Covid-19 miscellany

[crazyfingers]

I had a phone call with someone who was my best friend in elamentary and jr high school. We talk from time to time and did some camping about 20 years ago. He now lives in Arizona and believes some crazy shit.

He refuses to get vaccinated and doesn't wear masks inside public places unless it's required.

We try to avoid politics but we were talking about my imminent retirement and that while I'm not big in travel, my wife wants to go to Europe after the pandemic is under control.

He said the pandemic will never be under control because the Federal Government doesn't want to end the pandemic. I couldn't stand it. I told him that the pandemic will never go away so long as idiot republicans won't get vaccinated and won't wear masks in public indoor places.

It's amazing someone would think how he does. And he's an RN!

 

[bilby]

I had a phone call with someone who was my best friend in elamentary and jr high school. We talk from time to time and did some camping about 20 years ago. He now lives in Arizona and believes some crazy shit.

He refuses to get vaccinated and doesn't wear masks inside public places unless it's required.

We try to avoid politics but we were talking about my imminent retirement and that while I'm not big in travel, my wife wants to go to Europe after the pandemic is under control.

He said the pandemic will never be under control because the Federal Government doesn't want to end the pandemic. I couldn't stand it. I told him that the pandemic will never go away so long as idiot republicans won't get vaccinated and won't wear masks in public indoor places.

It's amazing someone would think how he does. And he's an RN!

Did you mention to him that Europe, like 95% of the planet, isn't under the jurisdiction of the US federal government?

 

[crazyfingers]

I had a phone call with someone who was my best friend in elamentary and jr high school. We talk from time to time and did some camping about 20 years ago. He now lives in Arizona and believes some crazy shit.

He refuses to get vaccinated and doesn't wear masks inside public places unless it's required.

We try to avoid politics but we were talking about my imminent retirement and that while I'm not big in travel, my wife wants to go to Europe after the pandemic is under control.

He said the pandemic will never be under control because the Federal Government doesn't want to end the pandemic. I couldn't stand it. I told him that the pandemic will never go away so long as idiot republicans won't get vaccinated and won't wear masks in public indoor places.

It's amazing someone would think how he does. And he's an RN!

Did you mention to him that Europe, like 95% of the planet, isn't under the jurisdiction of the US federal government?

I only got one sentence out and he quickly changed the subject. I wonder if he knows that his position is crazy.

 

[southernhybrid]

I had a phone call with someone who was my best friend in elamentary and jr high school. We talk from time to time and did some camping about 20 years ago. He now lives in Arizona and believes some crazy shit.

He refuses to get vaccinated and doesn't wear masks inside public places unless it's required.

We try to avoid politics but we were talking about my imminent retirement and that while I'm not big in travel, my wife wants to go to Europe after the pandemic is under control.

He said the pandemic will never be under control because the Federal Government doesn't want to end the pandemic. I couldn't stand it. I told him that the pandemic will never go away so long as idiot republicans won't get vaccinated and won't wear masks in public indoor places.

It's amazing someone would think how he does. And he's an RN!

It's embarrassing that so many people in my profession have been vaccine deniers. I've mentioned my nurse friend who almost died from COVID, as well as losing the man that was to marry this past November, to COVID. Neither of them were vaccinated. They were both obese and have/had diabetes and hypertension and are over 70. I've tried to give her some emotional support and I sent her a few little gifts to help with grieving. I heard from her yesterday and she still suffers from long haul symptoms after more than 5 months. But, sadly, I'm pretty sure that she still hasn't been vaccinated. A number of nurses who work at our local hospital were picketing last year when they were told they were required to be vaccinated. It's crazy.

And the link I'm going to add isn't very optimistic.

https://apnews.com/article/coronavi...th-pandemics-dc99bc9f769dd6d7cb669e3d185c6261

Get ready to learn more Greek letters. Scientists warn that omicron’s whirlwind advance practically ensures it won’t be the last version of the coronavirus to worry the world.

