Louisiana had 5300 something new cases Wednesday.

Buckle up, flat earthers - it's coming for you.

^ I heard the best way to avoid it is to take deep breaths, especially when around other flat earthers.

The Delta Variant Will Drive A Steep Rise In U.S. COVID Deaths, A New Model Shows

"I also strongly suspect that delta is highly prone to superspreading — if I am right, it might go off like a bomb in some under-vaccinated communities" - William Hanage, Harvard University

Coronavirus USA

The current COVID-19 surge in the U.S. — fueled by the highly contagious delta variant — will steadily accelerate through the summer and fall, peaking in mid-October, with daily deaths more than triple what they are now. That's according to new projections released Wednesday from the COVID-19 Scenario Modeling Hub, a consortium of researchers working in consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help the agency track the course of the pandemic. It's a deflating prospect for parents looking ahead to the coming school year, employers planning to get people back to the workplace, and everyone hoping that the days of big national surges were over. "What's going on in the country with the virus is matching our most pessimistic scenarios," says Justin Lessler, an epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina who helps run the modeling hub. "We might be seeing synergistic effects of people becoming less cautious in addition to the impacts of the delta variant. I think it's a big call for caution," he adds.

The group's latest projections combine ten different mathematical models from various academic teams to create an "ensemble" projection. It offers four scenarios for its projections — varying based on what percent of the population gets vaccinated and how quickly the delta variant spreads. In the most likely scenario, Lessler says, the U.S. reaches only 70% vaccination among eligible Americans, and the delta variant is 60% more transmissible. In that scenario, at the peak in mid-October, there would be around 60,000 cases and around 850 deaths each day, Lessler says. Each scenario also includes a range of how bad things could get — the very worst end of the range for the most likely scenario shows about 240,0000 people getting infected and 4,000 people dying each day at the October peak, which would be almost as bad as last winter. Lessler notes there's a lot of uncertainty in these projections, and how things actually plays out depends on lots of factors, including whether the vaccination campaign picks up steam, and whether other mitigation measures are put back into place. "Changes in behavior that we didn't predict and big shifts in vaccination could very much change these results," Lessler says. But overall, the main projection shows a steady slope upwards to the peak in October, and then a steady slope back down. "By the time you get to October, these resurgent epidemics have burned through a lot of the people who are susceptible," Lessler explains. At that point, "herd immunity starts kicking in a little more aggressively and we start to see things going down again." By January 2022, the model shows deaths coming back down to around the current level of about 300 per day.

The take-home message of this latest model is that the pandemic isn't over yet and "we're not going to be able to land the plane without turbulence," says William Hanage, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "How much turbulence will track with how many people are vaccinated in a given community." "I also strongly suspect that delta is highly prone to superspreading — if I am right, it might go off like a bomb in some under-vaccinated communities," Hanage adds. Public policy and behavior could still move the dial toward milder outcomes, Lessler says. "I think states should maybe be rethinking the speed at which they're removing mask mandates or social distancing," Lessler says. "That is something that — if you want to keep cases under control — certainly would have an impact." Those measures would have to come from state or local leaders. Despite calls for the CDC to issue new mask guidelines, at a briefing Thursday, CDC director Rochelle Walensky once again held firm. She emphasized that the guidelines have always said that unvaccinated people should wear masks indoors. She added that even vaccinated people could wear masks indoors, too, if they want extra protection, especially in places where the virus is surging and there are a lot of unvaccinated people. But her main message was the same: Get vaccinated. With that, Lessler agrees. "If we got enough people vaccinated, we could even stop the delta variant in its tracks," he says.

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Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

According to Our World in Data, as of July 01, the U.K. has fully vaccinated nearly 49% of its population. Approximately 66% of people have received at least one COVID-19 shot.

However, the country is caught up in an uptick in case numbers as the highly transmissible Delta variant spread accounting for 146K identified cases over the past week, up 72% from a week ago. Currently, the prevalence of the Delta variant in the U.K. stands at 97%.

There were 117 deaths among 92K Delta variant cases recorded through June 21. And 50 of those who died have received the two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Deaths due to Delta variant among fully vaccinated

Pfizer Shot Just 39% Effective Against Delta Infection, But Largely Prevents Severe Illness, Israel Study Suggests

Pfizer

Recent data from Israel’s health ministry suggests Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine is far less effective at preventing infection and symptomatic illness with the Delta variant than with previous strains of coronavirus, a finding that conflicts with other research indicating high levels of protection against the contagious variant as countries around the world struggle to contain new waves of infection. A full course of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was just 39% effective at preventing infections and 41% effective at preventing symptomatic infections caused by the Delta Covid-19 variant, according to Israel’s health ministry, down from early estimates of 64% two weeks ago. The figures, based on data from an unspecified number of people between June 20 and July 17, are significantly lower than previous estimates of the vaccine’s efficacy against other variants, which initial clinical trials found to be 95%. The Israel findings also conflict with several other studies assessing the vaccine’s performance against the Delta variant, which indicated only slightly diminished degrees of protection against infection and mild illness (between 80% and 90%), including peer reviewed research from Public Health England published Wednesday. The vaccine still provides very high levels of protection against hospitalization (92%) and severe illness (91%) caused by the Delta variant, the ministry said. In a statement, Pfizer and BioNTech noted that while real-world data from Israel show vaccine efficacy in preventing infection and symptomatic disease to decline six months post-vaccination, “efficacy in preventing serious illnesses remains high.”

