Wow.

Just WOW!

 

WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE AND ITS TRUMPS FAULT.

 

You might tell stumbler that.
He didn't get the memo apparently.

 

This is actually the second time the US has done this. We wasted any benefits of the lock down by opening up too soon. And then when we finally got a vaccine so many people refused to get it they allowed the Delta variant to spread like wildfire.

Delta Slows Reopening Plans

The likelihood of a quick return to the pre-pandemic way of life in the West seems more and more remote as the rise of the delta variant upends plans for remote workers to return to a life of commutes and offices within the year.


On Thursday, banking giant Wells Fargo announced a one-month delay in its plans for a September return for corporate office workers. Retail and tech leader Amazon has gone even further, postponing a return for its office workers until January 2022.


The delays reflect the ambiguous situation rich countries find themselves in: With vaccination rates high enough to begin planning for a future without restrictions, but not so high as to know for certain when that future will be.


Getting close to a fully vaccinated population has proven difficult for the United States, despite its vast resources. The U.S. challenge is illustrated by the tortoise-and-hare game of catch-up played by the European Union, which now has a higher rate of vaccination among its population than the United States, despite an initially slow and error-filled rollout.


The unvaccinated. A survey released on Aug. 4 by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) found that five non-exclusive demographic groups score 20 percent or higher in responding “definitely not” when asked whether they will receive a COVID-19 vaccine: Republicans, white evangelical Christians, rural residents, those aged 18-29, and uninsured people under 65 years old.


That opposition may have more to do with practical concerns than dogmatic ones. A different KFF poll found that employers who encourage their employees to get a shot, or those that allow paid time off to recover from side effects have a much higher vaccine uptake than workplaces that do not.


Military mandate. Perhaps with that in mind, Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin is expected today to announce plans to make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for all 1.3 million active-duty personnel.


Vaccination rates vary across the military branches: as of June 30, the U.S. Navy has the highest, with 77 percent receiving at least one shot, while only 58 percent of U.S. Marine Corps servicemembers have had one dose.


Europe’s carrot-stick. As Europe tries to boost its own vaccination rate, an entry back to normal life is the main incentive. France, Greece, and Italy are all in various stages of banning the unvaccinated from indoor venues such as restaurants and movie theaters. It’s not clear how well the threat will work, as residents may wish to remain outside in the summer months. In France, the plans have been met with fierce protests.


Third shots. While the West struggles with its last mile of vaccination, the possibility of providing third booster shots comes into focus. The move has already been condemned by the World Health Organization, which sees the move as wasteful when poorer countries are still failing to acquire enough vaccine supplies to begin giving first doses. The WHO has recommended a moratorium until at least the end of September to keep vaccine supplies flowing to poor countries.


Vaccine maker Moderna has joined Pfizer in recommending a third booster shot citing the reduced efficacy of the current two-shot regimen over time. Moderna Chief Executive Stéphane Bancel seemed less concerned about the WHO’s worries regarding equity. “As a company I don’t control what people use a product for,” he told the Wall Street Journal.

Foreign Policy Morning Brief

 

Florida breaks daily COVID-19 case and hospitalization records — again
By Dale Greenstein Florida
UPDATED 3:25 PM ET Aug. 06, 2021 PUBLISHED 2:07 PM ET Aug. 06, 2021

Another 22,783 people in Florida tested positive for COVID-19 in a single day, according to the Florida Hospital Association.

That's 1,100 more than the state's previous one-day record that was set last weekend.

Previous Coverage

• Florida breaks record with more than 21,000 new COVID cases
  
  
  • CDC: COVID-19 hospitalizations of children 4 and under more than twice what they were in July 2020
  
  
  • Polk County elementary school closes due to COVID-19 outbreak
  
  
  • Hospitals tighten visitation rules as COVID-19 cases spike

COVID-19 hospitalizations are following the same record-breaking trend.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports 13,427 people with COVID-19 are currently hospitalized in Florida — the first time the state has eclipsed 13,000 at one time.

 

Of interest though is that deaths have remained almost non existent.
The previous daily high was 219 deaths reported, on July 29 there were 56 deaths. On July 31 there were none.
Despite the sharp increase in positive tests, the number of deaths has remained about the same or lower.
That's good news.
And fewer people ending up in ICU.
(1) Coronavirus statistics - Bing

but here's a bit of news about masks, you know, as a public service announcement
How different masks protect against Covid-19, and its delta and lambda variants (yahoo.com)

So now that there are new mask guidelines again, it’s worth taking a look again at which masks are out there, and the pros and cons of each.

