Coronavirus Weekly Update

[GodlessCommie]

Little kids are good vectors.  They may not get all that sick themselves, but those of us who have been through those years remember getting sick with whatever the kid brought home from school/daycare.

That’s for sure. Just this week our kids brought something home (not COVID, according to the test results). I’m coughing and hacking and congested. It’s a little nerve-wracking in the middle of a respiratory virus pandemic.

Absolutely. We became magically healthier after kids left for college.

[JGS1980]

Seems like the upward curve in the USA isn't as steep as that in the UK, Florida is seeming to plateau.  Fingers crossed this is the start of a plateau and decline in cases.

Maybe. I hope so, especially as schools here in Michigan haven't started up yet.

Case positivity rate is 19.3% in Florida and does indeed appear to be slowly plateauing over time. Between the total % vaccinated and the % already infected/recovered, hopefully Florida runs out of kindling soon, and the rates begin to drop. All indications are that there will be no additional mitigation strategy beyond, "lets let the virus do what viruses do".

http://ww11.doh.state.fl.us/comm/_partners/covid19_report_archive/covid19-data/covid19_data_latest.pdf

[EvenSteven]

Little kids are good vectors.  They may not get all that sick themselves, but those of us who have been through those years remember getting sick with whatever the kid brought home from school/daycare.

That’s for sure. Just this week our kids brought something home (not COVID, according to the test results). I’m coughing and hacking and congested. It’s a little nerve-wracking in the middle of a respiratory virus pandemic.

Huge nationwide outbreak of RSV. My kid's daycare was hit by it, too.

[deborah]

Little kids are good vectors.  They may not get all that sick themselves, but those of us who have been through those years remember getting sick with whatever the kid brought home from school/daycare.

That’s for sure. Just this week our kids brought something home (not COVID, according to the test results). I’m coughing and hacking and congested. It’s a little nerve-wracking in the middle of a respiratory virus pandemic.

Huge nationwide outbreak of RSV. My kid's daycare was hit by it, too.

It’s worldwide, and they’re extremely puzzled by it. Unfortunately, a lot of kids are getting both at the same time.

[gooki]

Seems like the upward curve in the USA isn't as steep as that in the UK, Florida is seeming to plateau.  Fingers crossed this is the start of a plateau and decline in cases.

And not a lack of testing facilities.

[Taran Wanderer]

Our kids are older and have had Covid, so the risk of simultaneous Covid/RSV is low. When our oldest was three months old, she was in the hospital overnight with RSV. That was scary. My heart goes out to people who have children with RSV and Covid at the same time.

[lost_in_the_endless_aisle]

Seems like the upward curve in the USA isn't as steep as that in the UK, Florida is seeming to plateau.  Fingers crossed this is the start of a plateau and decline in cases.

Maybe. I hope so, especially as schools here in Michigan haven't started up yet.

Case positivity rate is 19.3% in Florida and does indeed appear to be slowly plateauing over time. Between the total % vaccinated and the % already infected/recovered, hopefully Florida runs out of kindling soon, and the rates begin to drop. All indications are that there will be no additional mitigation strategy beyond, "lets let the virus do what viruses do".

http://ww11.doh.state.fl.us/comm/_partners/covid19_report_archive/covid19-data/covid19_data_latest.pdf

That very much appears to be the case for FL and the other low-vax/early-Delta states. Now the best-fit scenario has a peak in just 4 days at ~150K cases/day (down from a projected peak of 165K on 8/25 in the prior model iteration). As pointed out (and given the high positivity rates) some of the undershoot in my otherwise infallible model was due to under-testing.

