I don't think people who didn't get the vaccine are idiots. I got the vaccine even before my age group because there were spots available and the shots would have gone to waste. But, I think it has to be extreme situations to force someone to take a drug or vaccine without their approval. I know a person in my immediate family that got the vaccine and within a week they were dealing with high/low blood pressure and AFIB when they never had those issues before (and still dealing with it 10 months later). I think it is too much of a coincidence (J&J by the way). The media downplays the incidents as rare but look at J&J's vaccine and now how a year later they want to pull the J&J vaccine. So people are idiots because they don't want to take a vaccine that they don't trust or they don't think is worth their risk, but 10 months later they are told not to take the J&J vaccine?
For me, personally, I thought the vaccine was worth the risk and it was the price of admission for a lot of events. But I don't blame anyone for looking at the facts (death rate is not high for those under 65) and they want to roll the dice. Yes, there are idiots out there who think there is a computer chip in the vaccine, but there are also people out there who do their research and come to their own conclusion on what is best for them personally. It is ludicrous to think that a vaccine is safe for all and there is no risk. There are a lot of people out there with a lot of conditions that doctor's can't explain or mitigate, and no reason to believe that the vaccine won't impact someone in an unexpected way.
I'm not sure how getting the vaccine is "rolling the dice". I would say not getting the vaccine is more like pulling the trigger with the Russian roulette revolver pointed at your head. I'm not saying people should be forced to get vaccinated, just smart enough to do it on their own.
So you’re against vaccine mandates ?
That is a very difficult question. First of all, it bugs the crap out of me that it should even come down to mandates. If everyone got vaccinated, we could get past this thing. On the other hand, where do you stop with mandates? What if the government said we all had to have chips inserted under our skin? Would I be OK with that? Heck no. So yeah, I'd have to say I'm against mandating the vaccine. But if anyone wants to see me and is not vaccinated, I will tell them, "Sorry, go away". I'm definitely in favor of putting social pressure on people to vaccinate. Getting vaccinated is the right thing to do.
I agree. I was for the mandates for city and government workers here in NYC because technically, they are your boss. But this latest round of mandates here feels like our PoS Mayor is overstepping. Anyone who works anywhere has to be vaccinated and children 5-11 must be vaccinated to go to restaurant , movie theaters. I think that’s ridiculous.
Yeah, and unfortunately, when mandates become too widespread, they can be counter-productive by leading people who are on the fence about, or leery of getting vaccinated to dig their heels in and become more resistant to the idea of a vaccination. It can a tricky situation with a delicate balance. Drawing the line between who should be mandated and who not to be could be a difficult choice.
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
I don't think people who didn't get the vaccine are idiots. I got the vaccine even before my age group because there were spots available and the shots would have gone to waste. But, I think it has to be extreme situations to force someone to take a drug or vaccine without their approval. I know a person in my immediate family that got the vaccine and within a week they were dealing with high/low blood pressure and AFIB when they never had those issues before (and still dealing with it 10 months later). I think it is too much of a coincidence (J&J by the way). The media downplays the incidents as rare but look at J&J's vaccine and now how a year later they want to pull the J&J vaccine. So people are idiots because they don't want to take a vaccine that they don't trust or they don't think is worth their risk, but 10 months later they are told not to take the J&J vaccine?
For me, personally, I thought the vaccine was worth the risk and it was the price of admission for a lot of events. But I don't blame anyone for looking at the facts (death rate is not high for those under 65) and they want to roll the dice. Yes, there are idiots out there who think there is a computer chip in the vaccine, but there are also people out there who do their research and come to their own conclusion on what is best for them personally. It is ludicrous to think that a vaccine is safe for all and there is no risk. There are a lot of people out there with a lot of conditions that doctor's can't explain or mitigate, and no reason to believe that the vaccine won't impact someone in an unexpected way.
I'm not sure how getting the vaccine is "rolling the dice". I would say not getting the vaccine is more like pulling the trigger with the Russian roulette revolver pointed at your head. I'm not saying people should be forced to get vaccinated, just smart enough to do it on their own.
So you’re against vaccine mandates ?
That is a very difficult question. First of all, it bugs the crap out of me that it should even come down to mandates. If everyone got vaccinated, we could get past this thing. On the other hand, where do you stop with mandates? What if the government said we all had to have chips inserted under our skin? Would I be OK with that? Heck no. So yeah, I'd have to say I'm against mandating the vaccine. But if anyone wants to see me and is not vaccinated, I will tell them, "Sorry, go away". I'm definitely in favor of putting social pressure on people to vaccinate. Getting vaccinated is the right thing to do.
I agree. I was for the mandates for city and government workers here in NYC because technically, they are your boss. But this latest round of mandates here feels like our PoS Mayor is overstepping. Anyone who works anywhere has to be vaccinated and children 5-11 must be vaccinated to go to restaurant , movie theaters. I think that’s ridiculous.