It is possible Israel’s findings diverge from other studies in reflection of the fact they have had access to vaccines for longer than most other parts of the world. In other words, it is the most up to date and accurate assessment of the Pfizer shot against Delta. However, the Israel health ministry has not revealed the data behind their results and there are a number of issues in the way the study appears to have been conducted that could create uncertainty. The study did not, for example, take the steps needed to rule out alternative explanations for the lower efficacy, such as bias in who is tested for Covid-19. Israel was an early leader in the global effort to vaccinate against Covid-19, moving swiftly to secure supply by paying above market price and offering to share medical data with Pfizer. It was a success and the country dropped pandemic restrictions in May, though a resurgent wave of cases driven by Delta has put it on the brink of another lockdown. Israel is not the only country to struggle with new surges caused by Delta—which is more contagious than other variants circulating and possibly more dangerous—which has prompted new lockdowns around the world. The U.K., which has one of the highest case rates in the world, almost all of which are caused by Delta, is an exception. High vaccination rates are helping contribute towards a possible decoupling between infection, severe illness and death, prompting the government to drop almost all social restrictions on July 19.
What To Watch For

In mid July, Israel’s health ministry greenlit booster shots—likely a third Pfizer shot—for immunocompromised people over concerns they could still be vulnerable to the disease. This includes some cancer patients, organ transplant recipients and people who are HIV positive. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering a similar move amid an ongoing debate over whether booster shots should be made available to everyone. 91%. That’s how effective the Pfizer vaccine is at preventing serious illness and hospitalization caused by the Delta variant after two doses, according to the Israeli study. This is only slightly lower than against other variants. As this is the primary purpose of a vaccine, it is still highly successful, though it does mean it will likely not be sufficient to stop outbreaks on its own. The Delta variant appears to be at least moderately resistant to many of the vaccines in widespread use, especially after just one shot. A recent study found the Johnson & Johnson shot to be just 33% effective at preventing symptomatic illness caused by the variant.

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Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Quote
Hairball
Pfizer Shot Just 39% Effective Against Delta Infection, But Largely Prevents Severe Illness, Israel Study Suggests

Pfizer

Recent data from Israel’s health ministry suggests Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine is far less effective at preventing infection and symptomatic illness with the Delta variant than with previous strains of coronavirus, a finding that conflicts with other research indicating high levels of protection against the contagious variant as countries around the world struggle to contain new waves of infection. A full course of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was just 39% effective at preventing infections and 41% effective at preventing symptomatic infections caused by the Delta Covid-19 variant, according to Israel’s health ministry, down from early estimates of 64% two weeks ago. The figures, based on data from an unspecified number of people between June 20 and July 17, are significantly lower than previous estimates of the vaccine’s efficacy against other variants, which initial clinical trials found to be 95%. The Israel findings also conflict with several other studies assessing the vaccine’s performance against the Delta variant, which indicated only slightly diminished degrees of protection against infection and mild illness (between 80% and 90%), including peer reviewed research from Public Health England published Wednesday. The vaccine still provides very high levels of protection against hospitalization (92%) and severe illness (91%) caused by the Delta variant, the ministry said. In a statement, Pfizer and BioNTech noted that while real-world data from Israel show vaccine efficacy in preventing infection and symptomatic disease to decline six months post-vaccination, “efficacy in preventing serious illnesses remains high.”

It is possible Israel’s findings diverge from other studies in reflection of the fact they have had access to vaccines for longer than most other parts of the world. In other words, it is the most up to date and accurate assessment of the Pfizer shot against Delta. However, the Israel health ministry has not revealed the data behind their results and there are a number of issues in the way the study appears to have been conducted that could create uncertainty. The study did not, for example, take the steps needed to rule out alternative explanations for the lower efficacy, such as bias in who is tested for Covid-19. Israel was an early leader in the global effort to vaccinate against Covid-19, moving swiftly to secure supply by paying above market price and offering to share medical data with Pfizer. It was a success and the country dropped pandemic restrictions in May, though a resurgent wave of cases driven by Delta has put it on the brink of another lockdown. Israel is not the only country to struggle with new surges caused by Delta—which is more contagious than other variants circulating and possibly more dangerous—which has prompted new lockdowns around the world. The U.K., which has one of the highest case rates in the world, almost all of which are caused by Delta, is an exception. High vaccination rates are helping contribute towards a possible decoupling between infection, severe illness and death, prompting the government to drop almost all social restrictions on July 19.
What To Watch For

