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Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

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

Optimism opens the door to great things.

I really should read my own blog.

This year has been the longest three days of putin’s life.

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

Ah, the different things are different argument.

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

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

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You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

Battle won, war still ongoing.

I was promised a recession.

Meanwhile over at truth Social, the former president is busy confessing to crimes.

Yeah, with this crowd one never knows.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

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You are here: Home / Healthcare / COVID-19 Coronavirus / Pandemic Thread: The Omicron Variant

Pandemic Thread: The Omicron Variant

by Anne Laurie|  November 26, 20215:28 pm| 183 Comments

This post is in: COVID-19 Coronavirus, Foreign Affairs

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I said in a comment last night that Laurie Garrett is my personal ‘panic, or nah?’ pandemic guide — she’s enough of an expert on this topic that I trust her judgement. Well, do not panic, but yes it looks like this has the potential to be serious…

THIS: "@WHO just announced a new variant of concern named VOC #Omicron. The unique mix of spike amino acid changes in VOC Omicron (B.1.1.529) is of concern as it comprises several that were previously known to affect receptor binding & antibody escape…these need to be…"
MORE

— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) November 26, 2021

3/
"…Alan Tsang & colleagues in #HongKong Sikhulile Moyo & coll.s in #Botswana & Tulio de Oliveira & coll.s in #SouthAfrica. They have made a remarkable contribution to global health security, which allowed timely detection of this new variant." https://t.co/PGzJWRqfXT

— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) November 26, 2021

The Trickster God is a capricious bastid, but you have to admire his timing. Here’s an AP article summarizing what we know at the moment:

… The White House said the U.S. will restrict travel from South Africa and seven other countries in the region beginning Monday. It did not give details except to say the restrictions will not apply to returning U.S. citizens or permanent residents, who will continue to be required to test negative before their travel.

Medical experts, including the WHO, warned against any overreaction before the variant that originated in southern Africa was better understood. But a jittery world feared the worst nearly two years after COVID-19 emerged and triggered a pandemic that has killed more than 5 million people around the globe…

There was no immediate indication whether the variant causes more severe disease. As with other variants, some infected people display no symptoms, South African experts said. The WHO panel drew from the Greek alphabet in naming the variant omicron, as it has done with earlier, major variants of the virus.

Even though some of the genetic changes appear worrisome, it was unclear if the new variant would pose a significant public health threat. Some previous variants, like the beta variant, initially concerned scientists but did not spread very far…

It has yet to be detected in the United States, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert. Abroad, the variant “seems to be spreading at a reasonably rapid rate,” he told CNN. And although it may be more transmissible and resistant to vaccines than other variants, “we don’t know that for sure right now.”…

Fauci said U.S. public health officials were talking Friday with South African colleagues. “We want to find out scientist to scientist exactly what is going on.”…

Statement from President Biden, this afternoon:

Statement by @POTUS @JoeBiden on the #Omicron #COVID19 Variant
"This morning I was briefed by my chief medical advisor, #TonyFauci…about the Omicron variant, which is spreading through Southern Africa. As a precautionary measure, I am ordering additional air travel…"
MORE pic.twitter.com/NHsCi46U3N

— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) November 26, 2021

3/Biden
"…the best way to strengthen your protection is to get a booster shot, as soon as you are eligible. Boosters are approved for all adults over 18, six mos past their vaccination and are available at 80,000 locations coast-to-coast. They are safe, free & convenient.
MORE

— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) November 26, 2021

5/Biden
"…and has been vaccinating teens for many months now – but we need more Americans in all age groups to get this life-saving protection. If you have not gotten vaccinated, or have not taken your children to get vaccinated, now is the time."#COVID19 #OmicronVariant

— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) November 26, 2021

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Reader Interactions

183Comments

  1. 1.

    Raoul Paste

    November 26, 2021 at 5:36 pm

    So, this is the variant from Omicron Persei 8?

  2. 2.

