Covid-19 miscellany

[Angra Mainyu]

Meanwhile, over here we've had a 506% increase of confirmed cases in the past 14 days, but a 1.4% decrease in the number of deaths, and no pressure on the health care system. In the previous 14 days the relative increase in cases was even greater, with a minor increase in fatalities, again with no pressure. Overall, the trend does not look worrying.

 

[Jarhyn]

Omicron infections appear no less severe than Delta

That's the bad news. The good news?

COVID-19 lowers sperm count, motility

So, if you're concerned about overpopulation and its attendant pandemics, take heart!


Seriously though, this talk of aptamers sounds hopeful.

An experimental molecule that neutralizes the coronavirus in the same way antibodies do would be cheaper and easier to manufacture, researchers said.

So, something that just snaps into the spike protein and neutralizes it? That would be cool...

 

[Elixir]

Omicron infections appear no less severe than Delta

That's the bad news. The good news?

COVID-19 lowers sperm count, motility

So, if you're concerned about overpopulation and its attendant pandemics, take heart!


Seriously though, this talk of aptamers sounds hopeful.

An experimental molecule that neutralizes the coronavirus in the same way antibodies do would be cheaper and easier to manufacture, researchers said.

So, something that just snaps into the spike protein and neutralizes it? That would be cool...

That’s what I thought!
Sounds a little like a brute force approach, maybe even hamfisted. But if aptamers can be designed to “snap” to specific proteins, making it easy to target new variants - could be a whole new ballgame.

 

[TSwizzle]

The cases you observe are only anecdotal evidence. But if they weren't wearing any masks, it constitutes zero evidence against masks. The argument against masks makes zero sense.

The main point was that insisting only vaccinated people get access to travel, malls or whatever is useless. Everyone at my house got the virus and a vaccinated person brought it in. Vaccine passports will do nothing to stop the spread.

 

[Elixir]

I want to relate the short version of the story of my brother in law and his daughter.

She was married in 2020, and had a lavish wedding planned in Jamaica. That was canceled and re-scheduled for 2021. Also cancelled. Now scheduled for January 2022. But each of the 60+ guests needs to have 3 negative tests within 2 weeks of departure.
Yesterday my BIL got back his first test result, and it was positive. No symptoms for him or any of his family, all of whom have been in close contact. He’s now hoping it was either a false positive or that he can test again and get a negative result. But if the whole family has asymptomatic COVID, they’re basically screwed again.
Also, they all need to test negative again in Jamaica before being allowed back in the US. He contacted the Hotel, and was told that in the event that anyone tests positive while in Jamaica, they will be relegated to the Hotel basement where they have a quarantine holding facility. Just my idea of a lovely vacation!!
Anyhow, now waiting to see who else tests positive.

 

[TSwizzle]

Hilarious;

Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has fled her virus-ravaged state for Miami Beach, Florida, where she was seen raising a class over dinner. The face of the progressives in her party appeared fine with having a maskless meal, despite staunchly supporting mask and vaccine mandates that the state is known to forego. She unwound in the Sunshine State as New York smashed it's daily COVID case count for the third day in a row with 76,555 new infections, an increase from 67,000 the day before. Ocasio-Cortez was dragged on Twitter by conservatives mocking her strict stance on COVID protocols, including a Twitter account devoted to and endorsed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, which invited her to 'enjoy a taste of freedom' in the Sunshine State.
'Welcome to Florida, AOC! We hope you're enjoying a taste of freedom here in the Sunshine State thanks to @RonDeSantisFL's leadership,' the tweet, by the Team DeSantis account, read.
'P.S. We recommend the Rock Shrimp Roll and the Aoki Tai the next time you decide to dine in Miami. Cheers!,' read a follow up tweet.

Daily Mail

 

[thebeave]

Hilarious;

Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has fled her virus-ravaged state for Miami Beach, Florida, where she was seen raising a class over dinner. The face of the progressives in her party appeared fine with having a maskless meal, despite staunchly supporting mask and vaccine mandates that the state is known to forego. She unwound in the Sunshine State as New York smashed it's daily COVID case count for the third day in a row with 76,555 new infections, an increase from 67,000 the day before. Ocasio-Cortez was dragged on Twitter by conservatives mocking her strict stance on COVID protocols, including a Twitter account devoted to and endorsed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, which invited her to 'enjoy a taste of freedom' in the Sunshine State.
'Welcome to Florida, AOC! We hope you're enjoying a taste of freedom here in the Sunshine State thanks to @RonDeSantisFL's leadership,' the tweet, by the Team DeSantis account, read.
'P.S. We recommend the Rock Shrimp Roll and the Aoki Tai the next time you decide to dine in Miami. Cheers!,' read a follow up tweet.