N95 mask protection

N95 masks offer the best protection against the Covid-19 virus and its delta variant. N95 masks filter 95% of particles as small as 0.3 microns. The CDC says healthcare workers and other workers who work in hazardous conditions should have prioritized access to N95 masks. Only buy and use N95 masks if there’s an abundant supply in your area.

KN95 mask protection

The next best option against Covid-19 is a KN95 mask, filtering up to 95% of particles in the air as small as 0.3 microns in size. The difference between N95 and KN95 masks is how they are certified. N95 masks follow a US standard whereas KN95 masks follow a Chinese one. The standards are very similar, but the differences mean that N95 masks usually have headband straps, while KN95 masks have ear loops.

When purchasing KN95 masks, look to see if they meet requirements similar to those set by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).


According to the CDC, these masks are suitable for situations that require prolonged close contact with people who do not live in the same household, or for people who are at increased risk for severe illness.

The downsides to KN95 masks are that they can be uncomfortable, require more effort to breathe, and may not be readily available.

Surgical masks protection

These masks are commercially available, more comfortable, and affordable. However, surgical masks are harder to fit properly. A poor fit causes gaps around the nose and along the sides of the face where respiratory droplets containing the virus leak in and out. Masks with tie cords and nose wires can help improve fit. The ear loops of surgical masks can also be knotted to fit more snugly. Since the delta variant is more contagious than other variants, it’s even more important to make sure masks are properly fitted.

Masks with exhalation valves or vents

These masks are not recommended by the CDC or the World Health Organization because the valves and vents allow respiratory droplets containing the virus to escape. You could infect the people around you if you have the coronavirus and are wearing a mask with a vent.

Protection from cloth masks and gaters

The effectiveness of cloth masks depends on how porous the fabric is. Look for cloth masks made of multiple layers of tightly woven, breathable fabric. One way to test a cloth mask is by holding it up to a light source and seeing if the mask blocks the light.

Cloth masks can be made at home and customized for the best fit. They are also more comfortable, affordable, washable, and reusable.

Layering multiple masks for more protection

Surgical masks can be layered underneath cloth masks for improved fit and filtration. The cloth mask holds the surgical mask in place. Layering masks may be less comfortable and less breathable than a single mask alone, but is more effective at controlling the spread of the delta variant than either of the masks alone.

 

You would have to be a democrat to buy a kn95 over an n95.

I just bought 10 n95's for the missus and me. Don't know if we'll ever wear them.

 

Just stay the fuck away from me and I'll stay away from you, wash your hands and keep your boogers to yourself, I'm done wearing a mask because of you!

 

U.S. now averaging 100,000 new COVID-19 infections a day
By Associated Press and Spectrum News Staff Nationwide
UPDATED 8:00 PM ET Aug. 07, 2021 PUBLISHED 8:24 AM ET Aug. 07, 2021
The U.S. is now averaging 100,000 new COVID-19 infections a day, returning to a milestone last seen during the winter surge in yet another bleak reminder of how quickly the delta variant has spread through the country.

The U.S. was averaging about 11,000 cases a day in late June. Now the number is 107,143.

It took the U.S. about nine months to cross the 100,000 average case number in November before peaking at about 250,000 in early January. Cases bottomed out in June but took about six weeks to go back above 100,000, despite a vaccine that has been given to more than 70% of the adult population.

The seven-day average for daily new deaths also increased, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. It rose over the past two weeks from about 270 deaths per day to nearly 500 a day as of Friday.

The virus is spreading quickly through unvaccinated populations, especially in the South where hospitals have been overrun with patients.

Health officials are fearful that cases will continue to soar if more Americans don’t embrace the vaccine.

“Our models show that if we don’t (vaccinate people), we could be up to several hundred thousand cases a day, similar to our surge in early January,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Rochelle Walensky said on CNN this week.

The number of Americans hospitalized with the virus has also skyrocketed and it has gotten so bad that many hospitals are scrambling to find beds for patients in far-off locations.

