COVID-19 News and Discussions

[wjfox]

California Issues New Guidance on Quarantine and Isolation for Healthcare Workers

Updated on January 9, 2022 at 3:42 pm

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued new guidance on COVID-19 isolation and testing for healthcare workers

Healthcare workers who are exposed to COVID-19 and are asymptomatic may return to work immediately without quarantining and testing, and those who test positive and are asymptomatic may return to work immediately without isolation and without testing.

Both groups will be required to wear an N-95 mask and avoid other healthcare workers when possible.

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/ ... s/2834540/

[caltrek]

Hospitalizations of Kids Under Five Increase as Omicron Rages
by Ali Breland
January 8, 2022

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/20 ... ron-rages/

Introduction:

(Mother Jones) A record number of children are being hospitalized as the Omicron variant of Covid rages, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky said on Friday.

“While children still have the lowest rate of hospitalization of any group, pediatric hospitalizations are at the highest rate compared to any prior point in the pandemic,” Walensky said, previewing CDC data. “Sadly, we are seeing the rates of hospitalization increasing for children 0 to 4, children who are not yet currently eligible for COVID-19 vaccination.”

The rate of hospitalizations for children under 5 is 4.3 cases per 100,000 cases, four times as high for kids between 5 and 17 years old. Prior to mid-December the hospitalization rate had been 2.5 cases per 100,000.

Currently, 5-17-year-olds are eligible to receive the vaccine, but children under 5 are not. According to Walensky, CDC data shows that children 5 and older who are unvaccinated are being hospitalized at higher rates than those that are vaccinated.

Though evidence suggests that the Omicron variant may cause milder illness compared to previous strains, its rapid transmissibility has led to high numbers of hospitalizations overall. Hospitalizations are up in 46 states, for an average increase of 40 percent from last week. On average, unvaccinated individuals are 17 times as likely to be hospitalized as those that are.

[Xyls]

This data on kids has been there since November, there are no excuses why these politicians didn't see it coming...

[Xyls]

A nice opinion piece outlining why Biden is a flop, hate to say it but I think Trump managed COVID better LOL.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/ ... 138541002/

[Yuli Ban]

UNBELIEVABLE!
BEYOND BELIEF!!

And boy do I mean it
Pun partially intended!


Read the whole thread!

TLDR: all those right-wingers who fanatically hopped onto the ivermectin train are basically taking a trans/femininizng chemical cocktail

Becoming trans/nonbinary to own the libs

spironolactone and finasteride are medications that assist in the suppression of testosterone.

I heard this conspiracy theory that Qanon was a big psyop to undermine the right, and the GOP's utterly insane reaction to COVID was actually a covert attempt to neutralize them. Needless to say, I'm starting to believe it a tiny bit.

[Nanotechandmorefuture]

UNBELIEVABLE!
BEYOND BELIEF!!

And boy do I mean it
Pun partially intended!


Read the whole thread!

TLDR: all those right-wingers who fanatically hopped onto the ivermectin train are basically taking a trans/femininizng chemical cocktail

Becoming trans/nonbinary to own the libs

spironolactone and finasteride are medications that assist in the suppression of testosterone.

I heard this conspiracy theory that Qanon was a big psyop to undermine the right, and the GOP's utterly insane reaction to COVID was actually a covert attempt to neutralize them. Needless to say, I'm starting to believe it a tiny bit.

Well the GOP HATES their constituents as it is so this would not be out of character. That is no hyperbole to type up either! Something this messed up would be in character for those types lol.

[Yuli Ban]

[R8Z]

I got Covid this new year's eve, unfortunately effectively locking me down at home from the 29th until this weekend.

In light of sharing my experience with the fellow forum users, here was my journey through COVID while being unvaccinated (by choice, as you are already aware). To the despair of a few users that wish death upon the non-jabbed: I didn't die.

For context: I am a white male in my late 20s, I am slightly overweight and have a mildly high blood pressure (unfortunately genetic, but I am looking into getting this controlled this year via exercise... hopefully). So, not very healthy guy, average office working dude with a belly.

Probable contagion
1st-2nd day

No symptoms that I was able to notice during these days. I've most certainly got covid via my wife as she had a close contact with someone infected. She has been asymptomatic since the start (she has had 2 pfizer jabs and already got covid, so that's probably why).

