How are you dealing with Omicron?

*sent Christmas cards

The pandemic has also impacted my ability to proofread posts.

I plan to deal with it in the same way I've dealt with it from the beginning of COVID. I go nowhere I don't have to go, I am around no one I don't have to be around, I mask in public and I am vaccinated. I'm getting my booster this week sometime. I never made a big thing about Christmas so I won't be missing out on anything. To me, it is simply December 25th, a day like any other save I don't have to work. I've been reading books on my tablet during breaks and lunch at work. I found a couple of free book websites.

Don't eat the junk food. You might start gaining weight and this will stress you out even more.

I don't watch the news. I used to but I was never on it so I quit....

I'm sick of this pandemic too but I can't stress out about it. I do what I can do to protect myself but I refuse to live life stressed. We have a small finite number of days in our life and I refuse to live them feeling badly about things.

Speaking of work, it is time to go. Much love to you and hang in there, please.

Thanks, r2.

Have a good day at work!

Yeah, it does seem like people are getting infected at a high rate like March 2020 or Winter 2020. I just hope there are fewer deaths and no long-lasting symptoms.

I am vaccinated and boosted, so I’m not worried about Covid killing me, but I would still rather not catch it, especially if it means missing events that are important to me. I’m staying home this week so that hopefully I don’t test positive right before Christmas with my family (thankfully in driving distance). After that I’ll stay home the week after and test again so that I can attend a NYE get together with friends (that hopefully won’t be canceled).

Nephew's entire family got it. One of the kids brought it home from school. He caught it from a nonvaxer's kid at the school.

Since the whole family is vaccinated/boosted, the symptoms where mild and all but gone.

And after testing positive, they all stayed home until the symptoms had passed.

I'm getting on with my life. By almost all accounts, it's like a mild cold if you're vaxxed.

My niece tested positive and will now miss Christmas with us. She rolled the dice and lost by going out too much. Sad she’ll be on her own but she’s double vaxxed and boosted. Just sent her some goodies via instacart.

We’re testing here Wednesday- if all ok we’ll dine with my parents for xmas. I’m done with public places until after New Year’s. I had a feeling this was going to happen so stocked up on all the xmas yummy things, booze and herbal refreshment early last week.

Stay safe everyone!

I honestly am just plowing through. I'm still non stop playing Christmas movies and music. I'm not traveling, not seeing much of anyone. I'm also just not watching news for the next week. I need a mental break, before it turns into a break down.

I have no time for posters like r7, here or in real life.

R10 = Covid MARY!

I’m unvaccinated and not worried..

Dr. Attention Whore Fauci is helping me cope by being on ANY show that will put him on....Thanks a lot Good Morning America and CBS Morning Show!!...Listening to this man say "we don't know yet" and "get vaccinated" for the 3OOth time this month is so reassuring....Thankfully Fauci can rely on his repeat jibber jabber since he never has anything new to say...

Not much has changed, tbh — things are still open and possible here in Germany, so you wear your mask, you get your booster shot, you use your common sense…

Not so much in the homeland (Netherlands), where everything but pharmacies and supermarkets are SHUT DOWN until Mid-January. We'll see how long it'll take before DE goes into lockdown…

That said, I try to remind myself every now and then that I am healthy, I have savings, a warm bed and food in the fridge. My grandmother lived through the hunger winter, poverty and bombs raining down… And that shit lasted 5 years.

I'm not saying the pandemic doesn't suck donkey ass, but I try to maintain a bit of a perspective.

Fauci is such a divisive figure right now, he may want to consider laying low on the tv for a while. I’m rapid testing for Xmas day, then sequestering until spring with puzzles, books, junk food and vitamin D.

I’m stressed. Not sure whether to take the train from NYC to Boston to see my parents who are both in their mid-70s. I’ve taken PCR tests which are negative but it seems impossible to find a rapid testing kit, which is what the “experts” are recommending you do right before seeing relatives for Christmas. The timing of the testing to get it “right” is making me anxious.

My brother and his wife and kids are exposed via daycare and seeing her relatives so I’m not sure I’ll be able to see them when I visit my parents, which would be a bummer.

I really don’t want to spend Christmas alone but the stress associated with traveling/my parents is also not great. And the numbers in NYC are so high. And it’s just a day.

What would you do? Let it go and visit them after the numbers settle down in late January (hopefully)?

No one thinks Fauci is divisive but the anti-vaxxers. As you can see by this thread, lots of people have questions about Covid and he’s going on tv to try and answer them.

First death in the US to Omicron.

Austria distributes home PCR test kits free of charge to all residents with a national insurance number (the equivalent of the SS#). You do your test in the morning, take your sample to a local supermarket by 9:00 a.m., they send it to a lab, and you have your results within 24 hours. Why haven't any other countries managed to introduce this system? People generally take PCR tests every other day, and certainly before any social gathering.

