FAQ/Help |
Calendar |
Search |
Grand Magnate
hvert
has no updates.
Member Since: Jan 2014
Location: US
Posts: 4,887
3,785 hugs
given |
#341
I'm noticing that some retail workers are wearing masks again in my area. I really enjoy mask free life but it seems like it is time to go back to it.
I read that while case counts are as high or higher than they have ever been in some areas, deaths are way down due to vaccinations. In the UK, deaths are 10% of what they were during the last 50k peak. I've also read that we are all going to get Delta because it is so contagious. @Discombobulated is there any way your son can get his appointment moved up? One shot is better than none. It does seem crazy that restrictions are being lifted in so many places just as cases ramp up again. |
Discombobulated, TunedOut
|
Discombobulated, TunedOut
|
Magnate
rechu
has no updates.
Member Since: Apr 2016
Location: Somewhere in South America
Posts: 2,209
1,037 hugs
given |
#342
Here we have been under 1,000 new cases the last few days, but the mid-week numbers are always lower because they are reporting tests done over the weekend. We will see what they announce today. Positivity is below 3% and active cases are under 15,000 for the first time in a while.
When I lived in the US, I was sort of a honorary member of the Brazilian community in my city. I had lots of friends from Brazil. I traveled solo several times to Brazil and they put me in touch with friends and family there who took me in and showed me around. I am still in touch with many of them thanks to technology. I found out yesterday that one of the friends I made during my travels passed away. She's about my age. The mutual friend that told me didn't say what the cause was and I didn't want to be one of those "WAS IT COVID?" people. However, it seems likely. Very sad. She left behind a husband and a daughter who must be 11 or 12 by now. |
Discombobulated, hvert, TunedOut
|
Grand Magnate
Discombobulated
has no updates.
Member Since: Oct 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 4,642
(SuperPoster!)
11.5k hugs
given |
#344
@hvert it's really weird but once they discovered immunity seems to be boosted by leaving a longer gap (original trials were 3 weeks) they insisted everyone must wait for the longer gap. Added to that most key workers did not get priority for the vaccine it means many young key workers have been at risk for a long time now. Yes I agree one dose is better than none (although with Delta one dose is only 33% effective)
Yes you're right the death rate is now much lower than the January peak and the link to deaths and hospitalisations has been weakened. Not severed as our prime minister tried to claim however. Unfortunately 50% of those in hospital have been vaccinated, it just doesn't seem to work as well on some people. I think if we hadn't had the vaccine programme we would be looking at a horrendously high death toll similar to India. |
TunedOut
|
Magnate
rechu
has no updates.
Member Since: Apr 2016
Location: Somewhere in South America
Posts: 2,209
1,037 hugs
given |
#345
@Discombobulated - Thanks. Yes, it is terrible news. I am still kind of shocked about it. I saw a message from M, the mutual friend and was happy to that she had gotten in touch. We had a conversation a little while back because her fiancé had completed his thesis and was thinking about coming here to teach at a university when the pandemic is over. She wanted to see what I thought. Anyways, I expected it was something to do with that. I never anticipated what the message actually contained.
I read that here about 1200 children have lost both parents to Covid, which is just heartbreaking. |
Discombobulated, TunedOut, unaluna
|
Grand Poohbah
TunedOut
has no updates.
Member Since: May 2019
Location: USA
Posts: 1,523
6,983 hugs
given |
#346
Having my groceries delivered today and scheduled a delivery for Monday. Decided it is not a great time to go out shopping. Noticed they were completely out of every kind of fresh broccoli (one of my favorites which I cook nearly every day, I am not a fan of frozen broccoli)--highly unusual. When I was getting my groceries delivered during the previous Winter--the slots would fill up so you would have to plan ahead. Now all the slots are available. Apparently, people are not getting things delivered during this Covid resurgence--maybe because of the vaccinations?
|
Discombobulated
|
Grand Magnate
hvert
has no updates.
