Omicron variant

bluepuma9 said:Based on the latest numbers, there’s been a massive spike in new infections in South Carolina compared to last week, with 81% of those cases coming out of California.
It looks like the vaccine is actually doing its job, though; 87% of the people hitting the hospital aren't vaccinated,

But isn't the vaccination rate pretty low over there anyway? Like, maybe around 20%?

Gary Ruiz said:But isn't the vaccination rate pretty low over there anyway? Like, maybe around 20%?

If my memory serves me right, we're looking at 40+% in the SAR.

bluepuma9 said:If my memory serves me right, we're looking at 40+% in the SAR.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...s-tracker.html

It looks like 25% are fully vaccinated, while about 29% have received at least one dose.

The United States, where Omicron just reigns supreme over everything else

https://www.reuters.com/business/hea...ic-2021-12-01/

They’re claiming the coronavirus has essentially morphed into nothing more than a common cold, though apparently, we won't truly know if it's settled into being just another seasonal nuisance until we see how the next two or three weeks play out...
https://www.worldometers.info/corona...ntry/usa/

Just 159 new cases and zero deaths reported, which seems to be the pattern we've been seeing for the last few days...

Sandra Baker41 said:The United States, where Omicron just reigns supreme over everything else

https://www.reuters.com/business/hea...ic-2021-12-01/

They’re claiming the coronavirus has essentially morphed into nothing more than a common cold, though apparently, we won't truly know if it's settled into being just another seasonal nuisance until we see how the next two or three weeks play out...
https://www.worldometers.info/corona...ntry/usa/

Just 159 new cases and zero deaths reported, which seems to be the pattern we've been seeing for the last few days...

That outcome feels quite likely. However, we should remain patient and observe how this unfolds, considering the average age in Africa is roughly 20, whereas in Europe, it exceeds 40. For now, the situation appears relatively mild, which aligns perfectly with the historical patterns seen during previous pandemics.

urbanwalker72 said:That outcome feels quite likely. However, we should remain patient and observe how this unfolds, considering the average age in Africa is roughly 20, whereas in Europe, it exceeds 40. For now, the situation appears relatively mild, which aligns perfectly with the historical patterns seen during previous pandemics.

It is certain that something will happen eventually, but there is nothing certain about it being specifically with omicron.
Between a younger population, poor tracking of both infections and mortality rates, and generally low numbers—right now, all we can do is watch.
I would love to be right, but I’ve learned to be extremely cautious over the last two years. 😵😵

#nexttwoyearsarecritical

Sandra Baker41 said:The United States, where Omicron just reigns supreme over everything else

https://www.reuters.com/business/hea...ic-2021-12-01/

They’re claiming the coronavirus has essentially morphed into nothing more than a common cold, though apparently, we won't truly know if it's settled into being just another seasonal nuisance until we see how the next two or three weeks play out...
https://www.worldometers.info/corona...ntry/usa/

Just 159 new cases and zero deaths reported, which seems to be the pattern we've been seeing for the last few days...

If this turns out to be true, I wonder—is it better to just catch this "strain" and build up natural immunity against everything else (past and future, like what natural immunity has done over the last two years), or just wait for those strain-specific shots coming out in a couple months, only to get immunity for that one specific thing and just go in circles?

urbanwalker72 said:That outcome feels quite likely. However, we should remain patient and observe how this unfolds, considering the average age in Africa is roughly 20, whereas in Europe, it exceeds 40. For now, the situation appears relatively mild, which aligns perfectly with the historical patterns seen during previous pandemics.

When you look at a population of 2.5 million, with roughly 400,000 living with HIV, an average life expectancy of 66, and all the complications of obesity and diabetes...

In their reality, 20 years old feels more like being 30+ in the US, and 40 is probably closer to 50...
If people with compromised immune systems from HIV can survive and recover...

Amanda Allen4 said:Ever wonder why the latest COVID variant was slapped with the name Omicron instead of just following the usual alphabetical sequence we've seen with previous versions?

It’s pretty simple—after Delta comes Xi, and since that’s a common Chinese name, they couldn't exactly let that slide if they wanted to stay politically correct.

Uhh, yeah, no... Epsilon comes right after Delta. Xi is way at the end of the list.

