Viruses / Vaccines

brianlux

Halifax2TheMax said:

Crazy. Almost 2 years in and 8 months since my first dose.

Although 74 percent of its population is fully vaccinated, the state of Vermont is experiencing its largest surge of COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.

Throughout the past week, coronavirus infections have jumped 54 percent along with an 18 percent increase in hospitalizations. According to the Vermont Department of Health, six new deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 complications across the state. Ninety percent of those hospitalized in intensive care units in the state are unvaccinated. According to local news station NBC 5, unvaccinated people are 15 times more likely to be hospitalized due to a COVID-19 infection.

More than 400 people were in the hospital with COVID-19 in New Hampshire at the start of the week, breaking the record set last winter.

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu directed hospitals to set up COVID-19 "surge centers" using space normally reserved for such things as outpatient care.

"Every day for the next several weeks, we're likely to see a new high in COVID hospitalizations in New Hampshire," said Steve Ahnen, president of the New Hampshire Hospital Association. "With over 1,000 new cases a day, that number's not going to do anything but continue to go up."

Maine likewise is struggling with record-breaking COVID-19 hospitalizations. Governor Janet Mills on Wednesday activated as many as 75 members of the National Guard to help out.

"The vast majority of patients in our hospitals are unvaccinated. That's especially true of critical care patients," said Andy Mueller, CEO of MaineHealth, the state's biggest health network. "It requires a tremendous amount of our resources to provide care."

Rhode Island's largest hospital system, Lifespan, said staffing shortages are at never-before-seen crisis levels, while Kent Hospital said it is near capacity and is considering delaying non-urgent procedures.

Elsewhere around the country, Indiana has seen COVID-19 hospital admissions double in the last month and is approaching levels not seen since this time a year ago, before vaccines were widely available.

The number of people in intensive care in Minnesota has reached the highest level during the pandemic, with 98 percent of ICU beds occupied. Teams of military medics have been sent into Michigan and New Mexico.

Vermont Seeing Largest COVID Surge of Pandemic, Despite 74 Percent of Residents Vaccinated (msn.com)

The last two years seemed to fly by (but that could just be me?)

Spunkie

Germany studies how effective booster is after time...

tempo_n_groove

benjs said:

tempo_n_groove said:

So I have a few friends that are borderline Q and are firm believers that the vaccine is bioterrorism and the show Utopia is gospel.

How the F do you tell them that this isn't really happening?

It takes an immense amount of effort to un-brainwash someone who's been brainwashed. When such a substantial percentage of a population have been persuaded to ignore what their eyes and ears tell them, and that there's only one truthful source of knowledge (who themselves are untruthful), I don't understand how there's coming back from that. Emotionally fuelled, convinced that the opposition party explicitly wants to bring upon their silencing, and that only their party of choice puts their interests into consideration, validated by the peers they grew up with and respect... call me a cynic, but I don't see how anything returns to normalcy.

That is disheartening...

tempo_n_groove

mace1229 said:

tempo_n_groove said:

lastexitlondon said:

Im watching  this as i read. Fuckin far out . Was there  a version of this  a few years  back i swear I saw it 

Two versions Rob, an English version the original and an American version.

"Where is Jessica Hyde?"

Never heard of it either. American version has some big names. Is the English version on Amazon too?

We are watching the original English/British version on Amazon, yes.

tempo_n_groove

brianlux said:

Halifax2TheMax said:

Crazy. Almost 2 years in and 8 months since my first dose.

Although 74 percent of its population is fully vaccinated, the state of Vermont is experiencing its largest surge of COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.

Throughout the past week, coronavirus infections have jumped 54 percent along with an 18 percent increase in hospitalizations. According to the Vermont Department of Health, six new deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 complications across the state. Ninety percent of those hospitalized in intensive care units in the state are unvaccinated. According to local news station NBC 5, unvaccinated people are 15 times more likely to be hospitalized due to a COVID-19 infection.

More than 400 people were in the hospital with COVID-19 in New Hampshire at the start of the week, breaking the record set last winter.

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu directed hospitals to set up COVID-19 "surge centers" using space normally reserved for such things as outpatient care.

