It’s over.

[Reynard38]

https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/18/polit...tes/index.html

[AndyG]

Can't wait to see the bell curve.

Here? I still wear a mask at work whilst dealing closely with customers. Deaths in the UK are ~50/day, hospital admissions about one hundred times that.

The plus side, wearing a mask, I only need shave twice a week.

Andy

[rgthom]

Just back from a New Orleans wedding and it is over there for sure, not a mask or social distance in sight. I should know by Wednesday if I got away with it.

[Ted Hoppe]

Since there is little self reporting - it might as well be over. Biden needs good news and to show progress. Can't blame him.
We may never be done with masks. Few will be ostracized for donning them for health reasons or anonymity. The root causes of death and illness when combined with Covid will remain truly ignored. Those who brought it up shouted down as clueless, ignorant and/or troublemakers. Rather than get folks healthy, eat right and actively exercise never was suggested throughout this period. We told people to stay home and isolate - clearly the most dangerous social set of events of our lifetime causing huge lifestyle changes and distorting human connection.

I am sure glad I did what I did during this Covid era. I saw things and went places never to be that way again. All of us may never see places and things as pristine as they were and without masses of people. The page has turned and we are lessor for it.

[bluedog225]

I guess. Or we’re just tired of it. This is the chart I look at most often.

Monkeypox continues it’s 45 degree ascent.

B293C8A6-18DC-4F7B-A3DB-A69FA2BB1B7F.jpg

[Paul Pless]

Since there is little self reporting - it might as well be over.

there are other solid methods of extrapolating the data: hospitalizations, icu beds, covid specific treatments prescribed

self reporting was never work accurately; what has been a real pity it that states were able to count cases according to their own political whims - that was and remains the dse

[Canoeyawl]

The insurance companies have the data, and it will be reflected in the annual premiums for health insurance for years to come

"Excess deaths due to COVID-19 and other causes in 2020 and 2021 led to an overall decline in life expectancy between 2019 and 2021 of 2.7 years for the total population,
3.1 years for males, and 2.3 years for females (Figure 1)"
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsrr/vsrr023.pdf

[bluedog225]

The cheapest patient is a dead patient.

[Joe (SoCal)]

IMG_4703.jpg

Renee got it after 2 1/2 years. I'm beginning to feel like the last fat kid in a game of dodgeball.

Guess what It ain't over.

[The Ranger]

Our daughter went to Ireland in August and came down with covid case #2 so spent 5 days of a 10 day trip isolating from a pandemic that's over, her boyfriend has just been exposed, I was putting up campaign signs and my partner had a mask on as he was 6 days into his covid case. I'm sure glad that the pandemic is over.

[Gerarddm]

It's the long Covid issue that concerns me, not actually getting it any more.

[Breakaway]

IMG_4703.jpg

Renee got it after 2 1/2 years. I'm beginning to feel like the last fat kid in a game of dodgeball.

Guess what It ain't over.

Nope, I have not caught it either (or I did and I was asymptomaticO), despite frequent travel and mingling throughout. I do mask and I am vaxxed and boosted.

Kevin

[Hallam]

IMG_4703.jpg

Renee got it after 2 1/2 years. I'm beginning to feel like the last fat kid in a game of dodgeball.

Guess what It ain't over.

Having not caught it yet, you may be valuable to science

[TomF]

I'll believe it's over when the wastewater testing says so .

I understand why it's politically useful to say something else, but it isn't accurate. Whoever says it.

[LeeG]

I guess. Or we’re just tired of it. This is the chart I look at most often.

Monkeypox continues it’s 45 degree ascent.

B293C8A6-18DC-4F7B-A3DB-A69FA2BB1B7F.jpg

yup, that’s a bell curve

[Reynard38]

I'll believe it's over when the wastewater testing says so .

I understand why it's politically useful to say something else, but it isn't accurate. Whoever says it.

Hey I guess Biden doesn’t know $hit.

[L.W. Baxter]

Hey I guess Biden doesn’t know $hit.

hey, you can't lose, can you.

[David G]

It would be useful if people would bother to read the article linked to, and not rely on the (misleading) thread
title.