    Soprano2

    November 26, 2021 at 5:38 pm

    My biggest concern is whether or not this variant evades the vaccines. If it does, then we’re in a shitload of trouble. If it doesn’t, then I think we’re good. It continues to be a pandemic of the unvaccinated, which I personally think the press doesn’t emphasize nearly enough, instead they want to constantly focus on the vaccinated who get Covid.

  3. 3.

    Scout211

    November 26, 2021 at 5:44 pm

    Thanks, AL. You can keep COVID out of the morning update, but you can’t keep COVID out of the afternoon news. LOL  It’s good to hear you have a trusted source of information that isn’t full of PANIC NOW! energy.

    My question:  Is it Oh-mi-cron or Om-i-cron?

  4. 4.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    November 26, 2021 at 5:49 pm

    @Scout211: Oh-My-cron.

  5. 5.

    Scout211

    November 26, 2021 at 5:54 pm

    @Scout211:

    All the internet pronunciation helpers tell me it’s OM-ee-cron. Is that right?

    @BillinGlendaleCA:

    Oh my!

  6. 6.

    Cermet

    November 26, 2021 at 5:55 pm

    As I posted in the previous thread – the world is different; the new anti-viral pills are game changers and mutations will not easily evade it – extremely unlikely, in fact. Get your towel, and don’t panic. Even a mutated virus that ‘evades’ the vaccine still has a harder time with a immune system that even has only partial immunity. Yes, you get sick but far less chance of going to a hospital or death.

  7. 7.

    Ned Eromsnid

    November 26, 2021 at 5:58 pm

    @Cermet: the problem being of course that at least one of the antivirals the merck one is less effective then originally thought.

  8. 8.

    Brachiator

    November 26, 2021 at 6:01 pm

    @Soprano2:

    It continues to be a pandemic of the unvaccinated, which I personally think the press doesn’t emphasize nearly enough, instead they want to constantly focus on the vaccinated who get Covid.

    I keep seeing people make this claim about the press, but every story I see about the virus notes that the unvaccinated are more at risk, and that the vaccinated are far less likely to require hospitalization and far less likely to die should they contract Covid. One administrator of an Orange County emergency hospital who regularly appears on a local talk radio show noted that during a recent week only one person had to be admitted to the hospital, and that person was unvaccinated.

    It is good that this new variant has been identified and can be monitored. I feel hopeful just knowing that for the most part competent governments and medical experts are dealing with this.

  9. 9.

    germy

    November 26, 2021 at 6:05 pm

    this is an informative thread:

    It’s foolhardy to predict the future but smart to prepare. And we have been preparing.

    The mRNA vaccines are built on a platform which allow for very rapid development of new vaccines to tackle emerging variants should they be of major concern. 13/

    — Andy Slavitt ??? (@ASlavitt) November 26, 2021

    Both Pfizer & Moderna estimate 100 days to develop a vaccine for a new variant.

    Manufacturing, approvals & distribution take time but we are getting more efficient at all. If we start in early December, new vaccines could be available by summer in much of the world. 14/

    — Andy Slavitt ??? (@ASlavitt) November 26, 2021

  10. 10.

    Chetan Murthy

    November 26, 2021 at 6:06 pm

    @Cermet: From what I’ve read [and it seems you confirm] the -mechanism- by which the oral antivirals work, is entirely different from the attack mechanism of vaccine-induced immunity.  The latter concentrates on blocking the spike protein, while the former on blocking replication.

    So mutations of the spike protein aren’t likely to vitiate the antivirals.  Which is great: I just wish the FDA would get a move on, sigh.

  11. 11.

    hrprogressive

    November 26, 2021 at 6:07 pm

    The key point of despair with this is that the scientists have been saying this would happen, and that vaccine equity was needed to prevent it from happening, and here we are.

    No, it’s not yet known for sure just how bad it is.

    But I absolutely don’t expect anything to functionally change in terms of government and Pharma’$ response.

    Garrett thought this would be 3-5 years, and honestly I thought she’d become a bit doomer even for a scientist

    Now?

    Who the fuck knows.

  12. 12.