Yeah, and unfortunately, when mandates become too widespread, they can be counter-productive by leading people who are on the fence about, or leery of getting vaccinated to dig their heels in and become more resistant to the idea of a vaccination. It can a tricky situation with a delicate balance. Drawing the line between who should be mandated and who not to be could be a difficult choice.
After a couple more years of this maybe just maybe folks might change their tunes! It’s every man for himself mentally I’m adhering too, always wear mask in indoor gatherings of any kind get boosters when available,
Getting out of this is going to require better treatment and for the virus 🦠 to weaken.
This is a yearly shot, requiring 3 doses. Amount of folks who get flu shot in canada is under 50%…as time ticks on, what leads us to believe that 80% of the people will continue to be triple dosed…I wouldn’t count on it.
When Ontario went into full panic mode there was 157 folks in ICU it’s dropped to 154…in a population of 15.5 million…
I don't think people who didn't get the vaccine are idiots. I got the vaccine even before my age group because there were spots available and the shots would have gone to waste. But, I think it has to be extreme situations to force someone to take a drug or vaccine without their approval. I know a person in my immediate family that got the vaccine and within a week they were dealing with high/low blood pressure and AFIB when they never had those issues before (and still dealing with it 10 months later). I think it is too much of a coincidence (J&J by the way). The media downplays the incidents as rare but look at J&J's vaccine and now how a year later they want to pull the J&J vaccine. So people are idiots because they don't want to take a vaccine that they don't trust or they don't think is worth their risk, but 10 months later they are told not to take the J&J vaccine?
For me, personally, I thought the vaccine was worth the risk and it was the price of admission for a lot of events. But I don't blame anyone for looking at the facts (death rate is not high for those under 65) and they want to roll the dice. Yes, there are idiots out there who think there is a computer chip in the vaccine, but there are also people out there who do their research and come to their own conclusion on what is best for them personally. It is ludicrous to think that a vaccine is safe for all and there is no risk. There are a lot of people out there with a lot of conditions that doctor's can't explain or mitigate, and no reason to believe that the vaccine won't impact someone in an unexpected way.
I'm not sure how getting the vaccine is "rolling the dice". I would say not getting the vaccine is more like pulling the trigger with the Russian roulette revolver pointed at your head. I'm not saying people should be forced to get vaccinated, just smart enough to do it on their own.
So you’re against vaccine mandates ?
That is a very difficult question. First of all, it bugs the crap out of me that it should even come down to mandates. If everyone got vaccinated, we could get past this thing. On the other hand, where do you stop with mandates? What if the government said we all had to have chips inserted under our skin? Would I be OK with that? Heck no. So yeah, I'd have to say I'm against mandating the vaccine. But if anyone wants to see me and is not vaccinated, I will tell them, "Sorry, go away". I'm definitely in favor of putting social pressure on people to vaccinate. Getting vaccinated is the right thing to do.
I agree. I was for the mandates for city and government workers here in NYC because technically, they are your boss. But this latest round of mandates here feels like our PoS Mayor is overstepping. Anyone who works anywhere has to be vaccinated and children 5-11 must be vaccinated to go to restaurant , movie theaters. I think that’s ridiculous.
Yeah, and unfortunately, when mandates become too widespread, they can be counter-productive by leading people who are on the fence about, or leery of getting vaccinated to dig their heels in and become more resistant to the idea of a vaccination. It can a tricky situation with a delicate balance. Drawing the line between who should be mandated and who not to be could be a difficult choice.
After a couple more years of this maybe just maybe folks might change their tunes! It’s every man for himself mentally I’m adhering too, always wear mask in indoor gatherings of any kind get boosters when available,
Yea same here. Even when I check my post office box which takes about one minute- on goes the mask! I'm only one of very few here who do that. Same with grocery stores- maybe more masks there, but far fewer than half. Crazy!
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Moderna: Initial booster data shows good results on omicron
Associated Press
Today
Moderna said Monday that a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine should offer protection against the rapidly spreading omicron variant.
Moderna said lab tests showed the half-dose booster shot increased by 37 times the level of so-called neutralizing antibodies able to fight omicron.
And a full-dose booster was even stronger, triggering an 83-fold jump in antibody levels, although with an increase in the usual side effects, the company said. While half-dose shots are being used for most Moderna boosters, a full-dose third shot has been recommended for people with weakened immune systems.
Moderna announced the preliminary laboratory data in a press release and it hasn’t yet undergone scientific review. But testing by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, announced last week by Dr. Anthony Fauci, found a similar jump.
Pfizer’s testing likewise found its COVID-19 vaccine triggered a similarly big jump in omicron-fighting antibodies. The vaccines made by Pfizer and by Moderna, both made with mRNA technology, are used by many countries around the world to fight the coronavirus.
Together, the available evidence backs health authorities’’ increasing pleas for people to get their boosters as soon as they’re eligible.
Antibody levels predict how well a vaccine may prevent infection with the coronavirus but they are just one layer of the immune system’s defenses. Other research suggests the vaccine still should induce good protection against severe disease if people do experience a breakthrough infection.
