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grzegorz67

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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.

I sent for a hard copy of my COVID pass a few days ago as well - just to have as back-up and for places that insist on a hard copy. You can also download a PDF copy or get an offline copy by email via the NHS app.

Here's the link for the hard copy application:

[www.nhs.uk]

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daspyknows
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.

And then there's the Columbia variant which is now being detected in Florida:

Colombian COVID variant already spreading in South Florida
International travel to Miami makes us a gateway for new strains

Columbia

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – The Colombian variant may sound like the next concern in the COVID-19 crisis, but in South Florida, it’s already here. Carlos Migoya, CEO of Jackson Health, revealed that now 10% of COVID-positive patients whose results are being sequenced at the University of Miami’s pathology lab have a strain that originated out of Colombia. “And here’s a real shocking thing that’s spreading in Colombia quite a bit,” Migoya told Local 10 News. “And they haven’t seen it anywhere else outside of Colombia. Well, guess what? In the last week, 10% of our patients had the Colombian variant. Why? Because of the travel between Colombia and Miami.”

That sequencing lab reports the following percentages of variant cases among COVID positives:

Delta 49%
Brazilian 26%
Colombian 10%

What’s colloquially being called the Colombian variant is officially the B.1.621 variant. It has not yet been given a Greek name by the World Health Organization (like the Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma). The Delta variant that’s spreading the fastest accounted for just 2% of the cases just two months ago. The unvaccinated are hosting the mutating variants that are rapidly spreading in our community. “The more people we leave unprotected from vaccines, the more opportunities there are for variants to emerge,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, a Johns Hopkins epidemiologist. Local 10 News spoke to several travelers Monday at Miami International Airport. Most seemed unconcerned. “We are not afraid of it,” said Johanna Castillo, who arrived from Colombia. “We are already vaccinated.”

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

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daspyknows
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.

Thanks daspyknows. I was going to be even more cynical, but out of respect for bv I didn't
Let me put it this way ... Biden will be looking forward to the next elections with many covidiots gone by then.
I and many look forward to a booster (third) shot, because it would make us feel even more comfortable among the 30% or so covidiots anywhere around the world.
Today we watched CNN and looked and listed with amazement to the mother who told that she went to the vaccination centre right after she had buried he covidiot son (age 34?), who died of ... corona! When will they ever learn, when will the eeeever learn ???
Take care!

I'm a GHOST living in a ghost town

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georgie48

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daspyknows
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.

Thanks daspyknows. I was going to be even more cynical, but out of respect for bv I didn't
Let me put it this way ... Biden will be looking forward to the next elections with many covidiots gone by then.
I and many look forward to a booster (third) shot, because it would make us feel even more comfortable among the 30% or so covidiots anywhere around the world.
Today we watched CNN and looked and listed with amazement to the mother who told that she went to the vaccination centre right after she had buried he covidiot son (age 34?), who died of ... corona! When will they ever learn, when will the eeeever learn ???
Take care!

Well of course you nailed it right there Georgie. Some people only learn going through it first hand. So it'll take the death or near death of a loved one for it to sink in and the 'understanding' finally take hold.

But even then there'll still be a few that say, "don't believe yer lyin' eyes"!

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treaclefingers

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georgie48

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daspyknows
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.

Thanks daspyknows. I was going to be even more cynical, but out of respect for bv I didn't
Let me put it this way ... Biden will be looking forward to the next elections with many covidiots gone by then.
I and many look forward to a booster (third) shot, because it would make us feel even more comfortable among the 30% or so covidiots anywhere around the world.
Today we watched CNN and looked and listed with amazement to the mother who told that she went to the vaccination centre right after she had buried he covidiot son (age 34?), who died of ... corona! When will they ever learn, when will the eeeever learn ???
Take care!

Well of course you nailed it right there Georgie. Some people only learn going through it first hand. So it'll take the death or near death of a loved one for it to sink in and the 'understanding' finally take hold.

