OT: The Official COVID/Omicron Variant+ thread

[Capn'O]

Covid is stage one of a coming massive die-off in humanity.

If society can’t cooperate now, then a more virulent strain will wipe out much larger portions of the population, particulary the unvaccinated, in the future.

Obama basically saved us from a global Ebola outbreak. If he had not marshaled the aid and manpower and pushed the international effort to combat Ebola in Africa it would have surely spread. We should consider ourselves fortunate that our dry run was covid and not ebola. There will be something stronger than the current covid variants and based on how incapable our civilization is on reaching consensus I expect the consequences next time to be way more dire than at present.

If humans can’t work together then we may see a large population reduction in the future.

Not to diminish the containment effort but Ebola was always very containable because it never had the contagion avenues that COVID does. You kind of had to work to spread it quickly. You're right that COVID will continue to present issues globally for a long time. Something as virulent as the original SARS and as contagious as COVID will make the gap between the haves and the have nots for the vaccines even more stark. The upshot is that the vaccines will almost certainly improve.

Spoiler:

To make no mention of climate change...

[Clyde_Style]

Covid is stage one of a coming massive die-off in humanity.

If society can’t cooperate now, then a more virulent strain will wipe out much larger portions of the population, particulary the unvaccinated, in the future.

Obama basically saved us from a global Ebola outbreak. If he had not marshaled the aid and manpower and pushed the international effort to combat Ebola in Africa it would have surely spread. We should consider ourselves fortunate that our dry run was covid and not ebola. There will be something stronger than the current covid variants and based on how incapable our civilization is on reaching consensus I expect the consequences next time to be way more dire than at present.

If humans can’t work together then we may see a large population reduction in the future.

Not to diminish the containment effort but Ebola was always very containable because it never had the contagion avenues that COVID does. You kind of had to work to spread it quickly. You're right that COVID will continue to present issues globally for a long time. Something as virulent as the original SARS and as contagious as COVID will make the gap between the haves and the have nots for the vaccines even more stark. The upshot is that the vaccines will almost certainly improve.

Spoiler:

To make no mention of climate change...

(And climate change) is right. Sorry if I woke up in a grim mood today, but it was with a dark feeling that Gaia will handle this for us if we don’t and we’re expendable if we don’t try to support our blue planet better. But at minimum it will be a have not situation for no good reason for too many people. The way I see it our vaccines are a part of evolution too, as is nature dispatching with the unvaccinated

[Clyde_Style]

That combo of facts and heat is refreshing.

We don’t hold back

Seems true of the Islands generally. Love it.

OT, but Carribean-related: Country music is huge in St. Lucia. They love their Patsy Cline

[Capn'O]

Covid is stage one of a coming massive die-off in humanity.

If society can’t cooperate now, then a more virulent strain will wipe out much larger portions of the population, particulary the unvaccinated, in the future.

Obama basically saved us from a global Ebola outbreak. If he had not marshaled the aid and manpower and pushed the international effort to combat Ebola in Africa it would have surely spread. We should consider ourselves fortunate that our dry run was covid and not ebola. There will be something stronger than the current covid variants and based on how incapable our civilization is on reaching consensus I expect the consequences next time to be way more dire than at present.

If humans can’t work together then we may see a large population reduction in the future.

Not to diminish the containment effort but Ebola was always very containable because it never had the contagion avenues that COVID does. You kind of had to work to spread it quickly. You're right that COVID will continue to present issues globally for a long time. Something as virulent as the original SARS and as contagious as COVID will make the gap between the haves and the have nots for the vaccines even more stark. The upshot is that the vaccines will almost certainly improve.

Spoiler:

To make no mention of climate change...

(And climate change) is right. Sorry if I woke up in a grim mood today, but it was with a dark feeling that Gaia will handle this for us if we don’t and we’re expendable if we don’t try to support our blue planet better. But at minimum it will be a have not situation for no good reason for too many people. The way I see it our vaccines are a part of evolution too, as is nature dispatching with the unvaccinated

To quote George Carlin "The planet will be fine. It's the people that are ****."

