Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Schmidt just says fuck it, opens a tea shop.

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

I really should read my own blog.

And we’re all out of bubblegum.

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

Just because you believe it, that doesn’t make it true.

Take your GOP plan out of the witness protection program.

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

This fight is for everything.

I was promised a recession.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.

This has so much WTF written all over it that it is hard to comprehend.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

I didn’t have alien invasion on my 2023 BINGO card.

Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

The GOP is a fucking disgrace.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

You are here: Home / Healthcare / COVID-19 Coronavirus / COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Thursday / Friday, Sept. 23-24

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Thursday / Friday, Sept. 23-24

by | 69 Comments

This post is in: ,


======

======

======

Between this & yesterday’s report that the LDS now requires masking, sounds like Utah is taking the virus seriously:



I gotcha quarantine right here!…

Reader Interactions

69Comments

  1. 1.

    raven

    Early Friday morning, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky diverged from the agency’s independent vaccine advisers to recommend boosters for a broader group of people — those ages 18 to 64 who are at increased risk of Covid-19 because of their workplaces or institutional settings — in addition to older adults, long-term care facility residents and some people with underlying health conditions.

  2. 2.

    NotMax

    Locally,

    Daniel Ross, president of the Hawaii Nurses Association, said hospitals wouldn’t be able to care for their high patient counts without the help of 650 temporary medical staff flown in from the mainland.

    “Without those travel nurses we would be in deep kim chee right now,” he said.
    [snip]
    Contracts for the first wave of relief healthcare workers will expire in mid-October. However, HNN has learned there is FEMA funding to extend some of their deployments. Source

  3. 3.

    NeenerNeener

    Monroe County, NY:

    Monroe County web site: 183 new cases, 4.3% test positivity
    NYSDOH says 203 new cases.

  4. 4.

    OzarkHillbilly

    ‘It’s awful. It’s exhausting’: Alaska rations care as it hits Covid nadir

    Health systems in Alaska are at a breaking point, and the Republican governor, Mike Dunleavy, has activated crisis standards of care for the entire state, joining all of Idaho and part of Montana in rationing medical care.

    Alaska now has the highest rate of Covid in America. On Wednesday the state hit its record number of cases and hospitalizations in the entire pandemic, and the numbers continue rising as its rolling seven-day average of daily cases tops 800.

    For Dr Anne Zink, Alaska’s chief medical officer and a practicing ER physician, this is the worst part of the pandemic.

    “It’s awful. It’s exhausting,” she told the Guardian. “We went in this to care for patients, and it’s heartbreaking to not be able to give the care that you know could potentially save their life.” And, she said, it’s only going to get worse.

  5. 5.

    OzarkHillbilly

    US public health workers leaving ‘in droves’ amid pandemic burnout

    Alexandra was working in the public health emergencies unit in a major north-eastern American city when the first wave of the pandemic hit. Although her job was in public health policy research, and not treating Coovid-19 patients on the frontlines of the healthcare system, she recalls the spring of 2020 as a blur of 24-hour shifts.

    Beginning last March, Alexandra estimates that she and her colleagues worked the equivalent of three full-time years in 12 months. (Her name has been changed to protect anonymity.)

    “There was no overtime, there was no hazard pay,” Alexandra recalls. Throughout the public health department where she worked, symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress-related physical maladies were commonplace among staff.

    This summer, despite the protestations of her superiors, Alexandra quit. She says she’s one of roughly 25 staff members who have left the department since the start of the pandemic.

    Alexandra’s story is not unique. Just as the pandemic has fuelled a burnout crisis among frontline medical staff, it has been calamitous for the mental health of workers in public health – the data analysts and policy advisers whose recommendations are supposed to shape the nation’s pandemic response. Many feel stonewalled by elected officials and scapegoated for the death toll of Covid-19.

    Some, like Alexandra, are opting to leave the job for good.

  6. 6.

    OzarkHillbilly

    I had to take Percy in for his yearly checkup and shots on Tuesday. All was well tho he was thoroughly discomfited by the anal probe (I warned him it was coming). As it was, it showed he had hookworms. The vet tech brings out some chewable deworming meds (got some for Billie Jean too) and as she hands them to me she says with a half grin on her face,

    “These are for your dogs, not you.”

    What a world, what a world.

  11. 11.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Baud: No, I’m just the only loud and proud sane person in this part of Misery. It is not unusual to have someone sidle up to me and softly say how much they like my truck/hat/t-shirt.