I can only assume r18 means that his goal is to BE the first death in the US from the Omicron variant.

We're fine.

We may get something similar to Austria’s system in the US, although I doubt it will be that organized. Biden is expected to announce today that the government will be distributing rapid tests free of charge, but that likely won’t be until after the new year.

If you’re in DC, starting Wednesday, you can pick up a free rapid test at one of eight locations.

PCR results in 24 hours? Do you possibly mean rapid/antigen test results?

How ridiculous, r13, that the leading infectious disease expert in the country is keeping Americans updated during the midst of a global pandemic. How silly of us who want to hear from him!

Think I'll hop over to Facebook or Twitter and do my own "research" instead.

R13, he’s showing good leadership qualities regardless of opinion.

I got my booster a month ago. I’m masking indoors in public, stocking up on rapid tests, and am living my life.

This is not March 2020. We have tools to mitigate risk of serious illness.

It boggles my mind that anyone can find Fauci objectionable. He is about the most straightforward, diplomatic, all-business, no-drama person I’ve ever seen in a public government post. He’s not trying to run for office or sell a book, he spends most of time actually working, and he’s just a regular dude.

R16 you’re looking for absolution.

I hereby absolve you. You may visit your parents early next year.

I think the mistrust/dislike of Fauci is a symptom of a much deeper societal sickness, r27

[quote]It feels like March 2020 all over again.

How could any rational person fix their lips to say this is like March 2020? With that statement, you've basically shown your hand and told us who you are. This is not like March 2020 and anyone who says that needs serious analysis.

We have testing. We have vaccines. We have boosters. We the means to protect ourselves. This remains a pandemic of the unvaccinated. Yes, you can get a breakthrough infection. However, if you have done all of the right things it will be mild.

If you're cancelling plans and going back in your house, then more power to you. Stay in your house and keep your crazy there.

We're back in lockdown mode, despite being fully vaccinated and boosted, due to my current risk factors. I'm the one from ElderLez's thread with the stack of Barbara Stanwyck films and endless supply of library books. We aren't thrilled about this but have done everything possible to keep ourselves and others safe, so at least we can feel good about that. We'll meet up with friends and relatives online instead.

Our big concerns are for our highest risk relatives, some of whom are making dumb choices (whether it's not getting boosted or spending too much time indoors at bars and restaurants) and some of whom are victims of circumstance (the elderly grandparent in a nursing home). We already lost one relative to COVID in the pre-vaccine era and nearly lost another who refused vaccination due to conspiracy theories. That's more than enough.

Dutchie lol thank you xo

I spent last week doing some socialising before the predictable Omicron wave hit Sydney. Got boosted on Friday, tested negative on Saturday and laying low until Xmas, aside from helping my elderly mother out. I'm glad I got tested already as my sister and her family waited in line for two and a half hours this morning and the clinic closed the queue at midday so they could clear it by 5pm.

To be honest, I just want it all to be over.

Oh fuck off r30

I am boosted but very high risk so I am giving up a job I really liked which included a long commute in public transportation and some dealing with others in enclosed spaces. I have decided to train from home for a new career that can be done mostly from home.. I used some of my savings to do this and if I live simply can make it financially with some part time work from home I hope to start. I am sad and a bit scared of the unknown starting over again

Caution. Mask, distance, boosted. It’s pretty simple and if everyone did it, this whole thing would be smothered in a year. It’s the unvaccinated and unmasked who are keeping it going. It’s that simple.

I am sad and discouraged but not panicked. My hope and belief on what I've read so far is that if you are vaccinated and have the third shot this is a mild illness. Perhaps even so for the double vaccinated. And that would be great. I believe this thing will obviously tear through the world and maybe that's great too. I hope the outcome is endemicity in 2022. I know I don't want to live like this much longer. I am prepared to give Omi until the end of January so there's an informed picture that lets me assess risk and then I am going forward into the world. I'm so exasperated. I will mask because I do have a responsibility to others but Agnes wants to live again!

OP, I'm just keeping-up with the 6 threads you start every day on the subject.

For R2 and others who may be looking for free book sites, if you have a library card you can borrow ebooks.

R20, first COVID-O death registered in Texas.

Go One Star State.!

Seeing Broadway shows and going to museums. Life goes on.

I had lots of plans for the first lockdown--movies, books, etc. A year and a half went by and I didn't get to any of them. My work suddenly saying that we have to go back to the office work me up and I started catching up.

Now the back to office has been postponed until at least March--I'm watching movies and reading books.

I just tested positive for Coronavirus, with what I presume is the Omicron variant. Two close friends and myself have tested positive almost simultaneously. All of us were vaccinated and boosted. I don't feel too bad so far.

I think the Omicron variant is going to affect everyone.

[quote] I'm still non stop playing Christmas movies and music.

Are you a frau?

