How can there not be a COVID-19 thread?

[User.45]

If you need to know why this is of such "apparent" importance suddenly...

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1445834239077924865/

For some it may not be the person herself who is of any importance, but what she can represent for them.

That tweet can be found amongst the various tweets about the television personality & speculation about what happened.

"Whistle blower video", if it's the one I'm thinking about, it will only get people excited who have trouble following why vaccinations are done. (See my response to Roller).

Also says the Dr. who is dispensing medical facts without actually seeing the patient.

This is a good one This sentence is so disconnected from reality, I either have to force myself to interpret your reality for you or just keep myself perplexed. Considering the value of our interactions, I'll choose perplexed. Thank you

Refresh my memory on who posted this story in the first place. With no source. With no verified facts, with nothing but rumors. And who is disrespecting an actual doctor in favor of a phantom diagnosis from an unnamed doctor that nobody has been able to produce to this point.

I'm totally fine with being dissed, especially when I'm as blunt as I've been, but I sorta am offended by the persistent lack of effort in doing so.

Let's stipulate that Amanda Barren was fired for refusal to follow her employer's vaccine mandate and did so under a physician's guidance. (I did a search and wasn't able to find a direct quote from her to that effect, as opposed to social media posts saying that's what happened.)

However, if Ms. Barren did make such a claim, as a public personality I believe she has an ethical responsibility to provide further details, since a valid medical reason for not being vaccinated would be extremely rare. I say this because she should know her statement will be used by others to refuse vaccination.

It's also worth noting that there are many physicians, epidemiologists, and other scientists who are dead wrong on the value and/or risks of the vaccines based on the preponderance of research. America's Frontline Doctors are a case-in-point, and their advice is all the more egregious because of their profit motive.

People who are unfamiliar with or, in some cases, willfully ignorant about how medical research works like to point out that study results are sometimes frankly contradictory and that public and personal health (they aren't the same) guidance changes accordingly. But that's how it's always been.

This reminds me of the preprint I posted here where the authors concluded that natural immunity is more protective against COVID, but the authors didn't consider that using a group of COVID survivors confers a major selection bias and if we considered that (i.e. counted COVID deaths as immunity failure in the natural COVID group), the vaccine would come out as a many times better option than the natural infection.

 

[SuperMatt]

This reminds me of the preprint I posted here where the authors concluded that natural immunity is more protective against COVID, but the authors didn't consider that using a group of COVID survivors confers a major selection bias and if we considered that (i.e. counted COVID deaths as immunity failure in the natural COVID group), the vaccine would come out as a many times better option than the natural infection.

If you exclude the people killed by the disease, you get a 0% mortality!

 

[User.45]

In a sane(r) parallel universe it would be a sort of national pride that the vaccine born out of Operation Warpspeed is probably the world's best COVID vaccine to date and that it would not have been developed so expeditiously without the work of the scientists at America's crown jewel, the NIH. An institution I'm personally very proud of.

 

[Runs For Fun]

Alright!

Pfizer asks FDA to authorize Covid vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11

The news couldn't come any sooner for parents anxious to get their children vaccinated against Covid-19.

www.cnbc.com

 

[Eric]

Even though he was fully vaccinated, complications of COVID still got him, but he also had blood cancer that weakened his immune system, unfortunately. This disease has been especially hard on the elderly. RIP Colin.

Colin Powell, trailblazing soldier and statesman who made case for Iraq invasion, dies of Covid at 84

Colin Powell, the former secretary of State and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has died from Covid complications at the age of 84.

www.cnbc.com

 

[Roller]

The people at Fox News are already spinning General Powell's death as calling into question the effectiveness of the vaccines. But he was, unfortunately, a member of a highly vulnerable population. Truth is, even some healthy, young, fully vaccinated people will succumb to COVID-19, but the chance of that happening is far less likely than it is for unvaccinated individuals. It's like seat belts: They won't prevent injury or death in every accident, but they'll greatly improve your odds.

BTW, I got to attend a presentation by Powell at a conference a couple years ago. He was very impressive. RIP.