[Gin1984]

Well the archdiocese of Baltimore has weighed in and will be getting multiple kids sick this year:
https://catholicreview.org/archdiocese-of-baltimore-schools-issue-mask-guidance-for-fall/?fbclid=IwAR2bXTbzQ-iv-68WWgQVGEF27Cgfv37f1qlV-NNaTBNQxcUPw830ZE488jE

Less than two weeks before school, they are removing protections that MOSTLY worked last year (or limited the infection).  Are ignoring CDC guidance and refusing to talk to parents.  In addition, what is not noted here is that the schools have no plan to remask if unmasking causes a superspreader event as long as the infection rate in the general community is low.

[Paper Chaser]

So in Abbott logic, it makes more sense to overwhelm medical systems, push an expensive, non-fully FDA-approved antibody therapy and order mortuary trucks than to allow municipalities and school districts to set their own masking and vaccination mandates (but big government is bad).

Texas requests five mortuary trailers in anticipation of Covid deaths (NBC News)

The overwhelmed hospitals and mortuary trailers are due to lack of vaccination from those eligible, not the presence or lack of mask mandates in schools.

Younger kids aren't eligible for the vaccine and several cities in Texas have overwhelmed children's hospitals.

Understood. A big reason for that is that the adults around those ineligible children aren't vaccinated. It's anectdotal, but I have a family member that works as a nurse at a children's hospital. They've seen an uptick in covid, but aren't currently near capacity even with the RSV outbreak. The kids coming in with covid aren't vaccinated (if eligible) and are typically coming from homes where adults aren't vaccinated either. The CDC says "Vaccinated individuals represent a very small amount of transmission"


Any adult that's concerned about their own safety because kids are known disease vectors should be vaccinated. Any adult that's concerned about kids getting covid should be vaccinated.

[Abe]

Well there you have it folks, Houston’s hospitals are at capacity. Staffing shortages (I.e. people getting sick of taking care of people who don’t take care of themselves) has limited our ability to set up surge units. Largest city in the southeast and nowhere to put patients, so ER wait times are >24hrs at most sites.

[stoaX]

Seems like the upward curve in the USA isn't as steep as that in the UK, Florida is seeming to plateau.  Fingers crossed this is the start of a plateau and decline in cases.

Maybe. I hope so, especially as schools here in Michigan haven't started up yet.

Case positivity rate is 19.3% in Florida and does indeed appear to be slowly plateauing over time. Between the total % vaccinated and the % already infected/recovered, hopefully Florida runs out of kindling soon, and the rates begin to drop. All indications are that there will be no additional mitigation strategy beyond, "lets let the virus do what viruses do".

http://ww11.doh.state.fl.us/comm/_partners/covid19_report_archive/covid19-data/covid19_data_latest.pdf

That very much appears to be the case for FL and the other low-vax/early-Delta states. Now the best-fit scenario has a peak in just 4 days at ~150K cases/day (down from a projected peak of 165K on 8/25 in the prior model iteration). As pointed out (and given the high positivity rates) some of the undershoot in my otherwise infallible model was due to under-testing.

Florida's vaccination rate is almost identical to the national rate...a little higher on the "at least one dose" measure, a little lower on the fully vaccinated measure. 

I like making fun of Florida as much as the next guy but that's what the rates are according to Google's Our World in Data.

[OtherJen]

Alabama out of ICU beds amid COVID surge (AL.com)

[PeteD01]

Seems like the upward curve in the USA isn't as steep as that in the UK, Florida is seeming to plateau.  Fingers crossed this is the start of a plateau and decline in cases.

Maybe. I hope so, especially as schools here in Michigan haven't started up yet.

Case positivity rate is 19.3% in Florida and does indeed appear to be slowly plateauing over time. Between the total % vaccinated and the % already infected/recovered, hopefully Florida runs out of kindling soon, and the rates begin to drop. All indications are that there will be no additional mitigation strategy beyond, "lets let the virus do what viruses do".

http://ww11.doh.state.fl.us/comm/_partners/covid19_report_archive/covid19-data/covid19_data_latest.pdf

That very much appears to be the case for FL and the other low-vax/early-Delta states. Now the best-fit scenario has a peak in just 4 days at ~150K cases/day (down from a projected peak of 165K on 8/25 in the prior model iteration). As pointed out (and given the high positivity rates) some of the undershoot in my otherwise infallible model was due to under-testing.

