Coronavirus, The plague has arrived

[_priapism]

Texas is going to make the vaccine available to anyone who wants it on March 29. We are a wildly red state, and only about half the Republicans say they’re going to be vaccinated. So they decided to let anybody have it that wants it. So my wife and kids are all going to get shots. Yeah.

[msslave]

Vaccinations are being done at a rapid pace. Minnesota is one of the top states for getting the serum in arms quickly after new shipments arrive.  Governor has loosened up restrictions. Bars can stay open later. Private parties increased in allowable size. Masks still required and here in the Metro area most are complying.

And yet, cases of Covid are increasing along with the number of people having to be hospitalized. Rising numbers seem to be among younger people. Yeah, in my youth, I never listened either.

[_priapism]

Vaccinations are being done at a rapid pace. Minnesota is one of the top states for getting the serum in arms quickly after new shipments arrive.  Governor has loosened up restrictions. Bars can stay open later. Private parties increased in allowable size. Masks still required and here in the Metro area most are complying.

And yet, cases of Covid are increasing along with the number of people having to be hospitalized. Rising numbers seem to be among younger people. Yeah, in my youth, I never listened either.

We are seeing the same thing here in Texas and nationwide.  New cases are up 14% across the board in the last two weeks.

Texas has opened vaccinations to everyone cover the age of 16 across the board, but when I asked my family for their ID cards, to get them on the list, they were ambivalent. Really pissed me off.  I am in the high risk group, and most new hospitalizations are in the 24-35 crowd.  Smh

[purpleshoes]

Vaccinations are being done at a rapid pace. Minnesota is one of the top states for getting the serum in arms quickly after new shipments arrive.  Governor has loosened up restrictions. Bars can stay open later. Private parties increased in allowable size. Masks still required and here in the Metro area most are complying.

And yet, cases of Covid are increasing along with the number of people having to be hospitalized. Rising numbers seem to be among younger people. Yeah, in my youth, I never listened either.

We are seeing the same thing here in Texas and nationwide.  New cases are up 14% across the board in the last two weeks.

Texas has opened vaccinations to everyone cover the age of 16 across the board, but when I asked my family for their ID cards, to get them on the list, they were ambivalent. Really pissed me off.  I am in the high risk group, and most new hospitalizations are in the 24-35 crowd.  Smh

Never over-estimate the intelligence of the masses.

[Dudester]

From ABC News:

Just five states have accounted for about 43% of new coronavirus cases over the last week, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

New York, Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania and New Jersey had for more than 196,400 of the country's 453,360 cases reported in the last week, according to data available Wednesday morning.

Those states are home to just 22% of the US population, according to estimates from the US Census Bureau.

[Jed_]

This week all are eligible in my state to get the vaccine, so my wife got me an appointment on Thursday by getting on a website at 7AM this morning.  Then later in the morning the use of the J & J vaccine was paused due to a potential link to blood clots.

So we canceled my appointment and will try again.

[Lois]

The Navajo Nation shut down again.  It seems one of the varients is active there that is especially contageous. 

[Jed_]

The Navajo Nation shut down again.  It seems one of the varients is active there that is especially contageous.

Neighboring New Mexico that contains a portion of the Navajo Nation is apparently a leader in vaccinating its population including Native Americans.


https://www.politico.com/news/2021/04/12/new-mexico-vaccines-481064

[Jed_]

A year ago it was shit paper, and now it’s apparently gas.  My sister-in-law began using our dentist, after her appointment today she tried to get gas.  No gas in the shopping center where the dentist is, she drove past our house and tried in our town, just one station had gas but a long line.  Then she stopped in the town on her way home, no gas.  Luckily these two sisters get gas as soon as they reach a half tank, so there was plenty to get her home.

Hearing this, we went out and checked the status of our tanks in my two trucks and her car.  My older truck is at 3/4, the other two vehicles are near empty.  This means I can make the 45 minute one way trip to my 2nd vaccination appointment tomorrow and back.

All because Trump’s Russian buddies hacked a pipeline.  Yeah I know it was a criminal gang and supposedly not his buddy Vlad, but if Trump was still in office he’d blame the Chinese just to help Vlad look good.

[Jed_]

Arm is slightly sore from the 2nd Moderna shot, but not enough to be bothersome.  Most I’ve spoke to have not felt good at all the next day after the 2nd shot, so we’ll see on that.