In mid July, Israel’s health ministry greenlit booster shots—likely a third Pfizer shot—for immunocompromised people over concerns they could still be vulnerable to the disease. This includes some cancer patients, organ transplant recipients and people who are HIV positive. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering a similar move amid an ongoing debate over whether booster shots should be made available to everyone. 91%. That’s how effective the Pfizer vaccine is at preventing serious illness and hospitalization caused by the Delta variant after two doses, according to the Israeli study. This is only slightly lower than against other variants. As this is the primary purpose of a vaccine, it is still highly successful, though it does mean it will likely not be sufficient to stop outbreaks on its own. The Delta variant appears to be at least moderately resistant to many of the vaccines in widespread use, especially after just one shot. A recent study found the Johnson & Johnson shot to be just 33% effective at preventing symptomatic illness caused by the variant.

Dang...well this was going to ultimately happen. Get prepared for boosters/modified versions.

Yes and until everyone gets their booster shot they will be pilloried as an antivaxxer.

Israel reports that, as far as delta variant, the efficacy of the Pfizer vaccine is only 39% after two doses. It wanes over time.

CNBC

Who else will feel this way?

Family says conservative radio host has changed his tune on vaccines after he was hospitalized with Covid-19

(CNN)For months, conservative Nashville, Tennessee-based radio host Phil Valentine has repeatedly made posts on multiple social media platforms telling his fans that if they weren't at risk for Covid-19, they shouldn't get the vaccine.

That message changed on July 23, when the Valentine family made a public statement on the Facebook page of his talk radio station's Facebook page.

"Phil contracted the Covid virus a little over a week ago and has since been hospitalized and is in very serious condition, suffering from Covid Pneumonia and the attendant side effects," the family statement reads, which emphasizes that Valentine has never been an anti-vaxxer. "(Phil) regrets not being more vehemently 'Pro-Vaccine' and looks forward to being able to more vigorously advocate that position as soon as he is back on the air, which we all hope will be soon."
It ends by urging listeners to continue praying for Valentine and to "PLEASE GO GET VACCINATED!"

Valentine's hospitalization came after the talk radio show host repeatedly dismissed the seriousness of the virus and the importance of vaccines in preventing infection.
On December 17, 2020, Valentine wrote on his blog that his odds of getting Covid-19 were "pretty low," and that the odds of him dying from it were "probably way less than one percent."
"If I decide not to get vaccinated, I'm not putting anyone else's life in danger except perhaps people who have made the same decision," he wrote.

That's because, he wrote, the vaccine is highly effective so there wasn't any way he could infect someone who's been vaccinated if he got Covid-19.
He also argued that he wasn't an "anti-vaxxer," he was just a "logical thinker."
Valentine repeatedly made similar vaccine misinformation posts and shared misleading information about Covid-19 on social media. He even told followers they didn't need to get the vaccine.
One woman posted that her sister had encouraged her to get vaccinated but her "gut told her not to" because she'd already had the virus.
"Don't listen to your sister," Valentine responded. "If you've had (Covid-19) you have natural immunity."
He told another follower that "only those in danger of dying from (Covid-19) should've gotten vaccinated."

Bummer Dude. Sounds like a bunch of people on here. Guess he is in a better place, a casket.

California man who mocked COVID-19 vaccine dies of virus

[www.sfgate.com]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A man who mocked COVID-19 vaccinations died this week at a Los Angeles-area hospital after contracting the virus.

Stephen Harmon was 34.

Harmon died on Wednesday at Corona Regional Medical Center, about an hour's drive east of Los Angeles.

Stephen Harmon posted photos of himself in his hospital bed, wrote that he had pneumonia and critically low oxygen levels and was going to be intubated. In a tweet Wednesday, Harmon wrote: “Don’t know when I’ll wake up, please pray,” KCBS-TV reported.

“I got 99 problems but a vax ain't one," he said in a tweet last month.

On July 8, he posted: “Biden’s door to door vaccine ‘surveyors’ really should be called JaCovid Witnesses. #keepmovingdork.”

Harmon's death was “unbelievably demoralizing," Dr. Oren Friedman, who treats COVID-19 patients at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, told KCBS-TV. He said the number of COVID-19 admissions had increased tenfold.

“Virtually every single person that is getting sick enough to be admitted to the hospital has not been vaccinated,” Friedman said.

Three days before his death, Harmon tweeted: “If you don’t have faith that God can heal me over your stupid ventilator then keep the Hell out of my ICU room, there’s no room in here for fear or lack of faith!”

Before his hospitalization, Harmon had made fun of vaccination efforts on social media.

California has seen escalating numbers of COVID-19 infections, led by the highly transmissible delta variant that has proliferated since the state fully reopened the economy last month. The vast majority of new cases are among unvaccinated people, and health officials have pleaded for people to get the shots.