But even then there'll still be a few that say, "don't believe yer lyin' eyes"!

Bingo, you win. That's what it takes. I had my experience in March 2020 and learned quickly this virus is the real deal. Those who don't learn are the Darwin award winners.

What a circle jerk of back patting, nauseous is the only thing I can say. If you don't agree you are out.

Speaking of Darwin award candidates, here is one. He is the Jim Jones of 2021. Might I suggest his flock of lemmings sing loudly and breathe deeply.


Evangelical pastor demands churchgoers ditch their masks: 'Don't believe this delta variant nonsense'

[www.sfgate.com]

Since the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, Greg Locke, the pastor at a Nashville-area church, has repeatedly called covid a hoax, undermined emergency mandates and refused to comply with guidance from public health officials.

This week, Locke took his defiance a step further, making a sharp warning regarding mask-wearing.

If "you start showing up [with] all these masks and all this nonsense, I will ask you to leave," Locke, 45, told scores of Global Vision Bible Church parishioners during his sermon on Sunday. His statement was followed by cheers and applause.

"I am not playing these Democrat games up in this church," he added.

Global Vision Bible Church did not immediately respond to The Washington Post's request for comment.

Locke's fiery five-minute diatribe, in which he also denied the existence of the delta variant, comes as vaccination rates in his home state slow and infection rates climb. So far, about 44 percent of Tennesseans have received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to The Post's vaccine tracker, making it among the states with the lowest rate. The state recently reported that 98 percent of people who died of covid and 97 percent of covid hospitalizations are among the unvaccinated.

The vaccine rollout in Tennessee made national headlines after the controversial firing of the state's top immunization official, Michelle Fiscus, on July 12. Fiscus's firing was the casualty of the Tennessee Department of Health's campaign to encourage teenagers to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. The effort attracted ire from Republican state lawmakers.

In an interview with WTVF on Monday, Fiscus said Tenn. Gov. Bill Lee (R) consistently resisted the state's promotion of the vaccine.

"I feel like the [health] department was gagged," she said.

Locke's evangelical church in Mt. Juliet, Tenn., about 20 miles east of downtown Nashville, has grown during the pandemic, CNN reported. The pastor's controversial commentary on covid and the 2020 presidential election has attracted far-right churchgoers.

During a sermon last month, Locke called President Biden a fraud and "a sex trafficking, demon-possessed mongrel," a reference to QAnon, an extremist ideology based on false claims.

He has also falsely claimed that the pandemic is "fake," that the death count is "manipulated" and that the vaccine is a "dangerous scam."

And the pastor has preached misinformation about the vaccine, including falsely claiming that it's made of "aborted fetal tissue."

During a sermon in May, Locke told churchgoers that he wasn't getting the vaccine and would refuse to promote it.

"I discourage everybody under this tent to get it," he said, according to CNN.

Locke has also openly defied the state's emergency mandates. In July 2020, he posted on Facebook that the church was remaining open and that people did not have to wear masks or social distance.

"I don't care if they send the military, they roll up in there with tanks . . . ladies and gentleman, we are staying open," he said, according to Newsweek. "We are packed to capacity. You ain't gotta wear a mask."

Strutting back and forth on a stage beneath a sprawling red-and-white striped circus tent on Sunday, Locke launched into yet another impassioned monologue. This time, he warned churchgoers to not wear masks and railed against the possibility of more shutdowns.

"They will be serving Frostys in hell before we shut this place down, just because a buck wild, demon-possessed government tells us to," Locke said, referencing the frozen dessert from Wendy's.

"Don't believe this delta variant nonsense," he continued. "Stop it!"

He advised parishioners who are looking for services with social distancing "don't come to this one" and chastised other churches for following public health advisories and abstaining from certain rituals as cases rise.

"A bunch of pastors talking about how much they want to see people heal, and they're afraid to baptize people because of a delta variant - I'm sick of it," Locke said. "I ain't playing these stupid games."

Toward the end of his rant, Locke made one final warning.

