sound ridiculously smug. You're probably insufferable to be around, and thus have no friends, so of course you couldn't care less if social isolation and mask wearing rules were extended until the end of time.

And you sound like a fucking idiot. If you want to call speaking facts being "smug," go for it. I couldn't give two shits.

r189, you did not present any facts. What you spewed forth was speculation. There is no science to back up any of your claims. But go ahead and live life like a hermit, I don't care. I'll be out and about enjoying life and interacting with other human beings, including having sex, vaccinated and safe in the knowledge that I am protected. You silly little soy-boy hypochondriacs, not COVID, are going to be the death of us all.

This is DL porn now.

[quote]He was practically laughing at me for wearing gloves and being overly cautious

Well, I will continue to wear gloves, and I don't care if other people find it funny. I will also continue to wear a hat because I like the way a hat looks on my head.

[quote] I wore a mask and nitrile gloves to my PCP's office the other day. When he entered gloveless, he went to shake my hand. He was practically laughing at me for wearing gloves and being overly cautious; he thought I was being ridiculous. He basically told me that the pandemic is over for those of us who's been vaccinated, even with the delta variant becoming dominant.

He was right to laugh at you, and right about it being over for everyone who’s smart enough to get vaccinated. I hope you trust him, he sounds like a good guy. Listen to him, not doomer assholes like R180.

[quote] No. Do I know I won't wind up with several long term health issues a few years down the line?

Several YEARS down the line?? It’s a virus, it’s not Chernobyl.

Finally an answer to my question, r194!

1,100 cases today but no vax people have been hospitalized in any LA county hospital who received JJ, P and M.

World Odometer seems off, especially with the recent surge. I guess a lot of places have given up reporting or are underreporting. India went from 4000+ deaths a day and is now at 600.

I think R189 is making good points. Death is not the only thing people should be concerned about. Covid-19 is new, and we do not know the long-term impacts of getting the virus--whether you are vaccinated or unvaccinated. Each person has to do what he or she feels most comfortable with, but I think it is too soon to say this is over if you're vaccinated. We still do not know how long the vaccine will protect from the virus.

Finally, someone addressed the question of long-haul symptoms in the vaccinated. Anderson Cooper asked Dr. Peter Hotez whether breakthrough infections could result in debilitating long-term effects.

Unfortunately, Hotez’ answer was “We don’t know.”

R187, I think you’re right

The people will not tolerate another lockdown!!!

"This is DL porn now."

Because 90% of Datalounge is poz and/or has cancer. They've been in quarantine since March '20.

Respect the community here. Learn to quote.^

[quote]Daily deaths continue to be low, in the low to mid single digits.

3,300 new covid cases in LA just on Tues.

I known deaths are a lagging indicator, but I would guess that the percentage of deaths from all these new cases will be close to zero. It's a bad cold at this point, nothing more. If snowflakes can't cope with a few days of a runny nose and achiness, then I've lost all hope for this world.

^ trumpcunt

COVID has long-term health consequences for a lot of people, and wearing a mask isn't "extreme introversion." I don't know where you get this kind of stuff.

This morning's troll talking point has been about pushing COVID misinformation for some reason. Anyone paying even the slightest bit of attention knows every day that there's one talking point, and this is today's. Why? To justify the recent Tennessee fiasco?

Fine, hide in your basements for the rest of your pathetic lives. The lamestream media and their fear porn has really done a number on you sheeple.

^ Trumpcunt parroting all the key lines.

Fox "News" has really ratcheted up the anti-vaxx rhetoric in the last few days, R210, I think they're just following that lead.

R211, for instance, is echoing Laura Ingraham.

I'm not pro-Trump, but keep telling yourself that. Fits your neat simplistic little narrative, doesn't it?

[quote]The mask, restriction lovers etc are getting their panties all wet at the thought of mask wearing requirements again.

Drink bleach, you pathetic cunt.

yeah, blocked.

at first I found blocked people you disagree with as passive aggressive, but now I feel strongly that giving those who spread misinformation wantonly NO audience. block them and move on, maybe they will die off somewhere else then

[quote]The lamestream media and their fear porn has really done a number on you sheeple.

The trolls we get are so bad they sound like parodies of themselves.

[Quote] I'm not pro-Trump, but keep telling yourself that. Fits your neat simplistic little narrative, doesn't it?

[Bold] SURE, JAN.

r219=typical response from someone who gets a Sure, Jan.

Guys, the troll's first post in this thread said

[quote]even people with mild illness have been developing long-haul symptoms. It's scary.

Days later he responded to me saying the same thing with

[quote]Fine, hide in your basements for the rest of your pathetic lives. The lamestream media and their fear porn has really done a number on you sheeple.

He's been posting constantly in this thread, pretending to be scared of the virus sometimes, pretending that everyone else is scared and he doesn't care about COVID in other replies. He's bad at trolling. Show him your love by punching and deleting.

[Quote] Fine, hide in your basements for the rest of your pathetic lives. The lamestream media and their fear porn has really done a number on you sheeple. .

- hide in your basements

- lamestream media

- fear porn

- sheeple.

You parroted 4 tag lines Fox news and Trumpcunt repeat over and over. Well done, "critical thinker" / r219. LOL!

indeed, you never use those catchphrases unless you're a fucking foxnews cunt

Libtards!

r224 is the reason the term *bloody stool* was invented.

r208 r211 r219 r224 enjoy your "time out" you dumb trumpcunt!

Dutch PM apologizes after cases rise 500% in wake of scrapping all restrictions.

The UK is opening up with no restrictions next week. Ugh

r228, that will be a big mistake. Sadly.

"The number of confirmed new cases is growing, with 20,811 for the seven days ending July 13 compared to 6,312 the seven days prior." - From USA TODAY.

^^^ For the state of Ca.

I told people we shouldn’t have opened back up. Everyone thought I was paranoid, but I knew this would happen.

The problem is, no one cares anymore. They don’t care about the surge. They just want to socialize and party without a care in the world. Meanwhile, people won’t get vaccinated. I have too many family members who won’t. They just don’t care.

People are over COVID and masking .

There’s an easy way to prevent COVID, by getting vaccinated. People who are vaxxed are able to go back to living normal lives. Those who aren’t…oh well.

R234, how is continuing to mask up and socially distance back to normal lives?

R234

There is nothing separating the vaccinated from unvaccinated in society. The unvaccinated are doing everything the vaccinated are doing. So what’s the point of these guidelines when the majority of unvaccinated are not following them? And no one is checking for proof of vaccination. This is a disaster.

They’re also easing the school mask requirements. This is awful, and is going to lead to tragedy after school starts.

I’m really fed up with people.

Seems to me it's about viral load, being caught in an enclosed place with several people who are carriers. We've all heard stories about weddings, funerals, etc. that were super-spreaders. Yet people at Trump rallies, sports events, etc. didn't report significant surge (open air).

Most of us have to go to stores to buy necessities, but they tend to have high ceilings and not be densely crowded. If you wear a mask you should be fine.

I think New York, England, India, Brazil show that crowded areas and public transportation are the main culprits.

Stay home if possible. Avoid cramped spaces. Wear a mask. Get vaccinated.

[quote]There is nothing separating the vaccinated from unvaccinated in society. The unvaccinated are doing everything the vaccinated are doing. So what’s the point of these guidelines when the majority of unvaccinated are not following them? And no one is checking for proof of vaccination. This is a disaster.

This is the heart of the entire problem. I still don't understand why they scrapped the plan to have to show proof of vaccination to be allowed back into society. Remember how in the beginning they were talking about how important it was to keep track of your vaccination card, etc.? That would have provided the pressure to get these assholes to get vaccinated.

R237, it's completely ridiculous. It's like they've decided that to get to herd immunity, they're just going to infect every person under 18 in the country. To do that when there are kids out there begging to get vaccinated whose idiot Trumper parents won't allow it is sadistic. Kids are scared of going back to school because they know how other kids are. Once one unvaccinated kid takes his mask off in the friend group, everyone else will, too. If I was a teacher, I'd be fucking pissed. The unions should take a stand now.

[quote]Yet people at Trump rallies, sports events, etc. didn't report significant surge (open air).

Didn't Trump basically try to kill an entire state with some rally? Nebraska, maybe?

[quote]Yet people at Trump rallies, sports events, etc. didn't report significant surge (open air).

It's difficult to trace transmissions to outdoor events. However:

"According to the RWI Leibniz Institute for Economic Research and the SDU University of Southern Denmark in Sonderborg, Bundesliga (soccer) matches with large crowds led to a significant increase in new infections. This was particularly the case when masks only had to be worn on the way to stadium seats, but not in the fan block."

Then there's the case of six fully vaccinated people getting covid at an outdoor wedding. One died -- but he had gotten India's Covaxin vaccine.

Public health leaders in Yolo County, California are again urging people, even those who are vaccinated for COVID-19, to wear masks indoors.

Ex E Entertainment Reporter documents her recent bout of breakthrough Covid

So vaccine is not quite the panacea they ( media) claimed it to be back in November?

We see your posting history, r244...

r244's posts in the *COVID-19 cases up in nearly half of US states: analysis* thread:

*

We will be on another lockdown with vaccine resistant variant by mid fall.

It’s dire

So true r16. Black and Hispanic groups are not only hesitant, but out right hostile to the idea .

I predict we will be back to square one by September.

Covid is back with a vengeance

The vaccine will be useless by October

I truly believe it’s going to get much worse.

People are going to be leery of more vaccines

Get ready for the REAL pandemic

This person is a troll r246, we all know this virus is under control and the fear mongering is all media / political induced hype .

I know they're a troll, r247. I'm just pointing that out to those who may not.

Good for you 😆

Is this the reason why the lockdowns are lifted?

Debunking the idiocy at R250:

I don't want to get hiv through a blow job after the vax

How fucking stupid do you have to be to continue to link, over and over, to fucking Bitchute to try to prove your case? Was there nothing in the National Enquirer?

R252, getting HIV is voluntary at this point in human history, adenovirus vector or no. It's called a condom. Probably the same selfish people who won't wear a mask, also refuse to wear a condom. So uncomfortable. It makes things less spontaneous. Wahwahwah.

I posted this on another thread but maybe here is more appropriate. Fully vaxed Indio CA woman catches variant.

And Jake is reporting so extra points.

Good read & highlights:

* 41% of Californians of all ages have yet to be inoculated (presume of eligible population).

* Between Dec. 7 and June 7, UNVACCINATED people in L.A. County comprised 99.6% of its coronavirus cases, 98.7% of COVID-19 hospitalizations and 99.8% of deaths. My takeaway is that for VACCINATED: your personal choice on masking based on risk tolerance (in case of smal probability breakthrough) and daily/regular proximity to unvac, infected, immuno & other compromised pops.

Vaccine was touted as the return to normalcy. This is BS

Covid vaccines were never touted to be 100% effective. Recall: Pfizer says its vaccine was 95% effective in preventing COVID-19 cases with symptoms and 100% effective when it came to preventing severe cases. Moderna cited similar results, with 94% efficacy. J&J found its vaccine, which was tested in the U.S. amid a larger surge in COVID-19 transmission, was 72% effective overall and 86% effective in preventing severe disease. The most recent U.S. trial shows AstraZeneca's vaccine was 79% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 cases and was 100% effective in stopping severe cases and hospitalization.