On Friday, the state Department of Public Health reported nearly 8,000 new cases a day earlier and the testing positivity rate over seven days had jumped to more than 5% after dipping below 1% only a few weeks ago.

Los Angeles County, which has about a fourth of the state's population, reported more than 3,000 new cases for the first time since February. There were 655 people with COVID-19 in hospitals, a jump of more than 200 people in a week, according to county figures.

Harmon attended Hillsong Church in Los Angeles.

Founder Brian Houston called him “one of the most generous people I know.”

“As a church, our focus is on the spiritual well-being of the people in each of our local communities. On any medical issue, we strongly encourage those in our church to follow the guidance of their doctors," Houston said in a statement to KCBS-TV. “While many of our staff, leadership and congregation have already received the COVID-19 vaccine, we recognize this is a personal decision for each individual to make with the counsel of medical professionals.”

No vaccines are 100% effective. These were never sold as being 100% effective. There are breakthrough cases. But the data overwhelmingly shows that those who contract it and have been vaccinated are less severely sick. That is a fact. A fact both the CDC and epidemiologists all agree on and have published data on. The fact is 97% of those in the hospital now are unvaccinated. These vaccines are providing an amazing amount of protection from this deadly Delta variant. That is a fact.

Covid-19 hospitalizations in Los Angeles County more than doubled in 2 weeks

Coronavirus

In Los Angeles County, which was crushed during the winter surge of the coronavirus, Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are now again exploding. On Saturday, the county reported 2,600 new cases. A day earlier, county health officials recorded more than 3,000 new Covid-19 infections, for the first time since February. Friday's figure was nearly triple what Los Angeles County was recording two weeks ago. More than 60% of the county's eligible population has been fully vaccinated. Without those vaccinations, "we would probably be seeing almost double the number of cases," Barbara Ferrer, the county's public health director, said recently. Hospitalizations are also way up -- with more than 680 hospitalized with Covid-19 on Saturday, Ferrer told CNN. That's more than double as many as two weeks ago. Some of the challenges officials continue to face when it comes to vaccinating people include misinformation, Ferrer told CNN at Ted Watkins Memorial Park, where Covid-19 vaccinations were underway. "The most two dominant themes today are, 'We don't trust the government's numbers, we think they're not telling us the truth about the vaccine and how safe it is,'" she said. "We have to work hard with all of our community partners so it's not just government that's saying how safe the vaccines are, but it's the person at your pharmacy who's telling you it's safe, it's your doctor, it's your neighbor," she said. Benjamin Jackson was among the people who got vaccinated on Saturday. He said a local nurse provided him information about the vaccine and encouraged him to get a shot. "We didn't want to take the shot, we were scared," he said. "They gave us a lot of information and I told her I was going to come down and get vaccinated." Officials across the country have doubled down on efforts to get more Americans vaccinated as the vicious Delta variant continues to fuel a surge in cases and hospitalizations. To help curb new infections, safety precautions such as mask mandates are once again under consideration in parts of the US. Los Angeles County reinstated its mask mandate last week, and officials said they'll keep it in place until Covid-19 numbers improve.

Cases across the US are rising sharply

The Delta variant, believed to be more transmittable and dangerous, accounted for an estimated 83% of coronavirus cases in the US for the two weeks ending July 17, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- a substantial rise from negligible numbers in early May. Cases are rising sharply. The US averaged more than 49,300 new Covid-19 cases a day over the week ending Friday -- a nearly 60% jump from the week prior, and more than four times the lowest average of 2021 (11,299 on June 22), according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Every state reported more cases in the week ending Friday than they did the week before, Johns Hopkins figures show. Health experts have repeatedly pointed to preemptive vaccination as the best way to get ahead of surges due to their proven efficacy, but CDC data Friday showed that the rate of vaccinations continues to slow. The daily average of people becoming fully vaccinated is the lowest it's been since the end of January, when the US was just beginning to ramp up its vaccination drive.

Vaccination progress in the United States

Thirty states have yet to fully vaccinate at least half of their residents, with Alabama and Mississippi at less than 35% fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. In Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey on Thursday called out "the unvaccinated folks" for the rise in Covid-19 cases. "Folks are supposed to have common sense. But it's time to start blaming the unvaccinated folks, not the regular folks. It's the unvaccinated folks that are letting us down," she told reporters in Birmingham. With vaccination numbers lagging, officials say more countermeasures against Covid-19 are likely needed. Guidance on mask wearing from the CDC -- which in May said fully vaccinated Americans can shed their masks -- has not changed, but CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said Thursday localities may want to make their own call. "Communities and individuals need to make the decisions that are right for them based on what's going on in their local areas," she said. "So if you're an area that has a high case rate and low rates of vaccination where Delta cases are rising, you should certainly be wearing a mask if you are unvaccinated."