Member Since: Jan 2014
Location: US
Posts: 4,887
3,785 hugs
given |
#347
@rechu that's awful about your friend and so sad that her daughter has lost her mother.
I think people are dying because of Covid even if they don't have it. Cancer diagnoses are delayed, clinical trials stopped. More drug overdoses due to isolation. This pandemic is awful in so many ways. |
AzulOscuro, TunedOut
|
TunedOut
|
Magnate
rechu
has no updates.
Member Since: Apr 2016
Location: Somewhere in South America
Posts: 2,209
1,037 hugs
given |
#348
So true, @hvert. Here the backlog of surgeries, for example, is very long. There haven't been enough staff or post-surgical beds. I haven't seen statistics, but I am sure some of those who have had their surgeries postponed have died waiting. Just now that ICU admissions have been on the decline they are starting to address this.
Some municipalities here have done mobile cancer screenings and things like that since a lot of people don't want to go to a hospital right. I'm sure that doesn't come close to the numbers done when people can freely go to a hospital or clinic without worrying about Covid. We are one of the countries that are seeing very good numbers lately. Maybe Sinocrap is helping somewhat, plus it is also a lower % of vaccines these days than at the start. We have more Pfizer and AstraZeneca these days too. Although Pfizer has cut its deliveries this past week. We haven't really seen community transmission of Delta. They have made it a bit easier for vaccinated people to leave, but have clamped down on people coming in. Quarantine hotel for all non-residents. Legal residents and citizens that live within five hours of the airport can go home to isolate. Everyone in the household has to quarantine regardless of vaccination status or if they traveled. From what I have read they are actually being more rigorous about checking in on people. If you live more than five hours away, you have to do your quarantine in a hotel in the capital. I guess because five hours is a trip you can do without really stopping. So, now, on the forum for expats we have whining from foreign residents that went back to their home countries when things were bad here but before there were border restrictions. Now that things are good here, they want to come back and are whining about how the restrictions are not fair, etc. We went through all the sacrifices here that I have told you about and we now finally have things under control again. So, now, those that bailed now think they can just waltz in and potentially spread new variants without having to quarantine? I guess like @AzulOscuro has said, the pandemic has highlighted human selfishness. |
Discombobulated, hvert, TunedOut
|
unaluna
|
Magnate
rechu
has no updates.
Member Since: Apr 2016
Location: Somewhere in South America
Posts: 2,209
1,037 hugs
given |
#349
Just an addition, I had some sympathy for the people who were stuck abroad back, say in March 2020. I even had a friend had to quickly cut a trip in Europe short to get back to the US, but he didn't complain. He was glad to return before things got bad soon after.
Knowing that we are still in a pandemic where things are constantly changing, choosing to travel, unless it is very essential, and then complaining when they get caught on the wrong side of the rules or wanting special treatment irritates me. Sorry, but the world's smallest violin is playing for you. |
hvert
|
AzulOscuro, Discombobulated, Nammu, unaluna
|
Legendary
Rose76
Treading water.
Member Since: Mar 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 12,404
(SuperPoster!)
5,302 hugs
given |
#350
I'm fully vaccinated. All the same, I wear a mask when I go out in public, like to the grocery store. I feel very glad of the protection I have from my two Moderna shots. But I like to add another layer of protection over what the shots give me. I would prefer to not get even a "mild" case of COVID. Also, I go out to eat, but I won't go into a restaurant that looks crowded.
I fully support hositals mandating that all their employees get vaccinated. I recently had to be hositalized for a sudden, unexpected health issue. I received care and went through procedures that caused doctors and nursing staff to be close to me in a hands on way. I would hate to think that one of these staff members might be carrying and exposing me to COVID, especially during a time when my health status was compromised. I feel it is my right to expect hospital staff to be vaccinated. |
Discombobulated, hvert, TunedOut
|
AzulOscuro, Discombobulated, Nammu, TunedOut
|
Grand Magnate
Discombobulated
has no updates.
Member Since: Oct 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 4,642
(SuperPoster!)
11.5k hugs
given |
#351
I really don't understand the fuss around staff refusing vaccination. I already shared here that when I volunteered in a hospital my immunisation record was checked and they screened my blood for antibodies to check if I needed my hepatitis redone (I didn't but would have if I'd had to). It's not new having to be vaccinated to work or volunteer in hospitals.
Vaccination is proven to cut transmission by half for delta I believe. |
hvert, Nammu, TunedOut
|
AzulOscuro, Rose76
|
Grand Poohbah
TunedOut
has no updates.
Member Since: May 2019
Location: USA
Posts: 1,523
6,983 hugs
given |
#352
Quote:
CDC Data is surprising - YouTube United States and Australia - YouTube |
|
hvert
|
AzulOscuro, Discombobulated
|
Grand Magnate
Discombobulated
has no updates.
Member Since: Oct 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 4,642
(SuperPoster!)
11.5k hugs
given |
#353
Quote:
There are definitely some (very small numbers I believe) who can't be vaccinated, my sister works with one such person - she's had an organ transplant. It does throw up a dilemma in a small minority of cases it's true. Sadly these people are also more vulnerable to covid 19 so it's a horrible situation for them. My sister's colleague cannot return to the office while covid is in circulation, added to this she is aware many in her office chose to refuse their vaccine on non medical grounds. It's such a horrible situation. I'm glad you got both your vaccines @TunedOut and that you are able to take the steps you need to to stay safe too. I too continue to wear a mask in my job, I'm not sure how much of difference it makes but for me wearing a mask has never been more than a very minor inconvenience so it's not a big deal. We've all got to do what we feel comfortable with IMO, and be considerate of each other too, some of us are higher risk groups than others. |
|
hvert, TunedOut
|
TunedOut
|
Grand Magnate
hvert
has no updates.
Member Since: Jan 2014
Location: US
Posts: 4,887
3,785 hugs
given |
#354
They are reintroducing mask recommendations now. It's such a mess. If you live in a county with a certain number of active Covid cases per 100k, the state recommends that you wear a mask indoors. This will change every day (and already did within 12 hours of them making the first announcement)! It seems like the majority of people where I live do not want to go back to this. The attitude is either a) I'm vaccinated, the unvaccinated should go get the shot or b) Covid is a hoax, I'm not wearing a mask.
I've decided I'm not going to eat or drink indoors for now. I did this weekend and it just made me nervous. I made us leave the first restaurant because it was really crowded, there were kids, and I could hear someone coughing. The next place was not very full but staffed by teenagers. Were they vaccinated? I think less than 50% of kids 12-18 have decided to get the shot here. I alternate between feeling protected by the vaccine and feeling paranoid where someone coughs or there are a bunch of maskless kids running around. My husband is in a band and they are going to start playing in bars now that those restrictions have lifted and I am sure he is going to catch it from that. It seems a bunch of companies in the US are starting to mandate vaccines. It's going to get interesting. |
Discombobulated, TunedOut, unaluna
|
AzulOscuro
|
Grand Magnate
hvert
has no updates.
Member Since: Jan 2014
Location: US
Posts: 4,887
3,785 hugs
given |
#355
I made a last ditch effort to persuade my brother to get vaccinated. It did not work. I brought up the fear of needles but he said it's not that. I am struggling to accept that he believes the things he was saying.
|
BreakForTheLight, Discombobulated, Nammu, rechu, TunedOut, unaluna
|
Grand Magnate
hvert
has no updates.
Member Since: Jan 2014
Location: US
Posts: 4,887
3,785 hugs
given |
#356
Our wave has started. I went to a workshop this weekend (outdoors) and got some interesting perspectives. One woman was a nurse who felt like she is seeing the canary in the coal mine, a sudden influx of unvaccinated patients who are very bad off. The way she described it was that people were showing up in the ER and going straight to the ICU and Regeneron whereas before there may have been another stage of treatment in between. She's already stopped going to indoor unmasked events. Another woman is a library director and she is planning to shut down again. I'd hoped we wouldn't go back to that.
I did not expect this to start so soon. It's the middle of summer. People are outside, not inside. School is out. The majority of people are vaccinated with mRNA vaccines. We had single digit case counts this time last year with no vaccines. Delta is ugly. |
AzulOscuro, Discombobulated, Nammu, rechu, TunedOut
|
Magnate
rechu
has no updates.
Member Since: Apr 2016
Location: Somewhere in South America
Posts: 2,209
1,037 hugs
given |
#357
@hvert Wow, that doesn't sound good, and what about Florida? It sounds even worse there.
We seem to be settling at a positivity under 2% and under 1,000 new cases a day lately nationwide. Hospitalizations are down quite a bit. I think the only way we are going to stay this way is if they keep the strict entry controls and required quarantine for arrivals. They seem, anyways, to have helped limit Delta. I don't want to go back to lockdowns again. |
AzulOscuro, hvert
|
Grand Magnate
Discombobulated
has no updates.
Member Since: Oct 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 4,642
(SuperPoster!)
11.5k hugs
given |
#358
I also really, really don't want to see anymore lockdowns (although ours were nowhere hear as restrictive as yours @rechu)
Well 2 weeks on after all restrictions ended and cases are down quite a lot, last couple of days 21,000, deaths are still up but it could well still be a lag from the last peak a few weeks ago. It's early days to jump to conclusions but some very well respected scientists are saying we might be past the worst. I still don't feel like celebrating however and certainly taking care in my daily life. Take care all. |
AzulOscuro, hvert, rechu, TunedOut
|
Grand Member
BreakForTheLight
has no updates.
Member Since: Jan 2015
Location: Europe
Posts: 852
211 hugs
given |
#359
Oh my god. I just saw pictures from Lollapalooze in Chicago a few days ago and I am lost for words.
Yes, I enjoyed my concerts and I'm so happy I got to experience those, but this is on a whole new level of stupid. Those crowds! In a pandemic! The last concert I went to already felt like the Corona proof plan was a bit of a farce. Security was VERY uptight about people wearing their masks as soon as they got up from their table. Which would've made sense if people were ONLY sitting together in their bubbles. But they also sold single seats at shared tables. I sat with 3 strangers and my dad at a table for 4. (My dad insisted on driving me and then bought a last minute ticket. Instead of assigning him a seat, they told him to just grab a chair and join me at my table. Bye bye 1,5 m to other tables.) I saw some videos from the same musician playing in Austria a few days later, where there didn't seem to be any seating at all and people were just standing close together. That already confused me. But those pictures from Lollapalooza are 100x worse. |
Discombobulated, hvert, rechu
|
AzulOscuro
|
Grand Magnate
hvert
has no updates.
Member Since: Jan 2014
Location: US
Posts: 4,887
3,785 hugs
given |
#360
@Discombobulated it would be wonderful if this wave has already passed you by! I am just so surprised at the timing here. I expected this in the fall, when kids were back in school and we all move indoors to stay warm.
@BreakForTheLight I was wondering if you would go to your music festival - I read that some were being canceled where you are? It's great you had the chance to go and hear live music in a fairly low risk environment! The whole 'wear your mask when you leave the table but not at the table' makes no sense to me. I think it misleads people into thinking it is safe to eat inside restaurants or to have funerals and weddings. It's security theatre, like taking off your shoe at the airport. Those Lollapalooza photos make me think that will be a superspreader event like Sturgis was. Everyone was supposed to show proof of vaccination or a negative test result but I read that they were not that great about checking. Some restaurants here are requiring proof of vaccination for those who want to eat indoors. The state does not make it easy - my only proof is the little paper card they gave me and god knows where it is. I took it with me a month ago to a place that required proof of vaccination (which they then never asked for) and am not sure where it wound up. |
Discombobulated
|