"I'm going to be a problem moving forward," he said. "I'm not giving in to this mess."

Demonstrating once again how incredibly stupid and evil religion can be.

Nate

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skytrench
What a circle jerk of back patting, nauseous is the only thing I can say. If you don't agree you are out.

Some people believe in science and math, others believe imaginary voices in their heads.

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daspyknows
Some people believe in science and math, others believe imaginary voices in their heads.

That's very true indeed, but beside the point.

CDC reverses course on indoor masks in some parts of US

By MIKE STOBBE
July 27, 2021

[apnews.com]

It’s a crazy world we live in when believing in modern medicine and science is deemed too “political” Heaven help us.

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mnewman505
It’s a crazy world we live in when believing in modern medicine and science is deemed too “political” Heaven help us.

I don't know what this world is coming to anymore. When my daughter was little vaccinations were mandatory in order for her to go to school and very few people complained. The older I get the crazier it's becoming out there, I don't understand for the life of me why people would deliberately want to endanger others including members of their own families even over moronic political views! Go get the damn shots and let's all move on with life!

Lose your dreams and you will lose your mind...

Why Vaccinated People Are Getting ‘Breakthrough’ Infections


As science writer Apoorva Mandavilli outlines in The New York Times, breakthrough infections happen for a number of reasons, and the Delta variant is making them more likely mostly because it’s just so much more infectious. Delta is two times as transmissible as original strains of COVID, and people who are infected have 1000 times more virus in their body.

That means that when a vaccinated person is exposed to Delta, their body has a much bigger job ahead to fight off the virus. Their immune system is primed to do so because of the vaccine—it’s just a tougher job, and the virus is more able to take hold.

As Mandavilli explains, “A vaccinated person exposed to a low dose of the coronavirus may never become infected, or not noticeably so. A vaccinated person exposed to extremely high viral loads of the Delta variant is more likely to find his or her immune defenses overwhelmed.”


[www.yahoo.com]

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bleedingman
Why Vaccinated People Are Getting ‘Breakthrough’ Infections


As science writer Apoorva Mandavilli outlines in The New York Times, breakthrough infections happen for a number of reasons, and the Delta variant is making them more likely mostly because it’s just so much more infectious. Delta is two times as transmissible as original strains of COVID, and people who are infected have 1000 times more virus in their body.

That means that when a vaccinated person is exposed to Delta, their body has a much bigger job ahead to fight off the virus. Their immune system is primed to do so because of the vaccine—it’s just a tougher job, and the virus is more able to take hold.

As Mandavilli explains, “A vaccinated person exposed to a low dose of the coronavirus may never become infected, or not noticeably so. A vaccinated person exposed to extremely high viral loads of the Delta variant is more likely to find his or her immune defenses overwhelmed.”


[www.yahoo.com]

Thanks...that actually makes quite a bit of sense bleedingman

CDC: The coronavirus could be 'just a few mutations' away from evading vaccines

Mutation

The coronavirus could be just a few mutations away from evading existing COVID-19 vaccines, according to the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "These vaccines operate really well in protecting us from severe disease and death, but the big concern is that the next variant that might emerge - just a few mutations potentially away - could potentially evade our vaccines," CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a Tuesday press briefing. She added, though that "right now, fortunately we are not there," since current COVID-19 vaccines "operate really well in protecting us from severe disease and death."

Coronavirus cases, fueled by the highly transmissible Delta variant, have been surging in the US and across the globe - largely among those who are unvaccinated. In the last month, the US's seven-day average of new daily cases has quintupled: from 11,887 on June 26 to 56,635 on Monday. The CDC announced Tuesday that people infected with Delta - vaccinated or unvaccinated - have higher viral loads (meaning they carry greater amounts of virus) compared to other versions of coronavirus. That means even vaccinated people could pass the virus along to others similarly to how unvaccinated people do.