Both Moderna and Pfizer are developing shots to better match the omicron variant in case they’re needed.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
1995 Milwaukee 1998 Alpine, Alpine 2003 Albany, Boston, Boston, Boston 2004 Boston, Boston 2006 Hartford, St. Paul (Petty), St. Paul (Petty) 2011 Alpine, Alpine 2013 Wrigley 2014 St. Paul 2016 Fenway, Fenway, Wrigley, Wrigley 2018 Missoula, Wrigley, Wrigley 2021 Asbury Park 2022 St Louis 2023 Austin, Austin
there are so many hospitals here who have had so many nurses quit. one of my accounts only has enough OR nurses to run 2 ORs at this time. they usually run 5 or 6. it is just insane the shortages of health care providers. many are leaving to be travel nurses because that is where the money is right now.
"You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
Experts in Germany say we're unprepared for the inevitable: Hundreds of thousands of omicron infections per day. That is how infectious the new variant is.
So, that's that: It won't be a Merry Christmas after all.
It's only a matter of time before we're hit by the full force of omicron infections — a case of, "not if, but when." And that when won't take long. That's what three of Germany's top researchers said during a virtual nationwide press briefing Wednesday (15.12.2021).
Christoph Neumann-Haefe, an immunologist at the University Medical Center Freiburglin, said omicron will likely become the dominant variant of the coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, by mid-January — superseding the delta variant, which until now has been one of the most infectious strains since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Neumann-Haefelin predicts that infection rates will shoot up dramatically — possibly to hundreds of thousands per day.
That dark prognosis is based on international data that German researchers have been studying. Take for instance the United Kingdom, where omicron infection rates are doubling every two to three days.
Dirk Brockmann , a physicist at Humboldt University of Berlin, says that's a factor of three-to-four-times higher than infection rates with previous variants.
Experts in the UK estimate new omicron infections could shoot up to as many as 400,000-to-700,000 cases per day.
They think it's possible that 20-34 million people could become infected with omicron between now (December 2021) and April 2022 — that's about half of the UK population — despite reinforced rules on social distancing, medical masks, school closures and more.
"I'd be surprised if we didn't see a similar situation here in Germany," said Brockmann.
"We have to slow the spread of the virus to limit the damage," according to Brockmann. But, he admits, it will be impossible to stop it outright.
Germany's experts say communities will have to reduce social contacts and people's movements drastically, similar to what they did in the very first lockdowns.
"But we'll have to do a whole lot more given the speed with which this variant is spreading," Brockmann said.
At risk even if you're boosted
Omicron is not only more infectious than other variants of the coronavirus, it can also evade our human immune responses — what experts call "immune escape."
That means people who are double jabbed and even those who have had booster shots, can still get infected.
A booster jab will pump up your protection to 70-75% and it will also reduce your risk of a severe infection but that could also lend you a false sense of security, said Sandra Ciesek , director of the Institute of Medical Virology at the University Hospital Frankfurt.
"It takes many weeks for the immune system to develop a defense," she said. "The virus moves faster than that."
Omicron more dangerous than people think
Ciesek went on to say that omicron was likely to be just as dangerous as other variants of the virus — despite some reports suggesting it may only cause mild infections.
Initial data from the UK and Denmark show that hospitalization rates for people infected with omicron are not much different from those infected with the delta variant.
At the start of the omicron wave, reports from South Africa gave hope that the variant was less dangerous than delta, as many people there experienced only mild infections.
But since then, an increasing number of people infected with omicron have had to be hospitalized. The UK was the first country to report a death with omicron.
Ciesek said it was hard to compare the European situation with that in South Africa, where the population is on average younger, and where many people have had a previous coronavirus infection.
Health systems may collapse
Experts also warn that if infection rates continue to rise dramatically, health systems may well collapse.
Take, for example, the UK again: Estimated hospitalizations of between 3-5,000 people would put a strain on the "entire machinery," said Brockmann.
Many hospitals are struggling as it is and they won't be able to accept many more patients, especially as more patients mean higher risk of medical personnel getting infected as well.
Brockmann said we could see a cascade of effects, not all of them predictable. So researchers are calling on politicians to act decisively — "Time is running out," said Brockmann.
Ciesek, too, said she felt that Germany was ill-prepared, adding that she was very concerned about the situation.
Granted, these are worst-case scenarios but the three experts agreed it won't be enough to just hope omicron shows itself to be less dangerous than other variants.
Neumann-Haefelin said such wishful thinking would be akin to "walking into a catastrophe with open eyes."
It seems like whenever there is a study showing good news on here everyone comes out of the woodwork talking about how it needs to be peer reviewed. Conversely whenever a study points to doom and gloom and complete societal collapse people seem to not have that same level of concern for peer reviewal. The longer this goes on the closer I get to joining the let it rip camp.
Wasn't a study.
So it was just a the experts report doom and gloom think piece?
I guess that depends on if you even read it?
If you want to go about ignoring leading experts because you don't like their opinions, fine, you are not the intended audience.
But I don't think you really understand how science works if after reading that article you asked if it's peer reviewed.