Florida's vaccination rate is almost identical to the national rate...a little higher on the "at least one dose" measure, a little lower on the fully vaccinated measure. 

I like making fun of Florida as much as the next guy but that's what the rates are according to Google's Our World in Data.

Florida vaccination rates cannot directly compared with those of other states. Florida has a higher proportion of elderly which are more likely to be vaccinated and there was an early aggressive campaign to vaccinate the vulnerable elderly. This led to the current situation of an overall average vaccination rate but with wide geographic and sociologic variance.
I live in Jacksonville and some of the surrounding counties had vaccination rates barely above 20% before Delta started tearing through these rural areas.
Several of these counties are in the top ten nationally for community transmission.

[LaineyAZ]

I'm just pondering a statement I saw posted somewhere that questioned whether the U.S. would have ever gotten rid of polio if the population in the 1950s had responded like this.
Seems like everyone back then was more obedient and accepting of medical and governmental authority, so they just lined up and got vaccinated. 

I agree that never questioning authority is not a good thing, but neither do we have polio in the U.S.

[Kris]

I'm just pondering a statement I saw posted somewhere that questioned whether the U.S. would have ever gotten rid of polio if the population in the 1950s had responded like this.
Seems like everyone back then was more obedient and accepting of medical and governmental authority, so they just lined up and got vaccinated. 

I agree that never questioning authority is not a good thing, but neither do we have polio in the U.S.

They had also seen the devastation of these diseases first-hand. Those who don't "know" history (as in, those who either haven't lived it, don't understand it, or have little ability to empathize/put themselves in the place of what it would have been like) are condemned to drag the rest of us down with them.

[JGS1980]

I'm just pondering a statement I saw posted somewhere that questioned whether the U.S. would have ever gotten rid of polio if the population in the 1950s had responded like this.
Seems like everyone back then was more obedient and accepting of medical and governmental authority, so they just lined up and got vaccinated. 

I agree that never questioning authority is not a good thing, but neither do we have polio in the U.S.

They had also seen the devastation of these diseases first-hand. Those who don't "know" history (as in, those who either haven't lived it, don't understand it, or have little ability to empathize/put themselves in the place of what it would have been like) are condemned to drag the rest of us down with them.

Agree with Kris, national vaccination programs are unfortunately victims of their own success.

Polio is a great example, but remember that the Chicken Pox Vaccine only came out in 1995. Prior to this new vaccine, there were >9000 hospitalizations and 100-150 deaths per year. 

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/varicella/index.html

For comparison, Covid19 killed about 300 children in 2020, and Influenza (the Flu) killed 199 children in the 2019-2020 season.

[EscapeVelocity2020]

I'm just pondering a statement I saw posted somewhere that questioned whether the U.S. would have ever gotten rid of polio if the population in the 1950s had responded like this.
Seems like everyone back then was more obedient and accepting of medical and governmental authority, so they just lined up and got vaccinated. 

I agree that never questioning authority is not a good thing, but neither do we have polio in the U.S.

They had also seen the devastation of these diseases first-hand. Those who don't "know" history (as in, those who either haven't lived it, don't understand it, or have little ability to empathize/put themselves in the place of what it would have been like) are condemned to drag the rest of us down with them.

I don't disagree with the sentiment, but the reality of nurses not wanting to get vaccinated here in Texas calls that in to question - https://www.texastribune.org/2021/06/23/texas-hospital-houston-methodist-vaccine-employees-fired-resign/

You would think, being on the front lines of exposure as well as seeing the worst of this first hand, there would be an insignificant number of medically unable or conscientious objectors... 