All viruses change over time as they replicate inside an infected host. So countless versions of the coronavirus are circulating, each separated by a handful of tiny changes in its genetic code. Many of these have no real public-health impact, but the more people a virus infects, the more chances it has to mutate into a new, dangerous variant. "The biggest concern at the moment is just the sheer number of people that have the virus and therefore the sheer number of variants that are being generated," Andrew Read, who studies the evolution of infectious diseases at Pennsylvania State University, previously told Insider. "Some of those might be the jackpot which are even fitter than Delta."

No coronavirus variant spotted so far is more concerning than Delta, which was first identified in India this winter. World Health Organization officials recently called Delta the "fittest" variant to date, since it spreads more easily and may lead to more severe cases and an increased risk of hospitalization than other variants like Alpha, the variant discovered in the UK. What's more, emerging research indicates that a single vaccine dose doesn't hold up as well against Delta as it does against other coronavirus strains. Recent Public Health England analyses found that two doses of Pfizer's vaccine were 88% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 from Delta, while a single shot was just 33% effective. That's compared to 95% efficacy against the original strain, with 52% after one shot.

Even though Delta is already the most transmissible variant, Read said it could still acquire combinations of mutations that make it even better at spreading - what he called a "Delta-plus" variant. It's also possible that two separate variants - Delta and Alpha, for instance - could combine their mutations to produce an even more infectious strain. The reason a future variant could evade vaccines is that the shots all target the coronavirus' spike protein, the sharp, crown-like bumps on the surface of the virus that help it invade our cells. If multiple, game-changing mutations alter characteristics of that protein, the antibodies induced by the vaccines might not be able to recognize or properly fight the new variant. Virologists call variations of a virus that slip past the immune defenses we've built "escape mutants." If the virus continues to spread and mutate rapidly, such escape mutants could be around the corner, Ravindra Gupta, a microbiology professor at the University of Cambridge, previously told Insider. "Full vaccine escape viruses, we're not necessarily that far away from them," he said.

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

THE AUSTRALIAN ---- 28 July 2021



ROCKMAN

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Rockman


THE AUSTRALIAN ---- 28 July 2021

Yes, it’s certainly promising. So far, so good, regarding the lifting of restrictions here in England. I’ve stopped masking-up on empty, or near-empty carriages, but still wear the covering when the commute is busy; out of courtesy, if anything else.

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Big Al

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Rockman


THE AUSTRALIAN ---- 28 July 2021

Yes, it’s certainly promising. So far, so good, regarding the lifting of restrictions here in England. I’ve stopped masking-up on empty, or near-empty carriages, but still wear the covering when the commute is busy; out of courtesy, if anything else.

Bear in mind that the impact on new infections of full reopening will not be seen in the figures until next week due to delayed reaction. It could prove to be a false dawn but hopefully not. Though new cases are falling, 6,000 and rising are now in hospital with deaths rising too but nowhere near the January peak when 40,000 were in hospital (whole UK, not just England).

THE AUSTRALIAN --- 29 July 2021



ROCKMAN

Washington Nationals see 4 players, 8 staffers test positive for COVID-19; game at Phillies postponed

Major League Baseball USA

PHILADELPHIA -- Four Washington Nationals players and eight staffers have tested positive for COVID-19, forcing Major League Baseball to postpone their game against the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night. The postponement came one day after Nationals All-Star shortstop Trea Turner exited the game against Philadelphia in the first inning following his positive test for the virus. Washington manager Dave Martinez said Turner was among four players who tested positive. He didn't identify the others. Martinez also said he believes one of the 12 people who tested positive is unvaccinated. Sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan that a number of the breakthrough cases came from those given the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The Nationals-Phillies matchup was scheduled to be made up as part of a straight doubleheader on Thursday starting at 12:05 p.m. ET.

This was the ninth MLB game called off this year because of coronavirus concerns. The Nationals had their season-opening series at home against the New York Mets called off because of virus issues. MLB announced the Nationals-Phillies postponement about 90 minutes before the game was set to begin at Citizens Bank Park, and said the time would allow for "continued testing and contact tracing involving members of the Nationals organization.'' There were 45 MLB games postponed because of the virus last year during the pandemic-shortened season. All but two of them were eventually made up.