The HUGE issue is that no one is counting the number of breakthrough infections in the vaccinated, which for the most part are going to be asymptomatic or mild. On the surface, that's not a huge deal. However, as mentioned above, the jury is still out on whether asymptomatic or mild infection can lead to long-hauler symptoms. THAT, and not the very remote/negligible possibility of hospitalization or death, is the real issue for the vaccinated. No one in the media or politics wants to have that conversation.

At this point I'd be thrilled, generally speaking, with a surge. 99.96 percent of the people hospitalized or dying are unvaccinated so their sickness and death is something to celebrate, not lament. I feel bad for the hospital and medical staff who have to deal with these selfish cretins and I think at this point the unvaccinated should be turned away from all medical facilities, schools, public businesses, transportation, etc...The unvaccinated are a menace--threatening a tiny minority of people who truly cannot get the vaccine for medical reasons. They're also walking petri dishes, hosting mutations that may very well break through the vaccines we have. The sooner they die the better. I LOVE hearing stories of these retarded freaks who regret not getting the vaccine while they're struggling to breathe in a hospital bed. Do not bring back mask mandates or any other restrictions other than those related to vaccines. If you are hospitalized or dying of COVID at this point, it is almost certainly your fault and you have chosen to put others, needlessly, at risk.

That's rather harsh to wish them dead, but if this is what it takes for herd immunity when including infected and recovered numbers along with the vaccinated then so be it!

That's really harsh, r260. Do you also wish a horrible death on people with AIDS who engaged in risky sex sans condoms or PrEP? I get that AIDS patients don't pose the same risk to healthcare providers' health as COVID patients, but you're not looking at it in that context. Your post just reeks of bitterness and resentment.

[quote]That's really harsh, [R260]. Do you also wish a horrible death on people with AIDS who engaged in risky sex

Do you have to ask this? You’re on Datalounge. Gay (white) men are enemy #1 here.

R260 is a sociopath asshole

People living with HIV/AIDS are not "contagious" unless you're having sex or sharing needles. It's a "buyer beware" sort of situation so, no, I don't wish death upon them--they aren't a menace to the general public, just their consenting sex partners who have chosen not to protect themselves. The vaccinated people circulating in public schools, hospitals, workplaces, etc...don't have much choice but to be exposed to the murderous imbeciles who refuse vaccines. I'm the sociopath because I don't think people should be killed or put at risk for no reason by morons? I'm the sociopath when I celebrate that the murderous morons have finally died? I was frustrated in the 90s by the some of the behavior of my fellow gay men. We had the opportunity to stop HIV with modest changes in behavior: don't have unprotected anal sex unless you're tested and monogamous. That very simple step would have stopped most of HIV dead in its tracks but many couldn't be bothered, creating huge health care burdens and misery.

[quote]the jury is still out on whether asymptomatic or mild infection can lead to long-hauler symptoms. No one in the media or politics wants to have that conversation.

Yes. I've seen one medical expert address it and he said we just don't know – "but we'll find out soon with the Delta variant," implying that it will infect plenty of fully vaccinated folks.

The "jury is out on whether mild infection can cause long hauler symptoms" is even more reason to hate the unvaccinated with the fire of a thousand suns, even more reason to celebrate their deaths. We could mostly stamp this out if we could get to 90+ percent vaccination rates among eligible populations.

R256, those numbers are from before Delta gained dominance.

Why the Delta variant may be more transmissible

From CNN's Michael Nedelman

The Delta variant might spread faster than other strains of the coronavirus because it makes more copies of itself inside our bodies quicker than other strains of the coronavirus.

In research posted online last week, Chinese scientists detected Delta viral loads that were about 1,260 times higher than earlier strains on initial positive tests. They compared 62 Delta cases with 63 cases from the early epidemic wave in 2020.

Moreover, the amount of time it took quarantined people to test positive for Covid-19 on PCR also shortened – from about six days with the earlier infections to four days with Delta.

“These data highlight that the Delta variant could be more infectious during the early stage of the infection,” the researchers wrote.

Some context: Delta outbreaks in China have prompted some local governments to shorten the window for a negative test in order to travel from 72 hours to 48 hours.

According to Public Health England, a number of analyses have shown Delta to be more transmissible, including lab studies that suggest “increased replication in biological systems that model human airway, and evidence of optimized furin cleavage” – a process that activates the virus’ entry into the human cell. The variant has also been observed to spread faster in real-world epidemiological studies.

According to the World Health Organization, Delta is estimated to spread roughly 55% faster than the Alpha variant first identified in the UK, and roughly twice as fast as variants that do not rise to the level of “interest” or “concern.”

Your siting the Commie News Network (CNN) as legit info on rona? CNN is just about fear mogerring. Live your lives, the worse is over with.

But your poor grammar continues.

R257 yeah but more people have to take it. Be mad at the idiots who won’t take it becasuse they read something on Tik Tok

We're BACK, baby!

MRNA...vector. cannot decide.. What shall I do..?

.......

They're masks, not straitjackets.

Why don’t people put pressure on black and Hispanic communities over their dismal vaccine rate?

R278 And why are those coming through our southern border not tested?

They sympathize with them R278. It’s why I hope Newsom is out and this gets the ball rolling to get rid of all pandemic Democrats in 2022 and 2024.

Oh, do try harder, trolls.

Comedian Gabriel Iglesias tests positive for COVID-19 despite being vaccinated

Comedian Gabriel Iglesias has been forced to cancel an upcoming show after testing positive for COVID-19 — despite being fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

He announced the news via social media with a video titled, “Announcement I didn’t want to make on my bday.”

“Unfortunately, I have tested positive for COVID-19. I made sure that I got tested by two different types of tests and they both came back positive,” the comic shared Thursday on his 45th birthday.

Iglesias added that none of his symptoms were “debilitating” and credits his vaccination with “getting me through this as quickly as it did.”

The funny man was due to wrap up his 73-stop tour in San Antonio, Texas, this weekend, but will instead be quarantining for 14 days.

The Netflix star joked in conclusion, “Not the way I wanted to spend my birthday but at least I’m alive and I have cake. I can’t taste it or smell it, but I have it. Wish me luck and be careful out there.”

While testing positive for COVID-19 after full vaccination is rare, it is still possible and “expected,” as the jab is not a cure, nor is it 100% effective, the CDC says. Compared to unvaccinated individuals, however, there’s only a slim chance of these so-called “breakthrough” infections in those who are fully vaccinated.

Fans who’ll have to wait two weeks to see the comic can at least hear his voice in the new “Space Jam” sequel, which is available to stream on HBOMax and opens in theaters today.

Iglesias voices cartoon mouse Speedy Gonzales, a move he defended when the character was called out for playing up Mexican stereotypes.

That fat fuck has the 'rona? Get the piano crate ready.

[quote]We could do better than this.

Well, no. Apparently, we can't.

This reminds me of all the racist crap and people saying, "This isn't who we are." Well, no. We're that, too.

This thing is going to keep mutating and mutating until it is totally able to evade the vaccines, and ticks off every last vulnerable person. Only the young, healthy, and fit will ultimately survive. I'm toast, as I imagine are most of the people who post on this board. This is like nature's Holocaust.

[quote] This is like nature's Holocaust.

MARY

Well shit, r285, who are we going to leave our stuff to?

Seems like we’re headed to square one. The vaccines aren’t that protective are they?

I'll give you credit, r285, you certainly put a hell of a lot of time and effort into your trolling. Too bad you don't have a productive hobby.

Try harder, r288. You can do it, we know you can.

If you ate fully vaccinated, you're fine. Stop the fear mongering.

How many fully vaccinated do you have to eat for adequate protection?

[quote]Well shit, [R285], who are we going to leave our stuff to?

Yoo-hoo! Over here!

That’s not the new narrative r291.

Just make sure you get the good vax! Pfizer or moderna! JJ is OK (better than nothing if you can't get the other 2).

You may get covid even if you are vaxxed but at least you won't die and will live to fuck all the whores when the pandemic is over!

If one of the side effects is I'll be fucking all the whores, r295, no thank you.

It’s so weird that there are places in the U.S. with a mask mandate when the rest of the country is wide open and back to normal.

[quote]the rest of the country is wide open and back to normal.

Open, maybe, but only normal if you accept soaring covid infections as the status quo.

The problem for Democratic-run areas like LA... is that the bulk of the non-vaccinated people are blacks and minorities. So the leadership makes excuses for them, and does things like requiring everybody to go back to mask-wearing... rather than calling out the stupidity of those groups who have low-vaccination rates.

r299 has stated his racism.

Christina Aguilera has two sold out shows tonight and tomorrow at the Hollywood Bowl! YES, I know it's outside but people are hip to hip in those seats. People in front of you and behind you are right on top of you practically. 98% were NOT wearing masks two weeks ago a the opening show of the season. There is constant blabbing talking all night and eating in the seats. They are not checking if people are vaccinated. I say good luck or RIP.

The UK had 60k cases today of the delta variant but only 60 deaths. If you hoes are double vaxxed you have nothing to fear.

yes I understand we won't die if we're vaxxed but I do not want long covid! or the mental illness that over 30% develop afterwards!

I'm trying my best to avoid this fucking virus, I was double masking until recently...now just wearing 1 mask since I'm vaxxed. But seriously considering going back to double masking again. I'm seeing more people double masking as well...

Do you not understand that deaths are a lagging indicator, sometimes up to 4 weeks behind number of cases? I fully expect the death toll to rise exponentially over the next few weeks, and there will be vaxxed people who will succum. Go ahead and take your chances, but it's only been 1 and a half years into this pandemic, and we still don't know a lot. I'm hoping we go back to shelter in place at some point. It's a tough pill to swallow, but it's the only way I see to finally get out of this hell.

[quote] yes I understand we won't die if we're vaxxed but I do not want long covid! or the mental illness that over 30% develop afterwards!

Hypothetically speaking, if my odds of surviving Covid were this good at the beginning of the pandemic, I would've waited a lot longer to get my vaccine shot if at all.

^It's just bizarre to me that people are so concerned with the long term risks of Covid yet are not even slightly curious about the long term effects of the vaccine. I get it. Most people should get vaccinated given the benefit versus potential risk but this hysteria is absolutely ridiculous.

Because we have plenty of evidence of the long-term effects of Covid, R306, and there is no evidence of any long-term effects with the vaccines. The first vaccine test subjects got their shots more than a year ago and precisely zero have indicated they have any problems. Historically, vaccine side effects have shown up within two months, not years later.

R307 Not true. I have a relative who was hospitalized twice after each shot. Given his age and his health condition, I still think it was better he got vaccinated. However to say that there is zero evidence of any long term effects is profoundly naive. There is evidence of short term effects from the vaccine. I still decided getting vaccinated was best for me and my family, but I would be very uncomfortable making that declaration for everyone.

R307 I agree with your statement as regards most common occurring side effects, or adverse events. Unforeseen more rare incidents such as Polio vax recipients, and their descendants, as well as sexual partners developing cancer from SV-40 can take years, often several decades or even generations really.

Some newer research points to both in-utero transmission of SV-40, as well as it quite possibly being sexually transmitted throughout the human population now. With many of these transmissions sometimes occurring decades later, as in the case of say a daughter whose mother was inoculated with a jab from that batch, it could be generations later for the cancers to occur.