[Kris]

I'm just pondering a statement I saw posted somewhere that questioned whether the U.S. would have ever gotten rid of polio if the population in the 1950s had responded like this.
Seems like everyone back then was more obedient and accepting of medical and governmental authority, so they just lined up and got vaccinated. 

I agree that never questioning authority is not a good thing, but neither do we have polio in the U.S.

They had also seen the devastation of these diseases first-hand. Those who don't "know" history (as in, those who either haven't lived it, don't understand it, or have little ability to empathize/put themselves in the place of what it would have been like) are condemned to drag the rest of us down with them.

I don't disagree with the sentiment, but the reality of nurses not wanting to get vaccinated here in Texas calls that in to question - https://www.texastribune.org/2021/06/23/texas-hospital-houston-methodist-vaccine-employees-fired-resign/

You would think, being on the front lines of exposure as well as seeing the worst of this first hand, there would be an insignificant number of medically unable or conscientious objectors...

Yes, you would think so, but there is such a huge juggernaut of a misinformation campaign out there now that, as the old saying goes, a lie can travel around the world before the truth puts on its pants. So many forces and so much money being spent actively working to brainwash people that it's inevitable even some of those who should know better will succumb.

[EscapeVelocity2020]

I'm just pondering a statement I saw posted somewhere that questioned whether the U.S. would have ever gotten rid of polio if the population in the 1950s had responded like this.
Seems like everyone back then was more obedient and accepting of medical and governmental authority, so they just lined up and got vaccinated. 

I agree that never questioning authority is not a good thing, but neither do we have polio in the U.S.

They had also seen the devastation of these diseases first-hand. Those who don't "know" history (as in, those who either haven't lived it, don't understand it, or have little ability to empathize/put themselves in the place of what it would have been like) are condemned to drag the rest of us down with them.

I don't disagree with the sentiment, but the reality of nurses not wanting to get vaccinated here in Texas calls that in to question - https://www.texastribune.org/2021/06/23/texas-hospital-houston-methodist-vaccine-employees-fired-resign/

You would think, being on the front lines of exposure as well as seeing the worst of this first hand, there would be an insignificant number of medically unable or conscientious objectors...

Yes, you would think so, but there is such a huge juggernaut of a misinformation campaign out there now that, as the old saying goes, a lie can travel around the world before the truth puts on its pants. So many forces and so much money being spent actively working to brainwash people that it's inevitable even some of those who should know better will succumb.

It is sickening, literally!!!

[bacchi]

I don't disagree with the sentiment, but the reality of nurses not wanting to get vaccinated here in Texas calls that in to question - https://www.texastribune.org/2021/06/23/texas-hospital-houston-methodist-vaccine-employees-fired-resign/

You would think, being on the front lines of exposure as well as seeing the worst of this first hand, there would be an insignificant number of medically unable or conscientious objectors...

150 employees out of 25,000 seems pretty insignificant. It's unclear if they were all front-line workers, too. Some could've been back office staff who don't walk the crowded hallways.

[...] Jennifer Bridges, a former nurse who alleged the policy was unlawful and forced staffers to be “guinea pigs” for vaccines that had not gone through the full Food and Drug Administration approval process.

I'm certain that, if/when the vaccines are approved, most of the "It hasn't been approved!" people will find another reason to refuse.

[OtherJen]

I don't disagree with the sentiment, but the reality of nurses not wanting to get vaccinated here in Texas calls that in to question - https://www.texastribune.org/2021/06/23/texas-hospital-houston-methodist-vaccine-employees-fired-resign/

You would think, being on the front lines of exposure as well as seeing the worst of this first hand, there would be an insignificant number of medically unable or conscientious objectors...

150 employees out of 25,000 seems pretty insignificant. It's unclear if they were all front-line workers, too. Some could've been back office staff who don't walk the crowded hallways.

[...] Jennifer Bridges, a former nurse who alleged the policy was unlawful and forced staffers to be “guinea pigs” for vaccines that had not gone through the full Food and Drug Administration approval process.

