Don’t hafta tell you to enjoy the living hell outta it. Looking forward to the day when I can actually see my mom again.
Oh, I should have clarified. Not at all opposed to family and friends gathering as vaccines get out there. My thoughts were more towards the public arena, restaurants, bars, events. Absolutely plan to be taking a road trip to see elderly parents I haven’t seen in like two years, since the pandemic hit right as we were about to meet up again.
Amen. Given the difficulty front-line workers have protecting themselves from maskless idiots, it seems like the most basic requirement that people mask until everyone can at least choose to get vaccinated. No one can tell who’s protected and who isn’t, allowing those that aren’t vaccinated to circulate among us maskless. I think we’ll need to do some version of the Asian social contract for a while. Wear a mask as a sign of respect and to protect others until all are safe.
That said, maybe by this summer, restaurants and such will be deemed safe enough to visit once again.
Another unknown: How long does protection from the vaccines last? Will booster shots be available when we need them, whenever that might be?
Yea I agree with you on that. The family freedom is primary to anything else. I’ll still wear the mask and what not in public. Don’t want idiots thinking everything is fine
Could you maybe wait until we all get vaccinated? I mean there were almost 800 new cases in Dallas Co. yesterday and a more infectious and possibly more lethal variant is still going around in California.
And I have not gotten even the 1st shot yet. I’m never going to make it out of this,. I’ll be in the house a year March 10.
I’m going to wear my mask all the time, especially when I rob a bank.
Reasonable at this point, given the variants, to assume boosters will be needed, and it’ll evolve into something like the flu vaccine regimen. We’re just waiting on the scientific studies to validate formally, but all signs are pointing in that direction.
From a really hideous high, for one thing. There are a lot of variables to take into account. The Atlantic had a good piece recently going into some more depth on predictions, with the general consensus that by the summer we can relax to a certain extent, with the possibility of another rise of infections in the fall requiring more isolation, masking, all that. And this will remain a bad infection to get even if it doesn’t land you in the hospital or graveyard. If the world can grind it down to effectively eradicated except for occasional outbreaks, then maybe we can talk about what the new normal will be. As a whole society and world we’ll be safer with every passing month. As an individual—I’m going to have to think about it.
I doubt we ever get that low. I’d be happy if it went down to 100 per day. I don’t know what India has been doing right, but their death toll and new cases have both dropped drastically in the past month. They have just over a hundred deaths a day recently and have a billion more people than we have.
Wouldn’t be so discouraged. That the vaccines are showing almost total protection from death or hospitalization is a very significant and promising development. Hell, that’s currently tracking better than the flu vaccines.
And who will pay for them?
Rochelle Walensky isn’t very good at her job. The corona virus broke the CDC and it hasn’t been fixed. I learn far more by listening to people like Lena Wen, Celine Gounder, Eric Feigl-Ding, Fauci and news from other countries (Israel, Denmark, Canada, UK) than I do from Walensky or anyone at CDC.
CDC’s mixed messaging on school reopening and teacher vaccinations amidst the increasing prevalence of the B117 and California variants hasn’t been helpful. Team Biden has dealt with the issue skillfully.
The reality of March is the following:
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We are about to hit a glut of vaccines thanks to Biden’s efforts. Proactive states will be able to mass vaccinate people of all ages from about the middle of the month onwards. That’s great news, really the best news we’ve ever had in our long ordeal. We’re getting evidence that vaccinated folks do not contract the virus. The vaccines prevent infection as well as ward off the worst impact. That’s also good news.
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At the same time, the B117 variant and the CA variant are becoming more dominant. They are more infectious and deadly, and infect kids at a much higher rate than the original COVID virus. We’re at 75k cases per day, which is still around 2x higher than we were on the day of the first Presidential debate on Sept. 29, 2020. As schools open up and more states open up, we may get another spike in cases that could either raise the case average or prevent it from falling (i.e., we get stuck at this outrageously high 75k per day plateau for another 6-8 weeks). At the same time, since some states like CA/NY have already vaccinated a majority of their 75+ population, the number of deaths may hopefully plummet. However, states/localities may have to close schools again and put in other controls to ride out the variant wave.
In CA, the homegrown LA variant flattened the state. It’s no joke.
In Israel, they’re opening things up but only for the vaccinated, which I think is a great idea. If we did the same here, then all the Trumpers would rush to get vaccines while the usual stragglers would complain and protest.
We need structured analysis from the CDC that shows people the different cross-currents we’re facing in March/April and how to adapt.
To me it’s simple: Vaccinate, mitigate and wear masks. The vaccinated get to do stuff (w/masks). The unvaccinated need to take precautions. If you want freedom, get vaccinated and pressure your state gov’t to do whatever possible to make them available.
Never!
Seriously though, I think social distancing and mask wearing should continue through EoY 2021.
Not discouraged, but I’ve been conservative once I realized the danger and here I am. ETA If I get reliable information to the effect I can run and play and eat in crowded restaurants and all the rest then great. I’ve hung out with friends like four or five times in the past year. I wouldn’t mind putting that behind me. I haven’t had sushi in a year. But death from covid is no party no matter how low your statistical risk was.
And one must remember that the flu mortality is significantly lower than that of covid. So yes, the flu transmission rate is far too weak a goal.
Fuck that. Social distancing and personal fucking space were the best things to come out of Covid.
Those need to stay, permanently.
If you’re within arms-length of me, it better be because you’re either about to kiss me or fight me.
“Get vaccinated and then continue to live exactly the same shitty reclusive life until 2022 or worse” does not seem like a public health message that will motivate fence-sitters or the otherwise uninterested to seek out a vaccine.
I’m not going back to ostentatiously licking doorknobs two weeks after my second shot, but you’ll find me at the bar reconnecting with my community.
Amen. I’ve social distanced my entire life and plan on continuing it.
And how will you know that the others are vaccinated?
If it is still possible to be a carrier after vaccination, do you want to be responsible for the deaths of folks you care about?