"Every day for the next several weeks, we're likely to see a new high in COVID hospitalizations in New Hampshire," said Steve Ahnen, president of the New Hampshire Hospital Association. "With over 1,000 new cases a day, that number's not going to do anything but continue to go up."

Maine likewise is struggling with record-breaking COVID-19 hospitalizations. Governor Janet Mills on Wednesday activated as many as 75 members of the National Guard to help out.

"The vast majority of patients in our hospitals are unvaccinated. That's especially true of critical care patients," said Andy Mueller, CEO of MaineHealth, the state's biggest health network. "It requires a tremendous amount of our resources to provide care."

Rhode Island's largest hospital system, Lifespan, said staffing shortages are at never-before-seen crisis levels, while Kent Hospital said it is near capacity and is considering delaying non-urgent procedures.

Elsewhere around the country, Indiana has seen COVID-19 hospital admissions double in the last month and is approaching levels not seen since this time a year ago, before vaccines were widely available.

The number of people in intensive care in Minnesota has reached the highest level during the pandemic, with 98 percent of ICU beds occupied. Teams of military medics have been sent into Michigan and New Mexico.

Vermont Seeing Largest COVID Surge of Pandemic, Despite 74 Percent of Residents Vaccinated (msn.com)

The last two years seemed to fly by (but that could just be me?)

Anybody think cases are rising because we have gone back to our old ways?  Less social distancing, gathering in groups again?

JeBurkhardt

tempo_n_groove said:

brianlux said:

Halifax2TheMax said:

Crazy. Almost 2 years in and 8 months since my first dose.

Although 74 percent of its population is fully vaccinated, the state of Vermont is experiencing its largest surge of COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.

Throughout the past week, coronavirus infections have jumped 54 percent along with an 18 percent increase in hospitalizations. According to the Vermont Department of Health, six new deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 complications across the state. Ninety percent of those hospitalized in intensive care units in the state are unvaccinated. According to local news station NBC 5, unvaccinated people are 15 times more likely to be hospitalized due to a COVID-19 infection.

More than 400 people were in the hospital with COVID-19 in New Hampshire at the start of the week, breaking the record set last winter.

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu directed hospitals to set up COVID-19 "surge centers" using space normally reserved for such things as outpatient care.

"Every day for the next several weeks, we're likely to see a new high in COVID hospitalizations in New Hampshire," said Steve Ahnen, president of the New Hampshire Hospital Association. "With over 1,000 new cases a day, that number's not going to do anything but continue to go up."

Maine likewise is struggling with record-breaking COVID-19 hospitalizations. Governor Janet Mills on Wednesday activated as many as 75 members of the National Guard to help out.

"The vast majority of patients in our hospitals are unvaccinated. That's especially true of critical care patients," said Andy Mueller, CEO of MaineHealth, the state's biggest health network. "It requires a tremendous amount of our resources to provide care."

Rhode Island's largest hospital system, Lifespan, said staffing shortages are at never-before-seen crisis levels, while Kent Hospital said it is near capacity and is considering delaying non-urgent procedures.

Elsewhere around the country, Indiana has seen COVID-19 hospital admissions double in the last month and is approaching levels not seen since this time a year ago, before vaccines were widely available.

The number of people in intensive care in Minnesota has reached the highest level during the pandemic, with 98 percent of ICU beds occupied. Teams of military medics have been sent into Michigan and New Mexico.

Vermont Seeing Largest COVID Surge of Pandemic, Despite 74 Percent of Residents Vaccinated (msn.com)

The last two years seemed to fly by (but that could just be me?)

Anybody think cases are rising because we have gone back to our old ways?  Less social distancing, gathering in groups again?

I am not sure. Where I live, most people treated it like it wasn't a big deal and didn't make much effort to wear masks, get vaccinated or avoid gatherings. The numbers here have gone up quite a bit in the last 2 weeks, but I don't think there has been any real change in people's behaviors to have caused it. 

mickeyrat

tempo_n_groove said:

brianlux said:

Halifax2TheMax said:

Crazy. Almost 2 years in and 8 months since my first dose.

Although 74 percent of its population is fully vaccinated, the state of Vermont is experiencing its largest surge of COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.