I'm certain that, if/when the vaccines are approved, most of the "It hasn't been approved!" people will find another reason to refuse.

Yes. They'll adopt the reasons why anti-vaxxers are opposed to vaccines in general, raise another vaccine-autism scare, etc. Rumors are already circulating that medical workers are lying and the hospitals are full of dying vaccinated people, the vaccines actually mean that you'll get more severe COVID, the vaccines are killing more people than COVID and it's a big cover-up, etc.

I think I now fully understand the saying that "You can't fix stupid." People who want to believe nonsense are always going to find a reason to justify it, even though it would be easier just to accept reality. Unfortunately, their ignorance has consequences (sometimes disproportionate ones) for the rest of us.

[GodlessCommie]

Yes, you would think so, but there is such a huge juggernaut of a misinformation campaign out there now that, as the old saying goes, a lie can travel around the world before the truth puts on its pants. So many forces and so much money being spent actively working to brainwash people that it's inevitable even some of those who should know better will succumb.

That seems to be the biggest difference - wider pipes for misinformation, and especially the ability to monetize misinformation.

Like, the rumor mills of yesteryear were pretty efficient (if slow), but they didn't offer the peddlers a chance to get rich.

[OtherJen]

So much for not overloading health care systems: Many Hospitals With No Beds Left Are Forced To Send COVID Patients To Cities Far Away (NPR)

Number of US children hospitalized with COVID-19 hits record; Dallas out of pediatric ICU beds (Becker’s Hospital Review)

But, freeeeeedom. Amirite?!

[GuitarStv]

So much for not overloading health care systems: Many Hospitals With No Beds Left Are Forced To Send COVID Patients To Cities Far Away (NPR)

Number of US children hospitalized with COVID-19 hits record; Dallas out of pediatric ICU beds (Becker’s Hospital Review)

But, freeeeeedom. Amirite?!

It's OK.  People have been telling me that kids don't get sick from covid, so there's nothing to worry about.

[OtherJen]

So much for not overloading health care systems: Many Hospitals With No Beds Left Are Forced To Send COVID Patients To Cities Far Away (NPR)

Number of US children hospitalized with COVID-19 hits record; Dallas out of pediatric ICU beds (Becker’s Hospital Review)

But, freeeeeedom. Amirite?!

It's OK.  People have been telling me that kids don't get sick from covid, so there's nothing to worry about.

Yeah, I've heard that one too.

Now I'm hearing that some parents are fighting against and suing school boards because it is "child abuse" to mandate that students wear masks. But it's totally fine to create and uphold a culture that requires them to participate in active shooter drills...

[Gone Fishing]

And what's with him getting Regeneron's monoclonal antibody treatment when he's "fully vaccinated and has no symptoms"?  Save it for someone who needs it.

Right? So much for the "stop fearmongering, it's just a mild cold" crowd. He's such a hypocrite.

News sources state he (Greg Abbott, Texas governor) was vaccinated in December.  That places him in the first two weeks of vaccine administration.  Back when it was supposed to be front line workers and nursing homes.  Despicable human being.

[Abe]

I don’t understand how a mask mandate is different than an underpants mandate in terms of freedom and child abuse. Any legal scholars want to give a swing at that?

[maizefolk]

I don’t understand how a mask mandate is different than an underpants mandate in terms of freedom and child abuse. Any legal scholars want to give a swing at that?

One of the approaches I've heard some Texas schools are (were?) trying to putting masks into their existing dress codes rather than as a separate rule since I guess in that state there is precedent that high schools can enforce dress codes.

Though I don't remember underwear being part of high school dress codes back when I attended, and even if it were, trying to gather data to enforce it would seem to open all sorts of other unpleasant possibilities for abuse of the system.

[OtherJen]

I don’t understand how a mask mandate is different than an underpants mandate in terms of freedom and child abuse. Any legal scholars want to give a swing at that?

