Pandemic  

Today

Today I spend the day testing people at a test site.  I tested hundreds for the dreaded virus.  I also answer questions of two large groups trying to encourage vaccination.  I am finding that I am able to convince a good portion to consider it.  In my area, we have had a large number of youth being admitted and most are unvaccinated.  We are also experiencing some breakthrough infections in the vaccinated.  

We are also experiencing some breakthrough infections in the vaccinated.

The UK experience is that once fully vaccinated infections are mild, well under 1% require hospitalisation compared with the unvaccinated.

Cheerio,

covid

Posted by: @diem

We are also experiencing some breakthrough infections in the vaccinated.

The UK experience is that once fully vaccinated infections are mild, well under 1% require hospitalisation compared with the unvaccinated.

Cheerio,

Our results are similar.  The surprise for me is the larger number of symptomatic infections in the immunized with the delta variant.  We are admissions and intubations with the immune from prior infections.  It is clear to me that a prior infection causes less protection.  

Vaccines

New vaccines are coming.  We have great vaccines and they are about to get better.  

Not surprised and glad to have boosters on the way!

Posted by: @cwbullet

New vaccines are coming.  We have great vaccines and they are about to get better.  

Looking forward to getting a booster. I'm not sure why some people insist on acting surprised that breakthrough infections happen or that boosters are required. This is something we've experienced with influenza for decades and has always been part of the vaccine discussion.

What is good news is that the newer vaccines are holding up as well as they are, providing much-improved protection against serious consequences even as this virus mutates.

Chuck, are you aware of any good data discussing the effectiveness of the new vaccines compared to earlier types? I think the original Salk vaccine for polio was something like 60-70% at the time and it was welcomed as a miracle, and things only improved from there.

New vaccines are coming. We have great vaccines and they are about to get better.

Hundreds of labs set out to devise vaccines and treatments.  We were incredibly lucky that the first few are so effective but as the main group comes on line it would be astonishing if one or two were not even better.

But DON'T WAIT for the new ones, GET THE JAB NOW ... 'cos the vaccines we already have are (expletive deleted) good.  It makes no sense to die waiting.

Looking forward to getting a booster.

And that's where the new vaccines come in.  All the evidence suggests that using different vaccines for follow-up is even better than repeating the same one.

Cheerio,

dose

September 20th and atleast 8 months after your last dose unless you have a special need.  I would not rush it.  Allow the immuno-compromised first.  

Posted by: @bobstro

Posted by: @cwbullet

New vaccines are coming.  We have great vaccines and they are about to get better.  

Looking forward to getting a booster. I'm not sure why some people insist on acting surprised that breakthrough infections happen or that boosters are required. This is something we've experienced with influenza for decades and has always been part of the vaccine discussion.

What is good news is that the newer vaccines are holding up as well as they are, providing much-improved protection against serious consequences even as this virus mutates.

Chuck, are you aware of any good data discussing the effectiveness of the new vaccines compared to earlier types? I think the original Salk vaccine for polio was something like 60-70% at the time and it was welcomed as a miracle, and things only improved from there.

 

dirt nap

Posted by: @diem

New vaccines are coming. We have great vaccines and they are about to get better.

Hundreds of labs set out to devise vaccines and treatments.  We were incredibly lucky that the first few are so effective but as the main group comes on line it would be astonishing if one or two were not even better.

But DON'T WAIT for the new ones, GET THE JAB NOW ... 'cos the vaccines we already have are (expletive deleted) good.  It makes no sense to die waiting.

Looking forward to getting a booster.

And that's where the new vaccines come in.  All the evidence suggests that using different vaccines for follow-up is even better than repeating the same one.

Cheerio,

Concur.  Dragging your feet is one step closer to a dirt nap.  

Unfortunately it's become a political and identity issue around here. Lotsa peer and social pressure to skip the vax in many circles. 🙁

politics

Posted by: @anniert

Unfortunately it's become a political and identity issue around here. Lotsa peer and social pressure to skip the vax in many circles. 🙁

I hate politics, but I am getting tired of the news saying "the mask does nothing" and "natural immunity is superior to the vaccine".  Both are false and it is journalistic malpractice to make such bold statements without explaining them.  

At least around here, I've never heard anything on the news saying either that masks do not work or that recovery from an infection is better than a vax.

Now there's a lot of absolute garbage being passed around on social media along those lines and more, real far out tinfoil hat and microchip and 5g mind control nonsense that some choose to believe. 🙁

Physicians

Posted by: @annier

At least around here, I've never heard anything on the news saying either that masks do not work or that recovery from an infection is better than a vax.

Now there's a lot of absolute garbage being passed around on social media along those lines and more, real far out tinfoil hat and microchip and 5g mind control nonsense that some choose to believe. 🙁

A lot of it is coming from TV news talk shows with physicians making comments.  One prominent US physician and Senator has been fuel for the fire.   