You are free to think whatever you would like about my understanding of science or anything else. Thank you for the very predictable pompous reply. I think you just want to live in fear trapped in your bubble while looking down your nose at those of us that aren't fortunate enough to interact with the world in that way, and maybe deep down you are jealous of people that have a more cavalier attiitude and take more enjoyment out of life, see how that works? .
Yes I did read the fear based article and it seems to point out that experts in Germany predict that infections of Omicron will dramatically rise. So what? We don't know for a fact what the fatality rates of the new variant will be, we don't know how severe the illness will be and how it will effect people of various age groups and sex. I'm not going to jump on the fear bandwagon, when so far all things considered it has certainly not ever been as bad as forecast.
"Germany's experts say communities will have to reduce social contacts and people's movements drastically, similar to what they did in the very first lockdowns." I just can't wait to follow these leading experts.
Who said I was living in fear?
I'm spending Christmas with my whole family and just went to a very large Christmas party on Saturday.
I just prefer to be educated and go into this eyes wide open.
Omicron sweeps across nation, now 73% of new US COVID cases
By MIKE STOBBE
Today
NEW YORK (AP) — Omicron has raced ahead of other variants and is now the dominant version of the coronavirus in the U.S., accounting for 73% of new infections last week, federal health officials said Monday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention numbers showed nearly a six-fold increase in omicron's share of infections in only one week.
In much of the country, it's even higher. Omicron is responsible for an estimated 90% or more of new infections in the New York area, the Southeast, the industrial Midwest and the Pacific Northwest. The national rate suggests that more than 650,000 omicron infections occurred in the U.S. last week.
Since the end of June, the delta variant had been the main version causing U.S. infections. As recently as the end of November, more than 99.5% of coronaviruses were delta, according to CDC data.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the new numbers reflect the kind of growth seen in other countries.
“These numbers are stark, but they’re not surprising,” she said.
Scientists in Africa first sounded the alarm about omicron less than a month ago and on Nov. 26 the World Health Organization designated it as a “variant of concern." The mutant has since shown up in about 90 countries.
Much about the omicron variant remains unknown, including whether it causes more or less severe illness. Early studies suggest the vaccinated will need a booster shot for the best chance at preventing omicron infection but even without the extra dose, vaccination still should offer strong protection against severe illness and death.
“All of us have a date with omicron,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “If you’re going to interact with society, if you’re going to have any type of life, omicron will be something you encounter, and the best way you can encounter this is to be fully vaccinated.”
Adalja said he was not surprised by the CDC data showing omicron overtaking delta in the U.S., given what was seen in South Africa, the U.K. and Denmark. He predicted spread over the holidays, including breakthrough infections among the vaccinated and serious complications among the unvaccinated that could stress hospitals already burdened by delta.
Dr. Eric Topol, head of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, said other countries had seen omicron's fast growth, but the U.S. data showed “a remarkable jump in such a short time.”
Topol also said it’s unclear how much milder omicron really is compared with other variants.
“That’s the big uncertainty now,” Topol said. “We have to count on it being a lot of hospitalizations and a lot severe disease from omicron.”
CDC’s estimates are based on thousands of coronavirus specimens collected each week through university and commercial laboratories and state and local health departments. Scientists analyze their genetic sequences to determine which versions of the COVID-19 viruses are most abundant.
On Monday, the CDC revised its estimate for omicron cases for the week that ended Dec. 11, after analyzing more samples. About 13% of the cases that week were from omicron, not the 3% previously reported. The week before, omicron accounted for just 0.4% of cases.
CDC officials said they do not yet have estimates of how many hospitalizations or deaths are due to omicron.
Though there remain a lot of new infections caused by the delta variant, “I anticipate that over time that delta will be crowded out by omicron," Walensky said.
___
Associated Press writers Lauran Neergaard and Carla K. Johnson contributed to this report.
___
The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Geez! My city still had normal numbers today. But our highways just opened to the mainland, so next week will be different. Funny thing, out airport just landed its 1st international flight in a loooong time. Fuckin idiot timing lol.
Hope your niece is faring well, GlowGirl. Christ, when my niece had it last winter, their godamn house burnt down the next day :(
Hang in there Robbie, let us know when the ex gets on the mend.
Biden to offer 500M at-home COVID-19 tests as virus surges
By JOSH BOAK
30 mins ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — As coronavirus cases surge in the days before Christmas, President Joe Biden plans to increase support for hospitals, improve access to COVID-19 testing through hundreds of millions of rapid at-home tests and expand the availability of vaccines that can reduce the risks from the omicron variant.
The world is confronting the prospect of a second straight holiday season with COVID-19 as families and friends begin to gather while the variant quickly spreads. Scientists don’t yet know whether omicron causes more serious disease, but they do know that vaccination should offer strong protections against severe illness and death. A senior administration official, insisting on anonymity, provided details on the proposals Biden will announce in his speech Tuesday afternoon.