Viral replication days
3rd-6th day

In my first day having symptoms I started feeling a weird body sensation (nausea like) and started having light symptoms of fever. By the end of the 1st day of symtopms I was feeling exausted for no apparent reason and slept on the couch. When I woke up I was hot but not in a fever state. I took a flu pill (paracetamol) and went to bed, unfortunately into some bad night of sleep. The next day I couldn't do anything useful, had a mild fever which I treated again with paracetamol pill if it got worse. It never fully got into the dangerous-hot fever level. This next night I had a bad night of sleep but woke up slightly refreshed the next day as the fever-like symptoms were gone. On this day (third day of symptoms) I decided to test for covid, so I left my home (1st time since I fell ill) and got a simple farmacy test. The test was very certain that I had a high viral load and it was obvious it was not a simple flu due to the symptoms.

Now, I think, this where it gets interesting for the international crowd: I was asked if I wanted the standard care package they provide here for treatment (they call it kit-covid), and the pharmacy provided it without a medical appointment (although they recommended it). It is very interesting as this is not at all what we hear from the outside for you all folks, as these are only given in case of a severe case already in progress. Anyway, here's what the kit contained:

5 pills Azytromicin, 1/p day (to prevent any opportunistic bacterial infection)
10 pills Dexamethasone, 2/p day (preventive anti-inflamatory drug, to avoid developing any severe symtoms related to inflammation)
3 pills Ivermectin, single dose calc. via body weight (supposedly it blocks binding pathways the virus would, I am skeptical of the drug, but as it has nil side effects and getting rid of worms is also a benefit I took it anyway)
A pack of dipirone if the fever came back - I never took it

Total cost: negligible, I think around $15

inflammation days
6th-12th day

The same day I went to the pharmacy (6th since contagion, 3rd since symptoms) my throat started to feel uncomfortable. It wasn't filled with plaque but just hurting in a weird way. This continued for at least five days, getting better when I would take the dex pill and slightly worse when the effects were weaving off. Other than that I was timely checking my oxygen levels and my breathing patterns to check if I had any issue. Luckily nothing actually happened during these days and I slowly recovered. I've acquired an annoying dry cough during these days. I didn't have fever since the second day of symtops so I have only effectively had fever symtopms for 1.5 days, while I was not aware I had covid. Additionally, to report: I have had a new test (pharmacy test) on the 11th day since contagion and it came back still positive (although a very faint line on the test). I wanted to verify if I would be able to leave home or if I was still contagious.

Post covid days
13th-16th day (now)

Other than feeling slightly tired due to the disease, nothing really happened and I feel that I am in route for a full recovery. By now (the 16th day since contagion) I am already feeling completely healthy, with the sole exception of the dry cough which still hasn't gone away.

That's it. I thought I had already had covid in early 2020 and wouldn't get back again, but unfortunately tests weren't widespread at that time and I never actually tested so I will never know if I got it twice or if this was my first time with Covid.

All in all I was much more afraid that it deemed necessary as the disease itself, on me, was quite mild. My biggest fear was the the brain damage due to the spikes on the blood-brain barrier but it never materialized (yeah, the same thing that makes me uncomfortable to take mrna vaccines if they mistakenly get into the bloodstream). I had some periods of brain fog but it was most certainly the anxiety antecipating that something would happen, lmao. Now, brain-wise, I am very fine, in fact feeling even better than before Christmas.

In hindsight, the anti-inflammatory drug was probably overkill as it was the most demanding on my organs (I could feel it), but I would probably take it again if the same situation happened, but maybe in a lesser dose.

I didn't celebrate the new year's eve but I am looking forward to a bright 2022.

[wjfox]

[wjfox]

'Half of Europe' to be infected with Omicron within weeks - WHO

12 minutes ago

The World Health Organization has warned that half of Europe will have been infected with the Omicron variant of Covid-19 within six to eight weeks.

Dr Hans Kluge said a "west-to-east tidal wave" of Omicron was sweeping across the region, on top of the surge of the Delta variant already present.

The projection was based on the seven million new cases reported across Europe in the first week of 2022.

The number of infections has more than doubled in a two-week period.

