The US has given up trying to crush the virus because one third of our population won’t or can’t take the vaccine (and by this I include those who even with the vaccine and boosters are still at risk) and there are very very influential “but the economy!” proponents. Biden may be vastly better than Trump was about the virus, but he has also made the devil’s calculation and some people–largely but not only the unvaccinated–will have to pay the price. It’s been really disappointing to see doctors and op-ed writers I admire write things like, “those of us who are responsible deserve a fun spring and summer. Masks off!” Because the virus doesn’t care about what you deserve, and we are months away from a new strain.
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If anyone is keen, I get a regular world wide covid briefing every fortnight which landed in my inbox today. Looks at global rates, vaccination, market insight as well as high frequency data trends to understand impact to mobility etc.
Can’t really share directly here, but if you are keen DM me and I can email. It’s interesting to see a market analysis view of this stuff, rather than the news media spin.
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Sorry, I thought the ‘with Covid’ part regarding hospitals was implied because that’s what we were talking about. I’m aware that, unlike about 13-14 months ago, or even more recently to a lesser extent, Covid is no longer the significant driver in hospital burdens. Our local paper does some updates on I U bed occupancy and the like; undoubtedly less detailed than what you see and hear but still enough to get a general feel for our state’s current medical burden. And I’m fine to mask up whenever needed for Covid, flu, or anything else at certain times if a system like that came down. Heck, we’ll probably do it of our own volition a lot during the winter, we were not ignorant of how we had no illnesses at all for a year and a half (though of course, that’s also because we encountered far, far fewer people). But as much as we did enjoy the fun times we had at home during all those months, it’s also our duty as parents to make sure our kids can socialize and be a part of the world now that it is safe to do so, and quarantining would have no appreciable difference in a society where a significant minority gives the human race the middle finger and spreads the virus with nary a care. Especially since we homeschool, so they don’t have a lot of friends outside of each other.
As for the unvaccinated, I don’t want them to die. Especially this way, which seems to be quite an isolated and painful way to go. I’m simply honoring their choice: by going without the shot, they are saying they don’t really care if the virus kills them or not (or for that matter, if it kills anyone else through them, which is the selfish, me-first part of it that infuriates so much since it lacks any sense of loyalty to community). If they don’t care, figure I shouldn’t either.
@kennfusion Well said about work from home. I am glad my position is supposed to stay hybrid, with a week in the office and a week at home in perpetuity. But Biden saying stupid, pandering junk like that is going to convince a lot of employers to yank these sorts of options (or at least to use his speech as an excuse to do so), which is going to hurt a lot of families for no other reason than to feed the economic beast. It’s pretty cold and heartless, all things considered. And also aggressively dumb; WAH appeals to people regardless of political affiliation. That corporate money isn’t going to buy the votes he probably lost for going out of his way to attack something with universal appeal. I mean, geez, why not badmouth Tom Hanks too if you’re committed to being deliberately self-destructive?
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Both parts of this strike me as troubling reasoning. If I spread Covid during a period in which the hospitals are at capacity, it isn’t only the unvaccinated who suffer, so your original indifference to the fate of the unvaccinated (or respect for their choice, as you put it) would be inadequate to justify indifference to the fate of everyone else who needs hospital care. That was the point I was making about why hospital utilization matters to my choices—even if I were willing to respect the choices of the unvaxxed in your sense, I couldn’t be indifferent to the collateral damage. And even if most of the people in the hospital aren’t in the hospital because of covid, it does not follow that covid isn’t the reason hospitals are stressed. If you take a system with 5% excess capacity and add 10% demand for a while, that both clearly is the reason you’re over capacity despite being a minority of the demand, and also degrades future capacity by increasing burnout.
All of which makes it sound like I disagree with you completely, and I just wanted to note that, while I’m nitpicking bits I disagree with, that’s only because I think everything else you’re saying is basically right. We do have a duty to balance safety and development, and I’m happy to have my kids do social things in person and eat out myself right now. Still haven’t gotten together unmasked with friends, but the school just went masks-optional, so we’ll see if there’s a bump in absences for a week or so, and if it seems to be under control, I think even that would be okay. So I don’t disapprove of the balance you’re striking or anything.
