COVID-19 2nd wave - Texas only - Stats and such

[Deej 76791]

[Caponata 151]

On 12/23/2021 at 8:54 AM, Immaculate Vibes said:

My dad is a primary care physician in the metroplex. Says the last 3 days have been busier wrt Covid than any 3 days in the pandemic. Tons of triple vaxxed patients getting it. None super sick, but it seems to get around vaccine immunity without much of a problem.

"None super sick" I mean that's great news is it not?

[Sawbonz 27561]

1 hour ago, BrickHorn said:

There’s no hard and fast rule that viruses evolve to be less virulent. There are pressures that would seemingly reward that. But there are other possible outcomes, too. For example, a virus might evolve to a state where it kills but nevertheless thrives because the way it kills is causing a few days of coughing fits that spew billions of viruses into the air. 

Very unlikely. Such a variant would have difficulty competing against less deadly variants even if it were more infectious 

[BrickHorn 18234]

2 hours ago, Sawbonz said:

Very unlikely. Such a variant would have difficulty competing against less deadly variants even if it were more infectious 

Not if it’s more successful at infecting. It would outcompete a less lethal, less transmissible virus. And likely exhaust the host population for both. 

Theres no magic about lethality other than it tends to diminish transmissibility. If a virus manages to be more transmissible despite increased lethality, then the latter characteristic takes a back seat to the former.

[BrickHorn 18234]

And to clarify: what  lethality actually diminishes is number of transmissions. Or R0, essentially. The amount of new hosts an infected individual will infect.

But a virus that is near 100% fatal can succeed because it takes a long time to kill or is so much more transmissible. HIV is a good example of the former. 

 

[Sawbonz 27561]

28 minutes ago, BrickHorn said:

Not if it’s more successful at infecting. It would outcompete a less lethal, less transmissible virus. And likely exhaust the host population for both. 

Theres no magic about lethality other than it tends to diminish transmissibility. If a virus manages to be more transmissible despite increased lethality, then the latter characteristic takes a back seat to the former.

If it kills too many of those it infects, that significantly limits its competitiveness. Again I’m not saying it’s impossible, I’m saying probability strongly favors less lethal variants

[BrickHorn 18234]

49 minutes ago, Sawbonz said:

If it kills too many of those it infects, that significantly limits its competitiveness. Again I’m not saying it’s impossible, I’m saying probability strongly favors less lethal variants

Right. And I’m saying it’s more complicated than the typical rules of thumb (evolves to less lethal) would imply. The only thing that matters is reproductive fitness. But that is a complicated function of many variables.

[Sawbonz 27561]

12 minutes ago, BrickHorn said:

Right. And I’m saying it’s more complicated than the typical rules of thumb (evolves to less lethal) would imply. The only thing that matters is reproductive fitness. But that is a complicated function of many variables.

Not really. Unless you have a virus that is highly infectious and has a significant latency before onset of symptoms.  Which Covid is not 

 

* i guess I should clarify I am speaking of Covid 19 variants not a generic virus

Edited December 25, 2021 by Sawbonz

[GreenspointTexas 9602]

I know more people that have caught it in the past 5-6 days than the rest of the pandemic, combined

 

xmas and new years gonna kick this into overdrive

[Harrison Bergeron 1798]

21 hours ago, Caponata said:

"None super sick" I mean that's great news is it not?

Yes. For the seemingly small segment that relies on data and science. But not great for the hysterics industry.

[atomheartbevo 89666]

2 hours ago, GreenspointTexas said:

I know more people that have caught it in the past 5-6 days than the rest of the pandemic, combined

xmas and new years gonna kick this into overdrive

Oddly enough, I know several people who have caught it in the past week as well.  

[Hate 20108]

Me too. I just heard about two more this morning.

[Okie State 3821]

Kind of seems like we're all getting it this time around.

[Doug E. Fresh 452]

3 hours ago, GreenspointTexas said:

I know more people that have caught it in the past 5-6 days than the rest of the pandemic, combined

 

xmas and new years gonna kick this into overdrive

Same here in London. Had dinner with 8 people today, six just recovered in the past few days. The ninth couldn’t attend when he tested positive this morning. 

[Eastwood 4394]

Will echo the sentiment of more in the past week than all of the prior 18 months combined. Just blazing through groups, regardless of vaccination status. All vaccinated, all mild cases.

[Okie State 3821]

How are vaccinated holding up vs. vaccinated + boosted? Wife and I are Pfizer x 2, but no boosters.