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

A Grateful Spread I Mean Shred concert was a super shredder I mean spreader event

Grateful Dead cover band concert in Santa Cruz County may have sparked COVID-19 outbreak

A Grateful Dead cover band's shows in Santa Cruz County may have resulted in a COVID-19 outbreak, infecting all its members and much of the crew present.

The Los Angeles-based band Grateful Shred played two shows last weekend at the Felton Music Hall in Felton, a small town in Santa Cruz County.

Shortly after the show, the band shared on Instagram that "nearly all of the band and crew" have tested positive and are recovering at home. It wasn't clear how many members were fully vaccinated, though their post implied many or all were.

"If you were at any of these events, please get a test and if you're feeling sick, stay home," wrote the band in the Instagram post Sunday. "Apparently the vaccine does not prevent transmission. But fortunately, it does seem to really help in reducing sickness and preventing hospitalization."

Fans in the Instagram comments section, riffing off the band's name, called it the "Grateful Spread."

KGO reports that at least four other people in attendance have tested positive at the show, as well as one Felton Music Hall employee.

The venue has since postponed shows scheduled for this weekend and is mandating negative COVID-19 tests for all employees. It is also instating a mask mandate for all concertgoers following this outbreak.

A spokesperson for Santa Cruz County did not immediately respond to a request for comment from SFGATE.

The group had a show scheduled for Oct. 9 at Berkeley's UC Theatre. It is unclear whether its future shows will be postponed.

New CDC mask guidance confuses and frustrates some Americans as delta variant surges

Coronavirus

They thought the worst of the coronavirus pandemic was behind them. Vaccines were here, the masks could come off. A summer slowly returning to normal seemed within reach. Then came the hyper-transmissible delta variant — and with it, this week, a call from health officials for everyone to start masking up indoors again in places where viral transmission is high. Across the country, people said they felt whiplashed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation that even vaccinated people should resume wearing face coverings indoors under specific circumstances. The frustration felt by some Americans at the changing guidance comes as officials try to persuade a pandemic-weary public to again embrace health measures many believed no longer applied. “I feel like the government keeps changing what they want us to do,” said Aubrey Garner, who lives in Conroe, Tex., and owns a residential cleaning service. “I’m not sure they know what the answer is to covid.” At stake in the renewed push for masking is whether the country can control the spread of the delta variant, which is driving up infections nationwide and threatening to reverse hard-fought gains against the pandemic. New cases in the United States have risen 63 percent in the past week, spiking in Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas, where vaccination rates are low. Hospitalizations rose more than 40 percent in the same period, according to tracking by The Washington Post. The rapidly spreading variant could also jeopardize the U.S. economy’s fragile recovery, pushing some companies to reexamine whether to bring workers back into offices this fall. On Wednesday, some said they were struggling just to wrap their heads around the CDC’s message. Susan Schmaeling, who owns a public relations company and lives in Houston, said she rejoiced when she got the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine in March. Now, she doesn’t know what to think. “I’m vaccinated and I’m supposed to put a mask on to be in a bookstore or wherever? What is the CDC telling us now, that the vaccines don’t work?” she said. “I haven’t had covid and I don’t want to have covid, so I’ll wear a mask. But it’s absurd.”