  15. 15.

    David C

    @raven: Dr. Walensky doing the right thing. That’s why these committees only advise. Unfortunately, Eric Topol’s lack of understanding of the regulatory process is leading me to scroll past his tweets. We are all working in a world of limited data and the FDA is relying on what sponsors submit. They can’t approve or authorize based on press releases.

    Whether we need a third Pfizer shot is an important issue. Topol doesn’t like it, but there is a process that was followed and we were able to evaluate in a relatively short time. Same with pediatric vaccination – the FDA can’t evaluate anything until the sponsor submits a package, with all of the data. I mean we are talking about the immune system here, and we can’t assume anything without data.

  16. 16.

    debbie

    @germy: 

    Insurers need to step up the process of ending freebies for anything COVID-related. I don’t think anything else will stop the anti-vaxers.

  17. 17.

    Baud

    @David C:

    It’s seems to me that people are using the transparency of the process and the openness of the debate to argue that the messaging is muddled.  It’s almost as if we’d prefer the Republican system where we don’t know what’s going on until the final decision is made.

  18. 18.

    NotMax

    Found from last month, a curiosity (WaPo link).

    Stela Schwenker had her visit to the vaccination site all planned out. She wore a sleeveless black dress so she wouldn’t have to bother with baring her arms. Phone in her hand, she knew the picture she wanted. The one she’d seen all over television and social media: Mask on. Shot going into arm. Vaccinated, finally.

    Then came a hitch.

    “The nurse said, ‘The shot’s in your butt,’ and I said, ‘My God,’” said Schwenker, 26. She ended up lifting her dress to get the vaccine. “I was thinking, ‘Why does everyone get in the arm, but I’m getting it in the bumbum?’” Source

  19. 19.

    Amir Khalid

    Malaysia’s Ministry of Health reports 14,554 new Covid-19 cases today in its media statement, for a cumulative reported total of 2,171,232 cases. It also reports 116 new deaths as of midnight, for a cumulative total of 24,681 deaths – 1.14% of the cumulative reported total, 1.25% of resolved cases.

    Based on cases reported yesterday, Malaysia’s nationwide Rt is at 0.90.

    1,049 confirmed, suspected, and under-investigation cases are in ICU, 599 of them on ventilators. Meanwhile, 16,751 more patients have recovered, for a cumulative total of 1,950,487 patients recovered – 89.8% of the cumulative reported total.

    20 new clusters were reported today, for a cumulative total of 5,389 clusters. 1,250 clusters are currently active; 4,139 clusters are now inactive.

    14,545 new cases today are local infections. Sarawak reports 2,824 local cases: 202 in clusters, 987 close-contact screenings, and 1,635 other screenings. Selangor reports 2,239 local cases: 105 in clusters, 1,153 close-contact screenings, and 981 other screenings.

    Johor reports 1,807 cases: 299 in clusters, 854 close-contact screenings, and 654 other screenings. Sabah reports 1,273 cases: eight in clusters, 784 close-contact screenings, and 481 other screenings. Penang reports 1,231 cases: 29 in clusters, 411 close-contact screenings, and 791 other screenings. Perak reports 1,144 cases: 158 in clusters, 444 close-contact screenings, and 542 other screenings.

    Kelantan reports 910 cases: 17 in clusters, 595 close-contact screenings, and 298 other screenings. Kedah reports 908 cases: 540 close-contact screenings and 368 other screenings.

    Terengganu reports 690 cases: 16 in clusters, 530 close-contact screenings, and 144 other screenings.

    Pahang reports 597 local cases: 124 in clusters, 369 close-contact screenings, and 104 other screenings.

    Melaka reports 401 cases: 88 in clusters, 162 close-contact screenings, and 151 other screenings.

    Kuala Lumpur reports 269 local cases: six in clusters, 127 close-contact screenings, and 136 other screenings.

    Negeri Sembilan reports 157 cases: 18 in clusters, 93 close-contact screenings, and 46 other screenings.

    Perlis reports 65 cases: 25 close-contact screenings and 40 other screenings. Putrajaya reports 30 cases: 24 close-contact screenings and six other screenings. Labuan reports no new cases today.

    Nine new cases today are imported: five in Selangor, two in Kuala Lumpur, one in Pahang, and one in Sarawak.

    The National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) administered 326,612 doses of vaccine on 23rd September: 132,562 first doses and 194,050 second doses. As of midnight yesterday, the cumulative total is 41,573,883 doses administered: 22,481,986 first doses and 19,180,397 second doses. 68.8% of the population have received their first dose, while 58.7% are now fully vaccinated.

  21. 21.

    Cermet

    Considering there have been like a billion Pfizer vaccinations in 18+ (and all reactions have been closely studied and extremely well understood) but there isn’t enough data to determine if its safe to administer a third dose for those age ranges? Really? All I can say is LOL.

  22. 22.

    Kay

    @debbie:

    The refundable tax credit for paid leave that went to employers when employees are quarantined expired so they’re now being told they have to quarantine but won’t get paid- hourly workers. It’s creating some resentment – the vaxxed employees are mad at the unvaxxed for the quarantines.

    A lot of these problems for people were alleviated by the various federal subsidies so there was less resentment- as covid starts to hit them financially there will be more anger towards the people who are causing covid-related disruptions at work.

  23. 23.

    sab

    I asked this in a thread yesterday afternoon.

    Covid etiquette. My doctor has been really great and careful about Covid safety protocols. They moved to bigger offices with a much bigger waiting room. The chairs are well-spaced out. Masks are mandatory. They schedule so that there are few people there. The staff all wear masks and faceshields.

    I went for a routine shot yesterday. Had to wait about 15 minutes.

    A mother and youngish (probably too young for vax) son came in. She went in for her appointment and left him in the waiting room quietly reading his phone, with his mask down around his chin.

    Should I have said something to him? Should I have said something to the receptionist who didn’t notice? Should I have sat there and quietly seethed (the choice I did make.)

    What would you have done?

  24. 24.

    Matt McIrvin

    @debbie:

    Insurers need to step up the process of ending freebies for anything COVID-related. I don’t think anything else will stop the anti-vaxers.

    That will mostly have the effect of making our anti-anti-anti-vax “left” get even more Republican. See, it’s all a Big Healthcare plot!

  25. 25.

    David C

    @Baud: Yes! Also that we’re trying to get ahead of the curve a bit because we’re in a crisis. In the end, we got a reasonable decision. But conflict gets clicks, and the government and the processes are  always convenient punching bags.

    One thing that is puzzling is that some people (who should know better) don’t understand where the FDA has to maintain confidentiality (by law), such as when they are in negotiation with the sponsor. I’ve worked with the FDA a lot and guess I assume that experts in public health also know this stuff.

  26. 26.

    the pollyanna from hell

    @Amir Khalid: It was painful to read your reports of things getting worse and worse. Now that things are getting better it’s shocking to remember that these numbers are still what I used to call bad.

  27. 27.

    Suzanne

    @NotMax: That is hilarious. My vaccine selfie is one of those live photos you can do on the iPhone, and I happened to get the precise moment that the needle went into my arm. Would have been awesome to get it in my butt.

    As for human/dog conversation, I remember reading that some huge percentage of dog owners will bang with the dog in the room. Seems so intrusive!

  29. 29.

    YY_Sima Qian

    On 9/23 China reported 30 new domestic confirmed cases & 0 new domestic asymptomatic cases.

    Fujian Province reporter 15 new domestic confirmed cases. 8 domestic confirmed cases recovered. There currently are 445 active domestic confirmed cases & 3 active domestic asymptomatic cases.

    • Putian reported 4 new domestic confirmed cases (2 each at Xianyou County & Xiuyu District). 8 domestic confirmed cases recovered. There currently are 196 active domestic confirmed cases (73 mild, 121 moderate & 2 critical) & 3 active domestic asymptomatic cases in the city. 4,872 F1 & 9,640 F2 close contacts have been traced & placed under quarantine. The epicenter Fengting Township has completed 13 rounds of mass screening, other townships in Xianyou County have completed 8 rounds each. 6 villages in Fengting Township remain at High Risk. 1 zone has been elevated to Medium Risk. 5 zones, 1 residential building, 1 school, 1 community & 7 villages area currently at Medium Risk, all at Xianyou County.
    • Quanzhou did not report any domestic positive cases. There currently are 24 active domestic confirmed cases (1 serious) in the city. 1 zone & 1 village have been elevated to Medium Risk. 1 zone ha been re-designated as Low Risk. 4 villages remain at Medium Risk.
    • Xiamen reported 11 new domestic confirmed cases (1 mild & 10 moderate; 9 are traced close contacts & 2 from mass screening). There currently are 222 active domestic confirmed cases in the city (197 at the epicenter Tong’an District, 9 at Si’ming District, 8 at Haicang & 8 at Huli District). 8,232 F1 & 15,483 F2 close contacts have been traced & placed under quarantine. The entire Xinmin Township has been elevated to High Risk. 5 villages, 1 zone & 2 communities & 3 residential compounds are currently at Medium Risk.
    • Zhangzhou did not report any new domestic positive cases. There have been 3 active domestic confirmed cases (all moderate) reported in the city, though they are actually being treated at Xiamen. 1 community remains at Medium Risk

    Harbin in Heilongjiang Province reported 15 new domestic confirmed cases (1 mild & 14 moderate; all at Bayan County), all traced close contacts. There currently are 26 active domestic confirmed cases in the city. 1,300 F1 & 2,39 F2 close contacts have been traced & placed under quarantine. 2 residential compounds, 3 residential buildings & an office have been elevated to Medium Risk. 1 village & 1 residential compound have been elevated to Medium Risk. 3 residential buildings, 5 residential compounds, a village & an office are currently at Medium Risk.

    Yunnan Province did not report any new domestic positive cases. There currently are 9 active domestic confirmed & 2 domestic asymptomatic cases remaining in the province, all at Ruili in Dehong Prefecture.

    At Hunan Province there currently are 13 active domestic confirmed cases remaining, all at Zhangjiajie

    At Henan Province there currently are 8 active domestic confirmed cases remaining, all at Shangqiu.

    At Hubei Province the last domestic confirmed case recovered, at Jingmen.

    At Shanghai Municipality 1 domestic confirmed case recovered. There currently is 1 active domestic confirmed case remaining in the city.

    Imported Cases

    On 9/23, China reported 24 new imported confirmed cases, 11 imported asymptomatic cases, 1 imported suspect case:

    • Yunnan Province (locations not specified) – 13 confirmed cases, all Chinese nationals returning from Myanmar; 4 asymptomatic cases, 2 Chinese nationals each returning from Myanmar & Laos; all via land border crossings
    • Shanghai Municipality – 9 confirmed cases, 2 Chinese nationals returning from the UK (1 each via Switzerland & Frankfurt) & 1 each from Russia, Georgia (via Amsterdam Schiphol), Japan, the UAE, Kazakhstan (via a Amsterdam Schiphol), Côte d’Ivoire (via Paris CdG) & the US; 1 suspect case, no information released
    • Jiangmen in Guangdong Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from Jamaica (via Frankfurt), off a flight that landed at Guangzhou
    • Guangzhou in Guangdong Province – 3 asymptomatic cases, 1 Chinese national each returning from Japan, Iran & Mauritania (via Istanbul)
    • Xiamen in Fujian Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from Romania (via Amsterdam Schiphol)
    • Tianjin Municipality – 1 asymptomatic case, a French national coming from France 
    • Changsha in Hunan Province – 1 asymptomatic case, no information released
    • Beijing Municipality – 1 symptomatic case, no information released

    Overall in China, 35 confirmed cases recovered (23 imported), 11 asymptomatic cases were released from isolation (all imported) & none were reclassified as confirmed cases, & 481 individuals were released from quarantine. Currently, there are 1,009 active confirmed cases in the country (512 imported), 16 in serious condition (4 imported), 348 active asymptomatic cases (340 imported), 2 suspect cases (both imported). 17,685 traced contacts are currently under centralized quarantine.

    As of 9/23, 2,190.792M vaccine doses have been injected in Mainland China, an increase of 4.209M doses in the past 24 hrs.

    On 9/24, Hong Kong reported 7 new positive cases, all imported (from the Philippines, India & Ghana, 3 had been fully vaccinated & 3 had received 1 shot).

  30. 30.

    Percysowner

    @debbie: ​
      I’m pretty sure they are going to end them. Sadly, that will be a blanket decision, so people with breakthrough cases will get screwed too. The nurse at my doctor’s office had a vaccinated friend who died last week, because, sadly a 1% chance of dying after vaccination still means some people will die.

  32. 32.

    New Deal democrat

    New COVID cases in US now down almost 25% from peak. Only 4 States in clear w/w uptrends: AK, IA, MT, and WI.  Five others in slight or equivocal uptrends: MI, MN, PA, RI, and VT.

    In particular, that cases in the Northeast as a whole have turned down slightly w/w is a very good sign that school openings have not seeded a new outbreak.

    Additionally, w/w deaths just turned down slightly. We may have peaked at just over 2000/day.

    Crossing fingers that the Delta wave continues to roll out as quickly as it rolled in. *If* it were to do so, by Halloween we could be back down to under 20,000/day.

    On another topic, that of getting people to jabs, I saw another study the other day indicating that one of the big causes of reluctance in the non-anti-vaxx demographic is lack of insurance. Hammering home to those people that the jab is free could goose vaccinations by another 5%+.

  34. 34.

    Zzyzx

    Sooooooo…

     

    5k venues, everyone having to be vaccinated, mask required, outdoor venues: I felt pretty good about my decision to see Billy Strings last weekend. However, unlike the Phish shows where I was very careful and stayed in the back, I figured these policies would suffice…

     

    Guess who has a breakthrough case. I’ve been as sick as I can remember, but yesterday and today I woke up feeling better. I might have pushed myself a bit too much yesterday as I was miserable all night.

  37. 37.

    sab

    @Jay: Small sample size, but so far 100% agreement that quiet seething was wrong approach, and politeness to kid was apprpropriate.

  38. 38.

    Ken

    Reuters: U.S. Vice President Harris welcomes India’s resuming COVID exports

    I guess even Reuters has given up on copy editors.

  41. 41.

    The Moar You Know

    I talk to my dogs all the time, about all kinds of stuff.

    @OzarkHillbilly: you are not alone in doing this. I talk to my little guy (90lbs) all the time.

  43. 43.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    I thought Bolsonaro was so manly he punk slapped the virus General Patton style and told it grow up and not come back until it was a man virus. He can’t possibly be hiding from it like a girly man and all his blusters is just yet another old white guy in a mid life crises?

  44. 44.

    Citizen Scientist

    Thanks again for doing this thread every day AL.  And thanks to all who comment.

    Just wanted to share that I may have made a bit of a breakthrough with a guy I supervise at work this week.  He previously had Covid in February (along with his two daughters) and last week he called in with potential symptoms. Thankfully, his Test came back negative. He previously told me that he was immune since he already had it.  At the time, I recommended that he consider getting vaxxed (dude is on the conservative side).  Today I had to get some info from him to send to HR about last week and he actually asked me if the vaccine was better than relying on immunity from getting the virus previously. He actually listened when I told him that the vax was more likely to protect against other variants and may help minimize symptoms-if he got it again and/or prevent hospitalization/death.  I reiterated that our employer would likely eventually require it (not sure what they’re waiting for!), after holding several vax events over the last several weeks.

    So, I hope he’s seriously considering it now.  He doesn’t seem to be a rabid anti-vaxxer, just maybe not informed enough and only hearing one side via Mark Levin or somebody.

    Now to work on my anti-vax brother some more, who is reportedly attending a wedding this weekend.
    Have a great weekend all! Stay safe (and frosty)!

  45. 45.

    Ten Bears

    @Zzyzx: Yeah but, Billy Strings. The show I fear I’ll not catch will be Billy and the Kids.

    My breakthrough came from, near as I can trace, was a pot-shop not too far form Providence. The mask mandate had been lifted, the place wide open and well-ventilated, I let down may guard.

    The good news is he vaccine works. I was sick but nowhere near as sick as Dec ’19. Also how I now know, as both vaccine sick-effects and the Darwin variant mimicked what I had in Dec ’19, what I had in Dec ’19 was the Trump-Flu.

  47. 47.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @Ken:  then Florida needs to get it’s game face on and stop with the mosquito abatement and bring back malaria, bonebreak fever and yellow fever.  Also, water treatment makes Republican voters sissys so end that.

  49. 49.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @Matt McIrvin: That’s because the Brazilian anti-vaccers are already dead.  Last year Brazil tried powering threw the pandemic and failed miserably.  Now everyone there just wants the pain to end. That why I’ve been saying the Red State anti-vac bullshit won’t stop until enough of them end up crippled or dead.

  50. 50.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    Reading that Idaho article I think there is a reasonable argument that someone who threatens or attempts violence on a medical worker during a crises should be denied medical services. If the doctors are being forced to decide who lives and die that is not the time for teenage boi chest thumping.

  52. 52.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @The Thin Black Duke: What did Will Rogers say about pissing on an electric fence; some learn by reading, some by example some just have to piss on the fence?

    Only problem is, those plague rats give the virus a chance to mutate in the mean time.

  53. 53.

    Robert Sneddon

    Scotland — 3,667 new cases reported today. The test positivity rate is 8.5%. There were 50 new deaths reported overnight. ICU bed occupancy numbers are 79, down seven from yesterday while hospitalisations are 1,011, down 46.
    There were about 4,000 vaccinations carried out in Scotland yesterday (Thursday) with over 55% of these being first vaccinations. 91.2% of 16+ adults are now vaccinated with their first dose and 84.0% are fully vaccinated. 70.1% of 16 and 17-year-olds have now received their first vaccination, up 0.1% from yesterday. It’s likely that most 16-17 year olds will be getting vaccinated at the weekends since they are generally at school Mon-Fri, ditto for the newly-accessioned 12-15 year old age group.​

  55. 55.

    Eunicecycle

    @Scout211: I love how he got some of the parents to admit they really DO “co-parent” with the government. And the lady who didn’t vote, and was nonplussed by the idea of science.

  57. 57.

    Robert Sneddon

    @Cermet: ​
     

    There are two reasons to vaccinate an individual — the first is to protect them against an infectious disease and the second is to protect the population around that individual from the unconstrained spread of that disease. However like any medical procedure like vaccination has its own risk of harm to the individual that must be weighed against the expected benefits to them and to society at large.

    The scientists who have done Science! in a scientific manner have studied the data and tortured it until it confessed and concluded that boosters for young healthy vaccinated people six months after complete initial vaccination don’t improve their protection against getting this disease and stop them spreading it to others. There is a small risk of unwanted effects from any vaccination which the scientists consider outweighs the minor benefits, if any.

    Older folks, people with illnesses that put them at greater risk of bad outcomes if they fall ill or possess a poor immune system response, they’re more likely to benefit from a booster dose and that outweighs the possible personal harm from the shot, so that’s why it’s being recommended just for them.

    The UK’s JCVI has come down just barely on the side of booster shots for all over 50s a minimum of six months after their last vaccination. It was a tight decision, they judged the benefits to be slightly greater than the possible risks. It was no slam-dunk like the initial emergency-use authorisation for the original vaccine program back in December last year once the initial trial data was in.

  58. 58.

    Matt McIrvin

    @Robert Sneddon: From everything I’ve seen, boosters for 12+ or 16+ would be wasted effort, if nothing else. They’re not doing anything for healthy young people who are already fully vaccinated.

    Peter Hotez has been arguing that 65+ is too high a cutoff age for boosters and it should be 40+. That’s a defensible position, certainly, speaking as a person right in the middle of that gray area. But the level of Monday morning quarterbacking going on right now seems immense.

  59. 59.

    Mart

    Brazil’s Bolsonaro in isolation after top aide tested positive at UN assembly. So expect Fucker Carlson now understands why it is important that the unvaxxed  stay out of restaurants to ensure everyone’s safety? Right?

  61. 61.

    J R in WV

    @Robert Sneddon:

    The boss at the US CDC decided that public facing employees over 18 years of age should get boosters. This would probably include health care workers. She did not accept the advice of the advisory committee, which she is perfectly able to do.

    I think this is admirable common sense to use during a plague.

    Wife and I received our third Moderna shot (Pfizer was also being administered at the time) in late August when the Health Department in the neighboring county decided shots in arms was better than discarding vaccine that was nearing it’s expiration date.

    They got some static because third “booster” shots were not yet approved by FDA/CDC — here too I think they showed admirable common sense. After hundreds of millions of people have had these shots with very few harmful side effects (I had what I would regard as a serious bout of muscle cramps for several days after 2nd shot last March, but I was still very glad to receive a 3rd shot with no side effects at all!) I think any random shot of vaccine is a good shot. Our 3rd shot did  not prevent anyone from receiving a first or second shot.

  62. 62.

    Scout211

    For California peeps aged 65 and over:  https://myturn.ca.gov/  is now updated and ready to make appointments for the third Pfizer shot.

    And also a third shot for others, under CDC guidelines.

    CDC recommends:

    • people 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series,

    • people aged 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series,

    • people aged 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks, and

    • people aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks.

  66. 66.

    TKH

    @David C: With you on that, Topol has jumped the shark. He is high on his own supply. Too bad, he was really good early in the pandemic on highlighting the relevant basic science.

Comments are closed.