R33 Sydney here too. I had my PCR on Sunday at midday - I was lucky as I walked into the local popup and there was nobody ahead of me. The result was texted to me around 11pm that night.

Like you I just managed to be ahead of the curve with testing centres getting slammed now.

One thing's for certain. I need to limit my internet time every day. I can't keep obsessively reading COVID news.

What r7 said. I am vaccinated and boosted, so I am living my life pretty normally. I'm traveling to see my mom, who also has three doses for Xmas. I asked if she wanted me to cancel and she was like what is the point of getting all these shots if I am not going to have Xmas. Guess I can't disagree.

I'm fully vaccinated and boosted and had COVID in the very early stages, March 2020. We're taking a small domestic trip the week after Christmas (not to a red state). I will wear my N95 on the plane.

I work in a hospital and most of our COVID patients are not being admitted for COVID symptoms. They are coming in for other reasons and being tested, and discovering they have COVID without symptoms. There has been a slight uptick in the last couple of weeks. For the vaccinated it's just not causing major illness that I have heard of here. You'd have to be pretty high risk and have lots of comorbidities, or be unvaccinated at this point to have COVID take you out.

Yeah everyone I know around NY/NJ who has gotten it (while vaxxed) has been been sick for a few days but fine r48.

Many cities are moving towards vaccination mandates requiring that everyone show proof of vaccination before entering restaurants, bars, gyms, etc.

Here's a tech tip for carrying your proof of vaccination. If you have an iPhone, you can download your vaccination records to your phone's Health App. The app then creates a "card" in your phone's "wallet". It looks like a credit card inside the wallet and tapping the card opens it to show the QR codes associated with your first, second and booster shot. It is legally accepted proof of your vaccinations. If your healthcare provider's system uses something like MyChart to which you are already registered, sign in and look for "QR codes" in your online medical records. Records of your shots should be there even if you went elsewhere for your shots. Click the link on the QR code page to download them and select iPhone Health App when it prompts you for a destination.

At this point, if you are vaccinated and boosted, this shouldn’t be a big change. Maybe some wait time for entry into movies, theaters and restaurants but nothing dramatic. I did think that so many businesses are still struggling with finding staff, having to hire additional staff to check vaccinations at the door could be a challenge. As usual this will impact small business owners all over again.

I got my booster in Mid September (work healthcare adjacent). Wondering if it’s even effective anymore.

Sometimes I just pause and think, I can’t believe I am living through this. I think we are all still in shock and not realizing what a big deal this is, still, somehow.

R53 I agree and wonder if we all collectively have PTSD. But don’t know it. Yet.

Agreed R53/R54. This omicron shit has set me back mentally a bit.

I'm so tired of this. I'm vaxxed and boosted but avoiding all unnecessary outings. Rapid testing on XMAS and Boxing Day to gather with family. Then laying low until NYE. Then hibernating.

When I studied the plague in school, I remember thinking, hundreds of years must have gone by where life was just centered around the plague, how strange to live that way. I couldn’t have conceived of this. We live in so much more comfort and less danger now but the whole world is consumed by this together and it occupies my mind every day, for almost two years now. It’s bizarre?!?!?!

r57, iirc, the "acute" Bubonic Plague only lasted a few years. I think the worst was over by the mid-1350s.

But of course, it kept popping up. They closed the theaters in Shakespeare's time (1590s) due to outbreaks of plague in London. There was another outbreak in 1666.

For some perspective, r57, and an interesting read, here's the introduction to Boccaccio's Decameron:

Sad that I didn’t travel in my youth and middle age. I’m fucked now. Thank god for weed.

On the plus side, I have reduced any extras in my life, I see only those I care about and I have delved into many a good novel.

Here in Sydney everyone seems to have just gone into hibernation before Xmas day. Instead of the usual mad rush, the shopping centres are half empty. At Bicentenial Park it's usually packed over the school holidays and yesterday there were just a few families picnicking and a smattering of cyclists; the place was so dead all the little cafes and kiosks closed by 2pm. Nobody wants to miss out on the family Xmas get together, but no one wants to send Nanna to hospital. The best you can do is get tested and isolate until the big day.

Same as I have been: social distancing, wearing my mask, limiting contacts. Once last month, after I had all of my vaccinations, I did have another guy over to play guitar together. It was really fun to do that, and we planned on getting together to play again, but I think I'm going to curtail that for now. Other than that, not much has changed.

Wondering about my next booster. I heard a doctor on MSNBC who said those, like me, who got the J&J one & done vaccine need 2 boosters now. I got my first booster on 11/1, so I’ll probably have to wait a few more months.

And, yesterday, I heard a doctor on MSNBC saying the booster only lasts for three months before its effectiveness begins to drop.

Which means I want another booster on February 1st, please. Hey Fauci, where is the line for my booster #2 ?