Throughout the past week, coronavirus infections have jumped 54 percent along with an 18 percent increase in hospitalizations. According to the Vermont Department of Health, six new deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 complications across the state. Ninety percent of those hospitalized in intensive care units in the state are unvaccinated. According to local news station NBC 5, unvaccinated people are 15 times more likely to be hospitalized due to a COVID-19 infection.

More than 400 people were in the hospital with COVID-19 in New Hampshire at the start of the week, breaking the record set last winter.

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu directed hospitals to set up COVID-19 "surge centers" using space normally reserved for such things as outpatient care.

"Every day for the next several weeks, we're likely to see a new high in COVID hospitalizations in New Hampshire," said Steve Ahnen, president of the New Hampshire Hospital Association. "With over 1,000 new cases a day, that number's not going to do anything but continue to go up."

Maine likewise is struggling with record-breaking COVID-19 hospitalizations. Governor Janet Mills on Wednesday activated as many as 75 members of the National Guard to help out.

"The vast majority of patients in our hospitals are unvaccinated. That's especially true of critical care patients," said Andy Mueller, CEO of MaineHealth, the state's biggest health network. "It requires a tremendous amount of our resources to provide care."

Rhode Island's largest hospital system, Lifespan, said staffing shortages are at never-before-seen crisis levels, while Kent Hospital said it is near capacity and is considering delaying non-urgent procedures.

Elsewhere around the country, Indiana has seen COVID-19 hospital admissions double in the last month and is approaching levels not seen since this time a year ago, before vaccines were widely available.

The number of people in intensive care in Minnesota has reached the highest level during the pandemic, with 98 percent of ICU beds occupied. Teams of military medics have been sent into Michigan and New Mexico.

Vermont Seeing Largest COVID Surge of Pandemic, Despite 74 Percent of Residents Vaccinated (msn.com)

The last two years seemed to fly by (but that could just be me?)

Anybody think cases are rising because we have gone back to our old ways?  Less social distancing, gathering in groups again?

waning immunities or not vaxxed to start with

Gern Blansten

JeBurkhardt said:

tempo_n_groove said:

brianlux said:

Halifax2TheMax said:

Crazy. Almost 2 years in and 8 months since my first dose.

Although 74 percent of its population is fully vaccinated, the state of Vermont is experiencing its largest surge of COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.

Throughout the past week, coronavirus infections have jumped 54 percent along with an 18 percent increase in hospitalizations. According to the Vermont Department of Health, six new deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 complications across the state. Ninety percent of those hospitalized in intensive care units in the state are unvaccinated. According to local news station NBC 5, unvaccinated people are 15 times more likely to be hospitalized due to a COVID-19 infection.

More than 400 people were in the hospital with COVID-19 in New Hampshire at the start of the week, breaking the record set last winter.

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu directed hospitals to set up COVID-19 "surge centers" using space normally reserved for such things as outpatient care.

"Every day for the next several weeks, we're likely to see a new high in COVID hospitalizations in New Hampshire," said Steve Ahnen, president of the New Hampshire Hospital Association. "With over 1,000 new cases a day, that number's not going to do anything but continue to go up."

Maine likewise is struggling with record-breaking COVID-19 hospitalizations. Governor Janet Mills on Wednesday activated as many as 75 members of the National Guard to help out.

"The vast majority of patients in our hospitals are unvaccinated. That's especially true of critical care patients," said Andy Mueller, CEO of MaineHealth, the state's biggest health network. "It requires a tremendous amount of our resources to provide care."

Rhode Island's largest hospital system, Lifespan, said staffing shortages are at never-before-seen crisis levels, while Kent Hospital said it is near capacity and is considering delaying non-urgent procedures.

Elsewhere around the country, Indiana has seen COVID-19 hospital admissions double in the last month and is approaching levels not seen since this time a year ago, before vaccines were widely available.

The number of people in intensive care in Minnesota has reached the highest level during the pandemic, with 98 percent of ICU beds occupied. Teams of military medics have been sent into Michigan and New Mexico.

Vermont Seeing Largest COVID Surge of Pandemic, Despite 74 Percent of Residents Vaccinated (msn.com)

The last two years seemed to fly by (but that could just be me?)

Anybody think cases are rising because we have gone back to our old ways?  Less social distancing, gathering in groups again?