"Today the Omicron variant represents a new west-to-east tidal wave, sweeping across the region on top of the Delta surge that all countries were managing until late 2021," Dr Kluge told a news conference.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59948920

[wjfox]

[caltrek]

Prominent QAnon Anti-vaxxer Who Called for Anthony Fauci’s Execution Dies of COVID-19
by Alex Henderson
January 10, 2022

https://www.alternet.org/2022/01/anti-vaxxers/

Introduction:

(Alternet) QAnon supporter Cirsten Weldon was among the far-right anti-vaxxers and coronavirus truthers who railed against COVID-19 vaccines in 2021 — and on Thursday, January 6, according to the Daily Beast — she died of COVID-19.

Weldon, who called for Dr. Anthony Fauci — President Joe Biden’s top White House medical adviser — to be executed, was known for posting videos of herself berating people who were waiting in line to get vaccinated for COVID-19. Weldon falsely claimed that COVID-19 vaccines were dangerous, and she said that Fauci “needs to be hung from a rope.”

The Daily Beast’s Will Sommer reports, “Cirsten Weldon had amassed tens of thousands of followers across right-wing social media networks by promoting the pro-Trump QAnon conspiracy under the screenname CirstenW.’ She was prominent enough to become a sort of QAnon interpreter for comedian conspiracy theorist Roseanne Barr and started recording videos about QAnon with her.”

caltrek's comment: I can't help but feeling sorry for such people. Yes, she died in part due to her own stupidity, but I have to wonder how she came to such stupid conclusions in the first place. Folks involved in encouraging the right-wing propaganda machine ought to be ashamed. That is, those who don't themselves fall victim to Covid.

[caltrek]

Wearable Air Sampler Assesses Personal Exposure to SARS-CoV-2
January 11, 2022

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/939550

Introduction:

(American Chemical Society via EurekAlert) Masks, social distancing, proper hygiene and ventilation can help reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in public places, but even with these measures, scientists have detected airborne SARS-CoV-2 in indoor settings. Now, researchers reporting in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology Letters have developed a passive air sampler clip that can help assess personal exposure to SARS-CoV-2, which could be especially helpful for workers in high-risk settings, such as restaurants or health care facilities.

COVID-19 is primarily transmitted through the inhalation of virus-laden aerosols and respiratory droplets that infected individuals expel by coughing, sneezing, speaking or breathing. Researchers have used active air sampling devices to detect airborne SARS-CoV-2 in indoor settings; however, these monitors are typically large, expensive, non-portable and require electricity. To better understand personal exposures to the virus, Krystal Pollitt and colleagues wanted to develop a small, lightweight, inexpensive and wearable device that doesn’t require a power source.

The researchers developed a wearable passive air sampler, known as the Fresh Air Clip, that continually adsorbs virus-laden aerosols on a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surface. The team tested the air sampler in a rotating drum in which they generated aerosols containing a surrogate virus, a bacteriophage with similar properties to SARS-CoV-2. They detected virus on the PDMS sampler using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), showing that the device could be used to reliably estimate airborne virus concentrations. Then, the researchers distributed Fresh Air Clips to 62 volunteers, who wore the monitors for five days. PCR analysis of the clips detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA in five of the clips: Four were worn by restaurant servers and one by a homeless shelter staff person. The highest viral loads (more than 100 RNA copies per clip) were detected in two badges from restaurant servers. Although the Fresh Air Clip has not yet been commercialized, these results indicate that it could serve as a semiquantitative screening tool for assessing personal exposure to SARS-CoV-2, as well as help identify high-risk areas for indoor exposure, the researchers say.

The authors acknowledge funding from the National Science Foundation and the Rothberg Fund.

A wearable air sampler clip can monitor personal exposure to SARS-CoV-2.
Credit: Adapted from Environmental Science & Technology Letters 2022, DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00877 (Image may only be used with credit shown.)

[weatheriscool]

U.S. Reports Record 1.3M Covid Cases In A Day As Hospitalizations Soar
Source: NBC News/MSN

(2 hrs ago). The United States reported 1.34 million Covid cases on Monday, according to an NBC News tally, with the daily case rate shattering global records as hospitalizations soared across the country. At least 1,343,167 new Covid infections were identified on Monday, according to an NBC News' tally, sweeping past the previous record of 1,044,970 cases that had been set on Jan. 3.