The administration is prepared to deploy an additional 1,000 troops in medical professions to hospitals as well as direct federal medical personnel to Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Arizona, New Hampshire and Vermont. There are also plans to send out additional ventilators and equipment from the national stockpile besides expanding hospital capacity to handle infected patients.
The government will purchase 500 million rapid at-home tests to be delivered for free to the homes of Americans who request them. It will also establish new testing sites and use the Defense Production Act to help manufacture more tests. There will also be pop-up vaccination sites, hundreds of new people to administer the vaccines and new rules that make it easier for pharmacists to work across state lines.
In a preview of Biden’s speech, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at Monday’s press briefing that the Democratic president doesn’t plan to impose any lockdowns and will instead be encouraging people to get inoculated — and, if they’re eligible, to get their booster shot.
Biden has found himself in the delicate position of both alerting the country to the dangers posed by omicron and reassuring Americans that the vaccines will protect them. White House officials are looking to ease the nation back toward accepting the reality of an endemic virus with far lower stakes for the vaccinated. This has meant setting a difficult balance as cases rise and as deaths and serious illness among the unvaccinated dominate headlines.
Underscoring how widespread the virus is, the White House said late Monday that Biden had been in close contact with a staff member who later tested positive for COVID-19. The staffer spent about 30 minutes around the president on Air Force One on Friday on a trip from Orange, South Carolina, to Philadelphia. The staffer, who was fully vaccinated and boosted, tested positive earlier Monday, Psaki said.
Psaki said Biden has tested negative twice since Sunday and will test again on Wednesday. Citing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Psaki said Biden didn’t need to quarantine and would continue with his regular schedule.
There are 40 million eligible but unvaccinated American adults. Efforts to increase vaccination rates have struggled to overcome a series of political, social and cultural divides. Psaki said the president plans to appeal to survival instincts.
“Our health experts assess that you are 14 times more likely to die of COVID if you have not been vaccinated versus vaccinated,” she said Monday.
Scientists say omicron spreads even easier than other coronavirus strains, including delta. It has already become the dominant strain in the U.S., accounting for nearly three-quarters of new infections last week.
Early studies suggest that the vaccinated will need a booster shot for the best chance at preventing an omicron infection but that even without the extra dose, vaccination should still largely protect people from serious sickness or death.
In New York City, nearly 42,600 people citywide tested positive from Wednesday through Saturday — compared with fewer than 35,800 in the entire month of November. The city has never had so many people test positive in such a short period of time since testing became widely available; there’s no clear picture of how many people got the virus during the city’s first surge in the spring of 2020.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said officials have decided against imposing further restrictions, at least for now.
“We will have to reserve the possibility of taking further action to protect the public,” Johnson said Monday. “The arguments either way are very, very finely balanced.”
The Dutch government began a tough nationwide lockdown on Sunday to rein in sharply rising infections, but many European leaders have opted for something less.
France and Germany have barred most British travelers from entering, and the government in Paris has banned public concerts and fireworks displays at New Year’s celebrations. Ireland imposed an 8 p.m. curfew on pubs and bars and limited attendance at indoor and outdoor events, while Greece will have 10,000 police officers on duty over the holidays to carry out COVID-19 pass checks.
In Spain, the national average of new cases is double what it was a year ago. But authorities in the country with one of Europe’s highest vaccination rates are betting primarily on mandatory mask-wearing indoors and the rollout of booster shots, with no further restrictions planned.
Neighboring Portugal is telling most nonessential workers to work from home for a week in January, but the country has no other new measures in the pipeline.
Stock markets in Asia, Europe and the U.S. fell on Monday with the expectation that the infections could weigh on global economic growth and worsen global supply chain challenges.
___
Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Geez! My city still had normal numbers today. But our highways just opened to the mainland, so next week will be different. Funny thing, out airport just landed its 1st international flight in a loooong time. Fuckin idiot timing lol.
Hope your niece is faring well, GlowGirl. Christ, when my niece had it last winter, their godamn house burnt down the next day :(
Hang in there Robbie, let us know when the ex gets on the mend.
Thanks, Tish. My niece is doing ok. So far no one else in the house has tested positive. I am sorry about your niece’s home fire. I hope all is better now.
The gesture is in the right place…….when was this photo taken? Where are the masks? Not a single one on any server or kid in line?
that might be a pre covid picture....I've seen it going around before
If that’s an old picture it made zero sense and was completely unnecessary to post it now with that headline. I’m sure someone could dig up an old photo of Clapton doing good somewhere.
The gesture is in the right place…….when was this photo taken? Where are the masks? Not a single one on any server or kid in line?
that might be a pre covid picture....I've seen it going around before
If that’s an old picture it made zero sense and was completely unnecessary to post it now with that headline. I’m sure someone could dig up an old photo of Clapton doing good somewhere.
but his racist rant still exists....
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The gesture is in the right place…….when was this photo taken? Where are the masks? Not a single one on any server or kid in line?
that might be a pre covid picture....I've seen it going around before
If that’s an old picture it made zero sense and was completely unnecessary to post it now with that headline. I’m sure someone could dig up an old photo of Clapton doing good somewhere.
but his racist rant still exists....