Mask mandates are met with opposition

Amid the rising numbers of infections, some state and local leaders are now recommending that masks to be worn indoors even by those who are vaccinated. Health officials in Seattle and King County in Washington noted Friday that the Delta variant's prevalence in the US was 1.4% on May 13 when the CDC lifted mask requirements for vaccinated people. Right now, Delta makes up 56% of King County's known infections and the figure is expected to rise. "I know this is frustrating and maybe disappointing to many, it certainly is to me," Dr. Jeffrey Duchin, health officer for the Seattle and King County public health department said Friday. "And I acknowledged that the change in communication," he said, "has been a real problem nationally, but we in public health have an obligation to be realistic about the changing situation and provide the best guidance possible." Officials in St. Louis, Missouri, have gone one step further by instituting an indoor mask mandate at public settings beginning on Monday, joining Los Angeles County as one of the first areas in the country to reinstate such measures. Missouri has one of the highest rates of average new daily cases per capita, according to Johns Hopkins University data. "The new rule will require everyone age five and over, including those who are vaccinated, to wear a mask. Wearing masks outdoors, especially in group settings, will be strongly encouraged," according to a statement from the mayor's office. Exceptions are included for those seated and eating at bars and restaurants. "We've lost more than 500 St. Louisans to Covid-19, and if our region doesn't work together to protect one another, we could see spikes that overwhelm our hospital and public health systems," said Dr. Fredrick Echols, acting director of health for the City of St. Louis. However, Missouri State Attorney General Eric Schmitt said on Friday that he will be going to court to stop the requirement. "The citizens of St. Louis and St. Louis County are not subjects — they are free people. As their Attorney General I'll be filing suit Monday to stop this insanity," Schmitt said in a statement on Twitter. Officials elsewhere are also pushing back against proposed indoor mandates. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey encouraged people in his state to get the vaccine, thanking "the miracle of modern science" but reiterated that he will not allow vaccine or mask mandates. In Texas, Austin Mayor Steve Adler says if he could "order all children and teachers to mask without ending up in court" he "would do it in a heartbeat," as Austin Public Health reported the daily average number of Covid-19 hospitalizations has more than tripled since July 4. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, however, issued an executive order in May prohibiting state governmental entities such as counties from requiring mask-wearing.

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Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Opinion: The two numbers that could get people to take the vaccine

Opinion by
Kate Cohen
Contributing columnist
July 19, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. EDT

Against all reason and morality, a powerful campaign is urging Americans not to get vaccinated against covid-19.
Right-wing voices, from state and national lawmakers to talk-show hosts, are railing against vaccination because (to summarize their thinking, if you can call it that) liberal elites are using a nonexistent disease invented by the Chinese as an excuse to take away our freedom.
I can’t express it better than Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah): “The politicization of vaccination is an outrage and frankly moronic.” But it’s working. A shocking number of people are choosing to reject free and highly effective protection against a disease that has so far killed more than 608,000 Americans.
Even Republicans in Congress are beginning to think we should try to combat this lethal and stupid propaganda. The question is how.

I propose we use numbers. Admittedly, numbers can cloud rather than clarify an argument. These days there are a slew of alarming headlines, such as “Nearly 30 fully vaccinated Louisiana residents have died with covid-19.” Here’s another: “2 vaccinated people in Pima County have died of covid-19.”
You have to read further to see the bigger picture: The rate of covid deaths among vaccinated people barely compares to the exponentially higher rate among unvaccinated people. “These are really pretty fantastic vaccines,” says an epidemiologist quoted by the Boston Globe; the New York City health commissioner calls them “astonishingly effective.”

We’re talking history-making, world-saving efficacy. A new Yale study estimates that, by the end of June, coronavirus vaccines had prevented approximately 279,000 deaths in the United States alone. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that in states with low vaccination rates more than 99 percent of covid-19 deaths over the past six months were among unvaccinated people.

And that, ironically, is why we get news stories such as “Vaccinated CA man gets breakthrough covid case after trip to Las Vegas, spreads to family. ”
Because vaccines work so well, it’s a story when they fail.
Except they’re not failing in any meaningful way; they are succeeding to a spectacular degree. And that’s what we need to be saying, over and over — not just carefully explaining in the fourth paragraph.
I propose a running tally in bold type: covid deaths among unvaccinated vs. vaccinated citizens. Two numbers, side by side. Every newspaper’s front page, every state and federal website, the crawl at the bottom of every cable television news broadcast.
Google can design something cute for its search bar. Facebook owes it to us.
Every day, all day. Two numbers.
We couldn’t do this until now. When I tried to find out how many covid deaths could have been prevented if people just wore masks, the best I could come up with was the public health literature equivalent of “lots.” A study published last October in Nature Medicine hazarded that with masking nearly 130,000 lives could be saved by the spring, but researchers cautioned the model was more a “sophisticated thought experiment” than a prediction, a rough estimate.

