So, are throat swabs the new way of testing? That brings back baaaaad memories of my childhood and strep throat tests. Not real good with those...gag reflex is strong in me, I can barely get through a dentist appointment without almost puking.
Neverending Covid-19 Coronavirus
- Thread starter RenegadeMonster
- Start date
I'm the same way.
Can't say I'm surprised. Everything our government does ends up benefiting the wealthy more than the rest of us.
And now the twittersphere has gotten a hold of this horrible study. This is great:WHAT IS THIS HOT GARBAGE???
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/AJOPU7HETJBAHMK7N5GTQ2QFVA.jpg)
Johns Hopkins study reveals COVID-19 lockdowns had little impact
A Johns Hopkins University study finds COVID-19 lockdowns did little to save lives in the United States and Europe.www.kttc.com
So, I had to go to the study and read the methods y'all, because bad science is my kryptonite.
After screening based on the title, 1,048 papers remained. These papers were manually screened by answering two questions: 1. Does the study measure the effect of lockdowns on mortality? 2. Does the study use an empirical ex post difference-in-difference approach (see eligibility criteria below)? Studies to which we could not answer “yes” to both questions were excluded. When in doubt, we made the assessment based on reading the full paper, and in some cases, we consulted with colleagues.11
We distinguish between two methods used to establish a relationship (or lack thereof) between mortality rates and lockdown policies. The first uses registered cross-sectional mortality data. These are ex post studies. The second method uses simulated data on mortality and infection rates. 15 These are ex ante studies. We include all studies using a counterfactual difference-in-difference approach from the former group but disregard all ex ante studies, as the results from these studies are determined by model assumptions and calibrations. Our limitation to studies using a “counterfactual difference-in-difference approach” means that we exclude all studies where the counterfactual is based on forecasting (such as a SIR-model) rather than derived from a difference-in-difference approach. This excludes studies like Duchemin et al. (2020) and Matzinger and Skinner (2020). We also exclude all studies based on interrupted time series designs that simply compare the situation before and after lockdown, as the effect of lockdowns in these studies might contain time-dependent shifts, such as seasonality. This excludes studies like Bakolis et al. (2021) and Siedner et al. (2020).
Given our criteria, we exclude the much-cited paper by Flaxman et al. (2020), which claimed that lockdowns saved three million lives in Europe. Flaxman et al. assume that the pandemic would follow an epidemiological curve unless countries locked down. However, this assumption means that the only interpretation possible for the empirical results is that lockdowns are the only thing that matters, even if other factors like season, behavior etc. caused the observed change in the reproduction rate, Rt. Flaxman et al. are aware of this and state that “our parametric form of Rt assumes that changes in Rt are an immediate response to interventions rather than gradual changes in behavior.” Flaxman et al. illustrate how problematic it is to force data to fit a certain model if you want to infer the effect of lockdowns on COVID-19 mortality.
https://sites.krieger.jhu.edu/iae/f...ffects-of-Lockdowns-on-COVID-19-Mortality.pdf
^^ So basically, they had a ton of papers. They weeded out a ton of papers. And they also chose not to use papers that assumed the virus would have spread parabolically among a population because somehow SOMEHOW short term lockdowns which were only supposed to happen for a couple of months, can somehow be influenced by seasonality and gradual human behavior changes due to living in a pandemic. Sure, let's weed out all the papers that "simply compare the situation before and after lockdown" because those are BS due to "time dependent shifts like seasonality". So we can't look at these papers because people behave differently in winter than they do in spring/summer is what they are saying. We cannot just take observational measurements and interpolate from there. We can't take Asian countries that opted for lockdowns and look at mortality rates compared to the West, because SUMMER IS DIFFERENT THAN WINTER. Instead, we are going to take a ton of BS postulation, thus the inclusion of "simulated data on mortality and infection rates. So instead of using REAL data on actual mortality rates of countries that locked down vs no because of seasons, they are going to use studies with simulated data. I don't know if I can read anymore and I'm only on page 9.
I swear this was funded by corporate America to justify keeping people in unsafe working conditions. That's the only thing I see this study being good for.
A ‘stealth’ Omicron subvariant is now spreading, worrying experts
Here's what the science shows so far about whether the BA.2 virus is more transmissible and how it holds up against available vaccines.
www.nationalgeographic.com
What is this all about and can people who already had omicron be reinfected with this variant?