I am not sure. Where I live, most people treated it like it wasn't a big deal and didn't make much effort to wear masks, get vaccinated or avoid gatherings. The numbers here have gone up quite a bit in the last 2 weeks, but I don't think there has been any real change in people's behaviors to have caused it. 

it's amazing how people equated not catching it to "it's no big deal" rather than "this masking thing works"

mickeyrat

plans to booster in 2 weeks. walk in allowed. hope to get #2 shingrix the same day.

CM189191

mickeyrat said:

plans to booster in 2 weeks. walk in allowed. hope to get #2 shingrix the same day.

yup - got my tdap booster while I was at the clinic yesterday

now safe from tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis too!

mickeyrat

  Omicron Wave Heads for U.K., but It’s Not Clear How Bad It’ll Be https://nyti.ms/3lOMgsw

Spunkie

Canada's monthy federal epidemiology modelling is being presented today:

https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/diseases-maladies/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/epidemiological-economic-research-data/update-covid-19-canada-epidemiology-modelling-20211210-en.pdf

Mickey, slide 9 has a small amount of data on vaccine effectiveness which compares over 60 and under 60s. 

Spiritual_Chaos

Weird. Vaccinations seems to work. WHO WOULD HAVE KNOWN?!?!

THE SCIENTISTS?!?! LIKE DR. WILY WHO MADE THE ROBOT MASTERS: 

I THINK NOT!

UtahBolt

Any Johnson and Johnson folks out there? 

I am one and have a question for you.  I got my J&J poke back in March so when boosters were released I naturally went right and got one.  After doing some research, I saw that mixing the J&J with an MRNA is best (especially Moderna) and so that is what I got.  Now, they say J&J should have been a two shot regimen which would meant that with the booster we should all ideally have been at three (regardless of your original shot) .  However, with J&J, we only got the one and as of now have only been approved for the one booster dose which seems to leave us under protected.  Any of you fellow J&Jers going out and getting a second booster and if so, how?

Sorry if this has been addressed in this long thread.

PureandEasy

elvistheking44 said:

A question for the ones here in the medical field. I know we have a few nurses and some sales reps in the club. I keep hearing about ICU beds being full or hospitals are out of ICU beds. Why the low number? We are almost two years into this, why haven’t more beds been constructed? Does it not work that way? Illinois has a population of almost 13 million and total number of ICU beds is around 3500. Why not more beds?

Because that is not the answer to a pandemic.  The answer to COVID-19 was to be vaccinated.  The reason ICUs are being overloaded again is because people who refused to be vaccinated, refused to wear masks, chose to travel and engage in large family/friend gatherings during Thanksgiving . . .  that is the reason ICUs are overwhelmed once again.  And the forecast is only expected to be worse over the next two weeks.  It's called I don't give a GDMF'ing thing about anyone but myself and so many suffer the consequences of ignorant, selfish people.  

mickeyrat

UtahBolt said:

Any Johnson and Johnson folks out there? 

I am one and have a question for you.  I got my J&J poke back in March so when boosters were released I naturally went right and got one.  After doing some research, I saw that mixing the J&J with an MRNA is best (especially Moderna) and so that is what I got.  Now, they say J&J should have been a two shot regimen which would meant that with the booster we should all ideally have been at three (regardless of your original shot) .  However, with J&J, we only got the one and as of now have only been approved for the one booster dose which seems to leave us under protected.  Any of you fellow J&Jers going out and getting a second booster and if so, how?

Sorry if this has been addressed in this long thread.

not sure if it has been addressed yet but @oftenreading would be my go to for this type of question.

Spunkie

^ or check CDC guidelines

mickeyrat

 https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-africa-south-africa-southern-africa-bd7a30e490c407b8d84afef5ac9e203e

Coronavirus pandemic South Africa Southern Africa

South African doctors see signs omicron is milder than delta

By ANDREW MELDRUM

Today

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — As the omicron variant sweeps through South Africa, Dr. Unben Pillay is seeing dozens of sick patients a day. Yet he hasn’t had to send anyone to the hospital.

That’s one of the reasons why he, along with other doctors and medical experts, suspect that the omicron version really is causing milder COVID-19 than delta, even if it seems to be spreading faster.