But now that we have the vaccine and almost everyone eligible for it can get it, we don’t have to estimate. We can count. And the numbers show the overwhelming odds that a person who dies of covid has not been vaccinated.
As for the minuscule chance that I, as a vaccinated person, could die of covid? That’s because the unvaccinated are choosing to keep the virus alive.
So, let’s make it simple. Let’s ask our best analysts to put out a single set of numbers every day.
The Associated Press, using figures provided by the CDC, found that of the more than 18,000 Americans who died of covid in May, only about 150 were fully vaccinated. That’s 0.8 percent. Between Jan. 21 and July 9, 2,471 Virginians died of covid; 18 of them were vaccinated, or 0.7 percent. Between Jan. 1 and June 30, 37,180 Californians died of covid; about 71 — 0.2 percent — were vaccinated.
Maryland reported that of the 130 Marylanders who died of covid in June, none were vaccinated.
130 vs. 0. I can see it on a billboard now.

[www.washingtonpost.com]

My views on pros and cons of vaccination —

I am a pro-vaxxer if you ask me. Already finished double jab of AZ a while ago. That doesn’t mean I believe in the remedy’s safety 100%. This being rapidly developed and still under an experimental stage, I can’t completely rule out a possibility of an unknown, undesirable hazard surfacing in a long term — it may take years if at all — let alone well-talked about problems of side effects and anaphylaxis. Given this concern, I can’t bring myself to push absolutely everybody, the most skeptical in particular, to get vaccinated.

Thus, my stance towards the vaccine is, as it were, more like a necessary oevil rather than panacea. And, as the informed folks already know, those who are double vaccinated can still catch COVID (the risks of *infection symptomatic disease and hospitalization are considerably lower than the unvaccinated, though — this is the most important point above all else, a definite advantage). People who shout you can do anything once you had two doses, throw away a mask, go outside and do what you want, are simply wrong. I will continue wearing a mask in public transport, shops, cinemas etc, and keep social distancing as much as I can, to protect myself as well as others, until the situations get better enough.

Last but not least; for fear of my conditional evaluation of the treatment being taken as a word from a “devil’s advocate” and benefiting the enemy, I make clear my position once again. I am not an anti-vaxxer — or more precisely, I am a pro-vaxxer with some reservations.

*[Edit 30/70/21: After posting the comment, I learned that the vaccine does not prevent infection, it helps keep illness from getting exacerbated. I corrected the relevant part accordingly.]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-07-30 11:39 by RisingStone.

Many Americans were looking forward to a carefree summer. But Covid measures are creeping back into our reality

Across America, there's a grim sense of déjà vu.

Despite now having a powerful tool to help suppress the spread of coronavirus -- three very effective vaccines -- the nation is once again seeing rising cases, hospitalizations and deaths, driven by and affecting mostly Americans who have not been vaccinated. On Friday, the country's seven-day average was more than 49,300 new cases daily -- more than a 300% increase from a month ago. Hospitals across the US report their beds are filling up with Covid-19 patients who are younger than ever before -- many in their 20s and 30s. The vast majority are unvaccinated. In northern Florida, University of Florida Health Jacksonville reported more Covid-19 patients on Monday than their January peak, when they were treating 125 people. "Cases are exploding in our hospital and in our communities," Chad Neilsen, the hospital's director of infection prevention, told CNN's Alisyn Camerota on Wednesday.

The growing number of infections nationwide is fueled by the dangerous Delta variant -- which is so contagious, one former health official said those not protected will likely get it. That variant already makes up more than 80% of new Covid-19 cases in the US. While many Americans hoped for a carefree summer that finally marked the start of a return to normalcy, the latest surge is quickly shaping a different reality. With vaccinations now at their slowest pace since January and Covid-19 numbers continuing to rise, the country is quickly sliding backwards and measures that many Americans hoped were gone for good are slipping back into our everyday life.

More. > Coronavirus

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Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Here’s a Twitter thread on how social scientists view victims of fraud, in the context of anti-vaxxers:
[twitter.com]

The sooner everyone gets vaccinated, the sooner we’ll be back to a normal life without masks and lockdowns. So tired of all these whining snowflakes.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-07-26 05:35 by Koen.

U.S. will not lift travel restrictions, citing Delta variant -official

Coronavirus

WASHINGTON, July 26 (Reuters) - The United States will not lift any existing travel restrictions "at this point" due to concerns over the highly transmissible COVID-19 Delta variant and the rising number of U.S. coronavirus cases, a White House official told Reuters. The decision, which comes after a senior level White House meeting late Friday, means the long-running travel restrictions that have barred much of the world's population from the United States since 2020 will not be lifted in the short term. "Given where we are today with the Delta variant, the United States will maintain existing travel restrictions at this point," the official told Reuters, citing the spread of the Delta variant in the United States and abroad. "Driven by the Delta variant, cases are rising here at home, particularly among those who are unvaccinated and appear likely continue to increase in the weeks ahead."