I've been in a bit of a place of darkness myself lately.

[Clyde_Style]

Not to diminish the containment effort but Ebola was always very containable because it never had the contagion avenues that COVID does. You kind of had to work to spread it quickly. You're right that COVID will continue to present issues globally for a long time. Something as virulent as the original SARS and as contagious as COVID will make the gap between the haves and the have nots for the vaccines even more stark. The upshot is that the vaccines will almost certainly improve.

Spoiler:

To make no mention of climate change...

(And climate change) is right. Sorry if I woke up in a grim mood today, but it was with a dark feeling that Gaia will handle this for us if we don’t and we’re expendable if we don’t try to support our blue planet better. But at minimum it will be a have not situation for no good reason for too many people. The way I see it our vaccines are a part of evolution too, as is nature dispatching with the unvaccinated

To quote George Carlin "The planet will be fine. It's the people that are ****."

I've been in a bit of a place of darkness myself lately.

That’s right. Earth after mankind might be a nice place to visit.

Florida adds to it for me. Now that the majority here has gone back to no masks in crowded public places I’m getting eyeballed daily again for wearing a mask. For a year or so I was not stared at but it is happening again because I’m often the anomaly in many contexts. It contributes to this mood. 2022 will be so much better for me personally as I’ll have left this awful state and my mood will be considerably better even if there remain long-term concerns about the future

[Jalen Bluntson]

Did you miss the 'and' in between the two words? No I didn't 'recommend' a fine.... that was your interpretation, not what I said.

So what would financial consequences be? It is basically the definition of a fine. Legal consequences for getting sick?

What has already begun to take place.... insurance companies deny covering the costs of hospitalization for people who were eligible for the vaccine but refused to get it and then get a judgment for payment.

See? Financial AND legal consequences......I'm glad I could help.

The problem I see in this though is if people who wound up dying from covid and then the providers go after the surviving family for the costs. That would be something I'd have issue with.

Insurance companies being able to do that is a bit of a slippery slope though. Seems like crossing lines honestly. I sort of agree with it though but...meh. Then as you mention...they can go after the family.

Kinda like... lousy diet...insurance company doesn't have to pay. They can move those goalposts once you let them.

[HarthorneWingo]

So what would financial consequences be? It is basically the definition of a fine. Legal consequences for getting sick?

What has already begun to take place.... insurance companies deny covering the costs of hospitalization for people who were eligible for the vaccine but refused to get it and then get a judgment for payment.

See? Financial AND legal consequences......I'm glad I could help.

The problem I see in this though is if people who wound up dying from covid and then the providers go after the surviving family for the costs. That would be something I'd have issue with.

Insurance companies being able to do that is a bit of a slippery slope though. Seems like crossing lines honestly. I sort of agree with it though but...meh. Then as you mention...they can go after the family.

Kinda like... lousy diet...insurance company doesn't have to pay. They can move those goalposts once you let them.

"Going after the family" by putting them in bankruptcy is not something that these people think about ahead of time when they're exercising their freedoms. Just like a lot of people who play Russian Roulette with healthcare insurance.

I could see a carrot and sticks approach. The legal consequences are that, you don't get to participate in community/social functions, i.e. go to the ballgames, restaurants, bars, movies, museums, concerts, etc., like every one else does because you need a chip implanted in your skin (j/k). If you want to add a fine, I'd love it. Hit these people in the pocket too. They can get a health exemption from their doctors the reasons have to be specific and backed up medically.

If we're thinking outside the box, how about a law making it a crime to knowingly spread false information about the virus and the vaccine with civil and criminal penalties. I don't know how we'd get it passed legislatively. But all of these schemes would have the same problem. Let's face it, some of these people are willing to lose their jobs over getting vaccinated.