[Horns99 155]

How are vaccinated holding up vs. vaccinated + boosted? Wife and I are Pfizer x 2, but no boosters.

From what I’ve seen / heard it really doesn’t matter, ripping through everyone.


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[Neonmoon 38129]

3 hours ago, Harrison Bergeron said:

Yes. For the seemingly small segment that relies on data and science. But not great for the hysterics industry.

Lol

[Okie State 3821]

From what I’ve seen / heard it really doesn’t matter, ripping through everyone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Right, just meant serious cases or not. I'm already expecting to get it regardless.

[BigDHornfan 6548]

He's not complained once but being quarantined during Christmas fucking sucks.  I feel so bad for my son.   Thankfully we all had mild symptoms.

[atomheartbevo 89666]

40 minutes ago, BigDHornfan said:

He's not complained once but being quarantined during Christmas fucking sucks.  I feel so bad for my son.   Thankfully we all had mild symptoms.

[Newdoc 3440]

2 hours ago, Okie State said:

How are vaccinated holding up vs. vaccinated + boosted? Wife and I are Pfizer x 2, but no boosters.

Data is not set but 2 vaccine regimen looks to have approximately a 20-25% protection rate. Boosted appears to be 70-75%. Data out recently shows booster starts to suck past week 10 anyway. Yippee!

[Eastwood 4394]

2 hours ago, Okie State said:

2 hours ago, Horns99 said:

From what I’ve seen / heard it really doesn’t matter, ripping through everyone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Right, just meant serious cases or not. I'm already expecting to get it regardless.

My own experience: I am about 2.5 days in from start of symptoms and I mostly feel 90-95%. I'm starting to lag here at the end of the day. I'm keeping an eye out for myocarditis or pericarditis because I'm having the occasional palpitations. I was running ~90 resting heart rate yesterday, 60 today with occasional jumps into the 80s. O2 sat never dipped below 96. No fever during the whole process, just fatigue and some body soreness. Also, sweat. Any time I sleep, I sweat like crazy and sometimes randomly sweat lightly while awake. This morning I felt like I could run 2 miles, right now I'm just trying to get the kids to bed so I can get some sleep. 2 doses Pfizer, I exercise about 4-5 times a week, eat pretty healthy. I'm glad I was vaxed because I can tell that this virus will put anyone through the works.

I even got my yearly physical done just over 24 hours before the onset of symptoms. My physical was perfect, blood work perfect, didn't show any sign of anything going on. I wanted to get a test while I was there, but my doc's office said that with me being asymptomatic with full vaccination that they wanted to save the test for symptomatic people, as supplies are starting to get strained. I was good with that, but I'm glad my wife went symptomatic when she did because the grandparents would have been in town the next day.

[Axle Hongsnort 208]

Feeling shittier as the day has gone by. Now have 101 fever and body aches, minor sore throat. Can’t find any test appointments until Tuesday (checked all across Austin), but i don’t have much doubt.

[dcbc 14484]

Went to the Christmas eve service at our old downtown Methodist church lat night.  Wife and I were double (cloth with n95 filters over surgical) masked and triple vaxxed.  I'd say only 5% were masked at all and in a 50% double vaxxed county.  And, they opted for in person communion.  The Christmas miracle will be if we, as being somewhat cautious, don't get it.  I haven't been anxious about this crap in a while and just started masking in the grocery store again a couple of weeks ago.  But . . . .

Edited December 26, 2021 by dcbc

[BrickHorn 18234]

1 minute ago, dcbc said:

I'd say only 5% were masked

The other 95% are stupid assholes.

[atomheartbevo 89666]

My Facebook feed is becoming "check in if you have COVID".

I kind of expected this a week or two from now, not leading up/on Christmas.

Edit: And I've cut a lot of the anti-vaxxers/anti-mask types out of my FB stuff, so it's not like there is a large number of non-vaccinated/non-mask-wearing folks on my FB feed.  

Edited December 26, 2021 by atomheartbevo

[Pato del Muerto 52498]

30 minutes ago, dcbc said:

Went to the Christmas eve service at our old downtown Methodist church lat night.  Wife and I were double (cloth with n95 filters over surgical) masked and triple vaxxed.  I'd say only 5% were masked at all and in a 50% double vaxxed county.  And, they opted for in person communion.  The Christmas miracle will be if we, as being somewhat cautious, don't get it.  I haven't be anxious about this crap in a while and just started masking in the grocery store again a couple of weeks ago.  But , , , ,

I’ll quote you as an example only- I don’t understand why people feel the need to go to worship at a communal building (church/synagogue/mosque whatever) right now. Even for high holy days.  I do understand why the clergy want it. 