Experts have warned for weeks that a broad return to masking may be necessary to rein in the delta variant, which CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said is “one of the most infectious respiratory viruses we know of.” Facing a spike in cases, Los Angeles County became the first major metropolitan area to reinstate indoor mask requirements when officials brought back the rules in mid-July. St. Louis followed suit last week, while Kansas City, Mo., and Savannah, Ga., reinstated their mask mandates after the CDC’s announcement. Other cities and states are holding off for now, instead issuing voluntary recommendations. “We need to wear masks indoors to control the spread of the variant,” Scott Ratzan, a public health expert at the City University of New York, said in an email. “As masking recommendations do not seem to work as well as mask mandates, the cities (and county in L.A.) are making the prudent decision to reinstate mandates ASAP.” But the shifting advice from federal health officials may have hindered some of those efforts, Ratzan added. “Unfortunately, the CDC has fumbled on the masking communication — from messaging to the policy recommendations,” he said. “This has made it a challenge for health officials and policymakers to get people to remask — or make it a norm to mask while the coronavirus delta variant (and likely other variants) continue to spread.” Walensky acknowledged this week that the decision to issue the new guidance was a painstaking one. Barely two months had passed since the agency said vaccinated individuals did not need to wear masks in most settings. But with the delta variant raging, the new guidance was necessary, she said. “It is not a welcome piece of news that masking is going to be a part of people’s lives who have already been vaccinated,” Walensky said. “This new guidance weighs heavily on me.” While the vaccinations are highly effective at preventing severe illness and death, vaccinated people can still contract the coronavirus in what is known as a breakthrough infection. Walensky said people who have these infections from the delta variant might have as much viral load as an unvaccinated person, suggesting they may be able to spread it to others. You got a coronavirus vaccine. But you still became infected. How did that happen?

In Nevada, Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) brought back the state’s mandate just hours after the announcement from the CDC. Starting Friday, the state will require face coverings be worn indoors in public in counties with “substantial or high transmission.” Twelve of Nevada’s 17 counties — including Clark, home to Las Vegas — fit that criteria, the state said. The Nevada Gaming Control Board reinforced the new mandate, telling casinos and other businesses it issues licenses to in a notice that it would “continue to ensure that best practices are used in the mitigation of COVID-19.” The board reminded casinos and other licensees that they were required to have signs about where masks need to be worn. In compliance with the mandate, MGM Resorts, the largest casino operator on the Las Vegas Strip, said it would require “all guests and visitors” to wear masks indoors in public areas starting Friday, a spokesman said in an email. MGM requires its employees to be vaccinated or be tested regularly, the spokesman said. Workers in Las Vegas and throughout Clark County had already been required to wear masks. The county enacted a mandate earlier this month that excluded patrons. The decision irked Amy Boike, 44, of Lakeville, Minn., who said she had been planning to travel to Las Vegas at the end of August for a concert. Now, she said, she is considering canceling her trip. “What’s the point of the vaccine if we still have to wear a mask?” said Boike, who said she had been vaccinated. “I don’t want to wear a mask the whole time I am there,” she said in a text message. “I don’t want to spend all that money for a trip and then have to suffer through a mask.”

There is widespread agreement among infectious-disease experts that masking slows the spread of the virus by stopping droplets carrying virus particles from traveling through the air and infecting others. It is especially important indoors, where poor ventilation and gathering in close quarters can facilitate the spread of the virus. “Masks are the best policy we have in the face of covid,” said Julia Raifman, a health policy expert at Boston University. “No one wants to close businesses or schools this fall.” But significant segments of the public remain skeptical. In Miami-Dade County, where the mayor on Wednesday revived indoor mask requirements at county facilities, Natalia Gonzalez, 28, said she does not think the mandate should extend to restaurants, bars and stores. “It’s unnecessary,” she said. “I think it should be a personal choice.” Rasheed Powell, who works at a Miami pop-art store, said he recently stopped wearing his mask at work. Now he is waiting to see whether his bosses require them again. But even in light of the delta variant, he is tiring of what he said were mixed signals from officials. “When I heard about the delta strain, it didn’t shake me up any more than other news about covid,” said Powell, 36. “I feel they are fearmongering us all the time. It’s like they want to push an agenda.” Polling shows mask-wearing fell sharply after the CDC eased its guidance in May and vaccine became widely available to the general public. An Axios-Ipsos poll conducted in mid-July found that about 27 percent of adults reported wearing a mask at all times while indoors at public places. That was similar to the roughly 27 percent who gave the same response in late June but down from 41 percent in early June and 51 percent in late May. Nearly half said they wore masks sometimes.

