Covid 47: Waving Invisibly

[The Anti-Targ]

"Is the pandemic over?" asked a national radio programme as the lead in to promoting a piece looking at whether the few existing measures we have should be removed entirely.

Stupid question. It is clear the pandemic isn't over. The question should be "With the pandemic continuing, what should we look at doing to manage the national health situation in the long term?" But I guess that's too long of a question for auditory clickbait.

[DireWolfSpirit]

A new booster has been approved and should be available in the U.S. within days.

I will be getting mine as quickly as its available to me, in fact im going to call Tuesday. Have the whole week off so maybe i'll be able to get in?

[Zorral]

Me too!  Though I don't have the week off.

[Fez]

It's already available. I literally just got the new booster (plus my flu shot) at my local CVS and am doing the 15 minute observation period to make sure there's no reaction.

When I went online yesterday to make the appointment there were no slots left for yesterday but were plenty for today. Seems to be a steady stream of people to get it, but no backed up line.

[Toth]

Oh, after watching this thread, I was wondering when the new booster arrives here and just saw they will start September 12th in Germany. Probably will go for it asap, even though I'm far away from any vulnerable groups they recommend it to.

I'm in a bit of an odd position right now as I'm almost the only teacher at school who still wears a mask and the students have ditched them a long time ago. My initial idea was "If I still have to wear a mask in the train, then I would be stupid to not just keep it on at work" and was intending to downgrade in accordance to the case numbers. First from FFP2 to surgical and then to get rid of it entirely if the worst seemed to have blown over. Just checked and right now the case numbers are very low and I'm considering dropping the mask, though I suspect people don't test as much either. My school does however, twice a week, so technically I should be safe and I did intend to drop the mask after I'm sure we survived whatever colleagues and students brought back from their holidays.

Though again, I'm almost the only one with it, so the mask doesn't really protect me anyway when nobody else wears it. And group pressure sucks in how I'm irritated about the strange looks, but at the same time they make me more obstinate in keeping the mask on for longer. I'm noting how people treat me like a hypochondriac alien and when I recently had a lesson about pandemics and we were discussing how the masks work, one student literally said "We aren't considerate of you, so you don't need to be considerate of us. You can drop the mask!" Note that when at the topic of vaccinations, half of same the class very eagerly raised there hands to say they aren't vaccinated when one of them asked the question into the group. That in itself seemed odd as the unvaccinated were always a minority in the rare cases when the topic came up in other classes. Scenes like that actually make me consider to keep wearing it out of spite. I'm wired weirdly like that.

In any case, the last wave in April/June was nasty and it hit pretty much everyone I know around me one after another. So I'm painfully aware we are just waiting for the next wave.

[DireWolfSpirit]

4 hours ago, Toth said:

Oh, after watching this thread, I was wondering when the new booster arrives here and just saw they will start September 12th in Germany. Probably will go for it asap, even though I'm far away from any vulnerable groups they recommend it to.

I'm in a bit of an odd position right now as I'm almost the only teacher at school who still wears a mask and the students have ditched them a long time ago. My initial idea was "If I still have to wear a mask in the train, then I would be stupid to not just keep it on at work" and was intending to downgrade in accordance to the case numbers. First from FFP2 to surgical and then to get rid of it entirely if the worst seemed to have blown over. Just checked and right now the case numbers are very low and I'm considering dropping the mask, though I suspect people don't test as much either. My school does however, twice a week, so technically I should be safe and I did intend to drop the mask after I'm sure we survived whatever colleagues and students brought back from their holidays.

Though again, I'm almost the only one with it, so the mask doesn't really protect me anyway when nobody else wears it. And group pressure sucks in how I'm irritated about the strange looks, but at the same time they make me more obstinate in keeping the mask on for longer. I'm noting how people treat me like a hypochondriac alien and when I recently had a lesson about pandemics and we were discussing how the masks work, one student literally said "We aren't considerate of you, so you don't need to be considerate of us. You can drop the mask!" Note that when at the topic of vaccinations, half of same the class very eagerly raised there hands to say they aren't vaccinated when one of them asked the question into the group. That in itself seemed odd as the unvaccinated were always a minority in the rare cases when the topic came up in other classes. Scenes like that actually make me consider to keep wearing it out of spite. I'm wired weirdly like that.

In any case, the last wave in April/June was nasty and it hit pretty much everyone I know around me one after another. So I'm painfully aware we are just waiting for the next wave.