 

[Clix Pix]

Oh, no.....!!!!!! Many years ago Alma Powell served as a volunteer a few hours a week at the branch library in which I was working as a full-time librarian. She was a delightful person and we all enjoyed talking with her and working alongside her. When we had library gatherings such as holiday parties at people's homes or in the branch itself, sometimes her husband, Colin, would be there, too, and he was equally as interesting and wonderful to talk with, a very thoughtful and courteous man. We all vaguely knew that he was already high-ranking and moving upward and upward in the military but neither he nor Alma flaunted that or talked about his career. As time went on, Alma's life became too busy and she had to leave her volunteer position at the library and the next time I ran into the two of them was when a friend's daughter was graduating from The College of William & Mary and the Powells had a young graduate in their family that year, too. Of course, we all know that Colin Powell's life and career definitely became busier and drew nationwide attention, and we watched as he took on huge responsibilities......

I am so sad to hear about his death. He was a lovely, gentle man......

 

[SuperMatt]

Puerto Rico is the most-vaccinated place in America.

The most vaccinated place in America is Puerto Rico | Boing Boing

The Caribbean U.S. territory of Puerto Rico has outpaced wealthy New England states to become the most vaccinated place in America: 73% of its 3.3 million residents are fully protected. The island …

boingboing.net

 

[Eric]

It's about to get expensive for those choosing not to vaccinate.

As Insurance Companies Stop Full Coverage for Covid-19, Rural Hospitals Brace for More Financial Burdens | The Daily Yonder

While rural hospitals are currently dealing with an increase in Covid-19 cases, another crisis may be looming on the horizon – how to get paid for the

dailyyonder.com

 

[lizkat]

Or could be a Christmas present in your checking account if you do get vaxxed, at least if you work for Coca Cola, which has concerns about meeting the requirements as a federal contractor...

Coke offers $2,000 to employees who follow new vaccination requirement

Coca-Cola offers employees $2,000 to get vaccinated for COVID-19 to comply with Dec. 8 mandate for federal contractors.

www.ajc.com

 

[Eric]

My buddy's wife is in her 60s, had a kidney transplant and is refusing the vaccine as they're blaming Biden. They said her doctors (some group called 'frontline doctors' or something?) told her not to get it because she's immunocompromised which even I know is completely ridiculous.

So they got a "rescue pack" that is apparently a cocktail of vitamins that YouTube and social media have blocked because big pharma is pulling their strings. He was telling me this as they were on their way into a sold out movie, I just don't even know what to say to something like that.

 

[Joe]

My buddy's wife is in her 60s, had a kidney transplant and is refusing the vaccine as they're blaming Biden. They said her doctors (some group called 'frontline doctors' or something?) told her not to get it because she's immunocompromised which even I know is completely ridiculous.

So they got a "rescue pack" that is apparently a cocktail of vitamins that YouTube and social media have blocked because big pharma is pulling their strings. He was telling me this as they were on their way into a sold out movie, I just don't even know what to say to something like that.

You just say "Thoughts and Prayers" and move on with your life.

 

[User.45]

You just say "Thoughts and Prayers" and move on with your life.

exactly.

My buddy's wife is in her 60s, had a kidney transplant and is refusing the vaccine as they're blaming Biden. They said her doctors (some group called 'frontline doctors' or something?) told her not to get it because she's immunocompromised which even I know is completely ridiculous.

So they got a "rescue pack" that is apparently a cocktail of vitamins that YouTube and social media have blocked because big pharma is pulling their strings. He was telling me this as they were on their way into a sold out movie, I just don't even know what to say to something like that.

fixing for her #HermanCaineAward.

Can you get more information regarding their interaction with Frontline Doctors of America?
Depending on how this went down, it's reportable...
I'll say, there's a neurologist, a psychiatrist, an an explicitly antivaxxer orthopedic surgeon, a non-board certified internist, and a non-existent infectious diseases doc. Dream team.

Authors - America's Frontline Doctors

Dr. Jen VanDeWater, PharmD Pharmacist Liaison Avigail Montiel Frontline News Deputy Director of Operations Dr. Steve LaTulippe Medical Contributor Rabbi Ariel Spiritual Contributor Mordechai Sones Investigative News Director Dr. Teryn Clarke Medical Contributor Dr. Lynn Fynn Virology, Infectious...

americasfrontlinedoctors5.com

 

[Eric]

exactly.

fixing for her #HermanCaineAward.