One of the approaches I've heard some Texas schools are (were?) trying to putting masks into their existing dress codes rather than as a separate rule since I guess in that state there is precedent that high schools can enforce dress codes.

Though I don't remember underwear being part of high school dress codes back when I attended, and even if it were, trying to gather data to enforce it would seem to open all sorts of other unpleasant possibilities for abuse of the system.

Shoes are a better example than underwear. Schools (and nearly all businesses and public buildings) mandate that they be worn, and it isn’t an invasion of privacy to see whether or not they’re being worn. Or the width of a tank top strap, length of a skirt or shorts, or apparel with sayings or logos. Schools mandate those things all the time.

[maizefolk]

Agreed. "No shoes, no shirt, no service" have been around as long as I can remember. And school dress codes can be quite detailed and are very much enforced, they just focus on things which are already visible (which a mask is).

[lost_in_the_endless_aisle]

And what's with him getting Regeneron's monoclonal antibody treatment when he's "fully vaccinated and has no symptoms"?  Save it for someone who needs it.

Right? So much for the "stop fearmongering, it's just a mild cold" crowd. He's such a hypocrite.

News sources state he (Greg Abbott, Texas governor) was vaccinated in December.  That places him in the first two weeks of vaccine administration.  Back when it was supposed to be front line workers and nursing homes.  Despicable human being.

Many governors were vaccinated very early: by February 22, 18 governors had been vaccinated (9 Democrats & 9 Republicans). Here is the situation in Colorado, where Polis (almost 20 years younger than Abbott) was made eligible for vaccination, along with 200 others, for the purpose of governmental continuity. This seems highly reasonable.

And I'm sure if Abbot didn't get vaccinated until later, people would say he was setting a bad example. Oh the joys of partisan reasoning.

[OtherJen]

Gee, who could have predicted this?

Warnings About the Sturgis Rally Have Come Tragically True (Daily Beast)

In western South Dakota’s Meade County, more than one in three COVID-19 tests are currently returning positive, and over the last three weeks, seven-day average case counts have increased by 3,400 percent. This exponential growth in cases is likely attributable to the 81st Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, which drew an estimated half a million visitors to Meade County and its environs from Aug. 6 through 15, potentially acting as a superspreader event.

-------

The state more broadly has witnessed a 686.8 percent increase in daily case counts over the past three weeks, currently more than 10 times the nationwide rate. Meade County’s post-Sturgis uptick is certainly a contributor to this state-level increase, but neighboring counties have experienced a sharp incline in cases, too—ranging from a 1,900 percent increase in the past three weeks in Butte to a 1,050 percent increase in Lawrence.

(From an SD local news source: Meade County experiencing 36% weekly test-positivity rate eight days after the Sturgis Rally ended (KELO)

[JoJo]

Sturgis no doubt caused cases to increase in this area of SD, but I'm really getting sick of only posting % increases to sensationalize stories, especially when the denominator on the decrease percent is miniscule. 

This particular county was having about 0.6 new cases per day thru July, and was averaging 39 cases per day recently. 

Source:  https://covidactnow.org/us/south_dakota-sd/county/meade_county/?s=22311157

Population of this county is 29,852, and more than 500,000 attended. 

[Abe]

One way to compensate is reporting cases per available hospital beds in a given area? For example, this county has 25 (not a typo) hospital beds and 0 ICU beds. 11 beds are available fo a population of 29,000. Also, the area referral hospital that has ICU beds (at baseline, most rural hospitals have no ICU beds at baseline) is at 100% capacity. So in that context a large % increase is a problem.

https://data.statesmanjournal.com/covid-19-hospital-capacity/south-dakota/46/meade-county/46093/

[Moonwaves]

Yes, with the Delta variant taking hold, but vaccinations going pretty well here, my state (in Germany) has started reporting not just the 7-day-incidence of new cases but also the 7-day-incidence of hospitalisations, the number of COVID-19 cases in intensive care and the percentage of the intensive care capacity. The numbers are a bit less scary that way.

