Do you need to vent about things COVID-19?

[Ceka Cianci]

4 minutes ago, FairreLilette said:

Yeah, they did want to be re-elected...it's something I will never forget.  And, just so other's know, the "Mitch" Ceka is speaking about is the "McConnell" I am speaking about.  It's Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell who have behaved horribly.  We are in a state of emergency - HELLO?  Maybe we should all start tweeting them that.  Emergencies don't care about holidays.  

I've been watching this guy since the first shutdown.. He's pretty good and doesn't play favorites.

 

if it starts a few seconds into the video, just scroll it back.. I'm not sure why that happens when I post up a video..

 

Edited November 21, 2020 by Ceka Cianci

[LittleMe Jewell]

4 hours ago, Garnet Psaltery said:

My local council has said that there are those testing positive with atypical symptoms so it wants others with one or more of these symptoms to be vaccinated.  The list includes a sore throat and being more tired than usual.  

The flaw in their thinking is that if those people with atypical symptoms actually have it, getting the vaccine will not do anything.  A vaccine is to prevent you from getting it.  One you have it, the vaccine will not get rid of it.

ETA:  After further reading, it's been clarified that you meant 'tested' and not 'vaccinated', which definitely does make more sense.

Edited November 21, 2020 by LittleMe Jewell

[LittleMe Jewell]

25 minutes ago, Ceka Cianci said:

they have been playing political games with the American peoples live the whole way..

Congress = Political Games

 

[LittleMe Jewell]

19 minutes ago, FairreLilette said:

It's Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell who have behaved horribly. 

It is not just those two.  It is a good majority of Congress and both parties.

[Qie Niangao]

1 minute ago, LittleMe Jewell said:

Congress = Political Games

The same is true of Parliament, but as a citizen of both forms of government I have to say the presidential system is ridiculously hamstrung most of the time, and especially when one house or branch is motivated to poison the other. To be fair, the framers of the US Constitution had no idea the Executive would amass so much power, or that the legislative branch would put party ahead of branch, let alone ahead of country. Voters have pushed the system beyond the breaking point by electing so many craven scoundrels.

Things are far from perfect up here too, but at least there's still fiscal stimulus. Meanwhile, south of the border, Steve Mnuchin and Jay Powell are having a spat that may collapse the whole economy from within the Executive while Trump is occupied with concocting fantastic tales of victimhood to sell in upcoming Won Bigly rallies.

[Luna Bliss]

We can't do anything about this congressional impasse, but if we are one of the fortunate ones who have a job or even income from retirement or disability, we can donate to local food banks. Usually I send a bit of $ to a homeless vet program locally and to the Dakotas for Native schools, but this year I'm sending my charity money to a local organization that gives resources to the homeless.

It's getting really bad out there, the suffering totally exploding due to lack of food and housing. Even before Covid the poverty level was bad (2 out of 5) and many were going to bed hungry, including 13 million kids.

I just listened to a current episode on CovidCalls, #173, Poverty And The Long Term Pandemic Impact, where some of the policy issues are discussed:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/covidcalls/id1516341147

Edited November 21, 2020 by Luna Bliss

[Luna Bliss]

 

[Silent Mistwalker]

6 hours ago, Luna Bliss said:

We can't do anything about this congressional impasse, but if we are one of the fortunate ones who have a job or even income from retirement or disability, we can donate to local food banks. Usually I send a bit of $ to a homeless vet program locally and to the Dakotas for Native schools, but this year I'm sending my charity money to a local organization that gives resources to the homeless.

It's getting really bad out there, the suffering totally exploding due to lack of food and housing. Even before Covid the poverty level was bad (2 out of 5) and many were going to bed hungry, including 13 million kids.

I just listened to a current episode on CovidCalls, #173, Poverty And The Long Term Pandemic Impact, where some of the policy issues are discussed:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/covidcalls/id1516341147

I don't understand why you would send your charity money to a different one than your local vets and the Dakota people. Reservations are one of the hardest hit by Covid-19 and they need those funds now more then ever. That will teach me to expect better of you.

Edited November 21, 2020 by Silent Mistwalker

[Luna Bliss]

2 hours ago, Silent Mistwalker said:

I don't understand why you would send your charity money to a different one than your local vets and the Dakota people. Reservations are one of the hardest hit by Covid-19 and they need those funds now more then ever. That will teach me to expect better of you.

I have been sending money to a Native school in South Dakota, Saint Joseph's Indian School. However homelessness and lack of food should take priority over education...hence my initial thoughts of sending money to the most pressing needs I was aware of in my own community that did not relate to education.
However, as you say, the reservations have been hit hard and have these basic needs too -- for food and shelter.

If I research I imagine there are other charities aside from the Native school I regularly donate to in that area -- charities that deal with food insecurity and homelessness.

Edited November 22, 2020 by Luna Bliss

[Luna Bliss]

"That will teach me to expect better of you."

