Coronavirus

[KiwiMoose]

We have them here in NZ too. I understand if there are valid health reasons for not wearing them, but those are few and far between. As a glasses-wearer I hate wearing a mask but of course I do, foggy glasses and all ( yes I’ve tried all the tips for non-fogged glasses and they don’t work).
I think those that simply just refuse to wear them because of ‘rights’ are uneducated and have no consideration for others.

 

[Relle]

A couple of weeks ago there were non mask wearers here protesting in the city. Idiots, is all I can say. Masks are compulsory here or you get fined. When it starts to hurt the hip pocket, that's when they comply.

 

[LynetteO]

Unfortunately, in NZ, because we are fairly on top of the virus as a nation, this also meant that we were late to roll out the vaccinations (not being as urgent as in other countries). The vaccinations for the general public (once the border staff and frontline workers had been done) only started a couple of months ago - starting with the over 65s, then the over 60s, then the over 55s...you get the picture. We had just got down to the over 50s when this outbreak struck. So only 19% of the population is fully vaccinated, with approx 33% of people having had only the one dose so far.

I am going to be watching 4 & reading all you posts about your C-19 situation. I live in US, work at an elementary school, in the office but have to “nurse” the children which qualified me to get my C-19 2 shot series in April. I’m back to work already but kids not due until 9/2. Hospitals everywhere are filling up again & everything is OPEN. Oy Vey!

On top of that heard rumor that C-19 may only be good for 5 months. Hope that’s a myth because April-Aug & do t qualifiy for3rd booster that is now being offered.

Our CDC (U.S.) is recommending a 3rd shot, 8 months after the 2nd shot. It is believed necessary in order to keep immunity stronger in light of the Delta variant.
I hope we'll get over our political and "rights" issues regarding face masks soon. I sure would feel safer if all those that can, would wear face masks in public places. Based on what health experts currently know that would still help to cut down on the spread of disease. I am really concerned for young children going back to school. Thank goodness in Virginia primary and secondary schools masks will be mandatory for all students and staff this fall and probably through the entire school year.

Do folks in other countries have such strong opposition to wearing face masks for protection or is it a U.S. thing?

Glad to hear 8 months. I’d heard 5 which is what I’m at now. Work in elem school office as secretary but fill as needed for sick children.

 

[Nona'sFarm]

Glad to hear 8 months. I’d heard 5 which is what I’m at now. Work in elem school office as secretary but fill as needed for sick children.

I believe if you are immuno - compromised (is this a word?), it is sooner. I believe the priority is going to roll out as before: elderly, health care workers, school personnel, etc. will be given first priority. I think the supply will be provided by the federal government and the distribution handled by the state health departments; so priorities may differ depending on your locality.

And I am so grateful to be in a location in the world where we have this choice/possibility - availability of the covid vaccine. The U.S. has donated and will continue to donate many doses to other countries, but we still have a long way to go to get to global herd immunity.

 

[TheGecko]

I'm in Oregon (USA). We're back to a mask mandate. I never really stopped wearing my mask or physically distancing myself from others. Partly because I chose to not get vaccinated, partly because I'm not stupid...I knew the vaccine wasn't the "end-all, be-all" that the governments and medical field was touting. Not in the first place, and not in the second place. And now, not even eight months later, a third vaccination is being recommended...because, you know...the Delta variant.

Along with the mask mandate, the governor has now mandated that all workers in the healthcare and education MUST be vaccinated...excepting child care and colleges/universities (that may change). If you still 'refuse' to get vaccinated, you will be find and mostly likely won't be able to apply for unemployment. And most likely won't be able to get any state or federal aid.

Additionally, there had been heavy pressure placed on large employers to have a similar mandate...get vaccinated or get fired. A friend works at FaceBook and has already been threatened...even though she documentation from two of her doctors that she should NOT be vaccinated.

While I might not be the brightest crayon in God's box, I have a lot of common sense and my nose works well (you can smell the male bovine excrement).

Common sense say there was simply no way the vaccine was going to work; not enough time to properly study this new virus much less make a vaccine that would actually protect against it. And then you have the fact that viruses mutate...it's why the "flu" vaccine gets tweaked every year. So while the "flu" vaccine was tweaked for Covid-19, it has NOT been so for Covid-19 Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Eta, Iota, Kappa, Lambda, Epsilon, Zeta, Theta, R.1, Lineage B.1.1207, Lineage B.1.320 and so on and so forth. Again...not enough time to study the mutation, must less create a vaccine.