Yep and Alice still tossed a wounded chicken into the crowd that got torn to pieces…..allegedly.
The gesture is in the right place…….when was this photo taken? Where are the masks? Not a single one on any server or kid in line?
that might be a pre covid picture....I've seen it going around before
If that’s an old picture it made zero sense and was completely unnecessary to post it now with that headline. I’m sure someone could dig up an old photo of Clapton doing good somewhere.
The gesture is in the right place…….when was this photo taken? Where are the masks? Not a single one on any server or kid in line?
that might be a pre covid picture....I've seen it going around before
If that’s an old picture it made zero sense and was completely unnecessary to post it now with that headline. I’m sure someone could dig up an old photo of Clapton doing good somewhere.
but his racist rant still exists....
It does. But that was in 70s and he has repeatedly apologized. I think forgiveness is a virtue too. His vax crap is more concerning.
The gesture is in the right place…….when was this photo taken? Where are the masks? Not a single one on any server or kid in line?
that might be a pre covid picture....I've seen it going around before
If that’s an old picture it made zero sense and was completely unnecessary to post it now with that headline. I’m sure someone could dig up an old photo of Clapton doing good somewhere.
but his racist rant still exists....
It does. But that was in 70s and he has repeatedly apologized. I think forgiveness is a virtue too. His vax crap is more concerning.
Yeah I'm done with all the anti-vax morons. At his age it is even more stupid.
Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018) The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)
1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago 2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy 2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE) 2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston 2020: Oakland, Oakland:2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana 2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville 2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana
The gesture is in the right place…….when was this photo taken? Where are the masks? Not a single one on any server or kid in line?
that might be a pre covid picture....I've seen it going around before
If that’s an old picture it made zero sense and was completely unnecessary to post it now with that headline. I’m sure someone could dig up an old photo of Clapton doing good somewhere.
but his racist rant still exists....
It does. But that was in 70s and he has repeatedly apologized. I think forgiveness is a virtue too. His vax crap is more concerning.
Yeah I'm done with all the anti-vax morons. At his age it is even more stupid.
do you know why, though? he got double vaxxed, and he claims his neurological condition got substantially worse right after the shot. I don't know if that's true or if it didn't happen or if it did and was just a wild coincidence, but if it happened to you, maybe you'd be wary of the shot as well?
to be honest, I don't know what to believe from that asshole. But if it's true, I'd probably feel the same as him. (not with the anti-lockdown stuff, though)
“I took the first jab of AZ and straight away had severe reactions which lasted ten days. I recovered eventually and was told it would be twelve weeks before the second one…,” Clapton wrote.
“About six weeks later I was offered and took the second AZ shot, but with a little more knowledge of the dangers. Needless to say the reactions were disastrous, my hands and feet were either frozen, numb or burning, and pretty much useless for two weeks, I feared I would never play again, (I suffer with peripheral neuropathy and should never have gone near the needle.) But the propaganda said the vaccine was safe for everyone…”
Comments
Yeah, and unfortunately, when mandates become too widespread, they can be counter-productive by leading people who are on the fence about, or leery of getting vaccinated to dig their heels in and become more resistant to the idea of a vaccination. It can a tricky situation with a delicate balance. Drawing the line between who should be mandated and who not to be could be a difficult choice.
This is a yearly shot, requiring 3 doses. Amount of folks who get flu shot in canada is under 50%…as time ticks on, what leads us to believe that 80% of the people will continue to be triple dosed…I wouldn’t count on it.
When Ontario went into full panic mode there was 157 folks in ICU it’s dropped to 154…in a population of 15.5 million…
Long Island has the highest infection rate in the state. I can only imagine it's because of the high number of unvaxxed.
Unless people on LI start dying off in droves it won't change any minds.
This should be a sign of things to come...
Its not been over 2 ever.
So 1 person infects 7 and each of those 7 infects 7 each.
Imagine. Thats insane spread now
astoria 06
albany 06
hartford 06
reading 06
barcelona 06
paris 06
wembley 07
dusseldorf 07
nijmegen 07
this song is meant to be called i got shit,itshould be called i got shit tickets-hartford 06 -
Moderna said Monday that a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine should offer protection against the rapidly spreading omicron variant.
Moderna said lab tests showed the half-dose booster shot increased by 37 times the level of so-called neutralizing antibodies able to fight omicron.
And a full-dose booster was even stronger, triggering an 83-fold jump in antibody levels, although with an increase in the usual side effects, the company said. While half-dose shots are being used for most Moderna boosters, a full-dose third shot has been recommended for people with weakened immune systems.
Moderna announced the preliminary laboratory data in a press release and it hasn’t yet undergone scientific review. But testing by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, announced last week by Dr. Anthony Fauci, found a similar jump.
Pfizer’s testing likewise found its COVID-19 vaccine triggered a similarly big jump in omicron-fighting antibodies. The vaccines made by Pfizer and by Moderna, both made with mRNA technology, are used by many countries around the world to fight the coronavirus.