I'm not at all saying there is ANY such likelihood with Covid jabs, but we must be careful when we use tbe term historically. This is a bit of history here that cannot be denied.

Another good overview in the abstract below for those unfamiliar with SV-40.

It's important to get the shot. Vaccines mean fewer hospitalized people, which means fewer healthcare workers and their families and friends needlessly infected, and better capacity to treat people like heart attack patients, stroke patients, people who OD-ed, who would all but be ignored during a COVID crunch. You have to wonder how many people have died of non-COVID-related emergencies because they were either too afraid to go to the ER or who received inferior care in the ER because it was overwhelmed with COVID patients.

[quote]However to say that there is zero evidence of any long term effects is profoundly naive.

Great. Point me to the evidence.

Dr. Gupta was on MSNBC tonight saying that LA County was wrong for the reinstatement of the mask mandate, as it only confuses the public, who are hearing two different things from the CDC and LA County. He thinks the LA County officials have no idea what they're doing.

[quote]The problem for Democratic-run areas like LA... is that the bulk of the non-vaccinated people are blacks and minorities. So the leadership makes excuses for them, and does things like requiring everybody to go back to mask-wearing... rather than calling out the stupidity of those groups who have low-vaccination rates.

[quote] R299 has stated his racism.

I don't think it's racism to want to get minorities vaxxed. Let's address why they don't want to do it and get it done. It is stupid not to get vaxxed for emotional/illogical reasons.

I don't think R299 is being racist. I'm black and I think it's absolute insanity that more of us aren't fully vaccinated and a lot of people want to make excuses for it while trashing Trumpers. Here's the deal, it's all foolishness. The Trumpers who won't get vaccinated are idiots and the black people who are clinging to decades past medical experimentation as some sort of valid excuse for not getting vaxxed are idiots too. And you're not a racist if you call that out.

I think right now it would be suicidal to go into a store maskless. I also wear a mask outside. This variant is lurking everywhere, out to pick off its next victim, and after all this time of being extra-careful, I'm not going to cave in and be lax now. The fight is far from over. I feel that the sky is falling with this variant and it is going to make what we went through last year pale in comparison. Last year will look like a summer cold compared to what is coming. Mark my words, the pandemic hasn't even begun yet.

I bet you're just a blast at parties R316.

[quote] Mark my words, the pandemic hasn't even begun yet.

MARY

I think the Chinese unleashed this new monster on us . Last year was an experiment.

Last year was merely a coming attraction. This delta variant will unleash a horror the world has never seen before. It's beginning to feel like the end of times.

You never know r320

Bunch of ignorant drama queens on here. Just shutup and go back to hiding under the bed.

[quote] Dr. Gupta was on MSNBC tonight saying that LA County was wrong for the reinstatement of the mask mandate, as it only confuses the public, who are hearing two different things from the CDC and LA County. He thinks the LA County officials have no idea what they're doing.

I generally appreciate Sanjay. Agree and disagree with him in equal measure.

Being in LA County myself, can understand the confusion and agree with him on this part.

Where I disagree is slighting the LA County officials and NOT the CDC.

Why the CDC suddenly lifted the mandates and became casual about Covid just before the Delta variant began spreading in the US, I’ll NEVER understand. As we observed with the first wave of Covid, other countries (China, Italy, et al) were the canaries in the coal mines for the USA. We foolishly did not prepare and the country was literally slaughtered with the highest number of deaths in the world.

The first wave was a different time and administration. Now, with the wobbly credibility of the CDC of a new admin, they SUDDENLY lift mandates.....confusing the public, many scientists and many in the medical community at large.

I know that colleagues at the CDC have whiplash and are not altogether happy even with the new admin....and rapidly reversing their recommendations as Covid was ramping up in India and Europe. To think that the US would not be once again impacted by the Delta wave was hubristic and ignorant.

It is very likely that the CDC will be backed into a corner and may find it necessary to reverse their recommendations as Covid cases increase in the US (and worldwide).....further eroding their already tattered reputation.

LA County has been more measured from a medical standpoint as they watch our ICU numbers explode.

tl;dr : Gupta is correct. The public has confusion and whiplash.....from the CDC.

The CDC needs to get it together. And this is coming from someone who once respected it and worked there while at Emory in Atlanta.

That's right. Trash the CDC, because they aren't saying what you want to hear. How Trumpian.

Op got his wish

I'm not R323. But R324 wtf? Having a different opinion than yours does not make someone a "Trumpian". Calling someone a Boris or a Trumpster just because they have different views than you do is quite lame hon.

Excuse me, CDC is dumb as fuck, do you remember they couldn't even make a covid test in the beginning? I wouldn't trust what they say 50%...huge grain of salt.

Delta variant will wipe out millions in Africa and in poor countries around the world. Ho hum. How's the stock market this summer? Yachting season is up and running. All is well.

[Quote] Delta variant will wipe out millions in Africa and in poor countries around the world.

China's been waiting.

Yes R328 be sure to wear your mask at the grocery store to save the people in Africa.

I am VERY upset. I'm fucking pissed off. I am young, stunningly handsome, and I did EVERYTHING I was supposed to do. We have been on restricted living since March 2020 and we only got the steam/sauna back in the gym a month a go. Something told me to really whore it up like I did. I feel like I went above and beyond for everyone, while everyone else was in Puerto Villarta. I hate all of you!!!!!!!

I do feel for the youngsters who are missing out on another summer. Are the bars going to close?

The wonderful thing is that we just go back to out door living if this thing surges again. We have outdoor gyms and the outdoor bars and restaurant expansion in WeHo is for the long tern. Robertson is closed down on the weekends. We can live outside in LA and everything is now in tact to do it, worst case. Although Newsom cut outdoor dining from Nov - Feb, so you never know.

The bars on Santa Monica can’t be just outdoors, plus how do u social distance among those large crowds?

They have been last summer and then after outdoor opened up after the holidays. There are waitlists, etc, but it does sound like you go drink inside, you just have to wear your mask at your seat, They aren't closing indoor dining down. All the bars that survived have expanded outdoor drinking.

Well we do know one thing: thanks to air travel, a contagious disease can circle the globe in a few weeks.

And, whatever anyone does, never, ever, ever stop fucking air travel! There should have been a complete ban on air travel just like cruises.

As far as the reputation of the CDC, you have to realize they are a political agency. Listen to the NIH instead.

R328 the stock market is running largely on the Fed and margin debt. it's about to massively go down and we full on crash in about 8 months from the date of this post. The die is cast, the game is set in motion.

r338, why 8 months or did you pull it out of your ass?

If he's like the other market doomsayers here, R338, he posts variations of the same prediction every few weeks ... and has done so for years.

One of these days he's going to be right.

Masks do absolutely nothing.

[quote]Why the CDC suddenly lifted the mandates and became casual about Covid just before the Delta variant began spreading in the US, I’ll NEVER understand.

Because they have a fundamental misunderstanding of the American psyche. They honestly believed that telling vaccinated people they could ditch the masks would motivate the unvaccinated to get their shots. All it did was give license to the unvaccinated to rip off their masks, too, as anyone in the real world could have told them.

Exactly, R342. They way overestimated the intelligence of the morons. Never overestimate the intelligence of American morons. They needed to have a national vaccine passport and anyone who didn't have one, had to stay home and couldn't go anywhere under penalty of law. And, once they were in jail, mandatory vaccinations for all prisoners. The end. That's how you have to treat these giant, stupid toddlers.

r343, the Constitution might have something to say about that. That's a very slippery slope.

Where's it going to slide to, R344? Would you feel differenty if whatever causes the next pandemic is 80% fatal and there are a bunch of morons refusing the vaccine? That's the slippery slope we are now allowing. We are allowing the most ignorant and ill-informed to set public policy concerning everything, including life and death at this point.

I swear, half the people on here would have decided that Lincoln fighting the South was a slippery slope and railed against it. First, they take your slaves, then what else will they take? What if they want your horse then? What if they want your kids? Slippery slope. Slippery slope. This is a public health disaster. We are lucky it's as low a mortality rate as it is. We won't be as lucky one of these times and "these times" are going to be coming more and more frequently. We are in the age of pandemics according to scientists but, yes, requiring a vaccine to prevent a fucking plague is a slippery slope. Uh huh.

[quote]The vaccine will be useless by October I truly believe it’s going to get much worse.People are going to be leery of more vaccines

you're an exciting writer. alas none of these statements can be corroborated by evidence from epidemiologists. Who I know. vaccinations are still going up, despite but you post, not enough for sure, and the rate of break out infection in the vaccinated is still around one percent. nearly none are hospitalized. none, not some, none. and I know personally some of those break outs. it's serious, but we know the drill, stay home, test and take care of yourself.

The conversation is moot, because no one in government would ever have the balls to suggest something as radical and extreme as penalties and mandatory vaccinations. The optics would be terrible, and any politician who even suggested that would be risking political suicide.

[quote] All it did was give license to the unvaccinated to rip off their masks, too, as anyone in the real world could have told them.

in shitty places. in my town I see the masked as the cautious and certain demographics who aren't vaccinated (yet). and yeah, i ask them

[quote]Masks do absolutely nothing.

blocked.

again, i found this tactic passive aggressive before, but now, it's spreading misinformation, the best way to combat it is simply silence the liars.

Well, some masks are useless. The ones they sell in 7-11, for example, are a joke. The surgical masks are less so. I stockpiled N95s before the pandemic began. I paid a shit load of money for them, and I credit them with helping me to stay disease free.

[quote]the rate of break out infection in the vaccinated is still around one percent.

We do not know the rate of breaththrough infections because they aren't tracking them until someone is hospitalized or dies. It could be 100% for all we know but only 2% end up in the hospital or dead. That's fine, for right now, because that means the vaccine is protective at a very high level for hospitalization and death. The problem is that we don't know if the asymptomatic vaccinated who get it will suffer longterm effects down the road.

It's really strange that they aren't tracking the positivity rates of the vaccinated. The explanation being that it would be "too hard". I'd be willing to bet that it's because it's the same as the unvaccinated. It is possible that Delta infects the vaccinated and unvaccinated at the same rates but doesn't lead to as much hospitalization and death in the vaccinated. They don't want to muddy the waters by trying to explain the nuanced reasons for a similar infection rate between vaccinated and unvaccinated and how that really doesn't matter in the moment due to decreased deaths, etc., to a general public that seems to have trouble understanding, well, anything. Stupid motherfuckers make up at least 60% of the US population.

One problem is the US has shit contact tracing. And dumbass Americans wouldn’t allow good contact tracing because “muh freedoms and privacy”. With contact tracing we could prevent so many infections.

All you've done is proved the First Amendment causes more deaths than the Second.

[quote]Now, with the wobbly credibility of the CDC of a new admin, they SUDDENLY lift mandates.....confusing the public, many scientists and many in the medical community at large.

The public is not confused. The CDC said that unvaccinated people still need to wear masks, and they’ve chosen not to because they don’t want to. And now COVID is running rampant among Unvaccinated people.

The CDC has told the public the truth. Vaccinated people do not need to wear masks or social distance or take other protections. The vaccines offer excellent protection against Delta, and vaccinated people are able to go back to living normal mask-free lives.

Hooray for medical apartheid!