The simple fact is...vaccinated people are still getting sick. While the government and media is blaming the unvaccinated, common sense says the numbers when up AFTER the mask mandate and physical distancing rules were lifted. And given the 'blame game' going around...I simply don't trust them when they report that the unvaccinated are sicker than the vaccinated. I mean, it wasn't even two months ago that they claimed that only the unvaccinated were getting sick and then they come up with "breakthrough" cases to explain why vaccinated people were ending up in the hospital.

Yesterday I had to get a Covid test because of potential exposure. The FNP (family nurse practitioner) was friendly enough to give me the good news, but that all changed when when he asked me if I was vaccinated? No I'm not. Would I like to get the vaccine today? No thank you. Why not? Personal choice. At that point, he shoved my paperwork at me and abruptly left the room. Yes, I am filing a complaint.

I don't know how it is in other countries, but things are not good here (USA); we are a nation divided...not just against our government, but among the people and Covid is tearing us further apart. You have masked folks attacking folks without masks. You have folks who don't want to wear masks, attacking folks who ask them to wear them. Companies are going to be allowed to fire unvaccinated folks, or treat them like leapers if they can't be vaccinated or chose not to be vaccinated, or charge a financial penalty. And while it may be a stretch, I thought the preceding was a stretch too, how long before we are required to show proof of vaccine before obtaining services and goods? Like flying to see your kids or grandkids? Don't scoff. Though it has been extended, we already need to have a Real ID (enhanced DL) or passport to fly within the country. Whose to say that by the end of the year, you will need to show your 'papers' before you can get on a city bus to go to work? Or that you need to have a leaky pipe fixed or your furnace serviced or get your oil changed, but have to show proof of vaccination first. Or you won't be allowed to enter a grocery store with it? Seems rather dystopian, but look at where we are today.

 

[TheGecko]

I believe the priority is going to roll out as before: elderly, health care workers, school personnel, etc. will be given first priority.

They said that with the first round, but it isn't what happened. Just like before, folks high in the government, along with folks who have money and fame will get theirs first. The elderly and the poor will be last.

 

[rdc1978]

I believe vaccinated people still account for a very small number of cases. Even with the delta variant, and an even smaller number of hospitalizations.

People have pointed to this small city in Maine? I think to show that vaccination doesn't help transmission. But I think that data has been mischaracterized.

Basically a very small town hosts a "bear week" where gay men have a week of.....socializing. The town population swells to about 60k. And a lot of these are gay men who are maybe there to meet other gay men for the week. This isn't some like political convention and it's not comic con. It's a place where people from around the country go to meet a type of gay man they find attractive.

Given its a small town and a lot of people and probably quite a bit of... intimate socializing in very tight, enclosed spaces its a dream situation for transmission of an airborne virus with asymptotic spread.

The big news, to me, is that out of like 60,000 mostly vaccinated people only 578 even tested positive for the virus.

That's like .78% transmission. Had this been an unvaccinated population I think the transmission rate would have been much, much, much higher. So that suggests to me that the vaccine is effective.

However it served as the basis for rethinking mask guidance for the vaccinated indoors.

While vaccinated people carry as much viral load as the unvaccinated for the delta variant, in the first and original iteration vaccinated people, even in breakthrough cases had less viral load.

And even with the delta variant, I believe that the tcell response has still been very good amongst the vaccinated, which IIRC means less time sick because the tcell response destroys the infected cells.

I think that had we gotten to 70+% vaccination early on we may have achieved herd immunity and wouldn't have needed a booster. Early testing seemed to, and still does show a degree of vaccine protection against the delta variant. But for those who are not vaccinated its maybe a bit more of an issue.

I can provide linked cites to everything except my last point. I had a discussion about this a week or two ago and had to show my work. If anyone wants to see them I can dig them up.

@TheGecko. I have also heard type of mask matters. I know you're not getting vaccinated so I wanted to bring this to you attention so you're as safe as possible

 

[paradisi]

Stats in my state show vaccinated account for about 0.4% of infections.

And we're in the midst of a terrible surge, a woman with a hobo spider bite had to have her foot amputated this week because *the unvaccinated* have filled all local and regional hospitals and she wasn't able to get transferred from her tiny overloaded hospital to the regional ...overloaded.. hospital for critical care.
By the time there was a spot for her, all they could do was amputate her foot.

Yes vaccines work. And they free up medical care for others.

Telling yourself they don't really work as an excuse to not get vaccinated is too bad not just for you, but for everyone around you.

If unvaccinated were on their own planet, and not consuming all medical resources *for everyone*, that would be different.... but in the reality we have, the unvaccinated by choice are choosing to endanger everyone else.

 

[Relle]

What's the full vaccination rate there Relle?