I think I have had Covid twice. The original variant pre vaccine and Omicron. I had read around early 2021 that you can't be reinfected when I was constructing code for breakthrough infections. I thought it was screwy when I read it, and now, they have reluctantly said that yes, you can get reinfected with different variants--much like the flu. If the sub-variant is far enough from the original variant, there is a possibility of reinfection.A ‘stealth’ Omicron subvariant is now spreading, worrying experts
Here's what the science shows so far about whether the BA.2 virus is more transmissible and how it holds up against available vaccines.
What is this all about and can people who already had omicron be reinfected with this variant?
Turbo
Well-Known Member
A ‘stealth’ Omicron subvariant is now spreading, worrying experts
Here's what the science shows so far about whether the BA.2 virus is more transmissible and how it holds up against available vaccines.
What is this all about and can people who already had omicron be reinfected with this variant?
Chances are you wouldn't be reinfected if you already had Omicron, because the subvariant is quite similar, but everyone's immune system is different.
Turbo
Well-Known Member
A year and a half ago, I was denigrated for saying that the ideal diagnostic test would be a PCR-less COVID test, so results could be obtained quickly.
Since it's a new technology, it's still early to know how useful it will be in the field, but here it is.
www.nature.com
Since it's a new technology, it's still early to know how useful it will be in the field, but here it is.
Rapid and ultrasensitive electromechanical detection of ions, biomolecules and SARS-CoV-2 RNA in unamplified samples - Nature Biomedical Engineering
A self-assembled DNA-based system immobilized on a liquid-gated graphene field-effect transistor can electromechanically detect ultralow levels of unamplified ions, nucleic acids, small molecules and proteins in biofluids.
www.nature.com
Indymisanthrope
Well-Known Member
The lede in that link summary sounds like something Geordi LaForge would say right before he suggests reversing the polarity.A year and a half ago, I was denigrated for saying that the ideal diagnostic test would be a PCR-less COVID test, so results could be obtained quickly.
Since it's a new technology, it's still early to know how useful it will be in the field, but here it is.
Rapid and ultrasensitive electromechanical detection of ions, biomolecules and SARS-CoV-2 RNA in unamplified samples - Nature Biomedical Engineering
A self-assembled DNA-based system immobilized on a liquid-gated graphene field-effect transistor can electromechanically detect ultralow levels of unamplified ions, nucleic acids, small molecules and proteins in biofluids.
Max Sterling
Well-Known Member
The Canadian Olympic Womens Hockey team won their match against the US while wearing N95 masks the entire time.
Don't know why a bunch of manly truck drivers and skeets are having such a hard time with it.
Don't know why a bunch of manly truck drivers and skeets are having such a hard time with it.
Freedumb!!!!
Massachusetts is going to pay a $500 stimulus to low wage workers.
To qualify you must be a low wage worker working on the front lines (such as retail / food service / grocery) and your 2020 tax return must be below the state poverty level.
This stimulus is coming out of a covid relief budget the governor approved last December.
To qualify you must be a low wage worker working on the front lines (such as retail / food service / grocery) and your 2020 tax return must be below the state poverty level.
This stimulus is coming out of a covid relief budget the governor approved last December.
In a press conference yesterday, Massachusetts Governor said he's lifting the mask mandates in public schools on February 28th.
This decision is based on the availability of vaccinations to children rather than on the level of community spread. So this is unlike cities which have to fall below a certain positivity rate, hospitalization rate and what not to lift mask mandates.
That said I'm not clear if a city has a public mask mandate still in effect that it applies to schools as well. At least one of my co-worker has taken it as it doesn't matter what they city mask mandate is, masks will no longer be required in school and it has him very upset.
At work, parents are outraged by this decision to lift the mask mandate in public schools and have been protesting it in Boston and outside of the Governors mansion for months now.
At the same time, there are a substantial amount of parents, probably close to 30% of the state's population of parents, who have been very vocal against the mask mandates in school calling it inhuman and a violation of their rights. Those same parents are probably not going to vaccinate their kids either.
This decision is based on the availability of vaccinations to children rather than on the level of community spread. So this is unlike cities which have to fall below a certain positivity rate, hospitalization rate and what not to lift mask mandates.
That said I'm not clear if a city has a public mask mandate still in effect that it applies to schools as well. At least one of my co-worker has taken it as it doesn't matter what they city mask mandate is, masks will no longer be required in school and it has him very upset.