[StruggleBus 3922]

33 minutes ago, dcbc said:

Went to the Christmas eve service at our old downtown Methodist church lat night.  Wife and I were double (cloth with n95 filters over surgical) masked and triple vaxxed.  I'd say only 5% were masked at all and in a 50% double vaxxed county.  And, they opted for in person communion.  The Christmas miracle will be if we, as being somewhat cautious, don't get it.  I haven't be anxious about this crap in a while and just started masking in the grocery store again a couple of weeks ago.  But , , , ,

Why are you going to large gatherings if you’re that worried about it?

[Borachio 416]

Just found out today at family Christmas that my cousin, early 50s, pretty good health, nearly died of covid back in July.  They never told most of the family.  Around July 4th he started having trouble breathing, he went to the ER and his O2 was in the low 90's so they sent him home.  He goes back a few days later and his O2 is 80 and they send him home again.  A couple days later he's laboring hard for breath and they go back to the ER and his O2 is below 60 and they finally admit him.  He's in a world of shit now and is in ICU for two weeks on high oxygen.

They don't think he's going to make it and are ready to intubate him and the wife tells the Dr. we are going to take him home to die.   He somehow makes a turnaround and pulls through.   Never was intubated, but was in the hospital for over 4 weeks.  He lost his hair, which has all grown back now.  Still gets winded pretty good when he pushes himself too hard.  He has issues now with joint pain.   Lesions on his lungs from the covid pneumonia the docs think. 

Unreal. Him and his wife's side of the family have never taken the pandemic seriously nor practiced any precaution and he almost fucked around and found out. The good thing that came out of this is that it scared their family enough to all get vaccinated.

Another cousin had covid almost a year ago and still has only part of her sense of smell back.

My 16 year old nephew had covid 2 months ago and his taste is still off.

Merry Christmas!

[atomheartbevo 89666]

Fucking cedar.  
https://www.kxan.com/news/coronavirus/think-you-have-allergies-so-do-many-people-testing-positive-for-covid-19-in-central-texas/

Quote

Austin-Travis County health leaders say many of the people testing positive for COVID-19 right now thought they only had allergies. 

Janet Pichette, APH’s chief epidemiologist, said local contact tracers are hearing from an overwhelming number of people that tested positive for COVID-19 before the holidays that they thought they were experiencing cedar fever or other seasonal allergies.

 

[Bigpoppapump 529]

That’s literally what my wife and I thought we had last Xmas. Wasn’t until a couple days after my symptoms went away and I lost my taste/smell that we knew something was up.

[StruggleBus 3922]

There are still contact tracers?

[Doc Reeves 6434]

10 hours ago, dcbc said:

Went to the Christmas eve service at our old downtown Methodist church lat night.  Wife and I were double (cloth with n95 filters over surgical) masked and triple vaxxed.  I'd say only 5% were masked at all and in a 50% double vaxxed county.  And, they opted for in person communion.  The Christmas miracle will be if we, as being somewhat cautious, don't get it.  I haven't be anxious about this crap in a while and just started masking in the grocery store again a couple of weeks ago.  But , , , ,

Episcopalian here. Service parents went to let you bring a small cup of your own wine. Priest did a quick blessing over it before each sacrament. Didn’t use gloves but passed each wafer with a tissue. Took forever.

[South Austin 52504]

10 hours ago, dcbc said:

Went to the Christmas eve service at our old downtown Methodist church lat night.  

I want rustlers, cut throats, murderers, bounty hunters, desperados, mugs, pugs, thugs, nitwits, halfwits, dimwits, vipers, snipers, con men, Indian agents, Mexican bandits, muggers, buggerers, bushwhackers, hornswogglers, horse thieves, bull dykes, train robbers, bank robbers, ass-kickers, shit-kickers, and Methodists!

[South Austin 52504]

28 minutes ago, Doc Reeves said:

Episcopalian here.

Same. Went to the 4pm Christmas Eve pageant. The Sanctuary was packed – largest crowd since the pandemic hit. Everyone wore masks, with the exception of a couple kids who looked to be in the two or younger age range. During communion they distributed the host by hand, but we could only dip it in the wine – no drinking directly from the chalice.