Together, the available evidence backs health authorities’’ increasing pleas for people to get their boosters as soon as they’re eligible.
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Antibody levels predict how well a vaccine may prevent infection with the coronavirus but they are just one layer of the immune system’s defenses. Other research suggests the vaccine still should induce good protection against severe disease if people do experience a breakthrough infection.
Both Moderna and Pfizer are developing shots to better match the omicron variant in case they’re needed.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)
1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
2020: Oakland, Oakland: 2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana
2013 Wrigley 2014 St. Paul 2016 Fenway, Fenway, Wrigley, Wrigley 2018 Missoula, Wrigley, Wrigley 2021 Asbury Park 2022 St Louis 2023 Austin, Austin
astoria 06
albany 06
hartford 06
reading 06
barcelona 06
paris 06
wembley 07
dusseldorf 07
nijmegen 07
this song is meant to be called i got shit,itshould be called i got shit tickets-hartford 06 -
there are so many hospitals here who have had so many nurses quit. one of my accounts only has enough OR nurses to run 2 ORs at this time. they usually run 5 or 6. it is just insane the shortages of health care providers. many are leaving to be travel nurses because that is where the money is right now.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
I'm spending Christmas with my whole family and just went to a very large Christmas party on Saturday.
I just prefer to be educated and go into this eyes wide open.
You don't know shit about me.
NEW YORK (AP) — Omicron has raced ahead of other variants and is now the dominant version of the coronavirus in the U.S., accounting for 73% of new infections last week, federal health officials said Monday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention numbers showed nearly a six-fold increase in omicron's share of infections in only one week.
In much of the country, it's even higher. Omicron is responsible for an estimated 90% or more of new infections in the New York area, the Southeast, the industrial Midwest and the Pacific Northwest. The national rate suggests that more than 650,000 omicron infections occurred in the U.S. last week.
Since the end of June, the delta variant had been the main version causing U.S. infections. As recently as the end of November, more than 99.5% of coronaviruses were delta, according to CDC data.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the new numbers reflect the kind of growth seen in other countries.
“These numbers are stark, but they’re not surprising,” she said.
Scientists in Africa first sounded the alarm about omicron less than a month ago and on Nov. 26 the World Health Organization designated it as a “variant of concern." The mutant has since shown up in about 90 countries.
Much about the omicron variant remains unknown, including whether it causes more or less severe illness. Early studies suggest the vaccinated will need a booster shot for the best chance at preventing omicron infection but even without the extra dose, vaccination still should offer strong protection against severe illness and death.
“All of us have a date with omicron,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “If you’re going to interact with society, if you’re going to have any type of life, omicron will be something you encounter, and the best way you can encounter this is to be fully vaccinated.”
Adalja said he was not surprised by the CDC data showing omicron overtaking delta in the U.S., given what was seen in South Africa, the U.K. and Denmark. He predicted spread over the holidays, including breakthrough infections among the vaccinated and serious complications among the unvaccinated that could stress hospitals already burdened by delta.
Dr. Eric Topol, head of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, said other countries had seen omicron's fast growth, but the U.S. data showed “a remarkable jump in such a short time.”
Topol also said it’s unclear how much milder omicron really is compared with other variants.
“That’s the big uncertainty now,” Topol said. “We have to count on it being a lot of hospitalizations and a lot severe disease from omicron.”
CDC’s estimates are based on thousands of coronavirus specimens collected each week through university and commercial laboratories and state and local health departments. Scientists analyze their genetic sequences to determine which versions of the COVID-19 viruses are most abundant.
On Monday, the CDC revised its estimate for omicron cases for the week that ended Dec. 11, after analyzing more samples. About 13% of the cases that week were from omicron, not the 3% previously reported. The week before, omicron accounted for just 0.4% of cases.
CDC officials said they do not yet have estimates of how many hospitalizations or deaths are due to omicron.
Though there remain a lot of new infections caused by the delta variant, “I anticipate that over time that delta will be crowded out by omicron," Walensky said.
___
Associated Press writers Lauran Neergaard and Carla K. Johnson contributed to this report.
___
The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Hope your niece is faring well, GlowGirl. Christ, when my niece had it last winter, their godamn house burnt down the next day :(
Hang in there Robbie, let us know when the ex gets on the mend.
WASHINGTON (AP) — As coronavirus cases surge in the days before Christmas, President Joe Biden plans to increase support for hospitals, improve access to COVID-19 testing through hundreds of millions of rapid at-home tests and expand the availability of vaccines that can reduce the risks from the omicron variant.
The world is confronting the prospect of a second straight holiday season with COVID-19 as families and friends begin to gather while the variant quickly spreads. Scientists don’t yet know whether omicron causes more serious disease, but they do know that vaccination should offer strong protections against severe illness and death. A senior administration official, insisting on anonymity, provided details on the proposals Biden will announce in his speech Tuesday afternoon.