Every infection provides a chance for the virus to mutate, and omicron has an edge over its predecessors: It spreads way faster despite emerging on a planet with a stronger patchwork of immunity from vaccines and prior illness.

That means more people in whom the virus can further evolve. Experts don’t know what the next variants will look like or how they might shape the pandemic, but they say there’s no guarantee the sequels of omicron will cause milder illness or that existing vaccines will work against them.

So, just think what it will be like if a highly contagious variant emerges that is more deadly than Omicron, but the current vaccines are even less effective than they have been for most of the previous variants. Actually, I don't really want to think about that, but it is a possibility.

 

[lpetrich]

I think that it's because of right-wing culture warring, depicting their opponents as horrible autocratic monsters because of wanting people to wear lower-face masks and to get vaccinated.

 

[crazyfingers]

Is it OK to mock and ridicule the anti-vaxers who die of Covid? There is an interview with Los Angeles Times columnist Michael Hiltzik who argues that there are 3 kinds of people who care not getting vaxed. 1: are those who are too young or have medical issues. 2: are those who have been sucked into the misinformation campaigns. 3: there are those who are opinion leaders, politicians and so forth who use their position of influence to argue not to get vaccinated. He says that members of the 3rd groups should be ridiculed when they die of Covid. I agree. But I also think that those who could have paid attention to reputable sources and but choose to follow the loonies can also be scorned for their idiotic decisions. They are choosing to put others at risk are are too fucking stupid or morally twisted to act responsibly.

 

[Angry Floof]

Is it OK to mock and ridicule the anti-vaxers who die of Covid? There is an interview with Los Angeles Times columnist Michael Hiltzik who argues that there are 3 kinds of people who care not getting vaxed. 1: are those who are too young or have medical issues. 2: are those who have been sucked into the misinformation campaigns. 3: there are those who are opinion leaders, politicians and so forth who use their position of influence to argue not to get vaccinated. He says that members of the 3rd groups should be ridiculed when they die of Covid. I agree. But I also think that those who could have paid attention to reputable sources and but choose to follow the loonies can also be scorned for their idiotic decisions. They are choosing to put others at risk are are too fucking stupid or morally twisted to act responsibly.

I agree with that guy wholeheartedly. Ridiculing the mouthpieces with a platform, whether it's political office or widely heard podcast, serves to bring attention to the issue that it might not get if we're all going to be maudlin over every ironic death or worse, ignoring them.

And I do, as so many others here have done, make the distinction between everyday people who have been duped by said mouthpieces, who don't deserve to be ridiculed, and the mouthpieces themselves, who do. And even if you could argue that they don't deserve ridicule, doing so as I said keeps the issue in the headlines.

 

[Angry Floof]

I think that it's because of right-wing culture warring, depicting their opponents as horrible autocratic monsters because of wanting people to wear lower-face masks and to get vaccinated.

That black and white Christian framework of judgement, punishment, good vs. evil, us vs. literally everyone else in the world, war, battle, soldier, etc., runs deep in the substrate of Western culture and therefore Western mentality and ethos, unfortunately.

 

[TSwizzle]

Is it OK to mock and ridicule the anti-vaxers who die of Covid?

Absolutely. But that doesn’t go far enough. People should dance on their graves. Oooh, I know!! There should be protests outside the cemetery, people holding up signs that say something like, “God hates antivaxxers”.

Who’s with me ?!!

 

[Patooka]

Is it OK to mock and ridicule the anti-vaxers who die of Covid?

Absolutely. But that doesn’t go far enough. People should dance on their graves. Oooh, I know!! There should be protests outside the cemetery, people holding up signs that say something like, “God hates antivaxxers”.

Who’s with me ?!!

I think the Herman Cain Awards does the job. But you do you.

 

[lpetrich]

Subreddit r/HermanCainAward on Reddit: Awarded… posthumously.

Nominees have made public declaration of their anti-mask, anti-vax, or Covid-hoax views, followed by admission to hospital for Covid. The Award is granted upon the nominee's release from their Earthly shackles.

