CR: COVID-19 --Political Talk

[DDD Dad 14339]

It's their FREEDUM to fafo. Shit, my parents have a few friends from old churches who have lost spouses to COVID and still refuse to get vaccinated. B1.617.2 is gonna fuck up those dumbasses, and then they'll point to it as proof of some conspiracy to kill people like them

Thank goodness these vaccines are still showing effectiveness against new variants. There will come a time when one of them “sneaks past the goalie”. If we don’t have herd immunity when that happens then things are gonna suck again.

[Js1 85338]

 

[The Dog 44052]

1 hour ago, bolverk said:

Latest demographics/politics of vaccine hesitancy: https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/dashboard/kff-covid-19-vaccine-monitor-dashboard/

No surprise, but Republicans are the least likely to get vaxxed, including among Blacks and the youths, which is leading to a Stark Red-Blue Divide When It Comes To States' Vaccination Rates. 

And, of course...

In the U.S., hospitalizations are rising in areas with low vaccination rates

  Reveal hidden contents

 

The coronavirus might be receding in much of the United States, but it continues to spread in communities with low Covid-19 vaccination rates, where highly contagious virus variants pose a threat to those who have not had shots.

In Smith County, Tenn., where only 20 percent of people are fully vaccinated, there has been an almost 700 percent increase in hospitalizations for Covid-19 over the past two weeks, according to a New York Times database. In Trousdale, Tenn., where only 23 percent of people have had two vaccine doses, hospitalizations have also surged by 700 percent in the same period.

The increase is not a coincidence, said Dr. Ted Delbridge, executive director of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems. People who become ill with Covid-19 now are, “in most age groups, twice as likely to end up hospitalized as people who got the virus earlier in the course of the pandemic,” Dr. Delbridge said.

In Maryland, of those between the ages of 50 and 59 who contracted Covid-19 over the winter, about 8 percent were hospitalized, he said. From the end of April through the beginning of June, the hospitalization rate in that group was 19 percent.

Dangerous virus variants are likely to be to blame, Dr. Delbridge said. The variant first found in Britain, now known as Alpha, is deadlier and more contagious than most others and is now dominant in the United States. Last month, Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the variant, also known as B.1.1.7, made up 72 percent of U.S. cases at the time.

But vaccines have proven to be effective against the Alpha variant. A spring surge that scientists had warned of largely failed to materialize in the United States.

“I think we got lucky, to be honest,” Nathan Grubaugh, an epidemiologist at Yale University, told The New York Times last month. “We’re being rescued by the vaccine.”

Through Tuesday, about 172 million Americans had received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, according to a Times database. But vaccine distribution across the country has slowed in recent weeks. About 1 million shots are being administered nationwide each day, down from an April peak of 3 million.

In Michigan, one of the few states that saw a surge in cases this spring, Alpha struck younger people who were returning to schools and playing contact sports.

“Because it’s more transmissible, the virus finds cracks in behavior that normally wouldn’t have been as much of a problem,” said Emily Martin, an epidemiologist at the University of Michigan.

At a White House press briefing on Tuesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Biden’s chief Covid adviser, said the Delta variant, which was originally identified in India, was emerging as the dominant variant in Britain.

“We cannot let that happen in the United States,” Dr. Fauci said, adding that the Delta variant now accounted for 6 percent of sequenced cases in the United States.

Dr. Fauci urged young people to get vaccinated, citing a study that found that two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine or the AstraZeneca vaccine appeared to be effective against the Delta variant.

One way of limiting the spread is for those who are vaccinated to wear masks around those who are not, doctors say. At least one state is making that a rule in some places: When California reopens next week, fully vaccinated colleagues working in a room together will be allowed to work maskless. But if one person is unvaccinated, everyone in the room will need to wear a mask.

“If I’m in close proximity to other people, and I don’t know their vaccination status, I put a mask on,” Dr. Delbridge said. “It’s just too easy.”