As of yesterday the rate is 30.1% fully vaccinated and 53.6% have had the 1st dose.

We are now in lockdown until the end of Sept. The hotspot areas (not us) have a curfew starting Monday from 9pm - 5am, exercise for 1 hr a day only and masks outside if not exercising.

Gov. looking into a vaccine passport added on to QR codes for logging into venues. As far as flying etc, looks like we will need a vaccine passport for that too, which is no different than when years ago you were flying O/S and had to have typhoid/cholera and smallpox vaccinations.

 

[Relle]

KiwiMoose, noticed your delta variant cases are now up to 11. We started with 1 and look at us now, all because of 1 person and it was brought into the country via a cabin crew.

 

[lenarenee]

They said that with the first round, but it isn't what happened. Just like before, folks high in the government, along with folks who have money and fame will get theirs first. The elderly and the poor will be last.

Really? I’m surprised. Was this the case in Oregon? like most people with friends and relatives all over the US, no one had any difficulties getting a timely shot when they were eligible. Our county nursing homes were done within days of eligibility.…state and private.

I heard scuttlebutt out of Florida that preferential treatment was given to leaders and families before they were eligible, but I didn’t bother to verify.

Now, it was difficult for the non computer skilled elderly in our church to schedule shots, because the pharmacies and county services posted appointment times online which were quickly taken as people like me could and would check several times daily. But that’s when doctors, pharmacies, county services, volunteers, etc. started helping.

 

[lenarenee]

As of yesterday the rate is 30.1% fully vaccinated and 53.6% have had the 1st dose.

We are now in lockdown until the end of Sept. The hotspot areas (not us) have a curfew starting Monday from 9pm - 5am, exercise for 1 hr a day only and masks outside if not exercising.

Gov. looking into a vaccine passport added on to QR codes for logging into venues. As far as flying etc, looks like we will need a vaccine passport for that too, which is no different than when years ago you were flying O/S and had to have typhoid/cholera and smallpox vaccinations.

I was just curious about what parameters were causing lockdowns in different places, and what that might mean for my area.

 

[KiwiMoose]

KiwiMoose, noticed your delta variant cases are now up to 11. We started with 1 and look at us now, all because of 1 person and it was brought into the country via a cabin crew.

Keep up! LOL. We are now at 51. They are expecting a rapid increase from now, and have extended the Level 4 (maximum) national lockdown until Tuesday evening for reassessment. At that stage it is likely that they will continue at level four in the two main cities, Auckland and Wellington, as that is where the current cases are. But who knows what tomorrow will bring? The 'places of interest' include many pubs and nightclubs in Auckland - so it's more the demographic that will encourage the spread ( ie young folk that like to go out to heavily populated drinking venues). They've also got a few Auckland university students in there who were attending lectures before knowing they had it.

 

[rdc1978]

Really? I’m surprised. Was this the case in Oregon? like most people with friends and relatives all over the US, no one had any difficulties getting a timely shot when they were eligible. Our county nursing homes were done within days of eligibility.…state and private.

I heard scuttlebutt out of Florida that preferential treatment was given to leaders and families before they were eligible, but I didn’t bother to verify.

Now, it was difficult for the non computer skilled elderly in our church to schedule shots, because the pharmacies and county services posted appointment times online which were quickly taken as people like me could and would check several times daily. But that’s when doctors, pharmacies, county services, volunteers, etc. started helping.

I'll never forget watching an interview with a doctor at an inner city hospital in a poor, undeserved area when the vaccine first came out and hospitals got doses.

In what have been the most judicious way possible, he talked about how he had never seen so many Mercedes, BMW, Teslas, Aston Martin's and Bentleys in the parking lot before.

Turns out all the rich hospital board members had were getting vaccinated first.

But to your point, once it was my turn (March 15) I got a vaccination appointment the same day.

 

[lenarenee]

I'll never forget watching an interview with a doctor at an inner city hospital in a poor, undeserved area when the vaccine first came out and hospitals got doses.

In what have been the most judicious way possible, he talked about how he had never seen so many Mercedes, BMW, Teslas, Aston Martin's and Bentleys in the parking lot before.

Turns out all the rich hospital board members had were getting vaccinated first.

But to your point, once it was my turn (March 15) I got a vaccination appointment the same day.

Hmmm. Interesting. That's a much smaller population than I was imagining from reading Gecko's post. I was thinking thousands or tens of thousands of entitled people jumping the line. Situations like hospital board members misusing their jobs are smaller, less obvious to the general public.

