[reh321]

My math might be off, but the USA, the country that is handling the pandemic about as poorly as is possible has a 1.78% death rate, and an overall mortality of .153%. This presumes accurate information from the CDC, which also presumes states like Florida and Texas are reporting accurately, which they probably aren't.

I was talking to an ICU nurse a couple of weeks ago. She has been working 12 hour days with few breaks since the pandemic came to town in a big way early last summer (we were fortunate in that we got off to a late start).
She indicated that what she would like more than anything else is more than 12 hours off at a time, and indicated that anyone who doubts that there really is a pandemic should visit a hospital for a quick education.

Yes, our statistics keeping has not always been great - and they have been bent for political reasons.
For awhile, hospitals - which tend to build a little more than normally needed - were overcrowded.

Yes, hospitalizations are a good measure of infection rate - fortunately our local rate has fallen in the past few weeks.

[Dan]

I have received both doses of the Moderna vaccine. The first dose left me with a bit of soreness at the injection site and a moderate headache. Following the second dose I just had the soreness at the injection site; there were no other side effects. I feel very fortunate that I made it through the queue. There are many others in our area who qualify but have not yet been able to get vaccinated due to a shortage of the vaccine.

And yes, as others have pointed out, the science is clear. These COVID vaccines are both safe and effective.

Dan

[Rondec]

My math might be off, but the USA, the country that is handling the pandemic about as poorly as is possible has a 1.78% death rate, and an overall mortality of .153%. This presumes accurate information from the CDC, which also presumes states like Florida and Texas are reporting accurately, which they probably aren't.

I was talking to an ICU nurse a couple of weeks ago. She has been working 12 hour days with few breaks since the pandemic came to town in a big way early last summer (we were fortunate in that we got off to a late start).
She indicated that what she would like more than anything else is more than 12 hours off at a time, and indicated that anyone who doubts that there really is a pandemic should visit a hospital for a quick education.

---------- Post added Feb 25th, 2021 at 12:00 PM ----------



The crime against humanity is being perpetrated by the covidiots who are insisting it is their right to endanger the lives of those around them.

I think the CDC assumes that are two to three infections for every person who actually tests positive -- some of them are people who have symptoms and just choose not to get tested and some are people who don't have symptoms to speak of. That's why they say in the US there is about a 0.7 percent infection to fatality ratio. But you are right that if you take the number of deaths (520,000) divided by the number of positive cases (29 million) you get 1.8 percent case fatality.

It is really clear that if you have an older population you will do worse (that's why a lot of the developing world has been spared) and if you have hospitals that are overwhelmed (as was the case in New York last spring and LA this winter) death rates probably go up quite a bit too.

I guess I know too many people who have been hospitalized or have had family members pass from it to think this is "just a flu bug." But maybe if you have a small circle of younger friends you get the impression that it isn't a big deal.

[reh321]

I think the CDC assumes that are two to three infections for every person who actually tests positive -- some of them are people who have symptoms and just choose not to get tested and some are people who don't have symptoms to speak of. That's why they say in the US there is about a 0.7 percent infection to fatality ratio. But you are right that if you take the number of deaths (520,000) divided by the number of positive cases (29 million) you get 1.8 percent case fatality.

Under our Governor's sponsorship, some random testing was done in Indiana last Spring.
It found that 3/4 infected people had no symptoms - either had not yet developed symptoms or never would develop symptoms.
That research has guided my thinking - I always assume that a certain number of people are infected and are not aware of it, so I always mask, keep distance, and sanitize my hands.

[Serkevan]

I wonder how much the wealth of the same people increased between Jan 2017 and when your chart begins.
I wonder how much the wealth of the former President increased during the same three years.

Most of that is from overly bored people putting money into the stock market anyway, so it doesn't really measure actual wealth.

---------- Post added 02-25-21 at 02:17 PM ----------

Be nice. I deleted an entire and very thoughtfully insulting post because it is always better to be kind.
Remember, if you take the high road, you are looking down on everyone who isn't. Don't rub that inconvenient fact in.

Let's stop feeding this one. He's out of juice anyway.

You're much better than me at this

[Wheatfield]

You're much better than me at this

You get as many bans as I've had and you learn to be temperate in your language.

[MarkJerling]

Next time there's an anti-vaxxer, report before replying please. Anyway, you lot handled it probably as well as expected. Carry on.

[clackers]

Under our Governor's sponsorship, some random testing was done in Indiana last Spring.
It found that 3/4 infected people had no symptoms - either had not yet developed symptoms or never would develop symptoms.
That research has guided my thinking - I always assume that a certain number of people are infected and are not aware of it, so I always mask, keep distance, and sanitize my hands.

Yeah, I think a report by Spain on their first wave estimated something like one third were asymptomatic. These people of course go to work, mix with their family, are in the supermarket with you, etc.

Our public mask wearing strategy in Australia was more about stopping such asymptomatic carriers spreading rather than the wearers around them not breathing it in, if you get what I mean.

[clackers]

I have received both doses of the Moderna vaccine. The first dose left me with a bit of soreness at the injection site and a moderate headache. Following the second dose I just had the soreness at the injection site; there were no other side effects.

Great news, Dan. If you got nothing at all, there'd be the fear that your body simply didn't react in any way and won't create the antibodies you need.

[ChrisPlatt]

I saw a coworker yesterday for the first time in months.
She had been out for a couple of weeks after her mother died of COVID.

Then she was absent from work recovering from foot surgery.
During that time she visited with family.

When we chatted she asked me if I intended to get vaccinated.
I replied that of course I would as soon as the opportunity came up.

She told me she was fearful and unsure whether she would get vaccinated.
Then she mentioned that while she was out her daughter had a bad case of COVID and nearly died.

We are doomed...

Chris

[clackers]

I saw a coworker yesterday for the first time in months.
She had been out for a couple of weeks after her mother died of COVID.

Then she was absent from work recovering from foot surgery.
During that time she visited with family.

When we chatted she asked me if I intended to get vaccinated.
I replied that of course I would as soon as the opportunity came up.

She told me she was fearful and unsure whether she would get vaccinated.
Then she mentioned that while she was out her daughter had a bad case of COVID and nearly died.

We are doomed...

Chris

Yes, the problem with militant anti-vaxxers is that they do have an effect on normal people, who can become 'vaccine hesitant', as the press is calling it here.

[dstar]

Yes, the problem with militant anti-vaxxers is that they do have an effect on normal people, who can become 'vaccine hesitant', as the press is calling it here.

Unfortunately militant anti-vaxxers not evaporated in one day
So considerate this another human abnormality
Just ignore as more you try explained to this individual they more aggressive
Dog bark but caravan still going

[Wheatfield]

Unfortunately militant anti-vaxxers not evaporated in one day
So considerate this another human abnormality
Just ignore as more you try explained to this individual they more aggressive
Dog bark but caravan still going

There is a Haiku hidden in there someplace.

[Sandy Hancock]

I have just stamped out multiple spot-fires resulting from the flamethrower a certain member, who will now remain silent, put through this thread.

Sorry if I stepped on any toes in the process, but the less record of that exchange that remains here, the better.

There is still some mopping up to do, but I have to return to my day job....

[Sandy Hancock]

Perhaps it would be best for us to resist the temptation to respond to such obvious incursions in future and let the Mods “deal”with them.

Take home message: report, not respond