At work, parents are outraged by this decision to lift the mask mandate in public schools and have been protesting it in Boston and outside of the Governors mansion for months now.
At the same time, there are a substantial amount of parents, probably close to 30% of the state's population of parents, who have been very vocal against the mask mandates in school calling it inhuman and a violation of their rights. Those same parents are probably not going to vaccinate their kids either.
Indymisanthrope
Well-Known Member
My brother currently teaches in a room with no windows and very little ventilation. There are already some issues with mildew according to him. He’s working on constructing one of those makeshift HEPA filter/box fan contraptions to serve as a cheap air purifier for his classroom. This is his second year of teaching. How many of us would put up with those kinds of conditions for more than two years?
I'm in FL and I have no idea what the mandate or law or policy is, but I think it's safe to say it's the wild fucking west. It may well be a case of "do whatever IDGAF yeehaw motherfuckers". I'm using quotes, but I'm not sure if that's a 100% quote from De Santis. It's safe to say I'm closer to an actual quote than I am actually comfortable with. Individual stores have mask rules posted and most are followed, but in places where they don't do masks, they really, really don't do masks. Weird looks and eye rolling etc.
Dtknuckles
Well-Known Member
There was a lot of money doled by the government earlier this year to prevent these type of things. The teacher’s union probably didn’t put the superintendent’s feet to the fire.
mrjoshuamccormack
Active Member
My parents are visiting Tucson from Northwest Indiana for a few weeks. Out here there's a different attitude regarding testing/masks/etc, even though there's still a lot of, um, contention. They're pretty Trump-y, for lack of a better term. I just told them they'll need to take some rapid tests, since our kids would have to be out of school for 1-2 weeks if they're exposed. I've yet to get a response. Fun times.
Update: They're currently refusing to take a freaking Binax test. Everyone that's visited our house for the last year has taken one for us with no arguments. ugh.
Update: They're currently refusing to take a freaking Binax test. Everyone that's visited our house for the last year has taken one for us with no arguments. ugh.
Last edited:
Salem lifted the requirement to show your vaccination status to go inside any public business 2 days ago.
According to my barber when we were talking, they lifted it small businesses, especially restaurants saw a huge hit to business with several shuttering up.
The mandate to show your vaccination status angered people. And people simple stopped coming to Salem because of the mandate with several people saying they will never return to Salem to eat out.
Salem was one of 3 cities in the State of Massachusetts to impose such a mandate.
For lunch, I had lunch at one of my favorite cafes downtown. Usually is bustling and you have to wait for a seat. Even throughout most of the pandemic. But today, maybe 1/3 of the place was filled up for lunch. Unreal.
The reasons people were angered varied, but many of the cases were because:
I don't understand what about having to show your vaccination status angers so many people to that extent that they simply will never go out and eat again in Salem. Or at least say they won't.
Right now, the majority of business Salem restaurants are getting are from tourist. It's the locals and people from nearby towns who were alienated by the vaccine requirement.
The good news is the Salem Ice Festival runs next week. We get a lot of tourists for that. So it should be good for local business.
According to my barber when we were talking, they lifted it small businesses, especially restaurants saw a huge hit to business with several shuttering up.
The mandate to show your vaccination status angered people. And people simple stopped coming to Salem because of the mandate with several people saying they will never return to Salem to eat out.
Salem was one of 3 cities in the State of Massachusetts to impose such a mandate.
For lunch, I had lunch at one of my favorite cafes downtown. Usually is bustling and you have to wait for a seat. Even throughout most of the pandemic. But today, maybe 1/3 of the place was filled up for lunch. Unreal.
The reasons people were angered varied, but many of the cases were because:
- They were turned away because they didn't have their vaccine card / passport with them.
- They were turned away because they weren't vaccinated.
- It's none of the businesses business to know their vaccination status.
- This is a gross violation of my rights.
I don't understand what about having to show your vaccination status angers so many people to that extent that they simply will never go out and eat again in Salem. Or at least say they won't.
Right now, the majority of business Salem restaurants are getting are from tourist. It's the locals and people from nearby towns who were alienated by the vaccine requirement.
The good news is the Salem Ice Festival runs next week. We get a lot of tourists for that. So it should be good for local business.
Indymisanthrope
Well-Known Member
I missed this update last week:
Pfizer postpones FDA request for Covid vaccine for kids under 5
The company said it believes three doses "may provide a higher level of protection in this age group."
www.nbcnews.com
Dammit.