I have a friend I haven’t seen much in over a year, but I did see him a couple weeks ago at the place we often hang out.  I asked him if he got the vaccine, informing him I had my first shot.  Now I work in the pharmaceutical industry and have worked on numerous vaccine projects, and he works for a company that installs windows in commercial buildings.  He informed me that he didn’t think they’d done enough research yet.  I wasn’t quite ready to try and have a serious conversation with him on this topic, partly because I wasn’t willing to sit unmasked with him over a beer, something that was for his safety more than mine.

But ever since I’ve been rehearsing a conversation in my head with numerous arguments beginning with how I would take his advice on new windows for my house him having expertise in that area and how he should respect my experience (plus that of everyone else who isn’t a crackpot).  I was also thinking of asking him if he remembers all the people when we were kids that died of smallpox, were crippled by polio, all those outbreaks of measles and diphtheria, then pointing out that didn’t happen because we were all vaccinated.

It’s all political of course.  Trump and the Trumptard Republicans have so poisoned discourse that uneducated white people like him don’t know what to believe.  The ‘not enough research’ comment he made is a smokescreen.

[Jed_]

Arm is slightly sore from the 2nd Moderna shot, but not enough to be bothersome.  Most I’ve spoke to have not felt good at all the next day after the 2nd shot, so we’ll see on that.

I have a friend I haven’t seen much in over a year, but I did see him a couple weeks ago at the place we often hang out.  I asked him if he got the vaccine, informing him I had my first shot.  Now I work in the pharmaceutical industry and have worked on numerous vaccine projects, and he works for a company that installs windows in commercial buildings.  He informed me that he didn’t think they’d done enough research yet.  I wasn’t quite ready to try and have a serious conversation with him on this topic, partly because I wasn’t willing to sit unmasked with him over a beer, something that was for his safety more than mine.

But ever since I’ve been rehearsing a conversation in my head with numerous arguments beginning with how I would take his advice on new windows for my house him having expertise in that area and how he should respect my experience (plus that of everyone else who isn’t a crackpot).  I was also thinking of asking him if he remembers all the people when we were kids that died of smallpox, were crippled by polio, all those outbreaks of measles and diphtheria, then pointing out that didn’t happen because we were all vaccinated.

It’s all political of course.  Trump and the Trumptard Republicans have so poisoned discourse that uneducated white people like him don’t know what to believe.  The ‘not enough research’ comment he made is a smokescreen.

[msslave]

Mask mandate has been lifted in Minnesota by the Governor. However, Minneapolis and St. Paul are still keeping their mandates in place along with many retail outlets. It's a facial crap shoot here. To mask or not to mask.

Then there's the Trump squad:

[Lois]

Proof of vaccination should be required.

Personally I'm pissed. People are not getting the vaccine preventing our economy from re-opening fully.  They are also keeping the spectre of Covid alive by not allowing us to reach the herd immunity we all need to be safe.

[MissBarbara]

Proof of vaccination should be required.

Personally I'm pissed. People are not getting the vaccine preventing our economy from re-opening fully.  They are also keeping the spectre of Covid alive by not allowing us to reach the herd immunity we all need to be safe.

That's exactly the point.

Science is not my strong suit, but a couple of months ago I did a deep dive into herd immunity, to try to understand what it means.

My biggest take-away was the fact that herd immunity is achieved when the "community" is about 80-90% immune, either naturally or via vaccination. The % rises with population density, and it's complicated that areas with high population densities also have a high amount of population movement. That's the main reason why NYC became the death zone early on in the pandemic.

I mentioned to Toe this morning how here in NYC there is a huge amount of peer pressure to get vaccinated. That's a very good thing. On top of that, as things are "re-opening," the additional freedoms are granted to those who have been fully vaccinated (and passed the 14-day post vaccination period). This will force those on the fence to get vaccinated or loose out.

Meanwhile, it sounds like the peer pressure down where you and Toe live is in the opposite direction. People who didn't believe the COVID-19 pandemic was serious in the first place, and who saw no need to wear masks or social distance, will be among the last to get vaccinated -- if at all. These areas might not every achieve herd immunity.

[Jed_]

Proof of vaccination should be required.

Personally I'm pissed. People are not getting the vaccine preventing our economy from re-opening fully.  They are also keeping the spectre of Covid alive by not allowing us to reach the herd immunity we all need to be safe.

That's exactly the point.

Science is not my strong suit, but a couple of months ago I did a deep dive into herd immunity, to try to understand what it means.

My biggest take-away was the fact that herd immunity is achieved when the "community" is about 80-90% immune, either naturally or via vaccination. The % rises with population density, and it's complicated that areas with high population densities also have a high amount of population movement. That's the main reason why NYC became the death zone early on in the pandemic.

I mentioned to Toe this morning how here in NYC there is a huge amount of peer pressure to get vaccinated. That's a very good thing. On top of that, as things are "re-opening," the additional freedoms are granted to those who have been fully vaccinated (and passed the 14-day post vaccination period). This will force those on the fence to get vaccinated or loose out.

Meanwhile, it sounds like the peer pressure down where you and Toe live is in the opposite direction. People who didn't believe the COVID-19 pandemic was serious in the first place, and who saw no need to wear masks or social distance, will be among the last to get vaccinated -- if at all. These areas might not every achieve herd immunity.

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/public-health/states-ranked-by-percentage-of-population-vaccinated-march-15.html


Yep, we won’t reach herd immunity.  Red states are going to be a reservoir of coronavirus for years to come allowing variants to emerge requiring more vaccines, vaccinations and other therapeutic intervention.  This will impact the whole country, but particularly the red states as the link above shows.

The Republicans must be very proud of killing their own.  If there’s any silver lining, it’s the impact that will have on the midterms.

[Jed_]

A year ago it was shit paper, and now it’s apparently gas.

[msslave]

I've been hearing on the news that people are ready to travel now that Covid restrictions are lifting.

Holy crap! In spades. I've always timed my travel to the Black Hills for this time of year. Weather is warming and not many people traveling while kids still in school.

Not this year. The Badlands were fill of people. The famous Wall Drug was packed. Same story in Keystone where I'm staying for my Black Hills jaunts. Restaurants and souvenir shops packed full. Lots of families with kids of all ages.

Seeing only a few masks... usually older that may still be worried or not vaccinated yet.

[Jed_]

I've been hearing on the news that people are ready to travel now that Covid restrictions are lifting.

Holy crap! In spades. I've always timed my travel to the Black Hills for this time of year. Weather is warming and not many people traveling while kids still in school.

Not this year. The Badlands were fill of people. The famous Wall Drug was packed. Same story in Keystone where I'm staying for my Black Hills jaunts. Restaurants and souvenir shops packed full. Lots of families with kids of all ages.

Seeing only a few masks... usually older that may still be worried or not vaccinated yet.

They were packed full and still in the post Sturgis Rally when I was there last September.  My Peruvian and I were the only people wearing masks, the exception being one hippy type lady in a shop.  It was a coronavirus shitshow, and infections soared right after.

One bright light for you, of all the red states South Dakota actually has the better vaccination rate.  Rank 18th.  Iowa is 17th, after that all the well vaccinated states are blue.

[Jed_]

Arm is slightly sore from the 2nd Moderna shot, but not enough to be bothersome.  Most I’ve spoke to have not felt good at all the next day after the 2nd shot, so we’ll see on that.

I have a friend I haven’t seen much in over a year, but I did see him a couple weeks ago at the place we often hang out.  I asked him if he got the vaccine, informing him I had my first shot.  Now I work in the pharmaceutical industry and have worked on numerous vaccine projects, and he works for a company that installs windows in commercial buildings.  He informed me that he didn’t think they’d done enough research yet.  I wasn’t quite ready to try and have a serious conversation with him on this topic, partly because I wasn’t willing to sit unmasked with him over a beer, something that was for his safety more than mine.

But ever since I’ve been rehearsing a conversation in my head with numerous arguments beginning with how I would take his advice on new windows for my house him having expertise in that area and how he should respect my experience (plus that of everyone else who isn’t a crackpot).  I was also thinking of asking him if he remembers all the people when we were kids that died of smallpox, were crippled by polio, all those outbreaks of measles and diphtheria, then pointing out that didn’t happen because we were all vaccinated.

It’s all political of course.  Trump and the Trumptard Republicans have so poisoned discourse that uneducated white people like him don’t know what to believe.  The ‘not enough research’ comment he made is a smokescreen.

So my friend that refused to vaccinate, got COVID about a month ago.  He’s recovered, but while he had it he got so light headed he fell and broke his leg.  All most likely avoidable.

[_priapism]

Should have led with this... Sturgis would have been a ghost town.