They make a vented N95 that offers some personal protection for wearing around others that cant be bothered to mask up or try to protect others.

Its very comfortable with the vent and will still filter particles incoming to the best extent.

Of course it will not offer any protection to those around you who are refusing to mask.

[The Anti-Targ]

On 9/5/2022 at 10:52 AM, DireWolfSpirit said:

They make a vented N95 that offers some personal protection for wearing around others that cant be bothered to mask up or try to protect others.

Its very comfortable with the vent and will still filter particles incoming to the best extent.

Of course it will not offer any protection to those around you who are refusing to mask.

I prefer to feel virtuous and self-righteous by wearing a mask that protects people from getting COVID from me, as much as it protects me from getting COVID off others. That way I can continue to inwardly seethe at all the un-masked people I'm surrounded by, while trying to maintain a calm and non-judgemental look on the small amount of my face that people can see above my mask and below the peak of my cap. The government is almost certain to remove mask "mandates"* for all except healthcare settings within the next week or two. I'm going to get my non-omicron booster so I can be as protected as possible once all the masks come off. I haven't yet decided wether I will continue to wear a mask. If my level of protection is relatively low being the lone mask-wearer among a sea of mouth breathers even my penchant for virtue signalling may be overcome by the futility of carrying on for basically no benefit to myself.

[Zorral]

I do not care what other people think. I wear a mask in all public spaces.  A small but significant portion of our community does so as well.  In retail and food etc. some check out people do and some don't. A minority of shoppers do, most do not. Here now in the community, we shrug.  We do what makes us feel safer. Those who come in here from outside who look at us as idiots -- eff them.  Don't care.

 

[The Anti-Targ]

Our health department has changed its COVID death reporting to try to be more accurate in terms of deaths actually causally linked to COVID infection. It's nice to know that COVID-19 is less deadly than the raw data suggests. But it still, clearly kills people. And this is the death rate in a highly vaccinated population, since our COVID associated deaths before widespread vaccination totalled only about 60.

Deaths with COVID-19

Cause of death	Died within 28 days of positive test	Died more than 28 days after positive test	Total	Change in last 24 hours
COVID as underlying	1198	27	1225	9
COVID as contributory	686	22	708	9
COVID-attributed total	1884	49	1933	18
Not COVID	617	0*	617	6
Not available	290	21	311	-12
Total	2791	70	2861	12*

[DireWolfSpirit]

On 9/1/2022 at 3:16 PM, Which Tyler said:

430,000 Britons have long Covid two years after infection, says ONS

About 1.5m people in UK say Covid after-effects are adversely affecting daily activities

An estimated 430,000 Britons were still suffering from long Covid two years after first contracting the virus, according to data released by the Office for National Statistics.

Geezus, I feel like this cant get repeated enough before we head into the Fall/Winter spreader season approaching.

[Wilbur]

Exactly.

The Long Covid stories my two neighbors (doctors at Mayo and Honor, respectively) tell me are horrifying.

Furthermore, the Long Covid cases apparently eat up a surprising percentage of hospital capacity.  So these groups who come down here from New York and Chicago with it really make the medical community upset.

[Heartofice]

9 hours ago, DireWolfSpirit said:

Geezus, I feel like this cant get repeated enough before we head into the Fall/Winter spreader season approaching.

You have to take this with a large pinch of salt, as with much of the data around Long Covid, it is entirely self reported and really hard to verify. The reporting around Long Covid is also incredibly deceptive and not helpful at talking about something which is really unhelpful classification for a number of conditions, some which are more debilitating and life altering than others. 

[Mudguard]

15 hours ago, Zorral said:

I do not care what other people think. I wear a mask in all public spaces.  A small but significant portion of our community does so as well.  In retail and food etc. some check out people do and some don't. A minority of shoppers do, most do not. Here now in the community, we shrug.  We do what makes us feel safer. Those who come in here from outside who look at us as idiots -- eff them.  Don't care.

 

It's not a bad practice to mask up.  Besides Covid, it helps with influenza and other respiratory diseases.  Apparently, all the masking and social distancing worked really well to drop the numbers of influenza infections and deaths we normally see.  It's often a low effort precaution, so why not.

But to be honest, I'm definitely feeling the effects of covid fatigue, where I'm not as strict as before.  I think with an annual updated booster, like for influenza, I'll more or less go back to business as usual, unless there is indication that the updated booster missed the mark.