 

[Relle]

Keep up! LOL. We are now at 51. They are expecting a rapid increase from now, and have extended the Level 4 (maximum) national lockdown until Tuesday evening for reassessment. At that stage it is likely that they will continue at level four in the two main cities, Auckland and Wellington, as that is where the current cases are. But who knows what tomorrow will bring? The 'places of interest' include many pubs and nightclubs in Auckland - so it's more the demographic that will encourage the spread ( ie young folk that like to go out to heavily populated drinking venues). They've also got a few Auckland university students in there who were attending lectures before knowing they had it.

OK, behind with the numbers, don't say Oz doesn't give you anything, it came from us. Nothing like that open here, all pubs, clubs etc. closed. There is no elective surgery, closed all breast screens ( stupid they did that ),as from Monday, all bunnings (oh no) and plant nurseries closed ( what will we do -lol). I need to get some tomato plants to put in for summer. Spotlight and Lincraft closed ( don't need any wool - hehe). I don't think we have levels. One good thing it's going to be 25 C here Sunday and 27 C Monday. Yeah. Another thing good about covid, no sales people knocking on the door. Woohoo.

 

[KiwiMoose]

OK, behind with the numbers, don't say Oz doesn't give you anything, it came from us. Nothing like that open here, all pubs, clubs etc. closed. There is no elective surgery, closed all breast screens ( stupid they did that ),as from Monday, all bunnings (oh no) and plant nurseries closed ( what will we do -lol). I need to get some tomato plants to put in for summer. Spotlight and Lincraft closed ( don't need any wool - hehe). I don't think we have levels. One good thing it's going to be 25 C here Sunday and 27 C Monday. Yeah. Another thing good about covid, no sales people knocking on the door. Woohoo.

Yes it's been traced back to the NSW outbreak> We should never have increased our bubble but the Govt had pressure put on them.

 

[Tara_H]

Just had lunch in a public café! Probably the first time since Covid began! We had to show proof of full immunization at the door and all the things were individually wrapped, but other than that, fairly normal. The more strange thing was being in town at all, that hasn't been an option an awful lot for a while...

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I had to go to the grocery store late afternoon yesterday. I estimated that 2/3 of the people did not have a mask on. Ugh. I go to my office and don’t worry about it because everyone I work with is vaccinated and overall our satellite campus is now at >90% vaccinated. We may even be at >95%, but we’re back to wearing masks unless we‘re in our offices alone. Based on state guidance to the universities and our own public health team, our chief operating officer is telling us that, with masks up for all, there is very minimal risk of getting infected even when interacting with someone who is carrying the virus. Following the public health guidance very, very closely has made all the difference. Through all of the pandemic, there have been no documented cases of on-campus transmission among 400 people, even when individuals have been infected off-campus and then come to campus where they potentially exposed others before they realized they were infected. Our campus community is about 30-35% 21-35 year olds - graduate level science students, research technicians and junior level scientists. If anything, they’ve been some of the most careful.

 

[DKing]

I only wish we had low numbers like NZ! Our health region is not doing too well, and I am pretty sure our city is the epicenter of Canada's current covid cases. The central Okanagan, where I, and @Misschief live, had 922 cases from Aug 8 to the 14th, and numbers have only risen from there but I don't have the stats on those right now to be accurate. It is a little nerve wracking to be honest. It is driven mostly by the younger generation who have not been vaccinated but come to our town to party. We are a tourist destination and the news of our high rates has not been keeping people away, even though we are also dealing with multiple forest fires in surrounding areas, so on top of the virus, we have had to deal with some of the worst air quality in the world over the past month and a bit.
Our son, who lives with us, works in healthcare and is in a care home where there is a current outbreak, although he works on a different floor from where it currently is. Who says it will stay on that floor? We know multiple people now who have had the Delta variant (under 35 ages) and they have said it was either the worst virus they have ever dealt with or it felt like a regular flu....most said the worst flu they have ever had though. I do not want to get this as I have had a couple really bad flus in my life and I do not want a repeat, plus being in the 50+ age catagory makes me feel a little more vulnerable. So far my husband and I have only had one dose of the vaccine but will be eligible for our second one shortly which will hopefully make me feel a little more protected. My husband is regularly having to go to the hospital as his dad is in there in pretty bad condition (elderly with dementia and a bad gastric bleed) and our hospital is loaded with covid cases so just being there is risky imo. I will be happy when this situation is over! The only good thing about this virus has been that it has made us assess our lives more and we decided it was foolish to keep saving for retirement since there are no guarantees we will get there. So we bought a new boat, a new to us truck and camper and we are planning to do way more camping and exploring once we are able. I will be so grateful when (if) life gets to return to a more normal state.