We can nibble on the fringes of this issue but none of this will address the critical issue of hospital supply shortages in any kind of substantial way ... which brings me back to my suggestion of building make-shift hospitals where beds are needed due to high COVID rates among the unvaccinated.

[Jalen Bluntson]

What has already begun to take place.... insurance companies deny covering the costs of hospitalization for people who were eligible for the vaccine but refused to get it and then get a judgment for payment.

See? Financial AND legal consequences......I'm glad I could help.

The problem I see in this though is if people who wound up dying from covid and then the providers go after the surviving family for the costs. That would be something I'd have issue with.

Insurance companies being able to do that is a bit of a slippery slope though. Seems like crossing lines honestly. I sort of agree with it though but...meh. Then as you mention...they can go after the family.

Kinda like... lousy diet...insurance company doesn't have to pay. They can move those goalposts once you let them.

"Going after the family" by putting them in bankruptcy is not something that these people think about ahead of time when they're exercising their freedoms. Just like a lot of people who play Russian Roulette with healthcare insurance.

I could see a carrot and sticks approach. The legal consequences are that, you don't get to participate in community/social functions, i.e. go to the ballgames, restaurants, bars, movies, museums, concerts, etc., like every one else does because you need a chip implanted in your skin (j/k). If you want to add a fine, I'd love it. Hit these people in the pocket too. They can get a health exemption from their doctors the reasons have to be specific and backed up medically.

If we're thinking outside the box, how about a law making it a crime to knowingly spread false information about the virus and the vaccine with civil and criminal penalties. I don't know how we'd get it passed legislatively. But all of these schemes would have the same problem. Let's face it, some of these people are willing to lose their jobs over getting vaccinated.

We can nibble on the fringes of this issue but none of this will address the critical issue of hospital supply shortages in any kind of substantial way ... which brings me back to my suggestion of building make-shift hospitals where beds are needed due to high COVID rates among the unvaccinated.

Except the vaccinated are also spreading the virus. Many walk around with no mask acting entitled while shaming others.

This is a pandemic of a virus that will mutate its way through our immune response until it is an afterthought. The hysteria needs to stop. If your high risk.. protect yourself. If your scared... protect yourself. That's it. The vaccines only protect the vaccinated from worse symptoms. If it stopped the spread... different story.

I got my shot and wear my mask. I try to social distance but... people don't care anymore. It's a chore trying to avoid them now. Stores are way lax with masking rules.

Who wants to live in a nanny state? Giving way to much power to the govt is a bad idea. They have trampled the constitution as it is.

[stuporman]

So what would financial consequences be? It is basically the definition of a fine. Legal consequences for getting sick?

What has already begun to take place.... insurance companies deny covering the costs of hospitalization for people who were eligible for the vaccine but refused to get it and then get a judgment for payment.

See? Financial AND legal consequences......I'm glad I could help.

The problem I see in this though is if people who wound up dying from covid and then the providers go after the surviving family for the costs. That would be something I'd have issue with.

Insurance companies being able to do that is a bit of a slippery slope though. Seems like crossing lines honestly. I sort of agree with it though but...meh. Then as you mention...they can go after the family.

Kinda like... lousy diet...insurance company doesn't have to pay. They can move those goalposts once you let them.

I could see how the pandemic would be extenuating circumstances that might not include the typical circumstance of a 'lousy diet' but insurance companies are not the ones I'd give the benefit of the doubt to on any of those decisions. Although, it's something that crossed my mind and has already started to play out since the the availability of the vaccine.

I actually would have much more of a problem if they went after families for payment because not everyone shares the same convictions and may not have made the same decision to not get vaccinated. So I wouldn't agree with that if this was something insurance companies did as opposed to just going after unvaccinated patients that survived.

[stuporman]

Insurance companies being able to do that is a bit of a slippery slope though. Seems like crossing lines honestly. I sort of agree with it though but...meh. Then as you mention...they can go after the family.