We don't actually know that it's black and Hispanic people who aren't getting vaccinated in the LA area.

We know that nationally, those demographics along with the Asian demographic are increasing their vaccination rates.

[quote]CDC data also show that recent vaccinations are reaching larger shares of Hispanic, Asian, and Black populations. Thirty-four percent of vaccines administered in the past 14 days have gone to Hispanic people, 6% to Asian people, and 12% to Black people (Figure 1). These recent trends suggest a narrowing of racial gaps in vaccinations at the national level, particularly for Hispanic people, who have recently received a larger share of vaccinations compared to their share of the total population (34% vs. 17%).

Again, though, we don't know on a local level if certain minorities are the ones "refusing" to get the vaccine.

[quote]While these data provide helpful insights at a national level, to date, CDC is not publicly reporting state-level data on the racial/ethnic composition of people vaccinated.

[quote]The CDC has told the public the truth. Vaccinated people do not need to wear masks or social distance or take other protections. The vaccines offer excellent protection against Delta, and vaccinated people are able to go back to living normal mask-free lives.

Exactly. But apparently we have a bunch of infectious disease scientists posting on here who know better. If Trump and Jared were still in the White House, I might be a little more concerned. But we have the adults in charge now. A man who ran a socially distanced campaign for president because he wanted to model good behavior. If we were in some kind of trouble, I would trust Joe Biden to tell us and I have no doubt that he would - and I'm not some naive pollyanna.

From what I've seen on here and in social media, what much of this boils down to is trauma and politics.

Recall Gavin Newsom

Here in NJ, it's mostly the cities with overwhelmingly large Black populations, such as Irvington and Camden, that have the lowest vaccination rates (<40%). Make of that what you will, but there's no sugarcoating it.

^What should I specifically recall about Mr. Newsom, Dorothy? There's so much to remember.

The unscientific re-instatement of mask mandates in LA is the work of woke politicians, who refuse to criticize unvaccinated POC who are largely responsible for the COVID surge.

Now who is going to fuck me!!!!!!!

R357, thousands of vaccinated will have to die before they realize that there is a variant that completely escapes the vaccine. Why would anyone want to be part of that group when wearing a mask when indoors around other people could prevent that until we've reached the 70-80% vaccination levels that those scientists you are talking about have repeatedly said is the threshold for beginning to reach herd immunity?

The CDC is the polticial/media wing of public health. They decided to try a strategy of tempting the moron contingent to get vaccinated by saying getting vaccinated means you don't have to wear a mask anymore. They wrongly assumed that these morons would actually follow rules or guidelines of any sort. This is the same CDC that earlier this year told you to make sure you hold on to that vaccine card because you are going to need it to be able to get into places. These are political/social strategies and they aren't doing too well with them.

If you want science, look to the NIH.

[quote]One problem is the US has shit contact tracing.

I and others I know worked as a contact tracer last year and I finally just gave up. the three reasons contact tracing doesn't work in the US were:

1. testing last year was slow and inefficient. the infected didn't or couldn't wait that long

2. TOO MANY CONTACTS! if you went to a party with five hundred other people all contact traces are lost, only in the US last year did people (in florida) simply flout the social distancing to this extent.

3. a DEEP abiding distrust of the government, local and otherwise. you'd call people and they simply didn't trust that you were with the health department calling on their behalf.

[quote] The problem is that we don't know if the asymptomatic vaccinated who get it will suffer longterm effects down the road.

I took every precaution and still got it earlier in the year. Had comparatively mild symptoms. With the vaccine, you can bet even more people have had it and didn't know it. It's pointless to worry about it.

Detroit also low vaccination rate—but excuses, excuses are made for them.

LA County has one of the highest vaccination rates in the country yet can't keep those numbers down. I wonder why.

R359

NJ has a higher vax rate overall. But it is not just "cities with overwhelmingly black populations" that have the lowest vax rates. I live in Ocean County, southern part of state, largest county. The rate here is hovering just at 40%. This county is largely white, and largely republican. Much higher vaccination rate in Essex County, which contains large urban centers like Newark, East Orange, Irvington.

I don't think that anyone has said that vax rates aren't great in certain white republican communities. But they are consistently not great in certain communities of color. While social media rages against the white republican group (and in most instances, rightfully so) they'll make excuses for the communities color, which is I think is pretty freaking racist. But on the other side of the coin, from what I've seen, many black people are still wearing masks - so I guess that's a positive.

[quote]It's pointless to worry about it.

It's not pointless if simply wearing a mask will lessen the likelihood of you getting even an asymptomatic breakthrough infection that might have longterm consequences. We are literally 3/4 of the way to the herd immunity threshold scientists have touted. Why not just wear your mask for a little longer? Makes zero sense not to. I've actually noticed more people going back to masks recently in places where everyone threw them off at the CDC's behest a month ago. Delta is making people reconsider and those people are the smart ones. I give it about two to three more weeks before the CDC again "recommends" masking indoors.

Here in Illinois, it's not the black and brown population areas that aren't vaccinated, it's the hillbilly Repugs in the southern part of the state. Chicago is doing well. Hickville is not.

[quote] The CDC needs to get it together. And this is coming from someone who once respected it and worked there while at Emory in Atlanta.

CDC used to be the gold standard. If you spoke out against the CDC guidelines, you were banned from all social media. Yet now, others can disagree with them and not have to worry about facing any consequences. This is why no one takes this seriously.

Vaccination rates in mostly white, affluent Essex County, NJ towns like Short Hills, Millburn, and Maplewood are skewing the county numbers high. It's the towns like Irvington, Newark, and East Orange, with poor, mostly minority populations, that have very low vax rates. Essex County has been a take of two counties for the past 50 years.

[quote]If you want science, look to the NIH

And what are you going to do when they say something that you don't like?

R371, that's because Trump completely politicized the CDC and the CDC, to its discredit, allowed itself to be politicized. Listen to the NIH instead.

As far as those of you talking about black and brown communities not being taken to task as much as white Repugs, there is actually a difference in access. For example, Chicago opened up the United Center as a huge mass vaccination site. At first, you had to make an appointment either online or by phone for a specific time. What happened? White suburbanites filled up all the slots. Then, they opened it up for drive-up. You need a car to drive up. Again, white suburbanites filled the lines. Then, they opened up to walk-ups without an appointment and banned people from outside Chicago. So, now, lower income people without computers or cars could finally get a vaccine. However, where it takes a simple car ride to get to the UC for suburbanites, it takes four bus rides and two hours time to get there from lower income parts of Chicago. Another barrier.

They've now moved from the mass central vaccination sites to ilocal community sites and in home vaccinations and, magically, the lower income back and brown communities are getting vaxxed at a higher rate. Those of you who are assuming it's lack of wanting the vaccine rather than lack of easy access to the vaccine need to check your inherent biases.

ugh NIH! Fauxci, that little weasel.

Just anecdotal. My neighbors are unvaccinated, big time tRUMPERS, recall Newsom, “pedo-Nancy”. And white.

[quote]Those of you who are assuming it's lack of wanting the vaccine rather than lack of easy access to the vaccine need to check your inherent biases.

In the beginning, perhaps. But now there is a place to get Covid vaccines on just about every street corner. When I went in for my physical, those were the first two questions 1) have you been vaxxed and 2) if not, we can give you one right here. In my area ride sharing services are providing free rides for people to get vaccinated and I read about a plan for door to door vaccines in the works.

I appreciate those of you who are kind and who are trying to look at all angles on issues such as this, but you're not helping by making excuses for the low vaccination rates in those communities.

I had a conversation with my Dad about this the other day. He stopped going to his barber shop because he could no longer stand all the misinformation about Covid and the vaccine.

R377, those are the recent changes in approach I was talking about and now more people in those communities are getting vaccinated. Honestly, unless you went to a free clinic and waited for seven hours for your physical, you are still showing a bias in your thinking. Even that you have annual access to a doctor is a privilege not shared by a whole lot of people. Access to health care and doctors is horribly limited in the lower income communities that are predominantly black and brown.

And free ride shares are great if you have a working smartphone with internet access and a credit card to enter when you sign up through the app. Also, when none of your three employers will give you time off to get vaccinated between the hours of 9am-5pm, even though they are required to do so, it's difficult. And, when you work from 7am-9pm, dragging yourself to wait in a four hour walk-up vaccination line on your one afternoon off with your three kids in tow because there's no affordable childcare, is also not a realistic option.

When you find yourself agreeing with the coverage on Fox News and wondering why the other media just aren't covering it the same way and then blaming it on "liberals", there may be a problem you're not considering.

Too bad, you don't see that many "role models" in the black community to speak up about being vaccinated. Lebron James said he's keeping his vax status "private"...probably means not vaxxed.

[quote]Masks do absolutely nothing.

R378 Give me a break. Even drug store pharmacies and public parks are offering the vaccine now.

We need to implore the black and Hispanic communities to get Vaxed . I know political correctness won’t allow us to.

Poorer communities don't have access to computers?!?! That's a good one.

R383 I know it's supposed to be well intentioned but posts like R378 are so condescending, I can't help but roll my eyes

Again, the vaccination rate for the black and Hispanic communities is RISING.

The vaccination rate right now does not show as big of a gap between the communities as MANY of you are suggesting.

[quote]45% of White people with at least one dose, 40% of Hispanics and 34% of Black people

That's from a week ago and the CDC link I posted earlier suggests the gap has closed even more since then.

Scroll down to figure 2 at link for a look at vaccination demographics. In most states, the percent of vaccinations in black people is just a few percentage points off from their percent of the population.

[quote]We need to implore the black and Hispanic communities to get Vaxed . I know political correctness won’t allow us to.

There have been multiple programs encouraging these communities to get the vaccine. This issue has been discussed in the media daily for months now.

The whole premise of this thread, that blacks and Hispanics are the REAL demographics who won't get vaccinated, and that the woke PC culture won't say anything about it, while meanwhile white Republicans are unfairly being targeted because of reverse racism, is simply not true.

I know no one is going to listen, because you're at nearly 400 posts based on a false racist premise and you're not going to give up now.

[quote] The whole premise of this thread, that blacks and Hispanics are the REAL demographics who won't get vaccinated, and that the woke PC culture won't say anything about it, while meanwhile white Republicans are unfairly being targeted because of reverse racism, is simply not true.

The real silent scandal is that there are that there are illegals and undocumented who are not being vaccinated or being tested for antibodies.

Senior Biden officials finding that Covid lab leak theory as credible as natural origins explanation

By Natasha Bertrand, Pamela Brown, Katie Bo Williams and Zachary Cohen, CNN

Updated 6:18 PM ET, Fri July 16, 2021 Inside the fight to uncover Covid-19's origins_00020909

Washington (CNN)Senior Biden administration officials overseeing an intelligence review into the origins of the coronavirus now believe the theory that the virus accidentally escaped from a lab in Wuhan is at least as credible as the possibility that it emerged naturally in the wild -- a dramatic shift from a year ago, when Democrats publicly downplayed the so-called lab leak theory. Still, more than halfway into President Joe Biden's renewed 90-day push to find answers, the intelligence community remains firmly divided over whether the virus leaked from the Wuhan lab or jumped naturally from animals to humans in the wild, multiple sources familiar with the probe told CNN. Little new evidence has emerged to move the needle in one direction or another, these people said. But the fact that the lab leak theory is being seriously considered by top Biden officials is noteworthy and comes amid a growing openness to the idea even though most scientists who study coronaviruses and who have investigated the origins of the pandemic say the evidence strongly supports a natural origin.