I’m sure some cases will come from that service. But our liberal clergy and congregation seems to have said fuck it at this point, relying on a combination of vaccinations and a milder variant.

[DalTxHornFan 3101]

1 hour ago, South Austin said:

Same. Went to the 4pm Christmas Eve pageant. The Sanctuary was packed – largest crowd since the pandemic hit. Everyone wore masks, with the exception of a couple kids who looked to be in the two or younger age range. During communion they distributed the host by hand, but we could only dip it in the wine – no drinking directly from the chalice.

I’m sure some cases will come from that service. But our liberal clergy and congregation seems to have said fuck it at this point, relying on a combination of vaccinations and a milder variant.

ACNA here.  Some vulnerable folks were masked, most were not.  Communion was either taken in one kind or after intinction by the priest. 

To paraphrase you:  "our [conservative] clergy and congregation seems to have said fuck it at this point, relying on a combination of vaccinations and a milder variant."

At last we have all found some common ground!

Edited December 26, 2021 by DalTxHornFan

[dcbc 14484]

2 hours ago, Doc Reeves said:

Episcopalian here. Service parents went to let you bring a small cup of your own wine. Priest did a quick blessing over it before each sacrament. Didn’t use gloves but passed each wafer with a tissue. Took forever.

I should add that even though they were breaking off some sweet Hawaiian loaf for the sacrament, they were handing out mini juice cups wrapped in plastic and were using gloves.  Up until a couple of weeks ago, they had the whole thing bagged, you picked it up when you came in, and  you took communion in place, which in addition to being contactless, is way faster.

[Immaculate Vibes 114]

On 12/24/2021 at 3:36 PM, Caponata said:

"None super sick" I mean that's great news is it not?

For sure. 
 

He was still spooked enough to not come to the family Christmas gathering yesterday. 

[Harrison Bergeron 1798]

2 hours ago, DalTxHornFan said:

ACNA here.  Some vulnerable folks were masked, most were not.  Communion was either taken in one kind or after intinction by the priest. 

To paraphrase you:  "our [conservative] clergy and congregation seems to have said fuck it at this point, relying on a combination of vaccinations and a milder variant."

At last we have all found some common ground!

ACNA here also. Similar experience. However, our church pulled out the good ole Baptist single-serving wine cups and made a few other modifications but relatively normal.

At this point, if you believe the vaccines work, then you really do not have anything to worry about. If you do not believe the vaccines work, then you probably do not care anyway. And as noted above - no one if forcing anyone to do anything they do not want to do. I respect those who have stayed inside for two years, and I respect those who choose not to do so. Live and let live.

Edited December 26, 2021 by Harrison Bergeron

[Axle Hongsnort 208]

This is the current line for a drive through testing site on William Cannon. Can’t find an appointment until Wednesday. Two hour line. My fever is down to 99 with ibuprofen but 103 last night with major body aches sucked.

[DalTxHornFan 3101]

1 hour ago, Harrison Bergeron said:

ACNA here also. Similar experience. However, our church pulled out the good ole Baptist single-serving wine cups and made a few other modifications but relatively normal.

You gotta figure that those single-serve communion manufacturer's have been making bank the last two years!

I'm kind of a Traditionalist.  I have a hard time thinking of the "real presence" coming from a coffee creamer package.

Edited December 26, 2021 by DalTxHornFan

[Harrison Bergeron 1798]

7 minutes ago, DalTxHornFan said:

You gotta figure that those single-serve communion manufacturer's have been making bank the last two years!

I'm kind of a Traditionalist.  I have a hard time thinking of the "real presence" coming from a coffee creamer package.

That's funny. I have not seen those ... we did just the individual cups that are filled during the Eucharist. I grew up Baptist, and that is how we always did it ... plates of bread with trays of individual (but not pre-packaged) wine.

[DalTxHornFan 3101]

6 minutes ago, Harrison Bergeron said:

That's funny. I have not seen those ... we did just the individual cups that are filled during the Eucharist. I grew up Baptist, and that is how we always did it ... plates of bread with trays of individual (but not pre-packaged) wine.

If Baptist, I'm thinking that liquid was just "grape juice."  I have a very dear Baptist preacher uncle who gives a very compelling sermon about how the miracle of the wedding at Cana was simply a bad translation -- our Lord and Saviour would certainly had nothing to do with intoxicants!