Kinda like... lousy diet...insurance company doesn't have to pay. They can move those goalposts once you let them.

"Going after the family" by putting them in bankruptcy is not something that these people think about ahead of time when they're exercising their freedoms. Just like a lot of people who play Russian Roulette with healthcare insurance.

I could see a carrot and sticks approach. The legal consequences are that, you don't get to participate in community/social functions, i.e. go to the ballgames, restaurants, bars, movies, museums, concerts, etc., like every one else does because you need a chip implanted in your skin (j/k). If you want to add a fine, I'd love it. Hit these people in the pocket too. They can get a health exemption from their doctors the reasons have to be specific and backed up medically.

If we're thinking outside the box, how about a law making it a crime to knowingly spread false information about the virus and the vaccine with civil and criminal penalties. I don't know how we'd get it passed legislatively. But all of these schemes would have the same problem. Let's face it, some of these people are willing to lose their jobs over getting vaccinated.

We can nibble on the fringes of this issue but none of this will address the critical issue of hospital supply shortages in any kind of substantial way ... which brings me back to my suggestion of building make-shift hospitals where beds are needed due to high COVID rates among the unvaccinated.

Except the vaccinated are also spreading the virus. Many walk around with no mask acting entitled while shaming others.

This is a pandemic of a virus that will mutate its way through our immune response until it is an afterthought. The hysteria needs to stop. If your high risk.. protect yourself. If your scared... protect yourself. That's it. The vaccines only protect the vaccinated from worse symptoms. If it stopped the spread... different story.

I got my shot and wear my mask. I try to social distance but... people don't care anymore. It's a chore trying to avoid them now. Stores are way lax with masking rules.

Who wants to live in a nanny state? Giving way to much power to the govt is a bad idea. They have trampled the constitution as it is.

Corporations have trampled people's rights in the constitution way more than the government has because of capitalist greed and religious bigotry but rarely do I see them get as much heat for it unless it's selective whining when conservatives get done to them exactly what they have empowered those corporations to do when they want them to.

[stuporman]

What has already begun to take place.... insurance companies deny covering the costs of hospitalization for people who were eligible for the vaccine but refused to get it and then get a judgment for payment.

See? Financial AND legal consequences......I'm glad I could help.

The problem I see in this though is if people who wound up dying from covid and then the providers go after the surviving family for the costs. That would be something I'd have issue with.

Insurance companies being able to do that is a bit of a slippery slope though. Seems like crossing lines honestly. I sort of agree with it though but...meh. Then as you mention...they can go after the family.

Kinda like... lousy diet...insurance company doesn't have to pay. They can move those goalposts once you let them.

"Going after the family" by putting them in bankruptcy is not something that these people think about ahead of time when they're exercising their freedoms. Just like a lot of people who play Russian Roulette with healthcare insurance.

I could see a carrot and sticks approach. The legal consequences are that, you don't get to participate in community/social functions, i.e. go to the ballgames, restaurants, bars, movies, museums, concerts, etc., like every one else does because you need a chip implanted in your skin (j/k). If you want to add a fine, I'd love it. Hit these people in the pocket too. They can get a health exemption from their doctors the reasons have to be specific and backed up medically.

If we're thinking outside the box, how about a law making it a crime to knowingly spread false information about the virus and the vaccine with civil and criminal penalties. I don't know how we'd get it passed legislatively. But all of these schemes would have the same problem. Let's face it, some of these people are willing to lose their jobs over getting vaccinated.

We can nibble on the fringes of this issue but none of this will address the critical issue of hospital supply shortages in any kind of substantial way ... which brings me back to my suggestion of building make-shift hospitals where beds are needed due to high COVID rates among the unvaccinated.