Daily case counts are typically high on Mondays due to many states not reporting over the weekend. However, the number still suggests a dramatic rise in cases in the U.S. as the highly transmissible omicron variant continues to spread. It also represents the highest daily total recorded for any country in the world, according to Reuters, with the U.S. recording a total of 61,490,917 cases since the Covid-19 pandemic began as of Monday, according to NBC News' data.

The seven-day average for cases in the U.S. also reached its highest point yet on Monday, hitting an average of 740,594 cases per day, with 24 states reporting their highest 7-day average of all time. The record-high numbers came as Covid hospitalizations in the U.S. also soared, with the seven-day average for hospitalizations reaching 135,574 on Monday, up 83.1 percent in the last two weeks.

The surge in hospitalizations has been particularly noticeable in some Midwestern and mid-Atlantic states, according to an NBC News analysis of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Covid hospitalizations data. As of Monday, Washington, D.C.’s population-adjusted rate was the highest in the nation, followed by Ohio, New Jersey and New York’s...

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us-re ... ar-AASF4vp

[weatheriscool]

US Coronavirus: Covid-19 Hospitalizations In The US Reach Levels Not Seen Since Last Winter's Surge
Source: CNN/MSN

(22 mins. ago).

The spread of the Omicron variant is causing widespread disruption across the US as hospitalizations reach a level not seen since the 2020-21 holiday surge. More than 141,000 Americans were hospitalized with Covid-19 as of Monday, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services, nearing the record of 142,246 hospitalizations on January 14, 2021.

The burden is straining health care networks as hospitals juggle staffing issues caused by the increased demand coupled with employees, who are at a higher risk of infection, having to isolate and recover after testing positive. In Virginia, Gov. Ralph Northam declared a limited state of emergency Monday as the number of ICU hospitalizations more than doubled since December 1.

The order allows hospitals to expand bed capacity and give more flexibility in staffing, he said, adding that it also expands the use of telehealth as well as expands which medical professionals can give vaccines. In Texas, at least 2,700 medical staffers are being hired, trained and deployed to assist with the surge, joining more than 1,300 personnel already sent across the state, the Texas Department of State Health Services said in a statement to CNN.

Kentucky has mobilized the National Guard to provide support, with 445 members sent to 30 health care facilities, the state announced. "Omicron continues to burn through the commonwealth, growing at levels we have never seen before. Omicron is significantly more contagious than even the Delta variant," said Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, noting the earlier variant that spurred a surge of cases in the summer and fall months...

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us-co ... =windirect

[weatheriscool]

United CEO says 3,000 positive for COVID but no deaths among the vaccinated
Source: Reuters

January 11, 2022
10:03 AM EST
Last Updated 3 hours ago

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON, Jan 11 (Reuters) - United Airlines Chief Executive Scott Kirby said on Tuesday that the company had about 3,000 employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 but its vaccinated employees had neither died nor recently been hospitalized with the disease.

Chicago-based United was the first U.S. carrier to mandate vaccines for its employees in order to facilitate travel and flight operations. Airlines have cancelled thousands of flights since late December, when the surge in Omicron cases and winter weather began impacting schedules.

Kirby said in a memo Tuesday that "since our vaccine policy went into effect, the hospitalization rate among our employees has been 100x lower than the general population in the U.S."

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/business/aerosp ... 022-01-11/

[Ken_J]

how long before the yearly shot is no longer covered, and it becomes an out of pocket expense. The US government has already started relying heavily on people paying 40$ for testing at home to see if you have it, and not providing unemployement or quarantine for employees (resulting in many who can't afford to miss work to come in sick and spread it).

[andmar74]

Here in Denmark, 3 experts are saying that herd immunity will be reached within weeks. It's a combination of natural immunity and boosters. From there it's essentially over. We get the omicron tailored vaccine in march so we can boost with that later on. A new variant can kill this, of course.
I know it's a lot worse in the US, where the vaccine rate is much lower.

[Xyls]

^ Lol? Is this like the last 300 times they claimed that we were approaching natural herd immunity? I will take that claim with an EXTREME grain of salt.

[andmar74]

Yes I know, but 80% of the population has 2 jabs, 54% 3 jabs, and a lot of people are getting omicron infected, so it seems plausible.