The administration is prepared to deploy an additional 1,000 troops in medical professions to hospitals as well as direct federal medical personnel to Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Arizona, New Hampshire and Vermont. There are also plans to send out additional ventilators and equipment from the national stockpile besides expanding hospital capacity to handle infected patients.
The government will purchase 500 million rapid at-home tests to be delivered for free to the homes of Americans who request them. It will also establish new testing sites and use the Defense Production Act to help manufacture more tests. There will also be pop-up vaccination sites, hundreds of new people to administer the vaccines and new rules that make it easier for pharmacists to work across state lines.
In a preview of Biden’s speech, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at Monday’s press briefing that the Democratic president doesn’t plan to impose any lockdowns and will instead be encouraging people to get inoculated — and, if they’re eligible, to get their booster shot.
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
Live updates: Biden near staffer who later tested positive
Moderna: Initial booster data shows good results on omicron
Virus fears widen as omicron variant takes hold across US
Israel to ban travel to US, Canada over omicron variant
“This is not a speech about locking the country down. This is a speech about the benefits of being vaccinated,” Psaki told reporters.
Biden’s top medical adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said over the weekend that Biden will issue “a stark warning of what the winter will look like” for unvaccinated Americans.
Biden has found himself in the delicate position of both alerting the country to the dangers posed by omicron and reassuring Americans that the vaccines will protect them. White House officials are looking to ease the nation back toward accepting the reality of an endemic virus with far lower stakes for the vaccinated. This has meant setting a difficult balance as cases rise and as deaths and serious illness among the unvaccinated dominate headlines.
Underscoring how widespread the virus is, the White House said late Monday that Biden had been in close contact with a staff member who later tested positive for COVID-19. The staffer spent about 30 minutes around the president on Air Force One on Friday on a trip from Orange, South Carolina, to Philadelphia. The staffer, who was fully vaccinated and boosted, tested positive earlier Monday, Psaki said.
Psaki said Biden has tested negative twice since Sunday and will test again on Wednesday. Citing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Psaki said Biden didn’t need to quarantine and would continue with his regular schedule.
There are 40 million eligible but unvaccinated American adults. Efforts to increase vaccination rates have struggled to overcome a series of political, social and cultural divides. Psaki said the president plans to appeal to survival instincts.
“Our health experts assess that you are 14 times more likely to die of COVID if you have not been vaccinated versus vaccinated,” she said Monday.
Scientists say omicron spreads even easier than other coronavirus strains, including delta. It has already become the dominant strain in the U.S., accounting for nearly three-quarters of new infections last week.
Early studies suggest that the vaccinated will need a booster shot for the best chance at preventing an omicron infection but that even without the extra dose, vaccination should still largely protect people from serious sickness or death.
In New York City, nearly 42,600 people citywide tested positive from Wednesday through Saturday — compared with fewer than 35,800 in the entire month of November. The city has never had so many people test positive in such a short period of time since testing became widely available; there’s no clear picture of how many people got the virus during the city’s first surge in the spring of 2020.
The latest outbreak reflects the global challenges of stopping the coronavirus pandemic.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said officials have decided against imposing further restrictions, at least for now.
“We will have to reserve the possibility of taking further action to protect the public,” Johnson said Monday. “The arguments either way are very, very finely balanced.”
The Dutch government began a tough nationwide lockdown on Sunday to rein in sharply rising infections, but many European leaders have opted for something less.
France and Germany have barred most British travelers from entering, and the government in Paris has banned public concerts and fireworks displays at New Year’s celebrations. Ireland imposed an 8 p.m. curfew on pubs and bars and limited attendance at indoor and outdoor events, while Greece will have 10,000 police officers on duty over the holidays to carry out COVID-19 pass checks.
In Spain, the national average of new cases is double what it was a year ago. But authorities in the country with one of Europe’s highest vaccination rates are betting primarily on mandatory mask-wearing indoors and the rollout of booster shots, with no further restrictions planned.
Neighboring Portugal is telling most nonessential workers to work from home for a week in January, but the country has no other new measures in the pipeline.
Stock markets in Asia, Europe and the U.S. fell on Monday with the expectation that the infections could weigh on global economic growth and worsen global supply chain challenges.
___
Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)
1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
2020: Oakland, Oakland: 2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana
The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)
1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
2020: Oakland, Oakland: 2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana
The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)
1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
2020: Oakland, Oakland: 2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana
to be honest, I don't know what to believe from that asshole. But if it's true, I'd probably feel the same as him. (not with the anti-lockdown stuff, though)
“I took the first jab of AZ and straight away had severe reactions which lasted ten days. I recovered eventually and was told it would be twelve weeks before the second one…,” Clapton wrote.
“About six weeks later I was offered and took the second AZ shot, but with a little more knowledge of the dangers. Needless to say the reactions were disastrous, my hands and feet were either frozen, numb or burning, and pretty much useless for two weeks, I feared I would never play again, (I suffer with peripheral neuropathy and should never have gone near the needle.) But the propaganda said the vaccine was safe for everyone…”
www.headstonesband.com