I think I'll "deal" with Omicron by not getting out of bed this morning

R65, when I see evidence that bein vaccinated & boosted is leaving me in no better place than the non-vaxxed in hospitals & dying, I'll continue to follow the advice of Dr. Fauci.

[quote] I'll continue to follow the advice of Dr. Fauci.

..and so will I

[quote]And, yesterday, I heard a doctor on MSNBC saying the booster only lasts for three months before its effectiveness begins to drop.

BBC: A government panel of experts in Israel has recommended a fourth dose of a Covid-19 vaccine for all people aged over 60 and healthcare workers, at least four months after their third jab.

[quote]It feels like March 2020 all over again.

A friend pointed out to me that when you sound out the year 2022, it sounds like "2020, too." 😲

I’m vaccinated and boosted and I wear a mask indoors. Frankly it’s pretty simple and not such a big deal. If everyone did this the virus would be smothered within a year although my guess is we will have to have yearly boosters.

I’m singing praises on lockdown and people being miserable. Covid has been some of the best times in my life.

R72 = The Grinch

I went thru the automated Kroger Pharmacy and after spending 5 minutes giving them info I was told there were no vaccine boosters shots available..

Kroger is evil, go to Walgreens..

This Omicron variant is beyond ridiculous. Why tell people to get vaccinated if it’s resistant to the vaccine? This new variant introduced so many plot holes to the covid narrative that I can’t even keep up.

Thank you Omicron for showing me how fucking absurd this entire clown show has been. Is it a coincidence YouTube disabled dislikes before the introduction of the Omicron plot twist?

Fauci is a crisis actor at this point.

Doesn't r76 have some tinfoil hats to make?

Kinda agree with R76. It’s the first time I feel that the narrative doesn’t hold up. Vaxxed and boosted here - and still got it. Mild - but not sure if it’s that different for the unvaxxed. The Columbia study shows it evades the vaccine- so it needs to be acknowledged that the vaccine has a weakness. We’ll see how it plays out - but I hate that this will be used by the anti-vaxxers as evidence they were right all along. They weren’t.

It’s interesting that people are responding this way to omicron but didn’t to delta. I wonder why?

For the anti-vaxxers and dull crayons among us:

The vaccines are still helpful even though they aren’t perfect at preventing infection. They make it less likely that you will be infected and more likely that if you are infected, your symptoms will be less severe. Even though we see breakthrough Omicron cases, you still want your vaccine and as many boosters as recommended because it lowers your chances of dying or getting serious illness from Covid.

What about that is so difficult to understand?

[quote] so it needs to be acknowledged that the vaccine has a weakness

This has been acknowledged since the vaccines were first introduced. People who persist in thinking that being vaccinated makes them 100% impervious to Covid have not been paying attention.

Today I spoke with a friend who has a serious lung condition and got it. He had a couple days of mild symptoms. Probably still contagious. This sounds funny, but somehow a lot of my own anxiety and fear lifted. He ran through a number of mutual acquaintances who have it and generally it's a cold... sometimes a heavy cold, but nobody's terrified. I feel a lot less fraught, personally... when I get it (which I think must be the case at some point) I will be able to keep my cool and just get this muthafuckah overwith. I wonder if I did have it earlier this week (or had it and have it now) because I had a day of feeling coldy and a pronounced pain in my lower back (that is gone.) Who knows? But I think if you're vaccinated, you really are likely good, so long as you don't have a significant underlying like diabetes.

[quote] Who knows?

R82 it's Wednesday. If "earlier this week" means Monday, you could get a test - then you'll know.

You idiots don’t seem to have a clue how vaccines work.

They prevent severe illness and hospitalization. Sure you might get Covid but your case will be mild.

Nearly everyone dying now is an unvaccinated fool

[Quote] Why tell people to get vaccinated if it’s resistant to the vaccine? This new variant introduced so many plot holes to the covid narrative that I can’t even keep up.

Because you can’t choose which variant you get. Delta is still the biggest killer and yes the booster prevents that

R83... I have a couple Abbott home tests... as I understand it you can trust a positive but should take a negative with a grain of salt if you think you've got symptoms. I'll test at home Christmas Day before I see anybody.

Christ. I can ignore r76 since he is clearly a nutter, but you can't be serious r78.

The vaccines still give you great protection against serious symptoms from Omnicron, particularly if you are boosted.

That's the real point of vaccines, to keep people out of the hospital.

I didn't want to travel this holiday season; way too many people on the move in first time in two years and huge shortages of service workers everywhere

What’s a good excuse to give my family for not joining them on Christmas? They have no fear of covid so I’m the odd one out. Whatever I say they’ll be pissed.

My husband and I had all of our Christmas plans torpedoed when his sister (who visited us for a few hours last week) texted us yesterday to say that she tested positive. We are now scheduled to be tested tomorrow and should know by Friday if we are positive. If we test negative, we can go ahead with our appointments to have our booster shots on Monday, but will still avoid contact with anyone until then. If positive, we’ll have to quarantine for the rest of the year. Currently no symptoms.