And never expect better of me, Silent!  Cause I'm BAAAAAAAAD...

 

Edited November 22, 2020 by Luna Bliss

[Qie Niangao]

17 hours ago, FairreLilette said:

I wouldn't be surprised if Remdesivir suddenly gets FDA approval but probably suddenly as a part of a "cocktail" but that would be 'after' the price plummets, of course.  So, those 'in the know' can buy it cheaper.

Yeah, I dunno about that, but certainly under Trump the FDA has given Emergency Use Authorization for some outright snakeoil, including hydroxychloroquine, that they famously later needed to revoke.

I guess that kinda diminishes the impact of the FDA authorization granted last night to that other treatment discussed here recently, monoclonal antibodies. (The specific authorization is for the Regeneron stuff Trump got; we were discussing a version from AstraZeneca here, as an alternative for those who can't be vaccinated.) Still, EAU is a step on the way to approval for drugs that actually work.

[Luna Bliss]

On 11/22/2020 at 3:06 AM, Qie Niangao said:

Yeah, I dunno about that, but certainly under Trump the FDA has given Emergency Use Authorization for some outright snakeoil, including hydroxychloroquine, that they famously later needed to revoke.

As if you need any more evidence regarding how insane the Repubs have become, take a look at the recent hearing where a couple of them continued to push for the drug:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/11/20/hydroxychloroquine-covid-senate-hearing/

 

[Maryanne Solo]

Record reports of USA infections here in Oz today.....I'm so sorry everyone.
The issue is FAR ABOVE personal political preferences in importance.
C'mon you guys, please, no government will save you.
You have to protect each other. 😪😷
 

[Gatogateau]

1 hour ago, Maryanne Solo said:

Record reports of USA infections here in Oz today.....I'm so sorry everyone.
The issue is FAR ABOVE personal political preferences in importance.
C'mon you guys, please, no government will save you.
You have to protect each other. 😪😷
 

Sadly, those of us who know that, do something about it. But there are a whole lotta people who just don't get it. I'm not saying it is a 1:1 ratio of those who don't get it and those who voted for Trump, but I'm guessing it is close, and there were an amazing number of people who voted for Trump & the anti-science, anti-common sense, anti-neighbor, etc. crappola that go along with. People are just effing stupid. Not everyone, but enough to make it a real problem (as witnessed by the numbers) and undermine the common good. A virus shouldn't be a political issue, other than "how do we stop it." Oh. Well.

[Maryanne Solo]

You just did exactly what I said.
There is little hope for anyone there. 🥴

[Gatogateau]

1 minute ago, Maryanne Solo said:

You just did exactly what I said.
There is little hope for anyone there. 🥴

Actually, no, I didn't. You should read more carefully.

[Qie Niangao]

8 hours ago, Maryanne Solo said:

Record reports of USA infections here in Oz today

Do Aussies use "USA" to refer to "COVID-19" now?

Canadians have bad news now, too, including the suspension of the "Atlantic bubble" in addition to continued worsening in the western provinces.

[Lyssa Greymoon]

9 hours ago, Maryanne Solo said:

C'mon you guys, please, no government will save you.
You have to protect each other.

The problem is so many people here care even less about protecting each other than governments do.

[Silent Mistwalker]

10 hours ago, Maryanne Solo said:

Record reports of USA infections here in Oz today.....I'm so sorry everyone.
The issue is FAR ABOVE personal political preferences in importance.
C'mon you guys, please, no government will save you.
You have to protect each other. 😪😷
 

I do my part. I can't force others to do their part.

If you are protecting yourself (even if you are one who does not believe Covid is real) then you are protecting others at the same time. If you don't care enough about your own life to protect yourself against Covid (and possibly spreading it to others and it kills them regardless of underlying conditions) you won't care about protecting those you claim to love and nothing anyone can say or do will change that.

Don't blame those who do care for the stupidity of others. 

[Gatogateau]

2 hours ago, Silent Mistwalker said:

I do my part. I can't force others to do their part.

If you are protecting yourself (even if you are one who does not believe Covid is real) then you are protecting others at the same time. If you don't care enough about your own life to protect yourself against Covid (and possibly spreading it to others and it kills them regardless of underlying conditions) you won't care about protecting those you claim to love and nothing anyone can say or do will change that.

Don't blame those who do care for the stupidity of others. 

That's what I was getting at.

There ARE A LOT of people social distancing, wearing masks, taking the hits to their conveniences to protect themselves AND OTHERS here in the USA. However, for what seems like mostly political reasons (which is insane, a virus isn't political) or at least a personal belief system that tends to make folks lean towards a political belief that eschews masks and all other protective methods, there are millions who don't *believe.*

I can't change that. I can't tackle people and force masks upon them. It isn't like they are being denied access to factual information. They choose differently. 

We aren't the only country with idiots, by the way. And I believe the world is still wrestling with covid, not just the USA. We just have to do everything bigger, louder and more obvious than other folks I guess.

**ETA: Also to the "point" that no government will save us... Yes/no. People need to be smart enough to choose common sense/factual options versus knee-jerk, political views. Sadly, that seems to be lacking. Governments CAN lead. In the USA we have seen some governors lead better than others. Even my state with a horrid dipstick of a GOP governor... because he's chosen common sense over the party. (Totally blows my mind.) Those who choose to lead with fear and misinformation absolutely can affect the over-all health of their constituents. The proof of that is obvious.  Save us? Maybe not. But guide us responsibly? You betcha they can.

Edited November 24, 2020 by Gatogateau

[Maryanne Solo]

I am employed partly as an official government Dept of Education Scribe in one of my 3 jobs.
I won't be reading anything more closely.
But thank you anyway.

[Gatogateau]

3 hours ago, Maryanne Solo said:

I am employed partly as an official government Dept of Education Scribe in one of my 3 jobs.
I won't be reading anything more closely.
But thank you anyway.

That's cool. But that doesn't make you less wrong.

 

[Gatogateau]

Pet peeve: Passive-aggressive people who "quote" you and respond to you very specifically, without actually quoting. But just write a new, clean comment. Grow up.

Ooops. Wrong thread.

[Arielle Popstar]

12 hours ago, Gatogateau said:

That's cool. But that doesn't make you less wrong.

 

And yet, who is actually right? As an obedient, mask wearing, hand cleaning, social distancing Canadian, I am surprised when I start digging in for the "facts" about mask wearing and its hoped for benefits, that I see article after article stating that no study from the past 40+ years has confirmed any benefit in masking either the sick or the healthy ones. That as a matter of fact, the reality is the whole mask recommendation made by various agencies has been more as a result of political lobbying then for any hard scientific facts.

Quote

 

4:25 AM · Jul 12, 2020

The ineffectiveness of face masks in stemming the spread of viral respiratory diseases, including Covid-19, is widely known and acknowledged in the scientific and medical literature and scientific communities. Therefore, it seems that the transition in public health recommendations to promote widespread mask mandates was based on a combination of low-level observational studies, speculative mechanistic studies, fear, and, most of all, POLITICS, NOT SCIENCE.

To clear up the confusion, I will argue that the scientific evidence not only does not support the community wearing of face masks, but the evidence shows that healthy people wearing face masks pose serious health risks to wearers. https://www.meehanmd.com/blog/2020-10-10-an-evidence-based-scientific-analysis-of-why-masks-are-ineffective-unnecessary-and-harmful/

 

 

Quote

 

In this review, we did not find evidence to support a protective effect of personal protective measures or environmental measures in reducing influenza transmission. Although these measures have mechanistic support based on our knowledge of how influenza is transmitted from person to person, randomized trials of hand hygiene and face masks have not demonstrated protection against laboratory-confirmed influenza, with 1 exception (18). We identified only 2 RCTs on environmental cleaning and no RCTs on cough etiquette.

Hand hygiene is a widely used intervention and has been shown to effectively reduce the transmission of gastrointestinal infections and respiratory infections (26). However, in our systematic review, updating the findings of Wong et al. (8), we did not find evidence of a major effect of hand hygiene on laboratory-confirmed influenza virus transmission (Figure 1). Nevertheless, hand hygiene might be included in influenza pandemic plans as part of general hygiene and infection prevention.

We did not find evidence that surgical-type face masks are effective in reducing laboratory-confirmed influenza transmission, either when worn by infected persons (source control) or by persons in the general community to reduce their susceptibility (Figure 2). However, as with hand hygiene, face masks might be able to reduce the transmission of other infections and therefore have value in an influenza pandemic when healthcare resources are stretched. https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/5/19-0994_article

 

Quote

Deborah Cohen @deb_cohen

Medically qualified, UK Correspondent @BBCNewsnight | 2019 British Journalism Award winner

“We had been told by various sources WHO committee reviewing the evidence had not backed masks but they recommended them due to political lobbying. This point was put to WHO who did not deny. We said some people think we should not wait for RCTs before putting policies in place”

4:25 AM · Jul 12, 2020

 

 

[Gatogateau]

Just now, Arielle Popstar said:

And yet, who is actually right?

Stuff and more stuff

 

Um. The quote you clipped was in regard to something very specific that Maryanne said that I said/thought/did. Maryanne was wrong. The fact that she is employed to read as part of her government job is cool, but doesn't make her less wrong in her assertion that what I stated even before all of that (yes, this gets a little woozy in the retelling) was making Americans without hope and doomed. She didn't read correctly and her assertion was wrong.

So you quoting me to go on a rant about mask wearing and god knows what else (truthfully tl:dr)... was out of place.

Masks work, btw. That's the short of it.

Do they prevent everything. No. But who is stupid enough to say they do?