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The mystery deepens. Will we ever find out why so many people are getting long covid?
Weird. Maybe it wasn’t “just the flu” after all
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I hope one day in the far future humankind has solved this, the universe’s hardest conundrum.
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Well, after 2.5 years, I caught it. Most probably at the Munich Oktoberfest so, you know, kind of only myself to blame. I did have an extra booster a month ago but that clearly didn’t help.
The interesting thing is that I felt crap two days after the Fest, but self-tests then and the next day were negative, so I just thought I had a shitty cold. I tested on day 3 just to be sure and got a positive line so dark that the control line was barely visible. Retested in case it was a bad test, nope. I went to the doctor for my PCR test and sick note, and she said they’re seeing a lot occurrences of self-tests staying negative until well after symptoms have started.
Anyway,official day 2 of quarantine is at an end. Nothing especially unpleasant, just a truly annoying sore throat and fatigue. Getting a lot of reading done, which is nice at least.
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Sorry to hear that.
So far, I think I’ve avoided getting it at SHUX last weekend. I’ve already had it once and scheduled for my second booster next Friday so hoping I don’t get it before then.
That is one advantage, though. You feel crappy, but it makes you stop and just be: either read, watch TV shows you haven’t watched yet, or whatever. If I get it again, I’ll probably play a lot of video games.
When I’m not sleeping.
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Hope the symptoms don’t get any worse and you feel better soon.
I have no idea how my wife and I have avoided getting COVID at this point … all three kids got it last winter and one son got it a second time over the summer, and we’re both around college students all the time, but so far we’ve been lucky.
I’ve got my second booster scheduled today along with my flu shot because I’m a glutton for punishment.
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I was supposed to get my 2nd booster and flu shot yesterday, but my 10 yo has Covid. My wife and I both are still negative thankfully.
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And we can build this dream together
Standing strong forever
Nothing’s gonna stop us now
And if this world runs out of lovers
We’ll still have each other
Nothing’s gonna stop us
Nothing’s gonna stop us now
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Amazed it took so long, but I finally got COVID—tested positive this morning. The odd thing is my son and wife had similar symptoms but tested negative multiple times.
Called the doc to see if I’m eligible for an antiviral and was told, “You actually sound pretty good.” They’ve had a bunch of people test positive recently and my bad cold-like symptoms aren’t too severe, thank goodness.
So I’m thankful it’s not too bad and also thankful I have a finished basement to isolate in. Who knows, maybe I’ll get through some of my gaming backlog while I recover. (It’s much more likely I use this flimsy excuse to buy more new games to play.)
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Friend died of covid. Funeral. My ex, as it was a mutual friend of ours, did not turn up, and messaged me specifically to say she did not turn up because I attended.
Friend died of cancer. Funeral coming up shortly.
Both of them were younger than I.
I have a stinking cold. I’m drinking too much. My sleep cycle is shot. My diet is crap. Having a whale of a time, other than that.
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Support from across the pond.
Add to your list of woes that that show was cancelled.
(Assuming I don’t need the proverbial internet disclaimer on this site)
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@OhBollox I’m very sorry for your losses–that’s awful. Sending more virtual support your way.
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Sorry for your losses, @OhBollox and sending you warm wishes from the Rocky Mountains, where it is snowing. Hope you get over your cold soon.
Your ex was being a jerk, btw. It’s one thing not to go, but another to message you like that at a vulnerable time. Though I always used to feel a sort of badge of honor when people don’t go to things because I was going to be there. That never happens now, because I’m old and soft and have small kids, so I have to behave. At least you aren’t in that category.
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This is where the „like“ button is wholly inadequate and we need a crap, that sounds awful, sometimes life and people are just shit, button. Courage, mon brave.
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When saddened or frustrated by major events over the past few years, I’ve been trying to focus on smaller things over which I can have more control. It doesn’t mean I’m successful, but at least I’m channeling my failures into less important stuff. Which is just to say that the greatest wisdom I have to offer is that there doesn’t seem to be very good wisdom available, so if failing to find a shortcut to perfection is no evidence of a personal flaw.
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