“They are able to manage the disease at home," Pillay said of his patients. "Most have recovered within the 10 to 14-day isolation period.” said Pillay.

And that includes older patients and those with health problems that can make them more vulnerable to becoming severely ill from a coronavirus infection, he said.

In the two weeks since omicron first was reported in Southern Africa, other doctors have shared similar stories. All caution that it will take many more weeks to collect enough data to be sure, their observations and the early evidence offer some clues.

According to South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases:

— Only about 30% of those hospitalized with COVID-19 in recent weeks have been seriously ill, less than half the rate as during the first weeks of previous pandemic waves.

---

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

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— Average hospital stays for COVID-19 have been shorter this time - about 2.8 days compared to eight days.

— Just 3% of patients hospitalized recently with COVID-19 have died, versus about 20% in the country's earlier outbreaks.

“At the moment, virtually everything points toward it being milder disease,” Willem Hanekom, director of the Africa Health Research Institute, said, citing the national institute's figures and other reports. “It's early days, and we need to get the final data. Often hospitalizations and deaths happen later, and we are only two weeks into this wave.”

In the meantime, scientists around the world are watching case counts and hospitalization rates, while testing to see how well current vaccines and treatments hold up. While delta is still the dominant coronavirus strain worldwide, omicron cases are popping up in dozens of countries, with South Africa the epicenter.

Pillay practices in the country's Gauteng province, where the omicron version has taken hold. With 16 million residents, It's South Africa's most populous province and includes the largest city, Johannesburg, and the capital, Pretoria. Gauteng saw a 400% rise in new cases in the first week of December, and testing shows omicron is responsible for more than 90% of them, according to health officials.

Pillay says his COVID-19 patients during the last delta wave "had trouble breathing and lower oxygen levels. Many needed hospitalization within days,” he said. The patients he’s treating now have milder, flu-like symptoms, such as body aches and a cough, he said.

Pillay is a director of an association representing some 5,000 general practitioners across South Africa, and his colleagues have documented similar observations about omicron. Netcare, the largest private healthcare provider, is also reporting less severe cases of COVID-19.

But the number of cases is climbing. South Africa confirmed 22,400 new cases on Thursday and 19,000 on Friday, up from about 200 per day a few weeks ago. The new surge has infected 90,000 people in the past month, Minister of Health Joe Phaahla said Friday.

“Omicron has driven the resurgence,” Phaahla said, citing studies that say 70% of the new cases nationwide are from omicron.

The coronavirus reproduction rate in the current wave - indicating the number of people likely to be infected by one person — is 2.5, the highest that South Africa has recorded during the pandemic, he said.

“Because this is such a transmissible variant, we’re seeing increases like we never saw before,” said Waasila Jassat, who tracks hospital data for the National Institute for Communicable Diseases.

Of the patients hospitalized in the current wave, 86% weren't vaccinated against the coronavirus, Jassat said. The COVID-patients in South Africa's hospitals now also are younger than at other periods of the pandemic: about two-thirds are under 40.

Jassat said that even though the early signs are that omicron cases are less severe, the volume of new COVID-19 cases may still overwhelm South Africa's hospitals and result in a higher number of severe symptoms and deaths.

“That is the danger always with the waves," she said.

PJNB

Great news if true mickey. 

Bentleyspop

PureandEasy said:

elvistheking44 said:

A question for the ones here in the medical field. I know we have a few nurses and some sales reps in the club. I keep hearing about ICU beds being full or hospitals are out of ICU beds. Why the low number? We are almost two years into this, why haven’t more beds been constructed? Does it not work that way? Illinois has a population of almost 13 million and total number of ICU beds is around 3500. Why not more beds?

Because that is not the answer to a pandemic.  The answer to COVID-19 was to be vaccinated.  The reason ICUs are being overloaded again is because people who refused to be vaccinated, refused to wear masks, chose to travel and engage in large family/friend gatherings during Thanksgiving . . .  that is the reason ICUs are overwhelmed once again.  And the forecast is only expected to be worse over the next two weeks.  It's called I don't give a GDMF'ing thing about anyone but myself and so many suffer the consequences of ignorant, selfish people.