Can you get more information regarding their interaction with Frontline Doctors of America?
Depending on how this went down, it's reportable...
I'll say, there's a neurologist, a psychiatrist, an an explicitly antivaxxer orthopedic surgeon, a non-board certified internist, and a non-existent infectious diseases doc. Dream team.

Authors - America's Frontline Doctors

Dr. Jen VanDeWater, PharmD Pharmacist Liaison Avigail Montiel Frontline News Deputy Director of Operations Dr. Steve LaTulippe Medical Contributor Rabbi Ariel Spiritual Contributor Mordechai Sones Investigative News Director Dr. Teryn Clarke Medical Contributor Dr. Lynn Fynn Virology, Infectious...

americasfrontlinedoctors5.com

The topic is too toxic for them and I had to really struggle to get them to change the subject, these people are so angry and I'll never understand it.

However, they mentioned that whoever this group is, they were shut down by the government and they were angry about that, blaming the CDC and big pharma. I tried to objectively explain the importance of peer reviewed data, their contention is that "some people on the internet figured out how to prevent and cure it with vitamins and herbs but there's a conspiracy to shut them down" type of thing. There's simply no reasoning with them.

 

[User.45]

The topic is too toxic for them and I had to really struggle to get them to change the subject, these people are so angry and I'll never understand it.

However, they mentioned that whoever this group is, they were shut down by the government and they were angry about that, blaming the CDC and big pharma. I tried to objectively explain the importance of peer reviewed data, their contention is that "some people on the internet figured out how to prevent and cure it with vitamins and herbs but there's a conspiracy to shut them down" type of thing. There's simply no reasoning with them.

You ask them how much the vitamins cost and how much would it have been to purchase those from the local pharmacy and you generally get the answer.

 

[SuperMatt]

Vaccinate your kids!

FDA approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for five to 11-year-olds | Boing Boing

The US Food and Drug Administration has just issued an emergency use authorization to administer the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to children five to 11 years-old. From CNN: Pfizer says a clinical trial…

boingboing.net

 

[lizkat]

My buddy's wife is in her 60s, had a kidney transplant and is refusing the vaccine as they're blaming Biden. They said her doctors (some group called 'frontline doctors' or something?) told her not to get it because she's immunocompromised which even I know is completely ridiculous.

So they got a "rescue pack" that is apparently a cocktail of vitamins that YouTube and social media have blocked because big pharma is pulling their strings. He was telling me this as they were on their way into a sold out movie, I just don't even know what to say to something like that.

The so-called "frontline doctors" are getting some pushback now, but not from the likes of the Georgia Medical Board, which so far appears to shrug off complaints about MDs in that state spreading bad info about covid.

https://www.ajc.com/news/coronavirus/georgias-medical-board-mum-as-doctors-spread-covid-19-misinformation

“We know that disinformation is killing people,” said Taylor Nichols, an emergency medicine physician in Sacramento, Calif., and one of the founders of No License for Disinformation, a coalition pushing licensing boards to discipline doctors who fly off the rails of accepted science. “When physicians, when credentialed folks, are the ones spreading the disinformation, that bad information becomes more sticky. It becomes harder to push back against.”

But in Georgia, doctors have been free to spread baseless assertions to the public with impunity. While Public Health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey has expressed frustration with rampant misinformation, the agency that regulates doctors, the Georgia Composite Medical Board, hasn’t issued any public statements or guidance to physicians to counter misinformation or disinformation, much less handed out any discipline.

 

[User.45]

Who Had Covid-19 Vaccine Breakthrough Cases? (Published 2021)

Data shows the vaccines kept working through the Delta surge, though some groups were at higher risk of breakthrough infections or death.

www.nytimes.com

Data from NYT (sourced from CDC). The June dip is followed by Delta taking over:

 

[Eric]

Who Had Covid-19 Vaccine Breakthrough Cases? (Published 2021)

Data shows the vaccines kept working through the Delta surge, though some groups were at higher risk of breakthrough infections or death.

www.nytimes.com

Data from NYT (sourced from CDC). The June dip is followed by Delta taking over:

View attachment 9567

View attachment 9568

Excellent info, thanks for sharing.

 

[User.45]

Excellent info, thanks for sharing.

It's very very impressive.