I am having around eight people over for Christmas dinner. Everyone is vaccinated and boosted. Should I cancel?

I cancelled plans to travel and visit my (80's) parents. They're boostered, I'm boostered. Other siblings are vacc'd but not boostered. There's just too much unknown surrounding omicron to introduce more risk at their age. I was happy they were honest and voiced their concerns last night but I'm feeling a little sad and guilty about it today: I haven't seen them since 2019 and decided not to visit them this summer since things were looking up so I thought I'd just wait for Christmas. I know there aren't unlimited Christmases with them left and they've been feeling isolated all through covid.

R91, my sister-in-law was vaccinated and boosted, and was showing no symptoms when we saw her, but she started feeling badly two days after. She waited the weekend before getting tested and showing positive. Depending on how prevalent reported cases are in your state, having a large gathering is very risky right now.

R92 I made the came call today with my parents. It sucks and I feel the same way.

What a mess.

When will I ever get to suck a cock again??

I’ve always been super careful but now I’m back to masking up outdoors (I’d been going maskless outside since early summer after I was fully vaxxed) and I wear gloves when shopping and doing laundry. Also got my booster a few weeks ago. I have little bouts of anxiety but I’m coping. Having one friend over on Christmas. He works from home and only goes out for grocery shopping. Nothing else I can do.

It's in all 50 states now. It spreads with lightning speed.

What R47's mom said.

I'm driving a couple states away to see my parents and grandma. We've all been boostered. I always mask when I go anywhere, but I've laid low this past week because I'll be heading up to see them.

Took PCR test yesterday. Negative. Visiting family in Philly. All vaccinated, boosted and negative also.

My company (based in Southern California) held a face-to-face meeting last Friday in Palm Springs. Some of us chose to attend on-line but most of the invitees attended in-person. As of today, half of the attendees have tested positive. One person is quite ill. I just cancelled a business trip to New York that was scheduled for early January. Feeling relieved but also disappointed. It’s easy to succumb to magical thinking at times like this but we are still a long way from normalcy. Stay safe. We need each other.

[quote]And, yesterday, I heard a doctor on MSNBC saying the booster only lasts for three months before its effectiveness begins to drop.

Fully vaccinated in early March, I got a booster on September 20th.

I'm a goner, arent I? Who wants my stuff?

I am due to start teaching (in a university) again around Jan 24th. Our previous term finished early December and we managed to get through all of it with in-person classes. However, I live in Ireland, right next to the UK which has just posted 100,000 cases and is Europe's canary.

My hope is that (as appears to be the case in South Africa) there will be a very rapid rise, and a very rapid fall very soon after, and that that together with the much lower chance of hospitalisation will keep classrooms open, I seriously cannot be fucked going back to teaching online again especially when a bunch of students in their 20s can't even bring themselves to switch their fucking cameras on to make it feel a tiny bit more like a real class.

I thought I had it but tested negative. I guess it was just a cold? But I’ve never sneezed so many times in my life.

The Flu Vaccine is pretty weak this year....So keep that in mind when you are thinking you might have covid..

I'm living a normal life. Have been for almost this entire time. It quickly became obvious this is all a psych op. Go live your life!

Which part of this is a psych op, exactly?

How’m I dealing?

Low grade depression, OP

R105 = Is a future profile on Sorry Antivaxxer......LoL

There was definitely an antivaxx troll posting overnight in a bunch of threads.

I was shitting myself late January until March and beyond in 2020 and was relieved when the country (Australia) was placed into lockdown.

However, now there is in most parts of Australia (WA being the exception) a let it rip line of think at the Federal level and the varying degrees at the state level. NSW being the worst when the mad Opus Dei, Trump lover, anti gay, anti choice (i.e. abortion) leader Dominic Perrottet wants to let it rip. Today he was forced to mandate masks but it is probably too late - the number of case in NSW and its too largest cities Sydney & Newcastle are going through the roof. Worth noting that Perrottet never led his party to victory the previous leader had to resign due to a scandal because she got cockstruck - very unfortunate because whilst she was far from perfect she is the best leader we have had in NSW in over 30 years.

I'm resigned to catch it sooner or later. I'm taking all the necessary precautions but Omicron is simply so contagious. I'm due for a booster shoot soon so I hope I can avoid the virus for 4 weeks (2 weeks until the booster and then the 2 weeks after) but even then I'll still end up catching it.

....