For example yesterday the statewide 7-day-incidence for new cases was up to 77.9. I know that's not a lot compared to some countries, but we had gotten down to less than 10 for a few weeks in my area and we're back up to 75.3 now. But the intensive care beds available are only occupied to 4.5% with COVID-19 patients and the 7-day-incidence for hospitalisations is only 2.37. They used to just report intensive care occupation in total and I don't think it has gone below 84% since last year. The numbers they report definitely have an impact on my level of worry so I'm glad they've introduced these new metrics.

Edited to add: Starting on 1 September, they have also started reporting the 7-day-incidence for vaccinated and unvaccinated people. Overall it's 81.8, hospitalisations are at 2.41, incidence among vaccinated is at 15.0, and among unvaccinated it's 180.8. That's going to be an interesting set of stats to follow.

[Taran Wanderer]

Saw this today:

“In case anyone is curious…

“Right now in the USA, every ten days, more than 8,000 (unvaccinated) Republican voters are dying of COVID-19. That’s 5X the rate for Democrats.”

- Neil DeGrasse Tyson

We confirmed the source, so I conclude it’s true. People’s political beliefs are literally killing them.

[Rural]

Saw this today:

“In case anyone is curious…

“Right now in the USA, every ten days, more than 8,000 (unvaccinated) Republican voters are dying of COVID-19. That’s 5X the rate for Democrats.”

- Neil DeGrasse Tyson

We confirmed the source, so I conclude it’s true. People’s political beliefs are literally killing them.

Explains McConnell's new pro-vaccine PSA.

[DarkandStormy]

Cases in the U.S. *appear* to have crested around ~165k/day.  Deaths have spiked - 1,500/day and rising.  Some estimates show another 100k could die of covid by December in the U.S. alone.

[HPstache]

Saw this today:

“In case anyone is curious…

“Right now in the USA, every ten days, more than 8,000 (unvaccinated) Republican voters are dying of COVID-19. That’s 5X the rate for Democrats.”

- Neil DeGrasse Tyson

We confirmed the source, so I conclude it’s true. People’s political beliefs are literally killing them.

Has he provided his source yet for that stat though? 

[jinga nation]

Saw this today:

“In case anyone is curious…

“Right now in the USA, every ten days, more than 8,000 (unvaccinated) Republican voters are dying of COVID-19. That’s 5X the rate for Democrats.”

- Neil DeGrasse Tyson

We confirmed the source, so I conclude it’s true. People’s political beliefs are literally killing them.

Has he provided his source yet for that stat though?

It is discussed here: https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-republican-voters-are-dying-of-covid-at-5x-the-rate-as-democrats-as-claimed-by-neil-degrasse-tyson/949869/6

There's bad assumptions/ flawed thinking/using premise as proof for his claim.

I don't listen to NdGT about anything non-space/non-physics. He's become annoying like Bill Nye. He's milking N-list celebrity status.

[JoJo]

Cases in the U.S. *appear* to have crested around ~165k/day.  Deaths have spiked - 1,500/day and rising.  Some estimates show another 100k could die of covid by December in the U.S. alone.

I'm not so sure they've crested.  TX is overtaking FL in #1 of cases, lots of states still with increasing numbers.  Looking at UK and Israel, wear off of vaccinations is real... both places are slowly increasing (Israel is setting new records in # of cases, and UK staying at a high relative number of new cases). 

[OtherJen]

Cases in the U.S. *appear* to have crested around ~165k/day.  Deaths have spiked - 1,500/day and rising.  Some estimates show another 100k could die of covid by December in the U.S. alone.

