Covid-19

[Strange Brew]

I stopped worrying after my 2nd shot 6 months ago. Visited 12 states and counting. Wear a mask where and when required. It's not a big deal.

Same. And it’s not a big deal (vaxxed or not) unless you’re a politician or need to sell clicks

[XU_Lou]

It seems like there are two ways to read this: one is that the current test can only pick up covid whereas they want a test that can pick up and differentiate between Covid and the flu. The other is the way you’ve understood it, namely that the current test cannot differentiate between the two and so they want a test that can.

Any thoughts?

Definitely option 2 - I think case counts have been inflated because the PCR cycle thresholds were set too high (too sensitive) in many places, or at different times during the last 18 months. The higher the number of cycle thresholds, the higher the chance of finding genetic material, as well as the higher chance of a false positive rate.

[Muskie in dayton]

It seems like there are two ways to read this: one is that the current test can only pick up covid whereas they want a test that can pick up and differentiate between Covid and the flu. The other is the way you’ve understood it, namely that the current test cannot differentiate between the two and so they want a test that can.

Any thoughts?

Thats a problem but the much bigger issue is that the PCR test was not designed to be, nor should it ever have been, a means of diagnosing COVID-19. It’s developer said so himself. Also the results needed to be reported with the Ct that produced a positive result, as that correlates with the probability of a false +. Add in a financial incentive to find COVID-19, and you can imagine how high the Ct were run. Then add to this problem to the fact that we were running >200x the number of tests per day than for the flu (in season). Yes, cases and therefore deaths are way over counted.

[XU_Lou]

Hey principal and MID, thought you might be interested in this. This was published in the NYT last year, but was updated earlier this month:

"Officials at the Wadsworth Center, New York’s state lab, have access to C.T. values from tests they have processed, and analyzed their numbers at The Times’s request. In July, the lab identified 872 positive tests, based on a threshold of 40 cycles.

With a cutoff of 35, about 43 percent of those tests would no longer qualify as positive. About 63 percent would no longer be judged positive if the cycles were limited to 30.

In Massachusetts, from 85 to 90 percent of people who tested positive in July with a cycle threshold of 40 would have been deemed negative if the threshold were 30 cycles, Dr. Mina said. “I would say that none of those people should be contact-traced, not one,” he said."

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/29/h...s-testing.html

In mid-November, Fauci said: “What is now sort of evolving into a bit of a standard,” Fauci said, is that “if you get a cycle threshold of 35 or more … the chances of it being replication-confident are minuscule.”

You be the judge as to how long Fauci, politicians and health officials have actually known this, and as to whether the case count fear-mongering was being used as pure propaganda.

You may also find this to be an interesting read: https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/w...pcr-test-covid

[bobbiemcgee]

Guess Louie wouldn't like this:

https://www.xavier.edu/health-wellne.../immunizations

https://www.xavier.edu/health-wellne...dent-documents

[Xville]

Only 57% of 12+ are fully vaccinated. Savannah next to go back to masking, with Orlando and others probably about to do the same. Not making commentary on effectiveness of masks, I don’t really give a f at this point.

McConnell, desantis, scalise all coming out and saying get a damn shot. Although this is probably political, it’s a politicized statement I can get behind.

Get a damn shot, before all this bs happens again.

[xuwillie]

Only 57% of 12+ are fully vaccinated. Savannah next to go back to masking, with Orlando and others probably about to do the same. Not making commentary on effectiveness of masks, I don’t really give a f at this point.

McConnell, desantis, scalise all coming out and saying get a damn shot. Although this is probably political, it’s a politicized statement I can get behind.

Get a damn shot, before all this bs happens again.

Almost 70% of 12+ have received one shot. A lot more than I thought would get it and we are still having issues. Starting to think the vaccine isn't stopping this new variant. Will be our new flu so get used to it.

[Xville]

Almost 70% of 12+ have received one shot. A lot more than I thought would get it and we are still having issues. Starting to think the vaccine isn't stopping this new variant. Will be our new flu so get used to it.

That's a defeatist attitude, I kid...kind of. In the US, the issues are highly tourist areas (Florida, Cali) or in areas where vaccination rate is low for the most part.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...ine-doses.html

If vaccines had not become so politicized by both media and our dumbass politicians (im talking both sides here), this would probably be eliminated by this point.

And look i don't care or are worried about my health...im vaxxed i don't give a f....but selfishly, I don't want to wear a mask or any other bs anymore.

[GoMuskies]

50% of those 12+ in my household got the shot. 100% in my household have had Covid.

[Strange Brew]

That's a defeatist attitude. In the US, the issues are highly tourist areas (Florida, Cali) or in areas where vaccination rate is low.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...ine-doses.html

Ville, it’s more of a realist attitude. There are reinfection rates (% don’t really matter so let’s not argue about it) among the vaccinated. Thus, this thing will be around and seasonal vaccines will be recommended to the vulnerable. Then again, maybe we can eradicate this however with worldwide cases and the flat (figurativel) world we live in, it won’t be anytime soon.

Maybe it would help to give people a special ribbon or rubber wristband with their vaccination so they can feel really good about themselves and remind everyone else to to get their shot and join the fight!