What Biden was claiming is that the 'pandemic' portion of COVID is done. I might argue, but it's arguable that he's right. If he is that doesn't mean there won't be cases, and pockets, and plenty of mopup work. If he's wrong, he runs the risk of pulling a tRump... and encouraging people not to take it seriously enough, thereby extending the duration of the rumpus.

[David G]

More...

HHS Sec: 'The president is correct' that the COVID-19 pandemic is over


"The president is correct," Becerra told Yahoo Finance Monday.

"He's made it clear that Americans are still dying in the hundreds every day from COVID, and so we have to stay at this. The vaccines are the most effective way for us to stay protected," Becerra added.

On CBS's 60 Minutes, Biden said, "The pandemic is over. We still have a problem with COVID. We're still doing a lot of work on it. But the pandemic is over."
Biden's comments took senior officials by surprise, according to the Washington Post.

And whether or not public health emergency needs are over is something the administration is still weighing, Becerra said.

"I think the president was reflecting what so many Americans are thinking and feeling," Becerra said, noting that with effective vaccines, tests, and treatments, the country is on a better path than earlier in the pandemic.

"I believe the president made it very clear — COVID is still here. We just have to make sure we're smart," he added.

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/h...185022326.html

[Tom from Rubicon]

Couple we over night'd with last weekend husband is now sick. After our visit host and his son attended a Dooby Bros concert. They both got it.
Three weekends in a row, Mona and I have rolled the super spreader dice. Going to a trampoline park to watch grand kids was my new level of dumb f**kery un masked. If I am dead next week cancel my subscription.

[Gary Davis]

I tested positive for the first time last Friday. I got it somewhere in NC and managed to infect my sick elderly mother before I came home. She tested positive yesterday. I don't know what I'll do with myself if she doesn't make it through this.

I think back on Trump's inaction/lies at the beginning of the pandemic. I'd like 5 minutes alone with him in a locked room.

And yes - I DO blame Trump for what this country has been through. I'll stop there.

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

To reiterate, the thread title is oversimplistic:

Biden said that the bulk of the pandemic is over, but Covid is still here, and will be here indefinitely, and we have to remain vigilant.

This includes public health measures, vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics.

Over one million people died in the USA alone, within the course of just two years, due to an emergent pathogen. We have to evaluate the federal, state, and local responses, and improve upon them for the inevitable future emergent pathogens.

Thank you, a well informed and coherent comment.

[L.W. Baxter]

biden shouldn't have said the words "the pandemic is over". it was obviously off-the-cuff.

some red meat for the unsubtle and intentionally obtuse. so be it.

in other news, we are back to a reality in which a u.s. president's words matter, and people actually have time to talk about it, to reason over it, before he says something else outrageous or dumb or insulting. so, that's a good sign for civilization.

[Reynard38]

I think back on Trump's inaction/lies at the beginning of the pandemic. I'd like 5 minutes alone with him in a locked room.

And yes - I DO blame Trump for what this country has been through. I'll stop there.

And yet a program instituted while he was in office led to the development of the vaccines.

https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-21-319

Of course even a broken clock is correct twice a day.

For the record I happen to agree with Joe. In fact for most of this nation it’s been over for some time. I was in Montreal a few weeks ago, appeared to be over there too.

[Canoez]

biden shouldn't have said the words "the pandemic is over". it was obviously off-the-cuff.

some red meat for the unsubtle and intentionally obtuse. so be it.

in other news, we are back to a reality in which a u.s. president's words matter, and people actually have time to talk about it, to reason over it, before he says something else outrageous or dumb or insulting. so, that's a good sign for civilization.

Agreed. It was a "Mission Accomplished" sorta statement.

I've been seeing differing opinions on whether the Covid issue has shifted from being a pandemic to being endemic. We've got vaccinations that appear to provide protection. We appear to have treatments which are successful for most who become ill with Covid.

Whether this is actually endemic is for the public health scientists to decide.

[Joe (SoCal)]

And yet a problem instituted while he was in office led to the development of the vaccines.

https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-21-319

Of course even a broken clock is correct twice a day.

Wow I’m not a fan of Gary but even I wouldn’t mock or use his post on getting Covid and infecting his elderly mother.

Gary I wish you and your mother the best and I hope you both have as light a case as my wife had. Keep us informed, prayers from Joe & Renee.