In Los Angeles, the first major metropolitan area to bring back its indoor mask mandate, Bellanira Reyes said she does not like wearing face coverings but will follow the guidelines if it means keeping people safe. She is aware of the threat from the delta variant and worries about the virus spiking again. “It’s uncomfortable, the mask, really uncomfortable. But it’s something that protects us,” said the 34-year-old mother of three. “I don’t want to wear it, especially when it’s too hot, but it’s okay.” Marcus Chavez, 24, of Los Angeles said he, too, intends to follow the rules. He is fully vaccinated, he said, but he understands the risks in crowded places. “I’m not one to tell people what to do,” he said, “but I strongly suggest it so, just from a scientific point of view.” Salt Lake City lifted its mask mandate for vaccinated people in May. As parents dropped their children off at a bustling summer day camp at Sugar House Park on Wednesday morning, few wore masks while they streamed in and out. Megan McGee, 34, said she is strongly against the CDC’s new guidance on wearing masks indoors in public spaces, even though she said covid-19 made her the sickest she’s ever been. McGee said she is not vaccinated. “People don’t know who to listen to or what’s good information,” said McGee, a special-education teacher. Luther Creed, 72, was one of the few people who wore a mask as he brought his grandson to camp. A retired physician, Creed said he worries about the virus continuing to mutate and believes wearing a mask is critical — including this winter. He said that the CDC has bungled its messaging around vaccinations. But the mind-set of putting personal freedom ahead of the greater good will have consequences, the retired physician said. “It’s all about ‘me.’ It’s not about protecting your neighbor or your family members,” he said. “We’re going to pay a price.”

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



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-07-29 07:48 by Hairball.

Things changing quickly in Louisiana. No word yet on Jazz Fest being sidelined but three venues are now requiring vax proof or a 3 day old test.

It's probably gonna get much uglier. Hopefully intelligence prevails but that's asking for a lot for Louisiana. New Orleans... not really. But one never knows.

Quote
GasLightStreet
Things changing quickly in Louisiana. No word yet on Jazz Fest being sidelined but three venues are now requiring vax proof or a 3 day old test.

It's probably gonna get much uglier. Hopefully intelligence prevails but that's asking for a lot for Louisiana. New Orleans... not really. But one never knows.

I really hope more require vaccination or negative tests and masks. Not foolproof but might help by keeping the covidiots out.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-07-29 07:58 by daspyknows.

Rapper Dess Dior tests positive for COVID-19 after Rolling Loud show, tells fans to get tested

Dior shared on social media that she had been ill with symptoms the day she was scheduled to perform at the three-day event.

Coronavirus

Rapper Dess Dior confirmed that she tested positive for coronavirus just days after performing at the Rolling Loud Festival in Miami, Florida, where at least 80,000 people were in attendance. The open-air festival was the first of its kind in the U.S. to host so many people and performers since the coronavirus pandemic began in early 2020. Hopeful that many attendees had been vaccinated against the virus that has killed more than 600,000 Americans, the event went on. Dior shared on social media that she had been ill with symptoms on July 22, the day she was scheduled to perform at the three-day event. “I’m sick af (sad emoji) in soooooo much pain rn,” she wrote on Twitter at the time. She later confirmed that she tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, tweeting, “Update: I tested positive for Covid & everybody who’s been in contact with me should go get tested asap.”

According to a report from People Magazine, it’s unclear if Rolling Loud tested performers for COVID-19 ahead of their sets. Due to local laws in Florida enacted by the state’s governor, Ron DeSantis, proof of vaccinations were not required to enter the festival, and masks were also not mandated. Rolling Loud posted an addendum on their website, writing, “However, we encourage all attendees to wear masks, as not wearing masks consistently and correctly, can increase risk of being infected with COVID-19.”