We are keeping our all vaccinated and boosted family Christmas. I have only one concern: the enclosed airplanes. I don't want to feel they are at risk. I told my air traveling daughter to act like everyone has the plague. Report to an attendant to tell people to put their masks on proper, to avoid any incidents. Unfortunately, one of my daughters had breakthrough a couple of months ago, semi mild symptoms. No booster, yet. Live-in significant just tested positive, most recent 2nd moderna. Daughter is 2 times negative. Hard to find PCR tomorrow, will cross our fingers still negative. She may have some antibody protection from breakthrough. I am not aware of the final scientific answer to that protection, lol. Regardless, high probability that this daughter & significant won't make it. More prime rib for the rest!

It is a deep relief knowing that my family, and extended family's have engaged in at the least vaccination, and confident that we have reduced our chances of serious hospital occurrences. I'm 62, the baby of 3! Tragic to have anyone die like this in our golden years, or because of such a disbelief of science. It is exhausting TRYING to keep up with the updated information. I feel I am doing my part to society, but we need more people to act. I've been an essential worker, within a retail health environment this entire time. Keeping disinfectant clean, wash hands, standard blue mask, hand sanitizer. Other family members are in jobs that extended remote work, or careers in public businesses with best clean efforts as well. But those angry, tail-gaters, Karen's & Steves, and deplorables will never change, at least until it happens directly to them.

Pay it forward: hold the door, let them in the lane, wave a nice hand to someone who does, smile and say hi. You know. Civil.

I had 2 hour brunch with 3 friends last Sunday in a half full restaurant and I am freaking out now because I have sniffles. Took a por test yesterday and crossing fingers, my SO tested negative yesterday and we’ve been together since Sunday. My parents who are o l d have cancelled our small get together this week because my niece tested positive.

If I am negative, I will lay low and not go out until NYE when we’ll all try to get together for a postponed xmas dinner.

Getting Booster in January. Getting groceries delivered. Still wearing mask if out and about (e.g., walking my city's Main Street to take Christmas photos).

Haven't seen two of my five friends since January 2020.

[quote] Still wearing mask if out and about (e.g., walking my city's Main Street to take Christmas photos).

Really?! With all of our accumulated knowledge, that just seems performative. 'To own the right', as it were.

R115, My city gets crowded with visitors at this time. One never knows whom one is walking past.

But if the bitter truth be known, I look much better with a mask.

[quote]Still wearing mask if out and about (e.g., walking my city's Main Street to take Christmas photos).

[quote]Really?! With all of our accumulated knowledge, that just seems performative. 'To own the right', as it were.

Rather than looking at a Wuhan lab, maybe the source of this virus is vain gay men.

Know how I own the right? By taking the recommended precautions to not get Covid.

[quote] By taking the recommended precautions to not get Covid.

Me, too. With an emphasis on the "recommended".

[quote] I am freaking out now because I have sniffles.

You're ready to fly right out of here, aren't you?

Outdoor masking is absurd unless you're sitting so close you could be French kissing.

Ohio has 16,000 new cases today..Up 3000 from yesterday!!....If you are coming here for the Holidays you might need a ventilator in about 10 days...

[quote]Outdoor masking is absurd unless you're sitting so close you could be French kissing.

Greece and Italy are joining Spain in mandating outdoor mask wearing.

COVID numbers in NYC are stupid high this week - 150 per day per 100,000 people, up from 30 per day per 100,000 just 2 weeks ago.

British studies are saying the booster shot protects against symptomatic infection for about 10 weeks after the shot. Jury's still out on how long you're protected against serious illness/death, though the protection seems to be quite solid unless you have immune system issues.

I'm now on Spanish rules and the mask stays on outside except for when I'm in my closed door office. Staying away from bars/restaurants for now, which absolutely blows but is better than catching this shit.

I just gave myself a haircut. My barber is a sweet guy but refuses to wear a mask. I felt comfortable going to him after I got vaccinated but not anymore. Other barbers in my neighborhood are too expensive. Fortunately it’s winter and I can wear skull caps.

I’m being perverse and watching “The First Wave,” a documentary about the first months of covid at a Long Island hospital. I think I’ll just take to my bed for the next month.

No differently from previous variants.

I don't go into public indoor spaces, I still wash my hands before leaving and upon returning home. I'll go outside on sunny days.

It's a milder variant. There are more cases because airborne viruses thrive in cold weather. I don't feel sorry for people who didn't vary and add to their layers of protection after last winter.

I'm not getting OP's attitude at all. If you're vaccinated with the booster, what do you have to worry about? Omicron appears to be much less likely than delta to lead to hospitalization (based on South Africa's experience), and now we have not one but two treatments (the pills from Pfizer and Merck) for stopping Covid infections before they get serious (89% successful in the case of the Pfizer), although admittedly the pills will be hard to come by until they ramp up production.

I'm still wearing a mask indoors but this pandemic is done as far as I'm concerned. And I simply don't care about anyone who is still unvaccinated.

Merck antiviral doesn't do shit.

Pfizer plans on producing 200 million doses of their antiviral pill by the end of 2022.