I honestly feel like we’re all just trying to make sense of a world that changes faster than we can keep up with. It feels like every time you think you’ve got a handle on the latest news or some new trend, the goalposts move again. I was sitting there thinking about how much everything has shifted over the last few years—just the sheer pace of it all—and it really gets you reflecting on what actually stays constant when everything else seems to be in flux. It’s a bit overwhelming if you let it, but I try to stay level-headed about it. Just take things one day at a time, you know? kaže:
That’s pretty much a given. I still think we should hold off for a little bit longer. When you look at the numbers, the average age in Africa is only around 20, whereas over in Europe, it’s well north of 40. It's a massive difference. It definitely seems pretty mild for now, which honestly lines up perfectly with how all the other pandemics have played out in the past.

Yeah, but there’s more to it than just that.

It’s like I said before: down in South Africa, they’re right in the middle of summer right now. And honestly, looking back at our experience here in the States, pretty much every strain of COVID-19 we dealt with leading up to the summer felt almost like nothing more than a bad case of the flu.

Look, we’re going to have to wait quite a while longer... and honestly, I wouldn't go getting my hopes up just yet.

Doctors over in those parts say they've been dealing with Omicron for about six months now.

Thomas Cook said:Doctors over in those parts say they've been dealing with Omicron for about six months now.

Between the doctors and the scientists, everyone's acting like the symptoms are super mild right now, yet they’re already rushing to roll out a new vaccine tailored for this strain in just a couple of months. It makes you wonder—if the symptoms aren't even a big deal, why the sudden rush? Are we really expected to chase down a new shot for every single mutation that pops up, regardless of how much it actually affects us?

bluerider63 said:Between the doctors and the scientists, everyone's acting like the symptoms are super mild right now, yet they’re already rushing to roll out a new vaccine tailored for this strain in just a couple of months. It makes you wonder—if the symptoms aren't even a big deal, why the sudden rush? Are we really expected to chase down a new shot for every single mutation that pops up, regardless of how much it actually affects us?

It’s way too early to jump to any conclusions—the sample size is just too small. We need several more weeks to pass before we get any real data on how severe these symptoms actually are, whether people are avoiding vaccines, or how virulent this thing really is.

So, I just read that some person showed up at a massive concert over in Denmark carrying the Omicron variant

Honestly, those ultra-liberal folks over there are going to be the death of us with how much they love loosening up all the restrictions

silverpuma47 said:It’s way too early to jump to any conclusions—the sample size is just too small. We need several more weeks to pass before we get any real data on how severe these symptoms actually are, whether people are avoiding vaccines, or how virulent this thing really is.

Well, clearly it isn't too early to start cooking up a new vaccine specifically for this strain they're promising in like two or three months.

Nicholas Watson said:So, I just read that some person showed up at a massive concert over in Denmark carrying the Omicron variant

Honestly, those ultra-liberal folks over there are going to be the death of us with how much they love loosening up all the restrictions

What makes you say that?
If Omicron turns out to be a milder variant, it’s actually the exact opposite.

Since it spreads way faster, it should burn through the Delta variant—which isn't exactly great news either—and lead us toward the end of the pandemic, or maybe even the end of it entirely. That is, provided they don't intentionally block it like they're doing now.

bluerider63 said:Between the doctors and the scientists, everyone's acting like the symptoms are super mild right now, yet they’re already rushing to roll out a new vaccine tailored for this strain in just a couple of months. It makes you wonder—if the symptoms aren't even a big deal, why the sudden rush? Are we really expected to chase down a new shot for every single mutation that pops up, regardless of how much it actually affects us?

You're such a rebel.

Data coming out of Africa suggests there's a much higher chance of reinfection for people who already dealt with Omicron.

I just don't get it... If Omicron isn't supposed to be that dangerous or aggressive... then what's driving this latest surge in hospitalizations back in the States?

bluepuma9 said:Data coming out of Africa suggests there's a much higher chance of reinfection for people who already dealt with Omicron.

I just don't get it... If Omicron isn't supposed to be that dangerous or aggressive... then what's driving this latest surge in hospitalizations back in the States?

It’s just the usual—inflating the numbers to push boosters, vaccines, lockdowns, mandates, test results... basically whenever a specific variant starts losing its edge. It's easy enough to admit someone needs hospitalization just so they can lie in a bed and make the statistics look whatever they need them to be (whether that's "good" or "bad").