The announcement almost certainly dooms any bid by U.S. airlines and the U.S. tourism industry to salvage summer travel by Europeans and others covered by the restrictions. Airlines have heavily lobbied the White House for months to lift the restrictions. The United States currently bars most non-U.S. citizens who within the last 14 days have been in the United Kingdom, the 26 Schengen nations in Europe without border controls, Ireland, China, India, South Africa, Iran and Brazil. The extraordinary U.S. travel restrictions were first imposed on China in January 2020 to address the spread of COVID-19 and other countries have been added since then -- most recently India in early May.

Last week, the U.S. Homeland Security Department said U.S. land borders with Canada and Mexico will remain closed to non-essential travel until at least Aug. 21 -- even as Canada said it would begin allowing in fully vaccinated American tourists starting Aug. 9. Asked on July 15 at a joint appearance with German Chancellor Angela Merkel about when the United States would lift European travel restrictions, Biden said he would "be able to answer that question to you within the next several days — what is likely to happen." read more. Merkel said any decision to lift restrictions "has to be a sustainable decision. It is certainly not sensible to have to take it back after only a few days." Since that press conference, U.S. cases have jumped.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Rochelle Walensky said Thursday the seven-day average of new cases in the United States was up 53% over the previous week. The Delta variant, which was first found in India, now comprises more than 80% of new cases nationwide and has been detected in more than 90 countries. The White House official also cited the fact that last week, the CDC urged Americans to avoid travel to the United Kingdom, given a jump in cases. read more But the official added: "The administration understands the importance of international travel and is united in wanting to reopen international travel in a safe and sustainable manner." The restrictions have brought heavy criticism from people prevented from seeing loved ones. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki on Friday said international travel is "something we would all like to see — not just for tourism, but for families to be reunited." But Psaki added "we rely on public health and medical advice on when we’re going to determine changes to be made."

The Biden administration has refused to offer any metrics that would trigger when it will unwind restrictions and has not disclosed if it will remove restrictions on individual countries or focus on enhancing individual traveler scrutiny. Reuters reported last week the White House was discussing the potential of mandating COVID-19 vaccines for international visitors, but no decisions have been made, the sources said. The Biden administration has also been talking to U.S. airlines in recent weeks about establishing international contact tracing for passengers before lifting travel restrictions. The White House in early June launched interagency working groups with the European Union, Britain, Canada and Mexico to look at how eventually to lift travel and border restrictions. In January, the CDC imposed mandatory COVID-19 testing requirements for nearly all international air travelers.

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Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Glad I live in California rather than the covid red states.

[www.sfgate.com]

California became the first state in the nation Monday to effectively mandate vaccines for state employees by implementing a vaccine verification policy that requires employees of the state to either get vaccinated or wear masks and undergo regular testing for COVID-19.

The Health and Human Services Department is also requiring all health care providers — both public and private — to implement a similar vaccine verification process and is strongly encouraging all other employers across the state to do the same.

No other state has implemented this policy for state employees or health care providers. On Monday, New York City implemented a near-identical policy that would require all municipal employees to either get vaccinated or undergo weekly testing, but the state has not moved forward with such a policy.

"We are encouraging local governments and businesses to do the same," Gov. Gavin Newsom said. "Vaccines are safe — they protect our family, those who truly can’t get vaccinated, our children and our economy. Vaccines are the way we end this pandemic.”

In addition to health care providers, other "high-risk congregate settings" including senior residential facilities, homeless shelters and jails will be subject to the state requirement. The state did not specify how the requirement would enforced.

While some counties in California issued mask recommendations and requirements in July amid an uptick in cases and hospitalizations driven by the delta variant, the state said it's focusing on getting Californians vaccinated.

The state's seven-day daily case rate was 11.2 new cases per 100,000 on Monday, compared with 2.4 new cases per 100,000 on May 25, according to the state dashboard.

The delta variant accounts for more than 80% of cases that are sequenced in the state, officials from the Health and Human Services Department said. The variant is across the state and causing outbreaks mainly among unvaccinated people.

The state's test positivity rate has climbed from 0.07% earlier in the summer to 5.3% this week, and state officials said the case uptick is driven by unvaccinated Californians.

Political posts will be deleted. Anti vaccine campaign and offending posts will be deleted. Feel free to post about the covid-19 situation where you live, but please do not bring any personal campaigns against politics or politicians here.

Bjornulf

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bv
Political posts will be deleted. Anti vaccine campaign and offending posts will be deleted. Feel free to post about the covid-19 situation where you live, but please do not bring any personal campaigns against politics or politicians here.

An article from the NY Times regarding the potential surge of COVID at the southern border of the U.S. is definitely NOT political. It is factual reporting.

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bleedingman

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bv
Political posts will be deleted. Anti vaccine campaign and offending posts will be deleted. Feel free to post about the covid-19 situation where you live, but please do not bring any personal campaigns against politics or politicians here.

An article from the NY Times regarding the potential surge of COVID at the southern border of the U.S. is definitely NOT political. It is factual reporting.

Of course it is political. That is why I deleted it. That NY TIMES article is about migration into USA. There is absolutely no reason for discussing US domestic politics, or US migration politics here on IORR.