[Guest Lobo]

My wife is conservative Catholic, and really misses in person communion the last 21 months.  
 

but she laughs whenever she remembers the old Bit, “the only thing weirder than eating the body of Christ and drinking his blood is Pretending to eat the body of Christ and drink his blood.”

if it’s all symbols and gestures, who gives shit about the packaging?  Did Jesus have asperberger’s or something?   Not have everything has to be exactly adhered to as it was 2000 years ago before we Knew was viruses and bacteria were.  
 

having said that, if it makes old people happy…tell ‘em the risks involved and let ‘em have at it. I’m hanging back with the Jesuit science nerds.  

[Pablo 494]

Two rounds of Pfizer here, no booster, but started getting symptoms on Thursday night, feverish, body aches and freezing cold.  Couldn't sleep.  Had plans to get a hair cut and drive down to Austin to see the parents for Christmas, but that wasn't going to happen.  Didn't want to make them sick, they aren't vaccinated and were both hospitalized this past April for Covid.

Christmas Eve day, no more aches, but lots of sinus pressure and a sore throat.  Come to find out my friend from work had the exact same symptoms almost exact time as me.  He seemed to have worse symptoms, higher fever, cough and sore throat.  He tried to get a test around Houston town but no luck. 

Christmas day, felt better, nose started to drain, no more fatigue, just mild cold symptoms.  

Today, I ventured out to get a test to see what this shit is, after a fiasco with Harris Public Health in Aldine, I got a Rapid and PCR test down by NRG.  My friend from work gave me this location and he was about an hour ahead of me.  

My friend was in line about an hour before me, and he got a negative rapid test.  I popped positive on rapid.  We'll both get our PCR tests in a few days to see what the real results are I guess.

 

[Axle Hongsnort 208]

Two rounds of Pfizer here, no booster, but started getting symptoms on Thursday night, feverish, body aches and freezing cold.  Couldn't sleep.  Had plans to get a hair cut and drive down to Austin to see the parents for Christmas, but that wasn't going to happen.  Didn't want to make them sick, they aren't vaccinated and were both hospitalized this past April for Covid.
Christmas Eve day, no more aches, but lots of sinus pressure and a sore throat.  Come to find out my friend from work had the exact same symptoms almost exact time as me.  He seemed to have worse symptoms, higher fever, cough and sore throat.  He tried to get a test around Houston town but no luck. 
Christmas day, felt better, nose started to drain, no more fatigue, just mild cold symptoms.  
Today, I ventured out to get a test to see what this shit is, after a fiasco with Harris Public Health in Aldine, I got a Rapid and PCR test down by NRG.  My friend from work gave me this location and he was about an hour ahead of me.  
My friend was in line about an hour before me, and he got a negative rapid test.  I popped positive on rapid.  We'll both get our PCR tests in a few days to see what the real results are I guess.
 

Similar symptoms here. Tested positive today, but had only taken ibuprofen this morning and hadn’t gotten over 99 temp. I’m over the hump in like 24 hours after peaking at 102 last night. Team Moderna made this no big deal.

The lack of testing is a massive shitshow. Thinking it would take like an hour, I waited four fucking hours today after scouring all Austin options.

[Surly Bevo 24908]

Why do you all need tests?  I mean you have a low grade on and off fever, generally feel bad but not too bad, get over it in a few days without getting much worse.  What's the allure of the test?  If it drags on for more than 3 or 4 days, symptoms don't improve, fever stays, things gets worse etc by all means have at it.  Just not sure why anybody would subject themselves when feeling mildly or even moderately under the weather a bit to a goose chase/long wait time.

Edited December 26, 2021 by Surly Bevo

[Dontshootrude 374]

20 minutes ago, Surly Bevo said:

Why do you all need tests?  I mean you have a low grade on and off fever, generally feel bad but not too bad, get over it in a few days without getting much worse.  What's the allure of the test?  If it drags on for more than 3 or 4 days, symptoms don't improve, fever stays, things gets worse etc by all means have at it.  Just not sure why anybody would subject themselves when feeling mildly or even moderately under the weather a bit to a goose chase/long wait time.

Knowing for sure that you had it is good information for your decision making going forward.  There is going to be a lot of studies on when you will need a booster under different circumstances, and it is certainly possible that a breakthrough case will provide more durable immunity than vaccination alone.

[staboner 4969]

i had something a month back that sounds like it was the CRON but it lasted like 24 hours and I just stayed home and shit. i didn't get tested but prob should have. eh. i am sure its gonna be fine

i know peeps with the CRON and all have very minor symptoms to date. good news

Edited December 26, 2021 by staboner