Dior is a 23-year-old Savannah, Georgia native and rapper who has been linked romantically to Future. She started rapping at the age of 12 and has built her career largely off YouTube videos. Her biggest single, “Bandz,” was released in 2019. The rapper began trending on Twitter after announcing her diagnosis, with one fan writing, “Dess Dior aint the only person at Rolling Loud who caught that sh*t mfkas was calling my homeboy last night saying they got it too. Miami is currently at a 97% CRITICAL infection rate we tried to warn yall.” According to the New York Times, Miami-Dade County has seen over 527,000 coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic and more than 6,400 deaths. The post Dess Dior tests positive for COVID-19 after Rolling Loud show, tells fans to get tested appeared first on TheGrio.

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

July 28, 2021

Summer Tour Begins Tonight — Please Read!

This summer tour has been a long time coming, and everyone is thrilled to finally kick it off tonight!

As excited as we are to be back on tour, the world is not yet back to normal. If you’re coming out to a show this summer, it goes without saying that with the recent rise of coronavirus infections nationwide, a good measure of caution and common sense will go a long way towards keeping everyone as safe and healthy as possible.

As we’ve said, the best thing you can possibly do before coming to a show is to GET VACCINATED! Furthermore, as social distancing is not possible inside the venues, we highly recommend wearing a mask at these outdoor shows when closer than 6 feet to others, regardless of whether or not you’re vaccinated. Being vaccinated AND wearing a mask at these shows is the best way you can show love and respect for our incredible community.

While venues will have quantities of free masks available at every show (for tonight’s show, there are masks available at the medical station inside the main gate), please be sure to bring your own. Please check with venue websites before you head to the shows to see what containers are permissible to bring in; many venues have adopted a clear bags policy in an effort to minimize contact upon entry.

We ask that you please DO NOT COME to the show if you have tested positive or been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 14 days, or are experiencing symptoms of the virus.

Thanks for keeping these precautions in mind — we’re all in this together. It takes each one of us to make sure that we can all continue to see live music safely.

[phish.com]

Quote
bye bye johnny
July 28, 2021

Summer Tour Begins Tonight — Please Read!

This summer tour has been a long time coming, and everyone is thrilled to finally kick it off tonight!

As excited as we are to be back on tour, the world is not yet back to normal. If you’re coming out to a show this summer, it goes without saying that with the recent rise of coronavirus infections nationwide, a good measure of caution and common sense will go a long way towards keeping everyone as safe and healthy as possible.

As we’ve said, the best thing you can possibly do before coming to a show is to GET VACCINATED! Furthermore, as social distancing is not possible inside the venues, we highly recommend wearing a mask at these outdoor shows when closer than 6 feet to others, regardless of whether or not you’re vaccinated. Being vaccinated AND wearing a mask at these shows is the best way you can show love and respect for our incredible community.

While venues will have quantities of free masks available at every show (for tonight’s show, there are masks available at the medical station inside the main gate), please be sure to bring your own. Please check with venue websites before you head to the shows to see what containers are permissible to bring in; many venues have adopted a clear bags policy in an effort to minimize contact upon entry.

We ask that you please DO NOT COME to the show if you have tested positive or been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 14 days, or are experiencing symptoms of the virus.

Thanks for keeping these precautions in mind — we’re all in this together. It takes each one of us to make sure that we can all continue to see live music safely.

[phish.com]

Beautiful words!
Looking at what recently happened in the Nethetlands, the opening of (outdoor) shows resulted in an explosion of infections. The Dutch CDC (GGD/RIVM) checked on one of those events and found out that around 35% of the visitors already were infected with covid while at the venue !!! Masks? A few. Follow up of infections ... sky rocketing!
We're all in it together, but covidiots are all around and so ... ? No surprise really.

I'm a GHOST living in a ghost town

Masks at concerts almost as ridiculous as the two people I saw in the street last night trying to kiss each other with masks on.

Nate



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-07-29 16:22 by Nate.

Quote
Nate
Masks at concerts almost as ridiculous as the two people I saw in the street last night trying to kiss each other with masks on.

Nate

Why, unless maybe you're the singer?