    Soprano2

    November 26, 2021 at 6:07 pm

    @Brachiator: ​
      Maybe what I feel isn’t actually the truth; it feels to me like the press obsesses about the vaccinated who get Covid more than is merited considering how low the risk for the vaccinated is. I agree, they always mention that the unvaccinated are more likely to get it and die from it, but they seem to focus more on the vaccinated who get it. Just my impression.

  13. 13.

    Soprano2

    November 26, 2021 at 6:08 pm

    @Cermet: ​
      Get your towel, and don’t panic.

    It’s so great that I know what this means. LOL

  14. 14.

    JPL

    November 26, 2021 at 6:09 pm

    There is an open area mall nearby, and Sunday I plan to do some shopping.   I’ll probably even have brunch in one of the restaurants.   If the variant is highly contagious, this might be the one time I can go.

  15. 15.

    germy

    November 26, 2021 at 6:09 pm

    Another informative thread:

    What vaccine makers are saying about B.1.1.529:

    -Moderna notes it's shown it can get into clinic (human trials) within 60 days; question is regulatory process from there. Manufacturing new doses could take a few months.

    -BioNTech expects lab data within 2 weeks (1/2)

    — Meg Tirrell (@megtirrell) November 26, 2021

  16. 16.

    trollhattan

    November 26, 2021 at 6:12 pm

    It’s here in the States already of course and while the travel restrictions may slow the spread I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t show up everywhere pretty quickly.

    Our county has not mimicked last fall-winter’s surge yet; in a week we’ll see whether Thanksgiving has an impact like Halloween ’20 did. We still can’t seem to get ourselves above 60% fully vaccinated (behind the California statewide rate).

  17. 17.

    phdesmond

    November 26, 2021 at 6:13 pm

    @Scout211:

    Put the “ick” in omicron.  :-)

  18. 18.

    germy

    November 26, 2021 at 6:15 pm

    The maskless:

    incredible how she looks exactly like you would have pictured it pic.twitter.com/9pNM7K1wDe

    — The Universe Lover (@evren__7) November 26, 2021

  19. 19.

    Another Scott

    November 26, 2021 at 6:26 pm

    @Soprano2:

    The Ding thread about the two people in the Hong Kong hotel shows (in the first image) that they’re asymptomatic (both were fully vaxxed with Pfizer). He said they do have high viral loads, though.

    I’m not concerned, myself, about the mRNA vaccines “not working” with Omicron. Vaccinated people who get infected with Delta aren’t virus free – it’s just that the virus doesn’t get into their lungs and cause all the horrible issues that require hospitalization (or cause death). I’m concerned that there are still 100+ million in the US who aren’t vaccinated and who are hosts for future mutations. And as long as the virus is circulating in large numbers, the greater the chance of a breakthrough illness…

    The only way out is to get the virus under control. It’s not over.

    My $0.02.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  20. 20.

    SpaceUnit

    November 26, 2021 at 6:26 pm

    I’m going to use this development as an excuse to continue avoiding crowds, social obligations and most people in general.

    Not that I’ve ever needed an excuse, but it’s nice to have one just in case.

  21. 21.

    Cermet

    November 26, 2021 at 6:28 pm

    @Ned Eromsnid: Never considered it as viable since it is a dangerous approach – in a way, glad it is less effective; doesn’t change the fact that the Pfizer pill is extremely effective and cheaper than the Merck. What i said is true – the world is different. Besides effective vaccines, mRNA vaccines can be reformulated in two weeks; new more generalized vaccines are in trials that a changing covid cannot evade. The current vaccine will still offer a great deal of protection even from a variant because your immune system does do its own variation to prepare for such things after vaccination (evolution works both sides.) Better overall treatments and the list goes on. Not worried.

  22. 22.