[Canoez]

And yet a problem instituted while he was in office led to the development of the vaccines.

https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-21-319

Of course even a broken clock is correct twice a day.

Because of TFG? or despite TFG?

The specific vaccines for COVID couldn't have been developed earlier because the virus they were intended to treat didn't exist yet.

But don't go patting TFG on the back just yet. mRNA was discovered in the 1960's. Work began in the 1970's to try to deliver the mRNA into cells. With the original SARS and H1N1 outbreaks, funding for mRNA vaccine development was accelerated. The basis for this vaccine has been worked on for years.

[Reynard38]

That's a hilariously tortured narrative.

It was thanks to auto correct. Meant to say program.

[Gary Davis]

Thank you Joe. I was working on what I knew would be a response to my ecosystem comment in your series thread, but with this comment, I'll bin it.

I'll try to not let you bother me so much.

[Reynard38]

You can't decide whether you are in favor of partnerships of Big Government and Big Pharma...or against them.

Not fond of either, they are especially despicable when they work closely together with a wink and a nod.
Of course they might not be too fond of Biden today either, unless they knew ahead of time and shorted their own stock.

Attachment 119737

[Reynard38]

Wow I’m not a fan of Gary but even I wouldn’t mock or use his post on getting Covid and infecting his elderly mother.

Gary I wish you and your mother the best and I hope you both have as light a case as my wife had. Keep us informed, prayers from Joe & Renee.

I was not mocking his post and purposely did not include anything about his, or his mothers illness as I felt it inappropriate. I was only pointing out the fact that it was during that administration that the vaccine was developed.

This is no way is intended to imply I like trump. It’s just a fact.

[JimD]

...The root causes of death and illness when combined with Covid will remain truly ignored. Those who brought it up shouted down as clueless, ignorant and/or troublemakers. Rather than get folks healthy, eat right and actively exercise never was suggested throughout this period. ...

Agree

[Joe (SoCal)]

I was not mocking his post and purposely did not include anything about his, or his mothers illness as I felt it inappropriate. I was only pointing out the fact that it was during that administration that the vaccine was developed.

This is no way is intended to imply I like trump. It’s just a fact.

Exactly at what point did your become a Trumper, did you even notice it or was it a subtle virus that infected you ?
Maybe in a couple of administration's someone will come up with a vaccine for it and we can give that President credit

[TomF]

The most significant correlative of death for COVID is age. British Columbia's epidemiological team did incredibly detailed work on the characteristics of the diagnosed cases in BC, focusing in particular on the characteristics of people sick enough to become hospitalized, those who became ill enough to require ICU care, and who became ill enough that they died.

Yes, lots of issues with co-morbidity, no question. And obvious issues with whether or not a person was vaccinated at all for COVID, and later whether they had boosters. That was obviously crucially important, especially in reducing the severity experienced with the disease.

But what BC's researchers found was that every additional decade of life was the dominant risk. Controlling for vacc status, the chief co-morbidity that led to severe illness ... wasn't a co-morbidity at all, unless you think living for a long-ish time is a co-morbidity.

The increase in susceptibility to serious COVID disease increased fairly gradually up 'till people turned 60, at which point the graph started to rise more sharply. And the steepness of the gradient continued to increase ever more sharply with every additional decade on earth.

A fully vaccinated and boosted 85 year old, otherwise in good health, had a greater likelihood of a serious COVID outcome than a 30 year old un-vacced person with poorly managed diabetes.

Which, of course, doesn't negate the other truth - that an un-vacced 30 year old with poorly managed diabetes had a significantly higher risk of a serious COVID outcome than a fully vaccinated 30 year old with poorly managed diabetes.

And an unvaccinated 85 year old in poor health faced quite a significantly higher risk of a serious COVID outcome. Hence all the deaths in seniors' facilities.

[George Jung]

Hilarious how science/language illiterate some folks are - some come by it naturally, others really work at it. As pointed out, there is a difference between 'pandemic' and 'endemic' - but some folks love those little sound bites, a way to promote their parties failed agenda. Don't have a vax for that one, yet.

For those actually interested in the science, and 'where we are':

https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/400-americans-are-dying-each-day?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email