Daily Mail

She needs to come up with a brilliant excuse like SF Mayor London Breed did when she was busted partying to the hilt maskless in a SF nightclub a couple of months back, despite her earlier finger wagging about wearing masks. "But it was the 'Tone! Tone! Toni' reunion! They hadn't played together in over 20 years!! You'll all are a bunch of party poopers!"

 

[blastula]

She needs to come up with a brilliant excuse

An excuse for what?

Let's see if you can come up with something brilliant.

 

[ZiprHead]

How does someone eat while wearing a mask?

 

[Toni]

Hilarious;

Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has fled her virus-ravaged state for Miami Beach, Florida, where she was seen raising a class over dinner. The face of the progressives in her party appeared fine with having a maskless meal, despite staunchly supporting mask and vaccine mandates that the state is known to forego. She unwound in the Sunshine State as New York smashed it's daily COVID case count for the third day in a row with 76,555 new infections, an increase from 67,000 the day before. Ocasio-Cortez was dragged on Twitter by conservatives mocking her strict stance on COVID protocols, including a Twitter account devoted to and endorsed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, which invited her to 'enjoy a taste of freedom' in the Sunshine State.
'Welcome to Florida, AOC! We hope you're enjoying a taste of freedom here in the Sunshine State thanks to @RonDeSantisFL's leadership,' the tweet, by the Team DeSantis account, read.
'P.S. We recommend the Rock Shrimp Roll and the Aoki Tai the next time you decide to dine in Miami. Cheers!,' read a follow up tweet.

Daily Mail

Interesting. My understanding is that no one knows where DeSantis is --for several days now.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Why do you believe that an additional variant displaces one?
I'm no virologist, but I'm pretty sure that new variants are in addition to the previous ones. That is, having some level of immunity to the old one doesn't give you protection from the new one.

In this case that's not the case at all--Omicron is a derivative of the original strain, it is not descended from Delta. It picked up a boatload of mutations, perhaps in non-humans.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

I too am pretty skeptical about a new virus spreading like that, though I guess some of the cases might be common cold.
As for the tests, all the info I've seen (though I haven't seen any from Russia) says tests have no trouble detecting Omicron - most don't distinguish between the variants, but they do detect it's sars-cov-2.

PCR distinguishes Omicron automatically. There are three sequences being tested, Omicron will always come back negative on one of those.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

And this is the recorded cases. There must be thousands of unrecorded cases.

I'm sure that's true.

Trump really fucked this up royally. And as usual, the Republican's replacement gets the blame.
Due to the lying main stream media who don't care about anything but audience share and the ability to sell advertising.
Tom

I wouldn't blame His Flatulence for Omicron. It's simply too infectious and most people simply aren't careful enough.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Have you or your wife lost your sense of taste?

Omicron generally doesn't get taste or smell, but it can get appetite.

 

[Angra Mainyu]

The cases you observe are only anecdotal evidence. But if they weren't wearing any masks, it constitutes zero evidence against masks. The argument against masks makes zero sense.

The main point was that insisting only vaccinated people get access to travel, malls or whatever is useless. Everyone at my house got the virus and a vaccinated person brought it in. Vaccine passports will do nothing to stop the spread.

That is one of your points. The other one was about masks, and I was responding to both.
As to your point about travel, malls, etc., based on the fact that everyone at your house got the virus and a vaccinated person brought it in, again that is very weak anecdotal evidence. Also, those people were vaccinated but perhaps a long time ago (I do not have the info), and by then they lose a considerable amount of effectiveness, which is why boosters are useful - but, again, it is very weak anecdotal evidence.

In short, it's a bad argument even if you are right about vaccine mandates.

 

[Angra Mainyu]

I too am pretty skeptical about a new virus spreading like that, though I guess some of the cases might be common cold.
As for the tests, all the info I've seen (though I haven't seen any from Russia) says tests have no trouble detecting Omicron - most don't distinguish between the variants, but they do detect it's sars-cov-2.

PCR distinguishes Omicron automatically. There are three sequences being tested, Omicron will always come back negative on one of those.

Not here, and not generally in the US according to the cdc, though there are some tests that do just what you described.

Omicron Variant: What You Need to Know

CDC is monitoring this new variant of the virus that causes COVID-19.

www.cdc.gov

• Two types of tests are used to test for current infection: nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) and antigen tests. NAAT and antigen tests can only tell you if you have a current infection.
• Individuals can use the COVID-19 Viral Testing Tool to help determine what kind of test to seek.
  • Additional tests would be needed to determine if your infection was caused by Omicron.
  • Visit your state, tribal, local, or territorial health department’s website to look for the latest local information on testing.
• Self-tests can be used at home or anywhere, are easy to use, and produce rapid results.
  • If your self-test has a positive result, stay home or isolate for 10 days, wear a mask if you have contact with others, and call your healthcare provider.
  • If you have any questions about your self-test result, call your healthcare provider or public health department.

 

[Angra Mainyu]

How does someone eat while wearing a mask?

With difficulty.

One has the mask on, gets something from a table, moves aside from everyone else (open space), moves the mask aside, eats and puts the mask on. But when it's everyone sit on a table, one can't do that in any effective manner, so it's no mask, and then hopefully good luck.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Have you or your wife lost your sense of taste?

Obvious joke is obvious.

COVID symptom
-Recently felt the urge to buy a sofa with built in cup holders.

 

[ZiprHead]

Man arrested after Covid deniers storm hospital and accuse NHS staff of 'aiding genocide'

A video of the incident posted online recorded one man accusing nurses of 'kidnapping' an elderly Covid patient

inews.co.uk

Video in the link.

 

[thebeave]

Hilarious;

Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has fled her virus-ravaged state for Miami Beach, Florida, where she was seen raising a class over dinner. The face of the progressives in her party appeared fine with having a maskless meal, despite staunchly supporting mask and vaccine mandates that the state is known to forego. She unwound in the Sunshine State as New York smashed it's daily COVID case count for the third day in a row with 76,555 new infections, an increase from 67,000 the day before. Ocasio-Cortez was dragged on Twitter by conservatives mocking her strict stance on COVID protocols, including a Twitter account devoted to and endorsed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, which invited her to 'enjoy a taste of freedom' in the Sunshine State.
'Welcome to Florida, AOC! We hope you're enjoying a taste of freedom here in the Sunshine State thanks to @RonDeSantisFL's leadership,' the tweet, by the Team DeSantis account, read.
'P.S. We recommend the Rock Shrimp Roll and the Aoki Tai the next time you decide to dine in Miami. Cheers!,' read a follow up tweet.

Daily Mail

Interesting. My understanding is that no one knows where DeSantis is --for several days now.

Well, there's this:

DeSantis caring for cancer-stricken wife, AOC and Reid say he's MIA

Florida Governor Ron ReSantis has been caring for his cancer-stricken wife while his liberal critics like Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Joy Reid accused him of going 'missing' during the Omicron surge that rocked the Sunshine State and the nation at large.

Fox News reports that a DeSantis spokesperson said the Republican governor joined his wife, Casey, to a cancer treatment on December 19, on the same day a handful of leftist pundits criticized the governor for going 'missing' when the state would have needed him the most.

In October, DeSantis revealed his wife had been diagnosed with breast cancer, with the 43-year-old had told the outlet that 'the mother of three young children, Casey is the centerpiece of our family and has made an impact on the lives of countless Floridians through her initiatives as first lady.'

'DeSantis is the Nero of Ted Cruzes.'

DeSantis communications staffer Kyle Lamb came to the defense of his boss on Twitter against those who were questioning whether the governor was on vacation.

'Just FYI, [DeSantis] is not on vacation. Literally no one from our office has said that he is,' Lamb wrote.

'Anyone pushing that could have easily seen the public schedule and seen that he's taking calls and meetings this past week. Not having public events does not = "vacation."'

DeSantis will be making his first public appearance in two weeks Friday night at the Orange Bowl in Miami Gardens.