I'm still baffled as to why states haven't set up MASH styled hospitals to deal with the overflow as some of them did at the beginning. It really does smack me as political posturing to protect their asses because they have to continue the facade of it's 'no big deal' since that has been their rhetoric from day one and even though it's harming their constituents.

[Fat Kat]

Read on Twitter

[movingon]

Just an update on my post a few days ago.
My breakthru covid case just amounted to a few days of pretty intense fatigue.
I guess that was my immune response taking out the invaders. I'm sure it would have been much worse if I weren't vaccinated.
I'm almost back to 100% by now.
My 3 year old basically had a regular cold for a few days.
We unfortunately have to deal with another 5 days of mandated quarantine, and then back to business as usual.

[Clyde_Style]

Just an update on my post a few days ago.
My breakthru covid case just amounted to a few days of pretty intense fatigue.
I guess that was my immune response taking out the invaders. I'm sure it would have been much worse if I weren't vaccinated.
I'm almost back to 100% by now.
My 3 year old basically had a regular cold for a few days.
We unfortunately have to deal with another 5 days of mandated quarantine, and then back to business as usual.

Good news. I would hate to go through any of this without having been vaccinated first.

[Jalen Bluntson]

"Going after the family" by putting them in bankruptcy is not something that these people think about ahead of time when they're exercising their freedoms. Just like a lot of people who play Russian Roulette with healthcare insurance.

I could see a carrot and sticks approach. The legal consequences are that, you don't get to participate in community/social functions, i.e. go to the ballgames, restaurants, bars, movies, museums, concerts, etc., like every one else does because you need a chip implanted in your skin (j/k). If you want to add a fine, I'd love it. Hit these people in the pocket too. They can get a health exemption from their doctors the reasons have to be specific and backed up medically.

If we're thinking outside the box, how about a law making it a crime to knowingly spread false information about the virus and the vaccine with civil and criminal penalties. I don't know how we'd get it passed legislatively. But all of these schemes would have the same problem. Let's face it, some of these people are willing to lose their jobs over getting vaccinated.

We can nibble on the fringes of this issue but none of this will address the critical issue of hospital supply shortages in any kind of substantial way ... which brings me back to my suggestion of building make-shift hospitals where beds are needed due to high COVID rates among the unvaccinated.

Except the vaccinated are also spreading the virus. Many walk around with no mask acting entitled while shaming others.

This is a pandemic of a virus that will mutate its way through our immune response until it is an afterthought. The hysteria needs to stop. If your high risk.. protect yourself. If your scared... protect yourself. That's it. The vaccines only protect the vaccinated from worse symptoms. If it stopped the spread... different story.

I got my shot and wear my mask. I try to social distance but... people don't care anymore. It's a chore trying to avoid them now. Stores are way lax with masking rules.

Who wants to live in a nanny state? Giving way to much power to the govt is a bad idea. They have trampled the constitution as it is.

Corporations have trampled people's rights in the constitution way more than the government has because of capitalist greed and religious bigotry but rarely do I see them get as much heat for it unless it's selective whining when conservatives get done to them exactly what they have empowered those corporations to do when they want them to.

100%! Corporations own the politicians/govt. Who do you think they represent?

Term limits and campaign finance reform are a must. Lobbying is just a sugar coated term for bribery. The concept seems fair but the practice is anything but in most cases.

I am of the revolutionary mindset but... that's a young man's game. The media and govt would prefer a civil war so they can keep getting away with their crimes.

[DOT]

I always get a kick out of some people

"The government is corrupt, owned by the corporations, and the media is no better!"

"What am I gonna do about it? Nothing of course. And if anyone tries to do anything about it, I'll just call them a hypocrite and accuse them of virtue signaling, cause of course, we can't trust anyone to actually change the system because by definition, anyone working in the system is corrupt"

It just seems like people want to complain but not actually fix anything, because they make it so the very act of trying to fix things is proof that you're corrupt yourself.