Bjornulf

For those who need it.

[www.calhope.org]

The Stones are coming into this?

Rod

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bitusa2012
The Stones are coming into this?

It's a bit of a head scratcher. Some prognosticators are now saying the peak in the latest wave will be reached in a few weeks-not the Fall-modelling after the UK.

I'm not sure how that would work exactly, but good as far as the tour would be concerned if that is the case.

I got my NHS Covid pass in the post this morning, and only took a few days after my on line application.

Thought I would apply for it as you never know when it may be needed at short notice, with government decisions etc.
Gives all the information about the two Astra Zeneca jabs I had in February and April.

So easy on line to apply for a paper copy, but more complicated for digital one where they ask you to take a pic of yourself and also video and saying four differant numbers.
Tried that one as well but so frustrating as I couldn't get it to go through.

Bitusa2012-My question as well right now. I have tix for opening night in St. Louis. Right now St. Louis is a hotbed and mask mandates are back in St. Louis.

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crawdaddy
I got my NHS Covid pass in the post this morning, and only took a few days after my on line application.

Thought I would apply for it as you never know when it may be needed at short notice, with government decisions etc.
Gives all the information about the two Astra Zeneca jabs I had in February and April.

So easy on line to apply for a paper copy, but more complicated for digital one where they ask you to take a pic of yourself and also video and saying four differant numbers.
Tried that one as well but so frustrating as I couldn't get it to go through.

Wow! I didn't know about that. It sounds like something I should be applying for so ta for the heads up. I got my 2 AZ jabs at the start of March and June respectively.

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TumblinDice76
Bitusa2012-My question as well right now. I have tix for opening night in St. Louis. Right now St. Louis is a hotbed and mask mandates are back in St. Louis.

Yeah, as I said IN the tour thread itself, I’ll believe the tour when I see it. Something tells me…

Rod

The US could see 200,000 Covid-19 cases a day within the next six weeks, former CDC director says

Coronavirus

The US could see about four times the current rate of Covid-19 cases in the next four to six weeks as the Delta variant spreads and the population hits a wall on vaccinations, the former CDC director told CNN.
"We're heading into a rough time. It's likely, if our trajectory is similar to that in the United Kingdom, that we could see as many as 200,000 cases a day," Dr. Tom Frieden said, adding the US likely won't see the "horrific death tolls" of earlier in the pandemic thanks to the number of vulnerable people who are vaccinated. But, he said, "You will see a steady increase in deaths, and these are preventable deaths." The last time there were more than 200,000 new US cases in one day was in January, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

The Delta variant is believed to be more transmissible than other strains -- so much so, Frieden said, that it is essentially finding people who are unvaccinated. And much of the country remains unvaccinated, despite incentive programs and urging from health experts. Only 49.1% of the US population is fully vaccinated, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Daily vaccination rates are slowing, with only about two thirds of the eligible population having received at least one dose, the CDC said.Director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania, Dr. Paul Offit, said vaccination rates have hit a wall and that could have serious consequences. "Now we are at a point where there is a solid 25 or 30 percent of the population that's saying they don't want to get vaccinated, that they are okay with allowing this virus to continue to spread, continue to do harm and, worst of all, continue to possibly create variants that are going to be resistant to vaccine-induced immunity," he said. And vaccinated people will likely pay a price for those choices, CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen said. Even though vaccines offer strong protection against the virus, being surrounded by unvaccinated people could lead to infection spillover, and vaccinated people could get sick or pass on the infection to their loved ones, she said. "By people saying 'I'm not going to get vaccinated,' they're actually choosing to endanger everybody else, and they are prolonging the pandemic," Wen said. Despite the risk posed by a large swath of unvaccinated people, Frieden said vaccines are still helping to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic. "For every (case) that ends in death in the coming weeks, there would have been hundreds that end in death if there hadn't been vaccinations," Frieden said.

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Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

I met with a friend who runs vaccine clinics in the Pacific Northwest yesterday who was in town visiting. A couple of interesting tidbits from the discussion that may be useful to those who want to stay safe (amongst the world is round crowd). For those who are immunocompromised or over 65, a booster shot advisory is coming. He is an organ transplant patient and gets a shot every three months. He just had his fourth shot. In both his 3rd and 4th shot they were end of the day using shots that could have been tossed. For anyone in that situation (including Mick, Keith, Charlie and Ronnie) this should be explored a few weeks prior to the tour. Another item his doctors have told him was that all things being equal, someone who survived Covid and is fully vaccinated has the strongest immunity against future infection. Obviously those with the lowest immunity have never had Covid or have had a vaccine. Finally, he believes there should be localized lockdowns to slow the spread of Delta but there is no political will to do that where it is needed most. In some places he expects to see restrictions in the next few weeks. Hope all those who believe the earth is round can stay safe through this next wave and for those who believe the world is flat, go ahead a take a deep breath in the crowds of your fellow mouth breathers. You might learn a thing or two about science.