I guess it depends why you are getting the booster. If it’s for travel then yes still get it. If it’s just for covid protection then that’s your own decision. We are getting to a point where we are splitting hairs with covid protection with all the vaccine shots. I saw the EU is getting ready to implement a 9 month vaccine expiry. Meaning if you are beyond 9 months since your last shot then you would need a booster to travel there.
By the time it's proven that it spreads effectively, it's too late - it will be in every country and unable to be controlled. That's what we saw with the Delta variant - everything is reactive and we never seem able to get ahead of the curve. The same was true of the booster shot authorizations - doing a minimalist approach instead of just authorizing it for everyone upfront. It seems like this with variant, countries are trying to be proactive in preventing it from getting a foothold in the countries (though I think this is impossible regardless). We'll see if that strategy works any better.
I agree that it's not possible to control something that mutates this rapidly and is this infectious. This variant was only discovered a week or so ago and it doesn't seem to even be related to any of the past 3 dominant variants. It's probably been circulating for a few weeks prior to the discovery. The only reason we had some kind of stability with covid was because delta was so absolutely dominant. We are permanently stuck with covid. Endless vaccine shots and arbitrary restrictions don't seem to be a viable answers to stopping covid either. We are talking about banning flights again. New York is pre-emptively declaring a state of emergency. I know Moderna has come out and said they can produce a variant specific vaccine shot in 8 weeks or so, but this seems curious to me since they were never able to produce a delta specific shot. Unless they've developed new technology then I don't see how they can produce a shot to a variant that seems to be heavily mutated on the spike protein. I'll be curious to see how rapidly this variant spreads and if it's more or less virulent. If it shows itself to be less virulent then I hope we will react accordingly.
Individual-level protection. None of this variant stuff changes what you need to do on an individual-level right now. Unless, of course, if you weren’t doing anything at all. Get vaccinated. Get boosted. Ventilate spaces. Use masks. Test if you have symptoms. Isolate if positive. And encourage others to do the same.
I agree and I'm not sure the solution, but as long as our healthcare system keeps getting overwhelmed with these waves, I think we'll keep trying restrictions and shutdowns and such to control it. Everything else is managable, but general health care getting overwhelmed has unimaginable side effects - between causing death from other, less-severe illnesses to burnout and lack of staffing, etc. It risks a permanent breakdown of our health care system, and government's #1 goal is protecting its citizens, so that's a huge issue. We can ultimately just live with Covid - but only if we can sort out that problem. The military is having to go in and provide nursing and other medical assistance in Michigan this weekend, and apparently lots of states are getting back to that borderline-overwhelmed state.
I can't believe they named it Omicron guaranteeing it will be indestructible evil -- and just when you think you have it controlled... it transforms.
FWIW those Pfizer covid pills seemed like the best addition to vaccines so far. The Merck pills seem to have fallen flat on their face with more data. We are still waiting on more data but it seems very promising for at risk groups and even low risk groups to keep them out of the hospital. I'll be curious to see if they can prevent covid infection and if they are tolerated over long periods of time. Monoclonal antibodies would have to be reworked if/when this new variant takes over, but from what I saw the Pfizer pills should still maintain their efficacy since they have a different mechanism of disabling covid reproduction. John Campbell seemed to be pretty resigned to the fact that this new variant will outcompete Delta.
Yes agreed. But then isn't it ironic that Biden throws a tantrum when people don't listen to his demands for people to take the vaccine? I'm vaccinated btw. Just **** every single one of these shitty politicians and their double standards, and their agendas, and their holiday parties as they demand people self-isolate and cower in their homes.
People on BOTH sides are still putting politics above everything else. Don't get that part twisted. Since you're no kid, I know you can't possibly be that naive, right?
I must be missing the irony. When Biden and Harris made their comments, there were no vaccines and there were no medical professionals, scientists, or organizations like WHO and the FDA espousing the value and safety of them. Now there are. Therefore when Biden (or any goverment agent) encourages people taking the vaccine, they are speaking with actual documented evidence backing them up. If none of those entities were backing him (or whoever) up, then it would be ironic.
Should you take the vaccine because Biden says to, or because the results are backed with data? I was reiterating YOUR point. Just changing the name. I guess your opinion on the matter changes if your political party is aligned with the idea. Moving on...
There are always exceptions! I just know for a fact that the majority of non vaxxers and the majority of no maskers are Republicans. I know for a fact that the majority of deaths this past year in Texas were unvaccinated. People like Trump, Margorie Taylor Greene, and other leaders of the cult made a point of blatantly refusing to wear masks as a stance they encouraged their cult to follow during the height of the pandemic. You know that.
Trump Truthers piss me off just as much as naive liberals. The dissemination of information to the public was a gargantuan **** show during the Trump administration. It's more of a fascist approach with the new regime. I don't appreciate either.
Don't see it as fascist. Since visiting a country where you have to show proof of vaccination to dine in a restaurant our laws seem lax as hell concerning Covid. Masks are required in all shops as well. I do think it's ridiculous for vaccinated Americans and foreigners entering the US to be required to pay for a Covid test prior to entering the US, yet no requirements for a Covid test to fly from state to state in a country so lax with Covid requirements in each state.