I'm not so sure they've crested.  TX is overtaking FL in #1 of cases, lots of states still with increasing numbers.  Looking at UK and Israel, wear off of vaccinations is real... both places are slowly increasing (Israel is setting new records in # of cases, and UK staying at a high relative number of new cases).

Yeah, schools in Michigan and many other states just started back last week. Give it another month or two before claiming that case numbers have crested.

[RetiredAt63]

Cases in the U.S. *appear* to have crested around ~165k/day.  Deaths have spiked - 1,500/day and rising.  Some estimates show another 100k could die of covid by December in the U.S. alone.

I'm not so sure they've crested.  TX is overtaking FL in #1 of cases, lots of states still with increasing numbers.  Looking at UK and Israel, wear off of vaccinations is real... both places are slowly increasing (Israel is setting new records in # of cases, and UK staying at a high relative number of new cases).

Israel followed the short time interval recommendation for first-second dose.  Is there any information for longer intervals?  The UK was at about 12 weeks, Canada was 8-12 weeks.  There have been preliminary indications that longer intervals produced a better immune response, but I haven't seen anything solid.  Anyone know more?

[OtherJen]

Sigh. Patients overdosing on ivermectin backing up rural Oklahoma hospitals, ambulances (KFOR News)

A rural Oklahoma doctor said patients who are taking the horse de-wormer medication, ivermectin, to fight COVID-19 are causing emergency room and ambulance back ups.

“There’s a reason you have to have a doctor to get a prescription for this stuff, because it can be dangerous,” said Dr. Jason McElyea.

Dr. McElyea said patients are packing his eastern and southeastern Oklahoma hospitals after taking ivermectin doses meant for a full-sized horse, because they believed false claims the horse de-wormer could fight COVID-19.

“The ERs are so backed up that gunshot victims were having hard times getting to facilities where they can get definitive care and be treated,” he said.

[RetiredAt63]

Ivermectin is also a human anti-parasitic so the human dose is well established.  For parasites, not Covid.   

The thing is, every species' liver is different*, so what is a proper dose for one species (calculated by weight) can be too much or too little for another species.  Doctors and veterinarians know dosages.  Random users converting horse dose by weight straight into human dose by weight don't.  Sigh.

*This is why dog-only flea shampoo can kill a cat, cat livers are really bad at detox.

[LaineyAZ]

And now we have the Mu variant.  Not an immediate threat per Dr. Fauci but they're "keeping a close eye on it."   

Masking and social distancing continuing way into the future, at this point...
 

[maizefolk]

There are only 24 greek letters and mu is already the 12th. I hope someone is thinking about what we do once we hit 24 named variants.

[OtherJen]

There are only 24 greek letters and mu is already the 12th. I hope someone is thinking about what we do once we hit 24 named variants.

Start using pairs of letters: alpha alpha, alpha beta...

[Dollar Slice]

There are only 24 greek letters and mu is already the 12th. I hope someone is thinking about what we do once we hit 24 named variants.

WHO has already mentioned using the names of constellations. I can only hope they're planning to use the original names and not the English versions since that would sound both unserious and confusing. "I have some bad news. Grandma has The Little Bear and the doctor says it's probably going to kill her."

[JGS1980]

Top 10 Countries (deaths per capita): Population 4 Million+

Peru
Hungary
Czechia
Bulgaria
Brazil
Argentina
Colombia
Slovakia
Paraguay
Belgium

Top 10 Countries (total deaths):
USA
Brazil
India
Mexico
Peru
Russia
Indonesia
UK
Italy
Colombia

Top 10 US States (cases per capita)
Tennessee
Florida
N. Dakota
Rhode Island
Arkansas
S. Dakota
Mississippi
Louisiana
Utah
S. Carolina

Top 10 US States (deaths per capita)
New Jersey
Mississippi
New York
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Arizona
Alabama
Connecticut
South Dakota

Top 10 US States (total deaths)
California
Texas
New York
Florida
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
Illinois
Georgia
Michigan
Ohio

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries