Omicron has the potential to end the pandemic

[Lycanthrope]

So says virologist Dr. David Ho, who argues the variant moves through the population quickly enough to produce herd immunity:

Omicron variant could ‘end the pandemic,’ new data suggests

The high-transmission rate of the omicron variant of COVID-19 could potentially mean that as it rips its way through the […] The post Omicron variant could ‘end the pandemic,’ new data suggests appeared first on TheGrio.

www.yahoo.com

Dr. Ho, a Columbia University professor, said his theory is a speculative one, but it is agreed upon by other experts. Dr. Bruce Farber, Northwell Health’s chief of infectious diseases, said the “best-case scenario” of the coronavirus would be a highly contagious variant that doesn’t make most people particularly sick and creates a temporary baseline of immunity.

Some important takeaways:

Despite being highly contagious, the omicron variant seems to cause less hospitalization and death —particularly among the vaccinated. The article notes that 62% of the U.S. population have received some form of a vaccine, but only 30% have received a booster shot, which improves protection.

So Omicron continues to burns through us, but with less severity and fewer hospitalizations (esp. among the vaccinated). Herd immunity is approached (or best case achieved) as people produce antibodies. As others have stated here, it appears getting vaccinated is less and less important in terms of transmissibility, and more important to protect against severity after one is infected.

While the idea of the coronavirus pandemic ending is promising, allowing the world to return to some semblance of normal life, scientists also warn that it is highly unlikely that COVID will ever disappear completely.

“This virus is so well adapted for human-to-human transmission that it’s never going to away,” Dr. Timothy Brewer says. “There will be periods when there will be more cases and [fewer] cases, just like it occurs with influenza every year.”

Here's hoping their optimistic projections are the ones that come to pass. Question - is it no longer feasible to talk about taking the vaccine for the purpose of protecting others? Is it now purely a personal choice in terms of how much you are willing to risk severe symptoms/death for yourself?

 

[Integrityrespec]

Listening this morning to some doctor say the omnicron may be the strain that creates "herd immunity". It's spreading rapidly, it's air borne, it's symptoms are mostly mild. Virus cases up by large margins but deaths down by 7%. Sort of messes up the Biden BS.

 

[CaughtInThe]

Please, let this be true.

We couldn't save the lives of the antivaxxers against the other strains.

 

[StillBallin75]

is it no longer feasible to talk about taking the vaccine for the purpose of protecting others? Is it now purely a personal choice in terms of how much you are willing to risk severe symptoms/death for yourself?

Until we we have ACTUALLY reached herd immunity and the pandemic has become endemic, I don't see how one can reach that conclusion.

 

[noonereal]

it's symptoms are mostly mild

This is an arsine thing to say.

I know several people who suffered worse than they ever did in their lives with this. This is gazillion times worse than the flu even if you don't get "serious illness."

Honest, the ignorance in posts like this is positively astounding. Yeah, I get it. Somehow, minimizing a plague fits your agenda. God help us as you are not alone. There is a big subculture who does this.

 

[noonereal]

is it no longer feasible to talk about taking the vaccine for the purpose of protecting others?

OMFG

The things people post on the internet.

Get the shot, wear the mask, distance and STFU is the advice I have to anyone confused.

 

[lemmiwinx]

This is an arsine thing to say.

I know several people who suffered worse than they ever did in their lives with this. This is gazillion times worse than the flu even if you don't get "serious illness."

Honest, the ignorance in posts like this is positively astounding. Yeah, I get it. Somehow, minimizing a plague fits your agenda. God help us as you are not alone. There is a big subculture who does this.

As someone who has never had Covid or who may have had it a dozen times and not known it let me say even the scientists don't have a clue. This is the first time an enhanced virus has escaped from a biolab. Nobody knows when it will stop evolving.

 

[Lycanthrope]

OMFG

The things people post on the internet.

Get the shot, wear the mask, distance and STFU is the advice I have to anyone confused.

Everything in that post and that's what you zeroed in on.

Did you read it in context? The speculation was that the vaccine would not reduce transmission of Omicron, only the severity of symptoms. If that is the case (if) then it truly becomes a matter of personal choice - whether one is willing to risk severe illness/death by not taking the jab.

 

[Variant]

Listening this morning to some doctor say the omnicron may be the strain that creates "herd immunity". It's spreading rapidly, it's air borne, it's symptoms are mostly mild. Virus cases up by large margins but deaths down by 7%. Sort of messes up the Biden BS.

Omicron may in fact do this and all Biden will have accomplished is helping to save hundreds of thousands of lives.

 

[Variant]

Until we we have ACTUALLY reached herd immunity and the pandemic has become endemic, I don't see how one can reach that conclusion.

It probably wont. (IMO)

Since we aren't going to beat the virus based upon long term vaccine effectiveness or an ability to get most people vaccinated. The best case scenario right now is that variants become dominant which are much better at spreading and much less lethal.

At that point Covid will be more like actual flu where it pops up every year and kills people at a normal acceptable rate.

Until then getting vaccinated will simply drastically increase your chances of surviving multiple infections everyone should expect over the next couple of years.

 

[RAMOSS]

Listening this morning to some doctor say the omnicron may be the strain that creates "herd immunity". It's spreading rapidly, it's air borne, it's symptoms are mostly mild. Virus cases up by large margins but deaths down by 7%. Sort of messes up the Biden BS.

Well, the statement about 'Biden' is partisan hackery,

However, when it comes to omicron, the main thing is that even though previous infections via delta and early varients do not protect against Omicron much, the reverse is not true, and infection with Omicron can protect against the previous strains.

It remains to be seen exactly how bad things get, but there is reason for optomism. It's still much better to get vaccinated.

 

[Metric Mouse]

Daily deaths are 4x what they were in July, and this bozo thinks that this is a good thing?

Wow.

 

[Chainsawmassacre]

OMFG

The things people post on the internet.

Get the shot, wear the mask, distance and STFU is the advice I have to anyone confused.

Do as you’re told. Don’t ask questions and STFU is the definition of being a democrat these days.

 

[VanceMack]

Unlike the Delta Variant, I know a LOT of people (including myself) that have tested positive for the Omicron strain of the COVID virus. ALL of them have been vaccinated. Like the common flu, I dont think its a question of 'if'....

 

[Lycanthrope]

Until we we have ACTUALLY reached herd immunity and the pandemic has become endemic, I don't see how one can reach that conclusion.

Vaccines remain critically important in reducing the severity of the disease once contracted, and reducing the chance of death. But I'm having a hard time finding any information on whether the vaccines continue to serve as a preventative of transmission with the advent of Omicron.

From the CDC:

Omicron Variant: What You Need to Know

CDC is monitoring this new variant of the virus that causes COVID-19.

www.cdc.gov

"Current vaccines are expected to protect against severe illness, hospitalizations, and deaths due to infection with the Omicron variant. However, breakthrough infections in people who are fully vaccinated are likely to occur. [emphasis mine] With other variants, like Delta, vaccines have remained effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. The recent emergence of Omicron further emphasizes the importance of vaccination and boosters."

 

[noonereal]

Everything in that post and that's what you zeroed in on.

Did you read it in context? The speculation was that the vaccine would not reduce transmission of Omicron, only the severity of symptoms. If that is the case (if) then it truly becomes a matter of personal choice - whether one is willing to risk severe illness/death by not taking the jab.

Really? Fill the ****ing hospitals with serious cases so that I cant get a bed when I have a heart attack? So that I can't schedule knee replacement surgery because no elective surgeries are being performed? So people have a higher viral load and are contagious longer to keep the economy hobbled and the pandemic elongated?

I have so totally had it with the selfish, ignorant, lazy people of red America.

Get the mother ****in' shot. Get all 3 in fact. Wear a mother ****in' mask and distance. And also, STFU about it all. Be a man, do the right thing for God's sake. Be part of the solution, not part of the problem. That is what I say to your post.

Good ****in' grief.

 

[noonereal]

Do as you’re told. Don’t ask questions and STFU is the definition of being a democrat these days.

No, it is the PATRIOTIC definition during crisis.

But some twist it as you just did to "feel manly" , be political and act stupid.

I hope you know better.

 

[Chainsawmassacre]

No, it is the PATRIOTIC definition during crisis.

But some twist it as you just did to "feel manly" , be political and act stupid.

I hope you know better.

Which crisis? AGW? Covid? Democrats always have some crisis to say do as your told. Ask no questions and STFU.

 

[noonereal]

Which crisis? AGW? Covid? Democrats always have some crisis to say do as your told. Ask no questions and STFU.

Stupid, meaningless Trumpian post.

Be a true patriot not a Trump notice me wannabe patriot, get the shots, wear the mask and distance.

Maybe even volunteer at a vaccination or testing site.

Stop being part of the problem, a Trumpist.

 

[Lycanthrope]

Really? Fill the ****ing hospitals with serious cases so that I cant get a bed when I have a heart attack? So that I can't schedule knee replacement surgery because no elective surgeries are being performed? So people have a higher viral load and are contagious longer to keep the economy hobbled and the pandemic elongated?

I have so totally had it with the selfish, ignorant, lazy people of red America.

Get the mother ****in' shot. Get all 3 in fact. Wear a mother ****in' mask and distance. And also, STFU about it all. Be a man, do the right thing for God's sake. Be part of the solution, not part of the problem. That is what I say to your post.

Good ****in' grief.

I realize this issue is driven by emotion, but listen to what Doctor Ho and the CDC are saying.

The vaccine is critically important in reducing the need for hospitalizations. It is critically important in lessening symptoms, and reducing the risk of death. It does NOT look like it offers significant protection from transmissibility, meaning the vaccinated can transmit it to others to the same degree as the unvaccinated. That is what I am addressing, nothing else. I have provided the information from both the doctor and direct from the CDC website.

For the record, I took the J&J initially and got the Moderna half dose booster. I will take another when it is advised I do so. I maintain other mitigation protocols. I am NOT advocating for anti-vaccination, however I will listen to the CDC and medical experts when they come out with various findings.

Here is the relevant part of the OP:

Here's hoping their optimistic projections are the ones that come to pass. Question - is it no longer feasible to talk about taking the vaccine for the purpose of protecting others? Is it now purely a personal choice in terms of how much you are willing to risk severe symptoms/death for yourself?

Notice at no point do I say "There's no point in taking the shot." At no point to I say "Forget mitigation methods." There is obviously a point in taking the vaccine, both personal (it reduces the chances of severe symptoms and/or death) and communal (as you so emotionally pointed out, if it keeps people out of hospitals that means the burden is lifted on the health care workers/system).

What I was positing was whether the vaccine has evolved into the personal choice anti-vaxxers say it has - meaning it remains there for one's personal protection, but does nothing to reduce transmissibility. Notice this was posed as a question, not a declarative statement.

 

[noonereal]

What I was positing was whether the vaccine has evolved into the personal choice anti-vaxxers say it has - meaning it remains there for one's personal protection, but does nothing to reduce transmissibility. Notice this was posed as a question, not a declarative statement.

I though I made it clear, very clear that it is not this simple.

A society is a web, we are all interconnected. Nothing you do has no effect on your neighbor. It the case of Covid, it has a big effect in aggregate.

 

[phoenix2020]

What I was positing was whether the vaccine has evolved into the personal choice anti-vaxxers say it has - meaning it remains there for one's personal protection, but does nothing to reduce transmissibility. Notice this was posed as a question, not a declarative statement.

I understand your post and my personal opinion is that it has evolved as you've described or in ~2 months time most of us will come to regard it in that way. If the information emerging about omicron holds, then it would be rational to think of the COVID vaccines in a similar vein to the existing annual flu shot.

 

[Lycanthrope]

I understand your post and my personal opinion is that it has evolved as you've described or in ~2 months time most of us will come to regard it in that way. If the information emerging about omicron holds, then it would be rational to think of the COVID vaccines in a similar vein to the existing annual flu shot.

I would hope that it resembles the flu someday such that the annual vaccine should be taken by those identified as being part of a high risk group. We're not there yet, and as such let me go on record as saying that anyone who is eligible to receive the shot do so immediately if they haven't already. Anti-vaxxers need to be shown that the vaccine greatly reduces their personal odds of severe symptoms/death, and as such it lightens the load of an already crushed health care system. I know that personally I was not willing to risk it so I got jabbed as soon as I was able, and will continue to take boosters so long as medical experts advise it. I know that, speaking as a member of a community, I wanted to do what I could to reduce the odds that I would require hospitalization so that resources remain available for those who need it.

All that said, the vaccine does not seem to significantly reduce the transmissibility of the Omicron variant. It may be time to drop that as a bullet point of persuasion as efforts continue to get everyone eligible vaccinated.

 

[Roadvirus]

So says virologist Dr. David Ho, who argues the variant moves through the population quickly enough to produce herd immunity:

Omicron variant could ‘end the pandemic,’ new data suggests

The high-transmission rate of the omicron variant of COVID-19 could potentially mean that as it rips its way through the […] The post Omicron variant could ‘end the pandemic,’ new data suggests appeared first on TheGrio.

www.yahoo.com

Is he the brother of Don and Heidi?

 

[Lycanthrope]

Is he the brother of Don and Heidi?

Tiny virus (tiny virus)
In the air (in the air)
Make me queasy (make me queasy)
Make me despair (make me despair)

Tiny virus (tiny virus)
Make me warm as pie
With a feeling that I'm gonna
Stop breathing and die

So here's to lovely masks
And here's to hand washing
And mostly here's a toast
To that sweet vaccine!