[Zorral]

Well, we do some things but far less frequently.  We had dinner inside a restaurant last night -- a packed place, but we reserved our favorite table by the door, and where the hostess has her fan.  Partner went to Cuba -- everything outdoors, went to Colombia -- everything outdoors, but sure enough one of the Travelers got Covid, not on the trip or during the experiences, but from passengers on the plane coming back to the US -- going to New Orleans for a few days later this month.  Going to Radio City Music Hall -- though I DO NOT WANT, but Partner and friends are and they bought the expensive tickets for us as a gift -- will mask the entire time.  I go to museums again, that sort of thing, particularly at the moment, since our numbers locally are down.  Can't wait for the new vaccine.

In the meantime, US life expectancy has fallen for the second year in a row due to covid.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/08/31/1120192583/life-expectancy-in-the-u-s-continues-to-drop-driven-by-covid-19

Quote

 

Life expectancy in the U.S. continues to drop, driven by COVID-19

Life expectancy in the U.S. fell in 2021, for the second year in a row. It was the first time life expectancy dropped two years in a row in 100 years.

In 2019, someone born in the U.S. had a life expectancy of 79 years. In 202o, because of the pandemic, that dropped to 77 years. In 2021 life-span dropped again — to 76.1 years. And for some Americans, life expectancy is even lower, according to a provisional analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"The results of this study are very disturbing," says Dr. Steven Woolf, a professor of population health and health equity at Virginia Commonwealth University. "This shows that U.S. life expectancy in 2021 was even lower than in 2020," he says.

Other high-income countries have seen a rebound in life expectancy, which Woolf says makes the U.S. results "all the more tragic." ....

 

 

[DireWolfSpirit]

So i just scored my omicron booster appt for 2:15 today. 

This is a smaller populated area so not sure how it is in the more populous areas, but here the shots are becoming available in the pharmacies before the hospitals.

My booster will be through a Walgreens as my clinic didnt have it yet. Im not one to wait, i will be driving out of town to get it crossed off my list.

Im suspicious the early winter will be a new spike in the area so yeah i want to get this precaution accomplished.

[Zorral]

I'm trying to schedule my own appointment today, the sooner the better, hopefully before going to New Orleans.

Still continuing with the Moderna version, since all four previous shots have been the Moderna vaccine.  Not every pharmacy has Moderna, or has an appointment opening for Moderna.

ETA -- Got one for Monday AM.

[DireWolfSpirit]

All my vaccinations have been Pfizer/BionTech series shots.

Strangest thing i noticed when giving over my vax card yesterday. According to the card it indicates ive only had my 2 primary shots and that the booster yesterday was only my 2nd booster?

I think this was a 3rd booster and one of the earlier boosters failed to get recorded?

Maybe the months of time have clouded my memory?

ETA: If your going through the effort to get this latest booster, you may as well roll up your other sleeve and knock out your annual flu shot at the same time. Ive done that twice now and havent had any undue effects either time.

Today i only have a very slight tightness in one of the arms.

Why make two trips right.

[Fez]

28 minutes ago, DireWolfSpirit said:

All my vaccinations have been Pfizer/BionTech series shots.

Strangest thing i noticed when giving over my vax card yesterday. According to the card it indicates ive only had my 2 primary shots and that the booster yesterday was only my 2nd booster?

I think this was a 3rd booster and one of the earlier boosters failed to get recorded?

Maybe the months of time have clouded my memory?

ETA: If your going through the effort to get this latest booster, you may as well roll up your other sleeve and knock out your annual flu shot at the same time. Ive done that twice now and havent had any undue effects either time.

Today i only have a very slight tightness in one of the arms.

Why make two trips right.

I think a lot of folks are forgetting/not caring about asking for the vax card. When I got the new booster, the pharmacist never asked to see it (which is good, because when I got the first booster, they used a sticker that covered two slots on it).

If you're in the US and your state is like my state, you can go to the state's department of health website and look yourself up (I think I just needed my SSN to confirm my identity) and see your full COVID vaccine history.

[Kalbear]

Got my and my 13 year old latest booster yesterday. No appointment, just walked in to local pharmacy. Kinda feel like shit today.

[Zorral]

Does your 13-year-old feel as badly as you?  Curious about that.

I'm preparing for the 32 -36 hours of the usual rottenness after a covid jab.  Just told Partner to remember English Muffins so he can make me eggs and toast when the time comes late Monday and on Tuesday that I need them in order to take more Tylenol, on a not empty stomach.