Current intelligence reinforces the belief that the virus most likely originated naturally, from animal-human contact and was not deliberately engineered, the sources said. But that does not preclude the possibility that the virus was the result of an accidental leak from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, where coronavirus research was being conducted on bats -- although many scientists familiar with the research say such a leak is unlikely.

On Thursday, the director-general of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it had been "premature" to dismiss the possibility that a lab leak had spawned the pandemic and urged China to provide "direct information on what the situation of these labs was before and at the start of the pandemic."

Also on Thursday, China's foreign ministry spokesperson released a statement saying that "since the beginning of the epidemic, China has taken a scientific, professional, serious and responsible attitude in tracing the origins of the virus." As more US officials have come to see the lab leak theory as credible, their tone toward Beijing has also become firmer. Days after Biden announced the renewed probe, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that the administration had been pressuring Chinese officials through diplomatic channels to allow international investigators full access to the data China collected in the early days of the outbreak.

For their part, scientists who have found strong genetic evidence that the virus came from an animal say they also would like access to what China knows about the beginnings of the pandemic, saying they can't make their case without access to early samples. As the review has progressed, however, the White House has begun making public threats as well. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan speaks during a press briefing on February 4, 2021.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan warned Beijing of potential consequences last month, telling Fox News that China will face "isolation in the international community" if it does not cooperate with probes moving forward. He told CNN's State of the Union that same day that "if it turns out that China refuses to live up to its international obligations, we will have to consider our responses at that point." A source familiar with the ongoing review said that several top administration officials, including Sullivan, view the accidental lab leak theory as equally plausible to the natural origins theory. Intelligence agencies that were skeptical of the lab leak theory a year ago, like the CIA, also now view it as a credible line of inquiry, this person said. "There has been a shift in their point of view," this person added. But officials emphasized that no conclusions have been reached, and Sullivan has been highly cautious in reserving judgment until the review is complete.

While many individual officials hold their own personal opinions as to the likely origin of the pandemic, with some finding the lab leak theory more credible than others as they continue to receive and interpret the intelligence, people familiar with the probe said no one official's opinion is driving the pace or direction of the overall review. Political appointees have sought to give the intelligence community and national labs wide latitude to complete the review without dictating their findings, and US officials say CIA Director Bill Burns, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and other top intelligence officials are getting regular briefings on the progress. A memo distributed to the intelligence community on June 11 by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and obtained exclusively by CNN, tasked officials with obtaining more data on both the animal and lab leak theories, citing "key intelligence needs" that could help determine the origins of the virus. The memo called for more examination of several topics including any "detections of the virus in wild or domestic animals," the "breadth of high-risk Chinese and regional wildlife activities," any viruses that "could serve as the backbone for genetic engineering purposes," and the "breadth of Chinese biological research and related activities." The memo also called on the intelligence community to study the "breadth of Chinese actions that may have inhibited World Health Organization or other origins investigations."

The intelligence community has also been consulting with outside experts and examining raw information that may have been missed— including information the State Department had collected in the Trump administration — and analyzing more open source information, such as peer reviewed studies out of China, said a source with knowledge of the probe. People familiar with the progress of the review, however, said the intelligence community as a whole is still in much the same place it was when Biden ordered his review in late May: Two agencies assess with low to moderate confidence that the virus originated naturally, while one assesses with the same lukewarm confidence that it escaped from a lab. In an interview with CNN, Bill Evanina, the top counterintelligence official under President Donald Trump, said that early on the intelligence community did not prioritize determining the origins of Covid the way it has now with the 90-day review. "Identifying the origins of the pandemic probably did not rise to a level of weapons of mass destruction, or identifying the plans and intentions of foreign leaders," Evanina said.

The person familiar with the probe said there will likely not be a definitive answer as to Covid's origins at the end of the 90-day review— instead, any final assessment will likely lay out both theories and evaluate their pros and cons. The source said the relationship with China is too delicate to make an endorsement of one theory over another without smoking gun evidence, which doesn't exist right now. "As I've listened to the analysts, I really see why it is that they perceive these two theories as being in contest with each other, and why it's very challenging for them to assess one over the other," Haines, the national intelligence director, told Yahoo! News in late June. Asked directly if she had a feeling which competing possibility was more plausible, she replied: "I don't."

For the better part of 2020, advocates for the lab leak theory had to fight against claims they were being xenophobic or racist — in part thanks to anti-Chinese rhetoric from then-President Trump, who embraced the theory. An inquiry launched last fall by Trump's State Department, which sought to investigate whether China's biological weapons program could have had a greater role in the pandemic's origin in Wuhan, was shut down early on in the Biden administration.

An open letter published in February 2020 in the Lancet, an influential scientific journal, also set the tone early by declaring the virus to have a natural origin. But the lab leak theory has gained more traction in recent months, especially following reports that the intelligence community found evidence that researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology fell seriously ill with a mysterious virus in November 2019 -- although it's not clear whether they contracted Covid-19 and no further evidence has emerged to corroborate that report. The existence of another classified report issued last year by researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which concluded it was possible that Covid-19 might have leaked from a lab in Wuhan, also became public. Popular opinion has also shifted. A POLITICO-Harvard poll conducted earlier this month found that 52% of US adults now believe Covid-19 leaked from a lab, up from 29% in March 2020. "The growing public discourse has sharpened the [Science] Committee's focus on several topics within our jurisdictional mandate," said an aide to the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, one of a handful of panels on Capitol Hill that is now actively investigating the matter.

[quote] The CDC has told the public the truth. Vaccinated people do not need to wear masks or social distance or take other protections. The vaccines offer excellent protection against Delta, and vaccinated people are able to go back to living normal mask-free lives.

Would refer you to what is going on currently in Israel. The country had high numbers of vaccination with the mRNA vaccines. Yet they are now plagued with skyrocketing Covid. They report that the virus response to the vaccine is “disappointing”.

Don’t know where you are getting the idea that “all is well....everything is fine” if vaccinated?

A double vaxxed (healthy) person just died of Covid this week in our community.

Scott Gottlieb (former FDA head) was just on CNBC warning that Covid could be spreading like wildfire among the vaccinated. We don’t know if this is the case in the US, as we are not testing for it as they are in other places.

Your haughty confidence is reminiscent of those who denigrated posters early on in the pandemic who warned of consequences for the US.....following observation of infection breakout in China and Italy.

The current vaccines are NOT the magic bullet for Covid.

R378, based on what you have written I think you are a kind person, but I respectfully disagree with some of it. I think your heart is in the right place, but it comes across to me as yet another person making excuses as to why some people cannot be held accountable for certain things. I am black. I have been vaccinated since February. I acknowledge my privilege and my opportunities and that not everyone has access to those same opportunities. But that was then. Now it is a whole different ballgame. I am not living in a bubble, I see the Covid vaccination signs everywhere. I see the ads on local TVI see the billboards. I see the mass weekend vaccination rallies. There is no logical reason why every adult who can take the vaccine, has not taken it.

Again, R394, those are recent developments in the last month or two and those things have lead to an increase in vaccination rates in lower income communities. I'm talking about why black and brown communities are not currently vaxxed. All those impediments applied until recently. They just closed the mass vax site at the United Center in Chicago last week and moved almost all their attentions to a more localized approach that has been shown to be working. I will agree with you about something being wrong with the communities beyond access if they are still far behind in fully vaxxed rates two months from now. I don't think they will be and that change will be due to increased easy local access but from February until at least the beginning of June, access was a huge issue for lower income black and brown communities and that is the main reason their rates were lower. We'll see where we stand on it in September.

[quote]And free ride shares are great if you have a working smartphone with internet access and a credit card to enter when you sign up through the app.

Yet everyone in the hood seems to have a smartphone to take video every time the cops show up to arrest some thug.

Good point, r396!

Today was the first day of the new mask mandate in LA County. I went to several stores this morning, and while mask wearing among the customers was near 100%, at one store I saw several employees who were out stocking shelves (i.e., among the customers) maskless.

R396, there's a difference between having a smartphone and having a smartphone with a data plan and having a credit card to enter into a rideshare app when you sign up. Oh, also, you're fucking racist.

R398 The deadline for 100% mask indoors doesn't go into effect until 11:59pm tonight.

This NYT dispatch from Arkansas starts with three women who almost kicked it due to COVID.

And despite spending weeks in the hospital, none of them plan to get vaccinated still.

[quote]dragging yourself to wait in a four hour walk-up vaccination line on your one afternoon off with your three kids in tow because there's no affordable childcare, is also not a realistic option.

Huh? You can get a next day appointment at a multitude of places now, some open until at least 9pm: CVS, Rite-Aid, Walmart, even lots of supermarket pharmacies. There is NO EXCUSE.

I booked my appointments back in April at Rite-Aid. I just walked into the store 5 minutes ahead of my appointment time, got my shot, waited 15 minutes to ensure no allergic side effects, then left. It was very simple and not time consuming at all. Anyone who thinks they have to wait in a 4 hour line is living in the past and needs to get their shit together. Take responsibility for your lives and health, get it done, and let's move on. Enough with the bullshit drama and excuses for poor choices.

You can also just walk in to a CVS right now and get a vaccine right that minute.

Thanks R404. It has gotten even easier than it was a few months ago. There are zero excuses left. The people who choose to not get vaccinated are causing the current surge. I am done coddling them.

I hope vaccinated LA residents refuse this new mask mandate shit. This is all woke political bullshit.

Agreed R406. I have followed all the guidelines since March 2020, got vaccinated, and this is bullshit. The unvaccinated people are causing this surge and need to be held accountable. I do not plan to see them as innocent victims. There are no excuses left for them.

So now possibly delta is spreading like wildfire among the vaxxed population. If this is indeed happening, first the good news: they're obviously asymptomatic or mild cases flying under the radar that don't require hospitalization. Now, the bad news: it's been shown that even asymptomatic or mild infection can lead to long-hauler COVID. We're fucked!

No R408, you are traumatized by the constant fear-porn that you keep reading. There are lots of unknowns in life. Try to let go of the fear and instead use more common sense.

It’s so funny—the Biden people are now Trump people with their “fear porn” anti-mask attitude.

R410 that type of categorization is not helpful, and is divisive at a time people need to start using common sense rather than listening to idiot politicians on either "side".

^^ lol.

[quote]It’s so funny—the Biden people are now Trump people with their “fear porn” anti-mask attitude.

No. The Biden people are listening to the CDC and to science... which is saying that masks aren't necessary for vaccinated people. The Trump people aren't getting vaccinated or wearing masks and they never have been.

People are eating out, going to bars, going to concerts, traveling on vacations, spending money, and kids are going back to school. The economy is recovering and life is getting back to normal. Nobody is going to put up with mask mandates, social distancing requirements, or any other kind of restrictions at this point. It's time to move on. Get vaccinated or die.

[quote]No. The Biden people are listening to the CDC and to science... which is saying that masks aren't necessary for vaccinated people.

;)

[quote]The Trump people aren't getting vaccinated or wearing masks and they never have been.

And black and brown people. Don’t forget them.

All those black and brown Trump supporters!

[quote]dragging yourself to wait in a four hour walk-up vaccination line on your one afternoon off with your three kids in tow because there's no affordable childcare, is also not a realistic option.

Even if this was true, it's a small price to pay to save your life. People go through the same amount of effort to go to a laundromat. Christ, it's a lifesaving vaccine.

[quote]All those black and brown Trump supporters!

Those too.

[quote]Nobody is going to put up with mask mandates, social distancing requirements, or any other kind of restrictions at this point. It's time to move on. Get vaccinated or die.

Nope, this pandemic isn't over yet and there still isn't enough known about it to be careless. It's not a big fucking deal to put a mask on when going into a store. I'm not going to movies, there is plenty to stream. I'm not going to concerts unless they are outdoors and same with eating out instead of take out. At this point most of my friends are vaxed and it's summer so it's pretty easy to socialize without taking a risk.

Keeping my weight down with diet and exercising takes a lot of effort, putting a fucking mask on does not.

If you’re vaccinated you’re safe from Delta. This was said a million times.

NO YOU'RE NOT! There have been tens of thousands of breakthrough infections and they continue to rise. How is this so fucking difficult to get through thick skulls?

Why bother R421?

OMFG R421 do some reading!!! These "breakthrough" infections are NOT people getting seriously ill. They are people testing positive with minor or no symptoms. If everyone gets vaccinated this will die out because if it gets spread everyone will likely get minor or no symptoms. Yes it is POSSIBLE for someone to still get sick, but it is rare.

I know that a lot of you don't like Joy Reid, but I do. She made a plea to black people on Twitter. I'm not sure that I buy that there are a bunch of black people who are falling for MAGA lies, but the point is still the same... get the vax.

Then, after we get the numbers up for communities of color, then we need to work on those of you who are still traumatized by last year, who just want to stay in the house forever.

[quote] OMFG [R421] do some reading!!! These "breakthrough" infections are NOT people getting seriously ill. They are people testing positive with minor or no symptoms. If everyone gets vaccinated this will die out because if it gets spread everyone will likely get minor or no symptoms. Yes it is POSSIBLE for someone to still get sick, but it is rare.

Yes, minor or no symptoms now, but there's also later developing severe medical issues and long haul covid to deal with whether or not your current battle with Covid is mild or severe. This is what people are ignoring. I WANT everyone to get vaccinated. I was at the pharmacy for my first shot the very first day I was eligible. I won't even talk to friends or family anymore who won't get vaxxed. There's no excuse if you are medically eligible. What I'm saying is there is enough proof that breakthrough infections are happening that it would be smart to keep mask and distancing protocols up even if one is vaxxed, and that the mixed messages, and people (especially on HERE) whining about how tired they are of wearing masks does nothing but prolong things. Shut up, suck it up a little longer and stop stretching this out. I don't care if you don't like masks or you can't go out drinking or whatever it is you think you can't fucking live without a few more months. You'll make it, trust me.

I'm done coddling the unvaccinated. If they don't want to get sick then can get vaccinated.

My friend refuses to get vaccinated because he doesn't trust the government. He's an immigrant from a former dictatorship, and it's basically ingrained in him to distrust any and all government mandates. There's no convincing him, and I'm very worried for his health. He thinks I'm being overly paranoid.

[quote]Yes, minor or no symptoms now, but there's also later developing severe medical issues and long haul covid to deal with whether or not your current battle with Covid is mild or severe.

There is zero evidence of this. None.

My fully-vaxxed friend had a breakthrough infection. And her symptoms were a runny nose for two days. That's it. She wouldn't have even known it was Covid if she hadn't been tested. And you're expecting me to believe she's doomed to a lifetime of medical problems due to two days of what was less severe than a common cold? Sorry, that doesn't even pass the common sense test.

r428, I'm glad your friend is ok, but she is hardly representative of all vaxxed people with breakthrough infections. Even many people who were experiencing mild illness last year during the first wave were left with long-hauler symptoms. It varies for each person. It's a roll of the dice.

R424, you know things are bad in the black community when even a race-baiter like Joy Reid is saying that blacks aren't being smart about getting vaccinated.

[quote] My fully-vaxxed friend had a breakthrough infection. And her symptoms were a runny nose for two days. That's it. She wouldn't have even known it was Covid if she hadn't been tested. And you're expecting me to believe she's doomed to a lifetime of medical problems due to two days of what was less severe than a common cold? Sorry, that doesn't even pass the common sense test.

Well, then, come and see some patients with me, R428. We’ve been seeing folks (even prior to vaccines) that did not realize they had Covid. They now have atypical Parkinson’s (in young folks). Brain biopsies reveal neuronal Covid.

Our neurosurg literature is beginning to be filled with cerebral damage in folks who either had mild or asymptomatic Covid. All kinds of bizarre pathologies in individuals in their 20s, 30s and early 40s....even atypical dementia. It is terribly sad......

....even if that doesn’t pass the “common sense” test for you, All-Knowing-R428. /s

R431 then those of us who already had COVID are fucked anyway. I’m not going to waste whatever time I have left worrying what can happen

Then you're a selfish cunt, R432, and death can't come for you soon enough.

Out of curiosity, how are the bars on Santa Monica and sunset going to handle this ?

Jax & Jiggy at PUMP is now tending bar.

[quote] I’m not going to waste whatever time I have left worrying what can happen

And I don't want to waste whatever time I have left being sick when basic precautions are pretty easy to take. It's not like I can't socialize with vaxed friends or go out and do things that I enjoy. It's really not a big deal to take a few precautions.

While I am alive I want to be healthy.

I continue to be dumbfounded at being expected to unpack the notion of the general public needing to mask up again because of morons who choose to not want to be vaccinated being exposed to the Covid, including to the Delta variant. I've been vaccinated, and it's not my responsibility to worry about them getting sick on account of their bad decisions. Before Covid, there has been the flu and many other diseases for which the general public is either required or strongly encouraged to be vaccinated, depending on the particular situation's needs or requirements. What did these people do then? And I realize that there are folks who are immunocompromised and can get neither the Covid nor other disease vaccinations. But how did they manage around those other illnesses before the Covid came along? They were responsible and avoided situations where they might be most at risk to be exposed. Why have we become a society of unaccountability where everybody expects that others will take care of them? People, grow up and protect yourselves by doing what you have to do in order to minimize your exposure possibilities or to be vaccinated if you're able to be.

Exactly r438

R438, what the fuck are you prattling on about? No one is talking about protecting the unvaccinated, we're talking about breakthrough cases of Covid and keeping ANY new cases from happening to minimize newer, worse strains. Fuck, you people are stupid AND selfish.

R433 and 437 I've been vaccinated and still take reasonable precautions. You're the one going on about long haul symptoms and being totally insensitive to those who already had Covid by saying we're doomed no matter what. Isn't it amazing that the ones who pretend the be the most virtuous turn into the biggest cunts when you disagree with them?

I think the point is people like R440 are overinflating breakthrough cases to play into some twisted agenda. Breakthrough infections are miniscule, the vaccine is working. If you want to wear a mask and social distance, then do it. No one is stopping you. Those of us who are vaxxed, trust science and are comfortable getting back to some form of normal are fine not wearing masks and not social distancing. I'm not sure what the problem is. You do your thing and we'll do ours.

Beware, bitches!

Ms. Covid: "Surprise, Bitch. I bet you thought you saw the last of me."

[quote] On Saturday, Los Angeles County’s mask rules went back into effect — regardless of a person’s vaccination status — on account of rising coronavirus infections and hospitalizations. Some other cities have begun urging even the vaccinated to wear masks inside again.

[quote] Here’s what to know:

[quote] If I’m fully vaccinated, do I need to wear a mask indoors? The CDC announced this spring that people who are fully vaccinated can go without masks in most indoor settings, except when required by certain federal, state and local guidelines. [bold] Several health experts who spoke to The Washington Post disagreed that the CDC mask guidance is sufficient.

I posted above that the CDC failed us by prematurely jumping the gun. (Even individuals who work there disagreed with their abrupt decision to relax guidelines as Delta was gaining momentum on 14 May 2021.)

Now the horse is out of the barn, and it will be difficult to go back to mandated restrictions with everyone claiming they are vaccinated and protected: whether or not they are vaxxed. Vax protection is for severe disease and death; but unfortunately not from unforeseen, unknown (delayed/chronic) implications of Covid from those who have the virus.

The subtext for children (and this is hinted in the WAPO article), is that it is better if folks are NOT exposed to the virus at all. We honestly don’t have a full grasp of the long-term implications at this point.

This is not fear mongering, it is simply caution. Social distancing and masks are a pain, but doable; especially in the face of chronic-virus-living -in-our-organs-disease.

We are in the midst of a global pandemic now with a more infectious variant. And unlike other countries that weld people inside their dwellings (China), demand participation in vaccine passports (France), or slap monetary fines on those that don’t follow guidelines (Israel), we are voluntarily asked to be mindful of ourselves and others with masking and distancing.

As stated earlier, LA County has been more measured in its response. The CDC, so sorry to say, has demonstrated continued missteps and their guidelines are unreliable.

2,000 new cases in LA today.

BUT MAH FREEDUMB!

I have been vaccinated. I do socialize and have eaten occasionally indoors. However, I wear a mask in most indoor situations. NJ has a relatively high vaccination rate, but my county is at 40%. This county is very republican, and MAGA hats abound. I was in Walgreen's two days ago. I was one of the few masked, most staff were not. The manager was walking around handing masks to the staff. The cashier I was closer to resisted, and the manager told her that masks had to be worn for the next ten days, orders from above. I also heard another employee ask her if they had to resume the extra cleaning protocol, she said yes.

It is possible that one of the employees had contracted Covid and that prompted it. I don't know, doesn't sound like corporate would get involved in that.

R448 Yes, it was meant to be taken early. Those who died after taking HCQ would have died anyway.

[quote]The manager was walking around handing masks to the staff. The cashier I was closer to resisted

For some reason I believe this is made up, but that’s just me! Datalounge is renowned for fanfic.

R 449 here. That isn't made up, I wouldn't have taken it in except I was next online to the cashier and I heard their conversation.

...........

Isn't the Delta variant good news? It is very contagious so all the deplorable maskholes will get it or die and the vaccinated won't die so we'll reach herd immunity by spring 2022 and can party then, right?

You all can't be from LA. Half of you are hysertical eldergay shut ins and the rest have to be trolls. Mask up, don't mask up - if you are vaccinated it should be a choice, especially in LA. If the Delta variant is more lethal or there is another reason, than please be transparent for a change. I don't even get this. The vaccine is available to everyone in LA who wants it right now. WTF

[quote] You all can't be from LA. Half of you are hysertical eldergay shut ins and the rest have to be trolls.

Wise up R455.

LA County is the most populous in the US.

Its population is greater than 40 of the USA’s states.

So yeah, a lot of people here.

My partner and I are both vaxxed and now have death coughs. This variable is no fucking joke. Things are about to get insane.

My boss has been coughing for almost two weeks and was fully vaxxed back in March. He refuses to get tested for Covid. I told him he won't be seeing me until he does. He went out to dinner last night and then told me on the phone today how bad his cough was. I yelled at him to stay the fuck home and stop spreading his germs. He insists it's allergies or asthma (sure, Jan). I told him there's one way to find out and to stop being a pussy. (Yes, we have that kind of relationship.)

It was on Rachel Maddow if I remember correctly. A woman, famous sports coach, is working in the Mississippi delta trying to convince people it's OK to vax. She was so wise, so patient. What struck me was its the only way to do it, this kind , individualized public health outreach and education. Because she said this: many people she speaks to CANNOT understand the news on TV and some have basic literacy, at best. They are simply THAT uneducated. It was a very moving interview. Very humbling.

You have smart people - pundits in big media and politics - confusing and killing very simple people. Joe Biden was correct. They are KILLING people.

R457, did you both follow the wrongheaded CDC guidelines and drop the masks indoors or were you around someone infected?

I went to a home depot in my highly vaxed area. Hardly a mask in sight, besides for me. It was a bit terrifying, to be honest.

I don't know how some of you survive daily life with the level of hysteria posted on here. The MRNA vaccines are very highly effective against even the Delta variant. The risk is to people who are unvaccinated, and that is where the illness is occurring. People had the chance to get vaccinated and declined so they fucked themselves. And stop telling me "but.....mutations! but....long haul effects!". It's enough already. You don't even know what you're talking about.

Long hauler symptoms are a legitimate concern, you Trumpkin.

Not for healthy people they aren't, you fear mongering sheeple.

Get out of my city - all of you!

" FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WOULD SOMEONE PLEASE COVID SHIT IN MY MOUTH!!!!!!! "

Just go away troll R466. You are pathetic.

R462, you go away. You're not wanted here and you're full of shit. Get lost, you piece of garbage.

You are pathetic R468.

R462 is the most sane post on here. You people are insane and believe it or not, you're not helping this situation with your fear mongering and hysteria. The Delta Variant is a thing because of the unvaccinated. You're turning on people who have done the right thing and who are following the guidelines. Get some help.

viruses mutate and thrive only in communities that aren't vaccinated, that's how a virus works.

Is delta stronger ?

[quote]viruses mutate and thrive only in communities that aren't vaccinated, that's how a virus works.

Well, good thing those mutations are only showing up in walled off, isolated communities with no contact with the rest of the world, huh, genius?

Mutations dodging your immune response and vaccines is how a virus actually works. The pressure for mutations is to spread more and fill your lungs with more virus so you can spread that new mutation to more hosts who can then make new mutations that spread even more easily and fill your lungs with even more virus and on and on.

Alpha -> Delta -> Lambda -> ???

Do some research before spouting off on DL R474, especially regarding topics you obviously know nothing about.

R475, I'm sorry you're too stupid to understand science. What I wrote is the exact path that viral evolution takes.

Let's hear your ideas about how virus mutations only stay in one spot and aren't allowed across state lines or borders. And, I'd love to hear your scientific analysis of the progressive communicability of Alpha to Delta to Lambda and what evolutionary force will keep the next mutation from following the same path. This is going to be so exciting to read. The edge of epidemiological science right here on DL from the mouth of the utter genius previously known as R475 but whom I will now refer to only as God of Science.

No matter how much you copy and paste R476 you still don't sound intelligent. You sound like a troll.

Does anyone know how likely it is that vaccinated people can unknowingly spread covid to unvaccinated people? I've done some googling but can't seem to get a straight answer.

I can confirm that testing is still shit. Our politicians went on about the biggest challenge being lack of easy access to technology but I can confirm that all rapid testing kits have been out of stock for weeks and you can only schedule appointment online (so much for addressing the lack of access to technology). No one wants to admit that the biggest problem in LA county are poorer areas because they fear it may be racist. Our leaders are crap. I would place most of the responsibility on them at this point.

^I also live in LA county where this should not even be an issue.

And yes LA county is a unique case because the majority of residents (documented ones at least) are at least partially vaccinated.

Copy and paste what, R477? Are you so stupid that you think everyone is as stupid as you? Did the big, bad words you couldn't understand make you feel bad? What a pathetic little existence you must have.

But, I'd still love to hear all your theories about viral evolution. I could use a laugh.

Your a sorry sack of a troll R482. Just pathetic and weak. Fail.

For someone so concerned about containing the virus, what do you make of our migration policies and lack of testing?

Almost 3,000 [2,800] new cases TODAY in LA!!!!!!!!!!!!

A CASE does not equal a sick person. It means someone tested positive for the virus. They may never have any symptoms or get sick. Stop dramatizing.

Thank you, r486. And the cases are amongst the unvaccinated so who cares.

Fuck off, R486

R479 girl I did a walk-up test last week and the whole process took about 12 minutes, no appointment necessary. Got my results the next day. Wtf are u on about? Friend of mine did the same today said his turnaround time was 20 mins.

R483, you have proven multiple times that you are the uneducated, ignorant one with nothing to add to any intelligent conversation on anything having to due with the pandemic. You've literally said nothing of consequence. The very definition of troll. Your responses at this point are directed at yourself. I feel sorry for people like you who don't realize the level of ignorance they are drowning in every day.

R484, our testing was abysmal when it counted the most and now, without any requirements about what to do after testing positive beyond "try to stay home, ya know, if you want to and, well, if you could wear a mask, we'd appreciate it but we won't make you" and the worst contact tracing in the fucking world, all it does is give us almost meaningless numbers that severely underestimate the actual cases.

All travel should have been locked down immediately last year to stop the spread around the world. There was no reason that airline flights shouldn't have stopped the same way cruise travel was stopped. Land the planes and leave them there. The latest idiocy of allowing American citizens to fly back and forth to India after the identification of the Delta variant was the latest in a long line of huge, travel and migration mistakes and is now blowing up in our faces spectacularly.

They reported on the news tonight that there were 448 cases in West Hollywood today. Why the fuck are you WeHo boys not getting vaccinated?? Shameful.

Are those 448 cases from Trump voters? Qs? Red staters who moved to WeHo? Republicans? Probably not.

r491 r492 As has been stated MANY times, vaccinated people can test positive for the virus. It doesn't mean they'll show any symptoms or require hospitalization.

I’m laying low (staying at home) until the numbers drop down.

I know R493, we're not on different sides. It's just that I see a lot of people on here and in social media blaming one side and making excuses for another. If we want to solve this problem, EVERYBODY, needs to get vaxxed.

R495, it's possible they are vaxxed. I think breakthrough cases are actually going through the roof and just aren't being caught or reported due to our system. We'll know soon as Delta officially takes over. Look for the numbers of vaccinated in the hospital to start rising around the first or second week of August. Once school starts, all bets are off. That's when the children will start filling the hospitals because they are going to lose some of the protection they've had so far from their lack of ACE2 receptors due to Delta's transmissability. They will be thrown into spewing cauldrons of covid from the moment they get on the bus in August. Labor Day is going to be horrible.

But, everybody keep partying like there's nothing going on cuz "waaah, me no like masks!"

I asked on another thread. Is there any point in a double mask to protect yourself?

If you're vaccinated you will be fine. You will not need a single mask or a double mask, unless it is your personal preference. Instead of this push, mostly in blue areas, to remask everyone maybe we should work on getting the unvaccinated vaccinated.

R498, you know doing both is possible, right? It's actually the right thing to do. There are going to be more and more medical and epidemiological experts coming out in the next couple of weeks saying the CDC was wrong to drop the masks so fast.

[quote]There are going to be more and more medical and epidemiological experts coming out in the next couple of weeks saying the CDC was wrong to drop the masks so fast.

Is this something you know is going to happen R499 or is it a feeling?

[quote][R498], you know doing both is possible, right?

Which is why I said "unless it is your personal preference".

I still wear a mask when I go to the store, though I'm usually one of the only few. I used to wear them outside to, but I stopped. I started working out at an outdoor gym in the area. It's crowded after work and no one is wearing a mask. I decided not to wear one in that context either, since I cannot work out with a mask, which is why I won't return to my indoor gym. I'm fully vaxxed, but is there a danger of being around unmasked people outdoors, especially those breathing heavily from exercising? My PCP says I should be fine, but who knows with delta? I've been extremely cautious throughout the entire pandemic, but it's come to the point where I need to return to some normalcy, which includes working out and interacting with other like-minded people. Part of me just doesn't care anymore.

[quote] girl I did a walk-up test last week and the whole process took about 12 minutes, no appointment necessary.

Lucky you R489. I live in a dense part of LA county and there was no rapid testing available anywhere near me. Even at the hospital. They said rapid tests were available for patients awaiting surgery. There was one woman who was complaining about the wait because she had a flight in 24 hours. We're so busy shaming people for masks which many people don't even wear correctly that we don't even have any basic infrastructure in place for rapid testing. I decided to quarantine until I get my results which is a pain the ass but at least I'm taking personal responsibility. I don't understand how making it harder for people to get results will incentivize others. Maybe in more affluent neighborhoods this isn't much of an issue?

Wingnut, rock-star edition.

R502, I swear they are limiting testing now in order to hide the real numbers. Here in Illinois, we are down from over 100,000 tests a day to 25,000. You can't tell shit testing only 25,000 in a state of 13 million.

"I think breakthrough cases are actually going through the roof and just aren't being caught or reported due to our system."

Well, you are an expert, right? I mean, we should all panic based on what you think because you're an expert, correct?

R490 is a know-it-all troll who tries to sound important and knowledgeable but in reality he's just talking out of his ass about topics he really knows nothing about other than what he read on the internet and parrots on DL. Pathetic.

R506 At least he's consistent with his beliefs which is more than I can say about many people posting about this topic.

^He's right in that contact tracing has been abysmal during the Trump administration and hasn't gotten any better during the Biden administration. I'd say at this stage, it probably is just as important as getting vaccinated if not more so.

R490 talks a lot more sense than you, R506. You're the one who needs to shut the fuck up.

r504, people don't just get tested unless they are feeling sick or if it's mandatory for their jobs etc. So that your testing is down is an indication that less people are feeling ill.

I think that we are going to find out that there are a lot of breakthrough cases happening. It's happening within my friend group, 30's/40's, it's all over LA Reddit of young people having breakthroughs. Yes, we know it's a vaccine, not a cure. People are either feeling symptomatic or required to be tested for work, but most have symptoms that are similar to a summer cold (scratchy throat, sinuses, etc) that lasts about a week. The majority of people in 30's/40's have been double vaccinated by May. 4th of July was the first time it was mark free America, so we are now 2 weeks later seeing the surge. It's the same old pattern. It's frustrating.

Show me where any reputable scientist said that the vaccine was going to provide total immunity? This is why I don't understand people freaking out about breakthrough cases. I know a ton of people who get the flu shot every year and still get the flu.

[quote]I know a ton of people who get the flu shot every year and still get the flu.

A ton of people.

There are people on here who regard getting Covid as some kind of death sentence. They go on about long haul symptoms and on and on despite the fact while perhaps under the delusion that it will one day just disappear.

Oh jesus, is r512 at it again? Gurl, no one cares about what you "think" is happening. Until they report that the break through cases are killing people at a higher rate than before the vaccine, I'm not listening to your doom and gloom "thoughts" about what is happening. What is happening is simply that when the mask mandates ended, the cases amongst those UNVACCINATED idiots went up because they no longer had the rest of us protecting their stupid asses. And now we are being asked to protect them AGAIN and they can all fucking die.

3,000 new cases today.