Thank that's gonna keep 9 billion people out of the hospital/morgue?

How many people do you think will be dead when this is all over? 50M?

So weird being in Florida for the holiday. It’s as if no one knows there’s a pandemic going on.

R127 I started that and got so panicked in the first 5 minutes that I had to turn it off.

MARY!!!

I flew from DC to LA this week. I was torn about the trip. On the one hand, I was anxious about omicron and on the other, my mom would have been pretty upset if I canceled. She lives alone and really looks forward to my visits. I decided to go ahead with the trip. I'm triple vaxxed and always masked indoors. But my mom will insist on dining out, it's our primary activity when I visit. I'm resigned to the inevitable infection. I'm just hoping it won't delay my return to DC.

What percentage of the 800,000+ who died in the US of Covid-related deaths do you think would’ve otherwise died during this time absent the pandemic?

R134 = Are you single? I hope not because you are Undateable. Ain't nobody looking for a Mommas Boy....Good Luck to you though.

R112 = Karen

You really are quite safe aboard a plane, with the air getting completely refreshed every few minutes.

Well, I'm not so sure, r138. If someone is breathing next to me, without a mask, that's a lot of time for the virus to wind up in another unmasked face before the air gets "recirculated."

And remember, they still provide in-flight service even on shorter flights, and more than half of passengers remove their masks all at once.

R136 or maybe he’s just a thoughtful son? Jeez…..

Let me know when you hear about a massive outbreak on a plane, R139

My small county had the first Omicron case in Arizona. New cases, ICU capacity used and deaths now exceed all previous spikes.

I'm in full hermit mode. Luckily, I've got sufficient.

People are so irrational about this. The risk of serious illness appears to be almost negligible if you are vaxxed and in even mediocre shape.

What is it, the consuming fear of death? You run risk every day. You're probably more likely to die of a panic-induced heart attack.

I had my booster, and I'm sick of it all. For the first half-year, you could feel something like solidarity. Since then, Politicians and activists have been using the pandemic to divide society, and there is more than one faultline. Every chat takes exactly two minutes to land at politics. I am old enough to know it didn't use to be that way, at all. Politics poisons us all, and it's as least as bad a virus as COVID-19 is.I live a good life - my parents are alive and well, my family is healthy and I can do as I wish. Nonetheless, I am more and more frustrated, thinking of how little time there is left for me, for others, and how increasingly futile it all seems. "Only a year" is much if you maybe only have a few years left. "Only a year" is much if you are a dancer or a singer. It's much if you are four. I hate this pretending that we have endless amounts of time and should just have patience.

R113 here, I’m the brunch attendee that had sniffles and was freaking out. Just got my pcr test back - negative. So relieved. Staying in for the next week!

r144, the Putin Plan.

[Quote] What percentage of the 800,000+ who died in the US of Covid-related deaths do you think would’ve otherwise died during this time absent the pandemic?

We can never know. We definitely know the number of people who died went up drastically during this time. We can never say if the same people would have died of something else

Feeling horrible, coughing, shortif breath for days. All stores sod out if tests. Walk in clinics have at least. 2 hour delays. I’m vaxxed & boosted bit have untreated lung disease. So it’s scary. Coughing up huge chunks of grayish yellow.

And I just woke up, am half asleep so I made a million typos. Sorry.

Hope you're okay, R148 /149. Get tested if you possibly can.

I'm largely staying home (except for a very small Xmas dinner at folks, we're all triple vaxxed) and the rest of the time reading books that you bitches have recommended (thank you bitches):

Dark Mission, The Secret History of NASA

Beautiful Bad Girl, The Vicki Morgan Story

Lessons in Becoming Myself: Ellen Burstyn (autobiography, can't put it down)

The Other Side of Ethel Mertz: The Life Story of Vivian Vance (Mary!)

Kathy Griffin's Celebrity Run-Ins

"11/22/63" - Stephen King novel about a time traveller who goes back to stop Kennedy assassination. Supposed to be his best work

Happy Holidays / Merry Christmas everyone.

Feel better R148

They now say you must have the N 95 mask. Cloth and paper masks are just fashion accessories. They do no good. Shit! Now I got to figure out where to buy them and make sure they are of not inferior quality.

Part of me just says fuck it. I’m vaxxed & boostered. I feel like eventually we all will get sick.

R134 here, feeling rundown and have a nervous stomach. No congestion though my throat is slightly scratchy. I have a rental car to pick up this morning, do I cancel? Fully vaxxed, the fear isn't severe illness, it's having to isolate for the remainder of my trip. Basically means I flew across the country to get infected and quarantine.

I ordered a pack of N95 masks in September from Home Depot. I thought “pandemic will probably be over soon so I’ll just get a 3 pack. Probably won’t need it at all.”

Ha.

I think should skip anything that requires interacting face-to-face with anyone else if you have Covid symptoms and aren’t able to access a test.