Posted by: @cwbullet

 

Posted by: @annier

At least around here, I've never heard anything on the news saying either that masks do not work or that recovery from an infection is better than a vax.

Now there's a lot of absolute garbage being passed around on social media along those lines and more, real far out tinfoil hat and microchip and 5g mind control nonsense that some choose to believe. 🙁

A lot of it is coming from TV news talk shows with physicians making comments.  One prominent US physician and Senator has been fuel for the fire.   

Oh, I know exactly who you mean. At least the TV I watch doesn't feature clowns like that spreading their misinformation!

It's almost like they are trying to prolong the pandemic. Some southern states are actively fighting the measures that we have to control infections and save lives. 🙁

problem,

The problem is bigger than the southern states.  Minority populations in the north and south are refusing vaccination.  This problem is bigger than one party or geographic location.  

Posted by: @annier

 

Posted by: @cwbullet

 

Posted by: @annier

At least around here, I've never heard anything on the news saying either that masks do not work or that recovery from an infection is better than a vax.

Now there's a lot of absolute garbage being passed around on social media along those lines and more, real far out tinfoil hat and microchip and 5g mind control nonsense that some choose to believe. 🙁

A lot of it is coming from TV news talk shows with physicians making comments.  One prominent US physician and Senator has been fuel for the fire.   

Oh, I know exactly who you mean. At least the TV I watch doesn't feature clowns like that spreading their misinformation!

It's almost like they are trying to prolong the pandemic. Some southern states are actively fighting the measures that we have to control infections and save lives. 🙁

RE:

I was hopeful that it was potentially over.  We are starting to see what might be the 5th wave starting.  

Posted by: @nukapop92

i hope you are good in this Pandemic

RE: Pandemic

posted by @cwbullet: I was hopeful that it was potentially over. We are starting to see what might be the 5th wave starting.

5th? We are still in 4th. It is not surprising with all the <> out there. Here in BC we are fortunate to have a Provincial Health Officer who is not a politician but an epidemiologist who makes her decisions based on science, not on politics. Her office has the power to issue legally binding and enforceable health orders(only province in Canada). With the "stroke of a pen" she can and has shut down high risk activities during the pandemic. And even though some factions would complain in the early stages, they learned that she would not back down under pressure.

It is nice to have 1 person and her team of experts at the helm.

1 order was that anyone working in a healthcare facility had to be fully vaccinated by certain date or lose their job. being extended to include all doctors/dentists and staff in private practice.

Another order was that any vaccination exemptions must be approved by the PHO office, not by doctors.

We never had a lock-down and I  hope we never do during the next 6 🤤 waves.

Many thanks to our front-line workers, their support staff, volunteers/businesses who provided them with lodging/food/cars.

Kenn

RE: Pandemic

pandemic is very bad for everyone

RE: Pandemic

This pandemic isn't going anywhere. There's too many selfish people in this world who refuse the vaccine, refuse masks, spread and incubate this thing. Mark my words we're still gonna be discussing COVID variants in 2032 when we should have had this thing done and dusted last year.

RE: KINDNESS

@c6-modellsport

I/We call those people COVIDIOTS/COV-IDIOTS. It is a sad reflection on humans when some are willing to take actions that WILL kill innocent people. They think their right to refuse vaccination and wearing masks outweighs MY right to live.

On a lighter note. We grow a lot of flowers and this years we have massive number of Dahlia blooms. So we decided to share them by putting cuttings in used drink bottles on a table in the lane-way. It has a lot of foot traffic. No sign. The only reason was that people might want a nice flower. Slowly they started to go, until we could barely keep up with the demand.

This little gesture had unexpected results:

Someone left a bunch of empty drink bottle on the table one day.

Someone took the flowers our of the bottles one day and took the bottles. We figured they needed the deposit for the bottles more than the flowers. Times are hard.

During Christmas someone put a Christmas card through our mail slot. They had filled the inside of the card with hand written message about the flowers and how they brought joy and a little bit on light into their house during these dark and uncertain times.

COVID has been tougher on some than others, But everyone can benefit from any small gesture of kindness. I have always believed  in random acts of kindness, but the pandemics has made it more apparent how much people need it. Stay as safe as possible, and as our Provincial Health Office says " be kind, be gentle".

RE: Pandemic

Yes, that is a sad fact of life. Part of why I'm so lost in RC that I'm printing them almost constantly is to get my mind off of them.

Speaking of...

WIP yard kart RC. Drove it today. Drives pretty nice. STupid fast. A Mini-T 2.0 donated its receiver/esc combo and motor to the cause.

And some progress on my printed airboat. Yes, that is an eingine! Screamy li'l boi. Norvel 061. I haven't seen anyone else do nitro 3D printed RCs so I'm going to experiment and see. Even the beam mount the engine is bolted to was printed, as is the fuel tank. If I can find a 5" prop and my 1/2a fuel I'll test fire it this weekend.