 

Hey, Surly GOP! Get vaxxed, or fuck around and find out. Spread the word among your fellow travelers. Do it for the good of the country.

Except that article says it isn't "just about politics" - vaccine hesitancy certainly among Trumpers is a thing, but it's not THE thing that is causing the slowdown in vaccination rates. 

It's always been accessibility for minorities and the poor. I wish there was more talk about that instead of constantly dunking on the Trumpers.

Trumpers are easy scapegoats but the real problem isn't them IMHO. It's getting vaccines rolled out to the poor and lower income demographics - especially black and hispanic communities. 

[Sawbonz 27562]

9 minutes ago, The Dog said:

It's always been accessibility for minorities and the poor.

You want to show your work here? In DFW you can walk in to almost any pharmacy and get vaccinated right now. Fair Park has had no wait drive through for the past 2 months. Demand has dropped so much they are limiting hours. If you are an invalid and can’t leave home Dallas fire and EMT will come to your house. 
 

I have started asking my patients if they are vaccinated / if they’re going to and it’s about 50/50 regardless of race. By far most common reason is worried about unknown side effects

[wildcat09 29354]

1 minute ago, Sawbonz said:

You want to show your work here? In DFW you can walk in to almost any pharmacy and get vaccinated right now. Fair Park has had no wait drive through for the past 2 months. Demand has dropped so much they are limiting hours. If you are an invalid and can’t leave home Dallas fire and EMT will come to your house. 
 

I have started asking my patients if they are vaccinated / if they’re going to and it’s about 50/50 regardless of race. By far most common reason is worried about unknown side effects

I think some people are still concerned about needing a day or two off of work for possible side effects and not being able to get time off.

[Mrs Whiggins 13050]

Just now, The Dog said:

Trumpers are easy scapegoats but the real problem isn't them IMHO. It's getting vaccines rolled out to the poor and lower income demographics - especially black and hispanic communities. 

This. Plus, in GQP areas that also have poor and/or minority populations I have witnessed the disingenuous doubletalk. "We are closing our hub due to lack of demand. The vaccine is readily available at other pharmacies for people who want it. People just don't want it."

Completely ignores the reality of what constitutes outreach and the obstacles for certain populations. But then again, the people running the hub made certain all their family and friends received the vaccine on the down low when the first shipment arrived instead of sending it to nursing homes and HCPs. It wasn't until Biden's plan got the doses up and running that the non friend of a friend community even had access. It was the good old boy network and was infuriating to watch.

Those local leaders view the "other" leaders (of poor and lower income demographics) as troublemakers and follow the *Sheriff Stuckey's (Gaylord Sartain) route with most interactions.

 

*Gaylord Sartain played the sheriff in the film, Mississippi Burning, and made comments with a shrug to  Willem Dafoe and Gene Hackman's characters  along the lines of "it's what they do..." as the three viewed African Americans burning and protesting in their segregated community following a lynching.

[bolverk 29673]

7 minutes ago, The Dog said:

Except that article says it isn't "just about politics" - vaccine hesitancy certainly among Trumpers is a thing, but it's not THE thing that is causing the slowdown in vaccination rates. 

It's always been accessibility for minorities and the poor. I wish there was more talk about that instead of constantly dunking on the Trumpers.

Trumpers are easy scapegoats but the real problem isn't them IMHO. It's getting vaccines rolled out to the poor and lower income demographics - especially black and hispanic communities. 

Accessibility is definitely an issue for some groups and targeting them with more focused efforts on reaching out to them and their communities is absolutely an issue.

Stubborn intransigence, rooted in paranoia and politics, is a separate issue. If you look at the data in the first link I provided, you can see for yourself which group is included in that. Here's a chart I just put together on the data cited.

 

[Mrs Whiggins 13050]

7 minutes ago, Sawbonz said:

You want to show your work here? In DFW you can walk in to almost any pharmacy and get vaccinated right now. Fair Park has had no wait drive through for the past 2 months. Demand has dropped so much they are limiting hours. If you are an invalid and can’t leave home Dallas fire and EMT will come to your house. 
 