A recent post in that subreddit: LA Times columnist explains why mockery of Covid disinformation propagandists is necessary : HermanCainAward - also mentioning antivaxxer Kelly Ernby and LA Times columnist Michael Hiltzik.


sorryantivaxxer.com | A repository of stories of anti-vaxxers who died or came close to dying of COVID.

The purpose of this site is educational, except for a few exceptions, everyone listed on this site was/is an anti-vaxxer activist who helped spread COVID-19 misinformation on social media. Share to stop others from making the same mistake. GET VACCINATED!

 

[lpetrich]

Welp, so it happened. ... -- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Instagram

Welp, so it happened. Got COVID, probably omicron. As of today I am thankfully recovered and wrapping up quarantine, but COVID was no joke. For a while I’ve noted the term “mild” is misleading when the bar is hospitalization and death. Even “mild” cases can result in long COVID, which includes a range of conditions like cognitive impairment, POTS, & chronic fatigue. This isn’t to be a downer or induce fear, just a reminder that we need to be careful (N95s in crowded indoor spaces like stores) and if you do get it, it’s key to care for yourself and REST. The idea of forcing people to work just 5 days after symptoms start is sociopathic and 100% informed by a culture that accepts sacrificing human lives for profit margins as a fair trade. The good news is that we have an antidote: community.
.
If you’ve noticed, much of the emphasis of media conversations on COVID are individualistic: wear a mask, get vaccinated to protect *yourself,* go back to work even w/ symptoms bc *you’re* “fine” (even if you’re not). And while some of these recommendations are good- like getting a vaccine + wearing masks where appropriate, the motivations for them shouldn’t just be selfish. It should also be bc we actually give a damn about other people - our disabled neighbors, our coworkers who haven’t said (and shouldn’t feel obligated to say) they’re immunocompromised, etc.
.
It’s truly bizarre to me that giving a shit about other people is a polarizing political stance, but my dad used to say that life makes you repeat lessons until you learn them. And if there’s one lesson I think we as a country are repeating until we learn, it’s that community and collective good is our best shot through our greatest challenges - way more than discorded acts of “rugged individualism” and the bootstrap propaganda we’ve been spoon-fed since birth.
.
Individualism is inadequate for planetary forces like climate change or global pandemics, no less societal ones like healthcare, economic inequity and racism. But WE, as a collective, can confront them. In a world of MEs, let’s build team WE.
Anyways that’s enough for today, stay healthy and blessed and let’s keep building.
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Love & solidarity, aoc

Deco pic last because he’s the best

Long COVID: POTS = postural tachycardia syndrome

 

[repoman]

So in Ontario

Is it OK to mock and ridicule the anti-vaxers who die of Covid? There is an interview with Los Angeles Times columnist Michael Hiltzik who argues that there are 3 kinds of people who care not getting vaxed. 1: are those who are too young or have medical issues. 2: are those who have been sucked into the misinformation campaigns. 3: there are those who are opinion leaders, politicians and so forth who use their position of influence to argue not to get vaccinated. He says that members of the 3rd groups should be ridiculed when they die of Covid. I agree. But I also think that those who could have paid attention to reputable sources and but choose to follow the loonies can also be scorned for their idiotic decisions. They are choosing to put others at risk are are too fucking stupid or morally twisted to act responsibly.

I agree with that guy wholeheartedly. Ridiculing the mouthpieces with a platform, whether it's political office or widely heard podcast, serves to bring attention to the issue that it might not get if we're all going to be maudlin over every ironic death or worse, ignoring them.

And I do, as so many others here have done, make the distinction between everyday people who have been duped by said mouthpieces, who don't deserve to be ridiculed, and the mouthpieces themselves, who do. And even if you could argue that they don't deserve ridicule, doing so as I said keeps the issue in the headlines.

Can you ridicule these people without making taking that sometimes justified invective and stop before you tarnish medicines that in the long term, like fluvoxamine, will work reasonably well?