[Jalen Bluntson]

I always get a kick out of some people

"The government is corrupt, owned by the corporations, and the media is no better!"

"What am I gonna do about it? Nothing of course. And if anyone tries to do anything about it, I'll just call them a hypocrite and accuse them of virtue signaling, cause of course, we can't trust anyone to actually change the system because by definition, anyone working in the system is corrupt"

It just seems like people want to complain but not actually fix anything, because they make it so the very act of trying to fix things is proof that you're corrupt yourself.

This is gibberish. Where you trying to make a point?

[Zenzibar]

Except the vaccinated are also spreading the virus. Many walk around with no mask acting entitled while shaming others.

This is a pandemic of a virus that will mutate its way through our immune response until it is an afterthought. The hysteria needs to stop. If your high risk.. protect yourself. If your scared... protect yourself. That's it. The vaccines only protect the vaccinated from worse symptoms. If it stopped the spread... different story.

I got my shot and wear my mask. I try to social distance but... people don't care anymore. It's a chore trying to avoid them now. Stores are way lax with masking rules.

Who wants to live in a nanny state? Giving way to much power to the govt is a bad idea. They have trampled the constitution as it is.

Corporations have trampled people's rights in the constitution way more than the government has because of capitalist greed and religious bigotry but rarely do I see them get as much heat for it unless it's selective whining when conservatives get done to them exactly what they have empowered those corporations to do when they want them to.

100%! Corporations own the politicians/govt. Who do you think they represent?

Term limits and campaign finance reform are a must. Lobbying is just a sugar coated term for bribery. The concept seems fair but the practice is anything but in most cases.

I am of the revolutionary mindset but... that's a young man's game. The media and govt would prefer a civil war so they can keep getting away with their crimes.

How do you feel about the booster shot?
One being that big pharma i.e. Pfizer, Moderna are pushing for it, but the WHO and FDA are not.
Seems fishy to me, but what do I know, literally.

[DOT]

This is gibberish. Where you trying to make a point?

Yes, that if you're going to complain about the system, but go out of your way to find reasons to not support people trying to change it, then you really don't want the system to be fixed, you just want to complain about something

It's easy to just say "everyone is corrupt all the time, because the very act of participating makes you part of the problem" because it gives you both a reason to point out flaws in the system as well as a convenient excuse to not do anything about them

Some people legitimately are trying to fix the problems we have, but people sitting on the sidelines and nitpicking reasons to not support them is part of why we're not getting anywhere with fixing them. The more you think you're immune to propaganda/misinformation, the more susceptible you are to it.

[Jalen Bluntson]

Corporations have trampled people's rights in the constitution way more than the government has because of capitalist greed and religious bigotry but rarely do I see them get as much heat for it unless it's selective whining when conservatives get done to them exactly what they have empowered those corporations to do when they want them to.

100%! Corporations own the politicians/govt. Who do you think they represent?

Term limits and campaign finance reform are a must. Lobbying is just a sugar coated term for bribery. The concept seems fair but the practice is anything but in most cases.

I am of the revolutionary mindset but... that's a young man's game. The media and govt would prefer a civil war so they can keep getting away with their crimes.

How do you feel about the booster shot?
One being that big pharma i.e. Pfizer, Moderna are pushing for it, but the WHO and FDA are not.
Seems fishy to me, but what do I know, literally.

I don't know. Neither do they. I can't wholeheartedly trust ANYTHING I've read or tried to learn as a layman because they haven't figured anything out as doctors and scientists that holds any water IMO. Don't need a mask...need a mask... don't need a mask if vaccinated...need a mask even if vaccinated...why not wear two? Vaccine data questioned in different countries. No one liable for side effects from the vaccine but mandates. Death rates and infection rates fudged by politicians etc. The WHO issues. CDC flip flops. No real united front from anyone at the top about anything. Scary to see.

There is a reason for vaccine hesitancy beyond simple ignorance as many would have you believe.