R153, not much help if you need masks immediately, but I buy powecom k95 from Bona Fides. The powecom masks are legit and BF is an authorized seller. My last order took about a week to deliver.

If you double mask a surgical mask with a cloth mask over it and both fit well, you should be okay? Unless you’re going to big gatherings with unmasked people. But for grocery stores that should be sufficient?

Some people I know...and some family are tested positive with Covid. It really is hitting close to home now. I still mask, with added filters...and stay home, for the most part. It seems like this will never end.

I plan to focus on the reason for the season, as I love baby Jesus. And to ignore media doomsday hype regarding the latest variant. I also bought some lovely Port Salut cheese. I continue to mask and to remind myself I do have a few blessings. Merry Christmas DL.

Hearing all the happy talk about Omicron not being severe threat to boosted. People thinking oh what the hell, it will be like a cold. Airports packed, people out and about unmasked. News that the boosters wane against infection after 3-4 months ignored.

So, not hearing messages about the result being even more spread and the resulting mutations that may occur. Possible that the next greek letter variant will be even less potent than Omicron, but it could go the other way. Everyone is done with covid, but let's see what covid does next.

It is being reported that the initial Omicron infection is not as severe as Delta. But with nasal concentrations SEVENTY times greater than Delta, Long Haul Covid is worse with Omicron.

We'll see how many people are diagnosed with latent pulmonary blood clots before Summer.

I've been using Korean KF94 masks, which appear to offer nearly the same protection as N95. And they're easier to find.

[quote]We'll see how many people are diagnosed with latent pulmonary blood clots before Summer.

Stand back everybody Mr. Happy and Life of the Party has arrived.

Same as I dealt with every other variant, thinking for myself and avoiding the media's scaremongering.

I just took a long nap.

Very depressed.

R162 long hauler here. Hospitalised with two massive pulmonary embolisms and clots in each leg last year, as well as a pleural effusion on one lung, having been hospitalised with Covid-19 earlier last year.

I’ve only just been given the all clear after 18 months in blood thinners.

I don’t take any of this shit lightly.

Ignore R164.

R167 i'm sorry you're going through that. I keep warning about consequences other than death but people tend to not believe it until it happens to them. I know enough people that are suffering after having it.

R129 I'm not understanding the constant comparisons to S Africa? 60% of their population is under 25. 40% are 15 and younger! Compared to the US? 35% are over 50. I previously thought I read that it was 60%, but that's the projection by year 2040 if birth rates stay low. We're now 50/50 even split in the US for those over 40 vs under 40.

Want to know how many South Africans are over 50? Not even 3%

Glad you’re on the mend, R167. Can you please provide us your age & whether you had any preexisting conditions?

Sure. I’m 51. No pre-existing conditions. Always been physically active (swimming, surfing, skiing, gym). Not overweight.

[quote] I keep warning about consequences other than death but people tend to not believe it until it happens to them.

That's all fine and dandy but at this point some of the most unbelievable people are the ones who think they're never going to catch this. Do they plan to live sheltered in place for the rest of life?

R148, you're typing like you're low on oxygen. Please say you have a pulse oximeter and a plan

[quote]But with nasal concentrations SEVENTY times greater than Delta, Long Haul Covid is worse with Omicron.

Yeah, I'm going to need a link for that.

My friend who tested positive on Monday is feeling much better today. He told me he has had two symptom free days. Day 1 with Covid was 103 fever. So the duration seems relatively short. He is triple vaxxed and an overall healthy guy (vegan runner.)

Symptoms started for me on December 9th. I dealt with it for several days after and finished my isolation on Monday. Messed up my plans to travel home to Canada because I needed 15 days symptom free.

Instead I’m sitting in hotel by myself in Miami Beach. May order in from Rentmen.

[quote] But with nasal concentrations SEVENTY times greater than Delta, Long Haul Covid is worse with Omicron.

Do you already have data on long-haul Covid from Omicron?

Google is your friend

Google is your friend

Google is your friend

Google is your friend

Google is your friend

Google is your friend.

Google is not YOUR friend. There was zero data or insight from any of your links. A single doctor talking out of his ass and Fauci saying it MAY mirror other variants. That’s it.

r183, I understand that you have to justify your willful ignorance.

Someone drop a house on this cunt.

The real cunt is the CUNT condescendingly dropping Google links… You can kill 9 out of 10 topics here by going with the "Google is your friend" bullshit.

My original post stated that Omicron multiplies 70x faster in nasal passages than Delta.

And that Omicron is showing, while not as fatal as Delta, it is a Long Haul COVID and that we will have to wait till early spring to find out.

Sorry that I accommodated the lazy cunt who could not look those up themselves.

Sorry, Dutchie, this is not a topic killer. We still have a two-week window to see how many breeders who went home for Christmas spread COVID.

Merry Christmas cunts.