I feel that we are lucky that not too many of the conspiracy peddlers went and got crazy about fluvoxamine or else self righteous hyper vaccine supporters would find ways to use that to keep it from being used.

Also monoclonal antibodies are not susceptible to political smearing, fortunately. There is a question as to the right ones for omicron, but in principle rabid anti-antivaxxers are not ridiculing their use.

 

[barbos]

sorryantivaxxer.com | A repository of stories of anti-vaxxers who died or came close to dying of COVID.

Interesting, lots of antivaxers die in pairs.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

Also monoclonal antibodies are not susceptible to political smearing, fortunately. There is a question as to the right ones for omicron, but in principle rabid anti-antivaxxers are not ridiculing their use.

Hospitalization and monoclonal antibody treatment is a lot more expensive than vaccination. Antivaxxers get to have their cake and eat it too because someone else is footing the bill. But go ahead and ask an antivaxxer that was hospitalized and did receive monoclonal antibodies why vaccine is bad but hospitalization and monoclonal antibodies are good. That's what I did. You just get a lot of handwaving because it's just political stupidity.

 

[thebeave]

Made a Trader Joe's run today. Went in unmasked but everyone inside was masked so I masked up too. Some local stores have signs encouraging mask wearing but there was nothing in TJ's. Different cut of people shop at TJ's.

Yes, it IS a different cut of people who shop there. Its not a mystery why they are self masking, its more a mystery of why they aren't wearing a full on hazmat suit. It's been years since I stepped into a Trader Joe's but I used to get their flyers in my mailbox all the time (not so much anymore for some reason). Unless they changed their marketing and product line, they made a big deal about their products being organic, and with no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, etc because presumably trace amounts of synthetic pesticides on produce is hazardous and any artificial additives are certainly going to be risky, but a natural additive is going to be safe.

I think the most amusing of all is their anti-GMO attitude because "anything that's not "natural" that a bunch of scientists developed in a lab is not something I want in my body. There has not been sufficient testing and who knows what the long term effects are." And yet, the covid vaccines were genetically engineered by scientists in a lab, spent only a few months in testing and are directly injected into your bloodstream. I'd be curious to hear how people who have been historically anti-GMO have overcome the cognitive dissonance (or have they?) of receiving and advocating the genetically engineered covid vaccine. Are they now, hopefully, changing their negative stances on GMO foods?

 

[Toni]

Is it OK to mock and ridicule the anti-vaxers who die of Covid? There is an interview with Los Angeles Times columnist Michael Hiltzik who argues that there are 3 kinds of people who care not getting vaxed. 1: are those who are too young or have medical issues. 2: are those who have been sucked into the misinformation campaigns. 3: there are those who are opinion leaders, politicians and so forth who use their position of influence to argue not to get vaccinated. He says that members of the 3rd groups should be ridiculed when they die of Covid. I agree. But I also think that those who could have paid attention to reputable sources and but choose to follow the loonies can also be scorned for their idiotic decisions. They are choosing to put others at risk are are too fucking stupid or morally twisted to act responsibly.

I agree with that guy wholeheartedly. Ridiculing the mouthpieces with a platform, whether it's political office or widely heard podcast, serves to bring attention to the issue that it might not get if we're all going to be maudlin over every ironic death or worse, ignoring them.

And I do, as so many others here have done, make the distinction between everyday people who have been duped by said mouthpieces, who don't deserve to be ridiculed, and the mouthpieces themselves, who do. And even if you could argue that they don't deserve ridicule, doing so as I said keeps the issue in the headlines.

Well, when someone you know, who was young and healthy, dies of COVID because they listened to the advice of a so-called expert--there's no feeling of ridicule that rises up in your chest. Just overwhelming grief and sorrow and some anger at the circumstances that set them up to believe someone they should not. Speaking from experience here.

 

[Angry Floof]

Is it OK to mock and ridicule the anti-vaxers who die of Covid? There is an interview with Los Angeles Times columnist Michael Hiltzik who argues that there are 3 kinds of people who care not getting vaxed. 1: are those who are too young or have medical issues. 2: are those who have been sucked into the misinformation campaigns. 3: there are those who are opinion leaders, politicians and so forth who use their position of influence to argue not to get vaccinated. He says that members of the 3rd groups should be ridiculed when they die of Covid. I agree. But I also think that those who could have paid attention to reputable sources and but choose to follow the loonies can also be scorned for their idiotic decisions. They are choosing to put others at risk are are too fucking stupid or morally twisted to act responsibly.

I agree with that guy wholeheartedly. Ridiculing the mouthpieces with a platform, whether it's political office or widely heard podcast, serves to bring attention to the issue that it might not get if we're all going to be maudlin over every ironic death or worse, ignoring them.

And I do, as so many others here have done, make the distinction between everyday people who have been duped by said mouthpieces, who don't deserve to be ridiculed, and the mouthpieces themselves, who do. And even if you could argue that they don't deserve ridicule, doing so as I said keeps the issue in the headlines.

Well, when someone you know, who was young and healthy, dies of COVID because they listened to the advice of a so-called expert--there's no feeling of ridicule that rises up in your chest. Just overwhelming grief and sorrow and some anger at the circumstances that set them up to believe someone they should not. Speaking from experience here.

On a personal level, yes, that would be sad and maybe even devastating. But my personal experiences do not define our public discourse on misinformation or actual policy or for that matter anything else on a societal level where potentially millions of people might risk their lives and their families' lives because someone thought showing respect for political and social mouthpieces, who perpetuate and increase that risk, was the same thing as personal grief.

If someone in my family were to die of covid due to misinformation, I would not be the least bit bothered by the mouthpiece giving them that misinformation dying of covid and being ridiculed for it.

 

[Elixir]

If someone in my family were to die of covid due to misinformation, I would not be the least bit bothered by the mouthpiece giving them that misinformation dying of covid and being ridiculed for it.

That's pretty much how I feel. Sorry for Toni and her experience, but I am flat out of fucks to give about the suffering of purveyors of disinformation when they are hoisted by their own petard.

 

[Harry Bosch]

Made a Trader Joe's run today. Went in unmasked but everyone inside was masked so I masked up too. Some local stores have signs encouraging mask wearing but there was nothing in TJ's. Different cut of people shop at TJ's.

Yes, it IS a different cut of people who shop there. Its not a mystery why they are self masking, its more a mystery of why they aren't wearing a full on hazmat suit. It's been years since I stepped into a Trader Joe's but I used to get their flyers in my mailbox all the time (not so much anymore for some reason). Unless they changed their marketing and product line, they made a big deal about their products being organic, and with no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, etc because presumably trace amounts of synthetic pesticides on produce is hazardous and any artificial additives are certainly going to be risky, but a natural additive is going to be safe.

I think the most amusing of all is their anti-GMO attitude because "anything that's not "natural" that a bunch of scientists developed in a lab is not something I want in my body. There has not been sufficient testing and who knows what the long term effects are." And yet, the covid vaccines were genetically engineered by scientists in a lab, spent only a few months in testing and are directly injected into your bloodstream. I'd be curious to hear how people who have been historically anti-GMO have overcome the cognitive dissonance (or have they?) of receiving and advocating the genetically engineered covid vaccine. Are they now, hopefully, changing their negative stances on GMO foods?

Fair point regarding GMOs and most anti-GMO people are on the left. However, the anti vaccine movement really started on the left. It's just that it's taken over the right for some reason.

A little bit of a straw man regarding the haz mat suit though! Haz mat is needed. Covid is a viral disease. It's in our lungs. We all emit air particles as we talk and even breath. Wherever we go, our emitted cloud particles circle around us. The further out from someone you go, the fewer their particles that you are exposed to. A mask simply reduces the "particle cloud" that is around you. The stronger the quality of the mask, the smaller the particle cloud is around you. I work with an engineering firm that developed a better mask for the government. I watched their presentation using a special laser that would measure the particles emitting from an uncovered person; and then they measured the efficiency of various masks.