[quote]There are people on here who regard getting Covid as some kind of death sentence. They go on about long haul symptoms and on and on despite the fact while perhaps under the delusion that it will one day just disappear.

I get it, but what is the metric for masking in LA? Are they going to make us mask because vaccinated people are testing poz, is that part of what's going on? I just don't believe it's all about protecting the minorities and the immunocompromised.

Covid cases up 40% in LA in one day.

Shh, R519, you're going to upset the people living in fantasyland who think everything is just fine (aka the children).

Not even at risk group. Awful.

New Orleans issues indoor mask advisory:

R521, very tragic story but that's an anti-vaxxer twitter thread that's trying to suggest that he died from the Pfizer vaccine, not from COVID.

r523, either way, it's pretty terrifying.

.............

3,500 cases today.

Is there a way to get some context around those numbers R526?

r527, Here are some handy dandy graphs and charts with convenient, "what this means" links you can click on:

r527, this thread is about LA. Those are the numbers for today.

Thanks for the link. I was trying to figure out of these new cases how many were in the unvaccinated population versus the vaccinated. It doesn't seem to provide that info or I'm missing it. But thank you.

Are we hitting cases like last year?

R530, the LA Times published an article this afternoon that said 20% of all the Covid cases over the LAST MONTH in Los Angeles are breakthrough cases. That's 1 in 5 people. That is pretty fucking scary.

Yes it is, r532, and a 3 day sold out monster truck show is at Staples with all those under 12 kids running around with their Mommies and Daddies from the unvaxed SoCal shitholes of the high and low deserts! That's just fucking great! Thanks local health care officials for not doing and single thing so far. Ass holes!

I think this is the article you're talking about. I posted it so that others can see it. I felt much better after reading the entire thing. I didn't find any information scary, but I just shake my head at the idiots who refused to get vaccinated.

That explanation doesn't make me feel any better, and really smacks of rearranging the chairs on the deck of the Titanic. Any way you slice it, it's still 20%

Honestly, I just wish TPTB would tell the truth. It seems like the breakthrough cases are happening and 20% is not nothing. I'd rather just know, OK, the vaccine doesn't work as well as we hoped and we are worried that this could keep trending. I'm not one of the Mary shut ins. I'd been loving being maskless, but I sense a change is coming and I don't think it's just unvaccinated.

The masking rules make no sense in terms of stopping everything. Everyone I've heard of through friends or acquaintances got a breakthrough over indoor dinner at a restaurant or drinks at a bar. You have to work out with a mask on, but can take it off in the locker rooms, steam and sauna without masks. It doesn't make sense.

they probably took the J n J vaccine. lots of people who took that got it. Just look at the Yankee players and NYC's doctor, whatever his name is, that skinny indian guy with glasses...he also took the J n J and got the covid.

I can't tell you how to feel R536 and I get that people are still traumatized by Trump. But I don't feel that the health officials and the Biden administration are lying to us or withholding anything from us. I feel that people are conflating a lot of misinformation with second and third hand accounts from friends and then there is the lingering affects of Covid trauma from 2020.

No one ever promised that the vaccines created immunity. They said the vaccines would keep you from dying and having any serious effects and that appears to be holding out.

In my opinion we have a lot of people wasting a lot of time of people who refuse to help themselves.

From the article:

[quote]But while these “breakthrough” cases are sometimes highlighted as a precautionary tale — a signal of the shots’ shortcomings — the reality is that the vaccinations remain as consistently effective as ever where it counts: protecting people against severe illness.

[quote]Some vaccinated people who get infected might still feel lousy and experience uncomfortable symptoms. But data consistently show those individuals have a much better chance of not needing to be hospitalized than an unvaccinated person.

[quote]“Even for those fully vaccinated people that get infected, they are much less likely to get as ill as unvaccinated people, to require hospitalization and to pass away,” Ferrer said.

[quote]“That’s exactly what your vaccine is supposed to do: It’s fighting the infection in your nose and bringing down the viral load, and you don’t get symptoms,” Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease expert at UC San Francisco, said earlier this month. “I don’t call that a vaccine failure. I call that a success because that’s exactly what your vaccine is supposed to do.”

[quote]One reason L.A. County is now requiring everyone to wear masks in indoor public settings, regardless of vaccination status, is to get more unvaccinated people back in the habit of using face coverings in hopes of cutting down transmission of the disease.

[Quote] they probably took the J n J vaccine.

It's all three not just JJ.

R538, yes, it's great that the vax is preventing much hospitalization/death in breakthrough cases, but even asymptomatic people are getting long covid in breakthrough situations. That's what worries me. To know that I have no control over that, to know that it could strike any time after I recover from reg covid and in any manner of illness, from blood clots to brain damage, is the thing that keeps me up at night.

Then R540, and I mean this with all the love and respect in the world, you are just going to have to stay in the house and wall yourself off from everyone else. If you are that scared, then there is nothing that can be done for you. Even masks and social distancing aren't 100% effective. You can't rely on the unvaxxed. So what are you gonna do?

I just read a report that said the pfizer is over 80% effective against the Delta variant, I will try to find it and link the study.

Like throughout out this whole pandemic, you have to watch out for yourself and trust your instincts.

I'm living my life again, but keeping a mask in my pockets for crowds and such.

I'm not disagreeing with you, R541. And I'm actually okay with it. Or I should say I'm resigned to it, even though I'd much rather we just figured this out already. I think the vaccines are terrific, and I want everyone to get them.

I've thought a lot about this over the past year, because my biggest concern has always been long covid (since we understood it existed) and I think the worry about it is not something one can understand if you haven't been faced with something similar. If you haven't faced a life threatening illness, it's hard to understand and it's hard to worry about it.

A few years ago, I was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer, had surgery, went through chemo and I'm doing okay now. When you go through something like that, it really changes how you see yourself, no matter what age you are. And with something like cancer, with the recurrence rates, and how everyone (and I do mean EVERYONE) loves to tell you about their friend who had it and it came back... and then for five years you have to go every 4 months to get your blood drawn and every year to get a PET scan because if it comes back it could come back here, or there, or over there because those are the hot spots... you're basically waiting for the other shoe to drop. And the longer away you are from it, the less frequently those feelings occur, but they never go away. Never. And sometimes the smallest things trigger them, sometimes nothing triggers them. It's pretty much permanent PTSD, but you try to go along and live your life as best as possible, but it's really hard. I think people aren't aware just how difficult it is to live with that possible ticking timebomb, whether or not it ever goes off.

And that's before even mentioning the actual long term side effects from chemo that you're left with. In my case, my memory is pretty much shot. I still have brain fog from the chemo and I've been told it's with me for good. I have neuropathy in my feet that is never going to go away. Six months after chemo, my immune system came roaring back and caused havoc. I had hives everywhere, my lips and tongue swelled up one day out of nowhere, and I had to go on a year long regimen of injections to beat my immune system back down. For two years, I had such pain on my wrists because the sheaths surrounding the tendons there were eaten away by chemo. It's a constant pain and you also lose all strength in your hands because it hurt even more to grip anything or hold any weight. Thankfully, and with a LOT of PT, I've been able to manage that.

So when I hear about a virus or an illness that can cause serious long term issues, it brings up everything that I went through not very long ago, and I have to remember that not everyone understands what it's like to go through that, so the possibility of it is just not something they consider. I promise you don't want to go through it. It changes everything about you, and that's even before any illnesses start.

I hear ya, r546. I had to have heart surgery to correct a genetic defect seven years ago. Took about six months to recover. Before then I was never sick a day in my life. I'm fine and go for yearly echocardiograms, but I too have a form of PTSD. I'm constantly worried about my health. Every twinge or little abnormality frightens the hell out of me. I am vaxxed and if I got a breakthrough case, it would most likely be mild or asymptomatic, but the prospect of long hauler symptoms scares the living shit out of me.

I'm glad to hear you're doing well, R546. Thank you for sharing that. It helps to hear that others have had this experience. I hope you continue to stay healthy.

Thanks for posting that R545. I've never had to experience anything like that. Take care of yourself.

Thanks, R541.

[quote]even asymptomatic people are getting long covid in breakthrough situations.

Vaccinated asymptomatic people? I haven't read of a single case yet. Dr. Peter Hotez said yesterday it's probably possible but a lot less likely if you've been vaccinated.

Do people who are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic get long hauler COVID? I thought it was only the people with severe disease.

[quote]Do people who are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic get long hauler COVID?

Yes.

Long Haul is the new Fibromyalgia

I agree, r553.

"Fibromyalgia"

"Fibromyalgia"

Most people who had had covid reported being recovered, but about 25% with confirmed covid reported ongoing symptoms (ie long covid).

The cognitive deficits remained whether ongoing symptoms were there or not, and did not depend on time since covid either. This seems to suggest it is a long lasting effect.

The average deficit experienced by hospitalised covid patients (0.47 for ventilator, 0.26 no ventilator) were worse than average deficit by people who'd suffered a stroke (0.24).

Yes, but it's the folks who suffered from oxygen issues which is common in anyone who has suffered from lack of oxygen for a prolonged period of time. If you have the vaccine, chances are you aren't going to suffer from that aspect of Covid.

My PCP, a really intelligent guy who devours info about anything and everything medical-related and who has never steered me wrong in my 25+ years with him, advised me not to be so concerned about the delta variant, since I'm already fully vaccinated. He said definitely wear a mask indoors, at the store, the gym, etc., if for no other reason than just some peace of mind, but there's absolutely no need to wear a mask outdoors. I've been on the fence about outdoor mask wearing. I exercise outdoors, and I just can't do that with a mask. I feel better about ditching the mask when I'm outside around other people who are masked or not.

Is it going through the homeless population? (or are they safer since they are always outside?)

It is shocking how so many eras of the city have become filled with homeless. (and not just temporary homeless like one drunk guy lying on the street. We're talking tent cities.)

It's really disgusting. The whole city feels like dystopian shithole.

Some knuckleheads in this thread seem to have a hard time wrapping their tiny little birdbrains around the fact that the vaccines don't make you immune to corona. You may still get it – you are just way less likely to get hospitalised, let alone die from it.

Bonus: You'll also be less of a spreader. And that is why, with a fully vaccinated population, the Corona virus will/would slowly die out.

I'm surprise Covid hasn't wiped out the homeless population. As if those tent cities aren't a breeding ground for other diseases.

I don't understand how the tent cities got started. It started like 4 years ago. The economy was good. Is it the legalization of pot that brought them in? When did they legalize it.

[quote] I don't understand how the tent cities got started. It started like 4 years ago. The economy was good. Is it the legalization of pot that brought them in? When did they legalize it.

Gurl, buy yourself a fucking clue.

r564, The 9th circuit court ruled that homeless can't be ticketed for sleeping in public unless they can be offered shelter. This happened in 2018 and it applies to WA, OR, CA and ID. Since then cities have been over run with homeless.

Oregon just decriminalized small quantities of all drugs including heroin, I'm guessing that will add to the problem.

And Justin Bieber (of all people) just held some massive pop concert/Evangelical worship "event" in a huge packed stadium in LA (and hardly anyone wore masks). But I'm sure Jesus will 'save' them all...

With all due respect, if they are packed in like that, not even masks are going to do much good. Masks work best with casual and quick close contact and social distancing.

R567 anyone who wants to risk their health for that toad...hurry up COVID