Houston officials say the latest wave of COVID-19 cases is pushing the local health care system to nearly “a breaking point,” resulting in some patients having to be transferred out of the city to get medical care, including one who had to be taken to North Dakota.

Dr. David Persse, who is health authority for the Houston Health Department and EMS medical director, said some ambulances were waiting hours to offload patients at Houston area hospitals because no beds were available. Persse said he feared this would lead to prolonged respond times to 911 medical calls.

“The health care system right now is nearly at a breaking point ... For the next three weeks or so, I see no relief on what’s happening in emergency departments,” Persse said Thursday.

Last weekend, a patient in Houston had to be transferred to North Dakota to get medical care. An 11-month-old girl with COVID-19 and who was having seizures had to be transported on Thursday from Houston to a hospital 170 miles (274 kilometers) away in Temple.

In Missouri, 30 ambulances and more than 60 medical personnel will be stationed across the state to help transport COVID-19 patients to other regions if nearby hospitals are too full to admit them, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced Friday.

 

deleted

 

At the rate of 100,000 cases per day, it would take five weeks before 1% of the population is affected.
Using gross numbers instead of cases per 100k population raises the fear factor among the sheep.

 

The circus in my Daughters ER...is back to busy busy nights, and full protective gear treating the believers and the non believers. The daughters bringing good "Ol Mom" in to watch her die, all the while telling the doctors, "This Covid crap is all a big hoax.." The comical Stories would make a comedian proud if it wasn't for the poor people suffering and dying.

 

figures never lie.
Liars figure.
From CDC.GOV.
Number of new cases reported.

Number of deaths reported.


Doesn't take a lot to figure out that while cases are increasing, again, deaths remain relatively low. This means that vaccinations are working, delta isn't as dangerous as we are being made to believe, the medicos are getting much better at dealing with covid, or all three.
Bottom line is, we can't be so afraid of dying that we stop living. View attachment

 

It’s fucking amazing how many epidemiologists and immunologists have graduated with degrees in the last 12 months and taken to the internet to show their expertise. Fantastic, really.

 

Analysis: 15 percent of US coronavirus cases are now children

https://thehill.com/homenews/news/5...cent-of-us-coronavirus-cases-are-now-children

 

"Since the pandemic began, nearly 4.3 million children have tested positive for the virus — 14.3 percent of total cumulative cases."​

 

Southern Hospitals, Crushed By Delta Strain, Report Running Out Of ICU Beds............

Hospitals across the southern United States are reporting dramatic surges in coronavirus patients, forcing some to close their emergency rooms and others to treat more patients than they have capacity for as the delta variant of the virus continues to wreak havoc on regions with large swaths of unvaccinated residents.

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) on Monday said the state had “very startling” figures showing the largest, single-day increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations since the pandemic began. He said state hospitals had just eight beds in the ICU left for severely ill patients.

In Louisiana, an epicenter of the current wave, hospitalizations were climbing at the fastest rate since the pandemic started. Last week, the head of the state’s largest hospital described recent weeks as the “darkest” thus far, saying doctors were no longer able to provide patients adequate care under a crush in admissions.

“When you come inside our walls, it is quite obvious to you that these are the darkest days of this pandemic,” Dr. Catherine O’Neal, who runs the Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge, said last Monday.

O’Neal added later that week that dozens of children and young adults were now in the hospital, a reality that’s new under the delta variant. Half of the 12 children admitted were under the age of 2, The Advocate reported.

“We never saw that last year. That’s you,” she said in a video message. “Those are people who act and look just like you and they were living their normal lives two weeks ago. This delta variant is going to affect us all very differently.”

 

Both deaths and cases in your graph are in the exponential growth phase......as you will see in a couple of weeks or so.

Thinskin

 

Ah.
Thank you for your expert observation there thinskin.
Wait. Were you one of the experts who keeps telling us we'll be buried under hundreds of feet of ice by 2000?

Cause we saw a bump in cases in march/april but no increase in deaths then.
Huh.
And this latest surge started in June/July which means deaths would have jumped about the same within a couple weeks.
Huh.
Hasn't happened, has it?
So, Mr. Epidemiologist expert, why the delay in deaths this time?
Waiting.

 

Here in Montgomery County it was reported there are only 4 hospital beds available. It's gotten rough. I think Harris County (Houston) is completely full.