I have started asking my patients if they are vaccinated / if they’re going to and it’s about 50/50 regardless of race. By far most common reason is worried about unknown side effects

In May, a vaccine clinic came to a town in the county over from ours. For one day. From 8:30 until 4:00.

I'm not denying your experience, but it isn't the same all over Texas.

[The Dog 44052]

2 minutes ago, bolverk said:

Accessibility is definitely an issue for some groups and targeting them with more focused efforts on reaching out to them and their communities is absolutely an issue.

Stubborn intransigence, rooted in paranoia and politics, is a separate issue. If you look at the data in the first link I provided, you can see for yourself which group is included in that. Here's a chart I just put together on the data cited.

 

I agree with that - but that only shows vaccine willingness rather than those who actually have been able to get the vaccine. 

From your link, something like 75% percent of blacks want to get the shot, but the vast majority haven't been able to. That's the problem I'm talking about and what needs to be discussed rather than a bunch of goofy Trumpers who are being stupid.

Edited June 9, 2021 by The Dog

[Anastasis 23469]

18-40 need to get their shit together....

[bolverk 29673]

6 minutes ago, bolverk said:

Accessibility is definitely an issue for some groups and targeting them with more focused efforts on reaching out to them and their communities is absolutely an issue.

 

4 minutes ago, The Dog said:

I agree with that - but that only shows vaccine willingness rather than those who actually have been able to get the vaccine. 

From your link, something like 75% percent of blacks want to get the shot, but the vast majority haven't been able to. That's the problem I'm talking about. 

And I acknowledged that it's a problem, but that's a separate issue from my original point earlier this morning. I'm not sure how or if we can fix the reluctance one other than getting other Republicans to help convince their political allies to do the same; hence, my pleading with Surly GOP posters to help spread the message.

[The Dog 44052]

8 minutes ago, bolverk said:

 

And I acknowledged that it's a problem, but that's a separate issue from my original point earlier this morning. I'm not sure how or if we can fix the reluctance one other than getting other Republicans to help convince their political allies to do the same; hence, my pleading with Surly GOP posters to help spread the message.

Yeah I just don't think attempting to "fix" Trumper reluctance is worth the effort. They aren't going to listen to any of us.

[Longhorn_Fan68 33871]

24 minutes ago, bolverk said:

Accessibility is definitely an issue for some groups and targeting them with more focused efforts on reaching out to them and their communities is absolutely an issue.

Stubborn intransigence, rooted in paranoia and politics, is a separate issue. If you look at the data in the first link I provided, you can see for yourself which group is included in that. Here's a chart I just put together on the data cited.

 

look at them smart ass dems

[Mrs Whiggins 13050]

To provide some comparison--Jefferson County near the coast is one of Texas' larger minority populated counties. The Texas DHS did not open a hub there. However, there was a mobile vaccine unit that was to travel around to smaller communities giving the vaccine. Except the county flooded last month. And the van broke down so the mobile health clinic shut down for about a week or so.

This is their vaccination stats: 87,039 have received first dose (34.10%) and 69, 762 are fully vaccinated (27.34%).

In some communities one has to call or register via website in order to vaccinate and are then given an appointment time. Again, getting off work or arranging transportation on shorter notice is just not as feasible for certain demographics. The person who drives you to the clinic if you don't have a license or car has to take off work too and that may not be possible.

The mobile units are a good idea, but working to have inoculations on the weekend helps somewhat too, as does talking with community members to meet them where they are.

 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19101]

Good on Houston Methodist.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/07/us/texas-hospital-workers-suspended-over-mandatory-vaccine-policy.html

 

[Sawbonz 27562]

1 hour ago, Mrs Whiggins said:

In May, a vaccine clinic came to a town in the county over from ours. For one day. From 8:30 until 4:00.

I'm not denying your experience, but it isn't the same all over Texas.

Are there no pharmacies in or near your town? Any health care facilities?

[Brisketexan 105142]

Some helpful news -- confirming what many expected, but wasn't confirmed via valid study till now, as I understand: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210608/No-point-vaccinating-those-whoe28099ve-had-COVID-19-Findings-of-Cleveland-Clinic-study.aspx

Quote

Scientists from the Cleveland Clinic, USA, have recently evaluated the effectiveness of coronavirus disease 2019 COVID-19) vaccination among individuals with or without a history of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

The study findings reveal that individuals with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection do not get additional benefits from vaccination, indicating that COVID-19 vaccines should be prioritized to individuals without prior infection. 

.....

Of all enrolled participants, 5% had previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. Compared to 59% of non-infected participants, only 47% of previously infected participants were vaccinated by the end of the study. About 63% of all vaccinated participants received the Moderna vaccine.

The analysis of cumulative COVID-19 incidence revealed that during the course of the study, SARS-CoV-2 infection occurred almost exclusively in participants who were not previously infected and were not vaccinated.

Interestingly, no significant difference in COVID-19 incidence was observed between previously infected and currently unvaccinated participants, previously infected and currently vaccinated participants, and previously uninfected and currently vaccinated participants.

The participants from these three groups exhibited a significantly lower incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to previously uninfected and currently unvaccinated participants.

Specifically, of all infections during the study period, 99.3% occurred in participants who were not infected previously and remained unvaccinated. In contrast, only 0.7% of infections occurred in participants who were not previously infected but were currently vaccinated.

Importantly, not a single incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was observed in previously infected participants with or without vaccination.

TLDR; previous infection imparts immunity to future infection as well or even better than vaccination does.  So, "herd immunity" as to COVID includes both vaccinated and previously infected persons.  Meaning we're a lot closer to herd immunity than our vaccination rate would suggest.

Again, that matches up with the conventional wisdom and certainly the discussions around here, but the confirmation is good to see.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13512]

2 hours ago, Js1 said:

 

I hope someone called her out on vaccines making people magnetic. Unsupported facts can be left unchallenged because we want to be nice to everyone or allow everyone to have an opinion. Especially when their evidence is "I'm sure you've also seen online posts about magnetic people with spoons on their forehead."

 

 

[Brisketexan 105142]

2 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

I hope someone called her out on vaccines making people magnetic. Unsupported facts can be left unchallenged because we want to be nice to everyone or allow everyone to have an opinion. Especially when their evidence is "I'm sure you've also seen online posts about magnetic people with spoons on their forehead."

 

 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13512]

8 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Some helpful news -- confirming what many expected, but wasn't confirmed via valid study till now, as I understand: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210608/No-point-vaccinating-those-whoe28099ve-had-COVID-19-Findings-of-Cleveland-Clinic-study.aspx

TLDR; previous infection imparts immunity to future infection as well or even better than vaccination does.  So, "herd immunity" as to COVID includes both vaccinated and previously infected persons.  Meaning we're a lot closer to herd immunity than our vaccination rate would suggest.

Again, that matches up with the conventional wisdom and certainly the discussions around here, but the confirmation is good to see.

these are interesting but I've noticed a common problem with many studies related to the vaccine and covid-19. Most people in these studies are not randomly selected to be tested for COVID infections after they initially become ill/diagnosed or if they're vaccinated. Perhaps a few of them voluntarily get tested even though they feel fine, but usually the covid tests occur because they feel sick.

I would for a health care system, and they've asked us to continually get a monthly test even though we're vaccinated. It's basically a science project for them. I've gotten 2 covid tests out of the 6 they've requested. It's just too much out of my way to go. I have to find a 90 minute window in my day to drive to the testing center.

[The Dog 44052]

52 minutes ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Good on Houston Methodist.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/07/us/texas-hospital-workers-suspended-over-mandatory-vaccine-policy.html

 

If you're a health care worker and are vaccine hesitant then you need to find a different line of work.

[Mrs Whiggins 13050]

16 minutes ago, Sawbonz said:

Are there no pharmacies in or near your town? Any health care facilities?

There is one pharmacy in the town I described. It has Moderna in stock and is open Monday through Friday until 6. The next nearest location is over 25 miles away.

I am vaccinated as is our entire family, I was pointing out the difficulty for some folks to access the vaccines even just adjacent to where I live.

In communities where there is a Walmart, it is a little better because their pharmacies have weekend hours. So that's a positive.

 

[jimmyjazz 45957]

2 minutes ago, The Dog said:

If you're a health care worker and are vaccine hesitant then you need to find a different line of work.

I can't tell you how many nurses and PAs I've seen asserting that covid is a hoax over the past year.  

[Okie State 3821]

I can't tell you how many nurses and PAs I've seen asserting that covid is a hoax over the past year.  

The only nurse I personally know has been one of the most outspoken online about how it's all essentially a hoax that has been overblown by the media.

[Mole 4333]

53 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

I hope someone called her out on vaccines making people magnetic. Unsupported facts can be left unchallenged because we want to be nice to everyone or allow everyone to have an opinion. Especially when their evidence is "I'm sure you've also seen online posts about magnetic people with spoons on their forehead."

 

 

But we have video evidence:

 

[Longhorn_Fan68 33871]

1 hour ago, Brisketexan said:

why is fuckin' censored?

[hayden_horn 11362]

47 minutes ago, The Dog said:

If you're a health care worker and are vaccine hesitant then you need to find a different line of work.

agreed. i have a fair amount of healthcare worker friends, and i'm batting a thousand so far in that they believe in the shot and are already vaccinated. 

i simply cannot understand (especially hospital) healthcare workers who are hesitant on this. why even be in a medical field if you don't believe in medical science?

 

[Bama Chick 28596]

OMG these idiots.

[elfenix 34241]

5 hours ago, Anastasis said:

B1.617.2 gonna get up in their ass if they want to fafo. 

Δ

[Anastasis 23469]

3 minutes ago, elfenix said:

Δ

India

[Biff Tannen 45687]

Wife is a PA and she is not a psychotic anti-vaxxer.  Just wanted to get a point for the rational PAs.

Also, saw earlier that 42% of Americans are fully vaccinated and 51% are partially vaccinated.  Am I wrong to read that as we have 93% of people with at least 1 shot?

Edited June 9, 2021 by Biff Tannen
surely that can't be. someone tell me what I'm missing

[jimmyjazz 45957]

6 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

Wife is a PA and she is not a psychotic anti-vaxxer.  Just wanted to get a point for the rational PAs.

Also, saw earlier that 42% of Americans are fully vaccinated and 51% are partially vaccinated.  Am I wrong to read that as we have 93% of people with at least 1 shot?

It just means that 51% of Americans have had at least one shot.  ~ 80% of those people have had both shots.  At least that's the way I read it.

[Biff Tannen 45687]

1 minute ago, jimmyjazz said:

It just means that 51% of Americans have had at least one shot.  ~ 80% of those people have had both shots.  At least that's the way I read it.

I assumed that's what was meant, but it was said in a really shitty way.

[elfenix 34241]

Biden administration to buy 500 million Pfizer coronavirus vaccine doses to donate to the world
By Tyler Pager and Emily Rauhala

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/biden-vaccine-donate/2021/06/09/c2744674-c934-11eb-93fa-9053a95eb9f2_story.html

[justhookit 4191]

2 hours ago, Mrs Whiggins said:

There is one pharmacy in the town I described. It has Moderna in stock and is open Monday through Friday until 6. The next nearest location is over 25 miles away.

I am vaccinated as is our entire family, I was pointing out the difficulty for some folks to access the vaccines even just adjacent to where I live.

In communities where there is a Walmart, it is a little better because their pharmacies have weekend hours. So that's a positive.

 

Well, your other example of Beaumont/Jefferson County has CVS pharmacies with walk-in appointments today, or any day you want and a bunch of HEB’s and I assume Walmarts. I remember when I scheduled my April appointments in Corpus they had availabilityin Beaumont  back then, too. So while I assume the point you are making is that there may be a few people still having trouble accessing a vaccine, for 99% of the people there is no fucking excuse for not getting one other than they don’t want it or they are fucking lazy.

Edited June 9, 2021 by justhookit

[Mrs Whiggins 13050]

There are locations in Beaumont. My point has been the difficulty for some sectors to be vaccinated that with a little more outreach may be accessible. For example, in Beaumont if you live in eastern Beaumont north of the Magnolia cemetery, a lower income area-the closest locations are around two miles away. Not a problem in you have a car, or access to one, or can get one of the free/discounted rides with Lyft/Uber. But not everyone can do that. There are several elementary schools and churches in that area, so why not have a few clinics at those locations and put the word out to get a shot?

[Longhorn_Fan68 33871]

 

[HenryJames 66053]

5 hours ago, Bama Chick said:

OMG these idiots.
 

 

[washparkhorn 9939]

 

[NAVY 6740]

I know there has been a lot of ideation around grifting these assholes. 
 

Behold! 
 

The Patriot Anti-Magnet System. PAMS will be repulsed by any metal that has been in contact with a vaccinated person. PAMS will be attracted to any pure Patriot metal. Buy now and get a complimentary bottle of Super Male Vitality 
 

 

[Deej 76793]

All fun and games for us vaccinated people until the earth's magnetic poles flip.

 

[tigol 2398]

On 5/28/2021 at 1:26 PM, Sawbonz said:

Red blood cells have no nuclei. Jesus Christ 

Whole blood contains white blood cells.  Jesus Christo.

[Sawbonz 27562]

4 hours ago, Mrs Whiggins said:

There are locations in Beaumont. My point has been the difficulty for some sectors to be vaccinated that with a little more outreach may be accessible. For example, in Beaumont if you live in eastern Beaumont north of the Magnolia cemetery, a lower income area-the closest locations are around two miles away. Not a problem in you have a car, or access to one, or can get one of the free/discounted rides with Lyft/Uber. But not everyone can do that. There are several elementary schools and churches in that area, so why not have a few clinics at those locations and put the word out to get a shot?

I grew up in the North End of Beaumont. I know well the area that you’re talking about, and my wife used to volunteer at an elementary school on Pine Street. Definitely poverty stricken area. Even so I seriously doubt transportation is a limiting factor for a significant portion of the people in that area who are unvaccinated. 

[Sawbonz 27562]

2 minutes ago, tigol said:

Whole blood contains white blood cells.  Jesus Christo.

And?

[Foosters 17856]

9 minutes ago, Deej said:

All fun and games for us vaccinated people until the earth's magnetic poles flip.

 

lol you believe the earth is round

[Deej 76793]

So, if she's anti-vax and the key sticks to her, that must mean she got vaccinated. 

[elfenix 34241]

11 minutes ago, Deej said:

All fun and games for us vaccinated people until the earth's magnetic poles flip.

 

the unscheduled trip to australia is going to be a blast tho

[tigol 2398]

3 minutes ago, Sawbonz said:

And?

Just pointing out that you can isolate nucleic acid from whole blood.  Red cells ain't got shit to do with it.  

[Deej 76793]

1 minute ago, elfenix said:

the unscheduled trip to australia is going to be a blast tho

Fuck yeah, it is. It will be New Zealand, though. 

[Sawbonz 27562]

Just now, tigol said:

Just pointing out that you can isolate nucleic acid from whole blood.  Red cells ain't got shit to do with it.  

Well yeah. We weren’t talking about that though. Not worth rehashing