    Bill Arnold

    November 26, 2021 at 6:30 pm

    @germy:
    She sounds dumb nice.
    Today’s DJ Trump grifting email, with the tracker links removed, clearly tuned to snag only the most gullible:

    Friend,
    You’re going to love this.
    I’ve just authorized the release of our brand-new LET’S GO BRANDON doormats and they look incredible.
    I know how much of a true American Patriot you’ve always been, so I want to thank you by offering priority access to get (1) during our TRUMP Black Friday.
    That’s right. You can have one of our incredible new LET’S GO BRANDON doormats for only $62, but you MUST ACT IMMEDIATELY, I’m only offering this deal TODAY.
    Please contribute at least $62 IMMEDIATELY to claim (1) of our NEW LET’S GO BRANDON doormats. >>
    Trump Black Friday Offer – New Let’s Go Brandon Doormats – Claim Yours Now >>>
    …
    Friend, I’m only offering this exclusive Trump Black Friday Priority Access to my BEST Patriots, so please do not share this offer with anyone.
    Please contribute at least $62 NOW and we’ll send you a LET’S GO BRANDON doormat.

  23. 23.

    Cermet

    November 26, 2021 at 6:32 pm

    @Bill Arnold: Their base has been the doormats for the thug elite anyway; so, guess poetic justice, maybe?

  24. 24.

    germy

    November 26, 2021 at 6:34 pm

    @Bill Arnold:

    All the money goes to his legal bills?

  25. 25.

    Miss Bianca

    November 26, 2021 at 6:35 pm

    @Bill Arnold: “Let’s Go Brandon”…doormats.

    Yes, for only $62, you too can wipe your feet on your MAGAt-y fucking juvenile slogans and sentiments. C’MON, WHAT PATRIOT WOULDN’T, AMIRITE?

  26. 26.

    Matt McIrvin

    November 26, 2021 at 6:40 pm

    So far there’s no evidence that the vaccines are even less effective against omicron, though that wouldn’t be surprising. The area where it evolved has quite low vaccination; the breakthrough cases that have been seen are mild, much as with Delta. I think the doomsday-variant panic is dumb.

    Worst take is the people trying to infer from media reports that ONLY vaccinated people get omicron, which is clearly a media selection bias effect.

  27. 27.

    Scout211

    November 26, 2021 at 6:43 pm

    @Bill Arnold:

    On our drive to our daughter’s house for Thanksgiving yesterday, we saw a house adorned with a giant banner in front with the Let’s Go Brandon! slogan on it.  Eww.

  28. 28.

    SiubhanDuinne

    November 26, 2021 at 6:47 pm

    @Bill Arnold:

    I haven’t bought a doormat in maybe 25 years, so I have no idea of a normal price range — but even for a MAGAt, $62 sounds pricey for a fad like this.

  29. 29.

    SpaceUnit

    November 26, 2021 at 6:49 pm

    @Scout211:

    I’m actually sorta grateful for MAGA hats and pro-Chump merchandise.  It identifies the worst assholes before they even get a chance to wear you out.

  30. 30.

    Fake Irishman

    November 26, 2021 at 6:49 pm

    @Cermet:

    Excellent reference. Now stick out a thumb, and let’s find a dive bar near the Orion Nebula. I’ve needed a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster since November 2016.

  31. 31.

    germy

    November 26, 2021 at 6:49 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    Two dollars for the doormat, the rest goes to Trump’s legal team.

  32. 32.

    Matt McIrvin

    November 26, 2021 at 6:50 pm

    @Brachiator: I’m seeing people taking the 4 cases of Omicron that have gotten the most attention, noting that those people are vaccinated, and trying to imply that being unvaxxed protects you from the new variant.

  33. 33.

    JoyceH

    November 26, 2021 at 6:51 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne: I immediately went over to Amazon and did a search; they have Lets Go Brandon doormats for $24.99.

  34. 34.

    JoyceH

    November 26, 2021 at 6:53 pm

    @JoyceH: ​
     

    And oddly enough, that search also offers a doormat that says “Come back with a warrant”.

  35. 35.

    JoyceH

    November 26, 2021 at 6:55 pm

    @Matt McIrvin:

    I’m seeing people taking the 4 cases of Omicron that have gotten the most attention, noting that those people are vaccinated, and trying to imply that being unvaxxed protects you from the new variant.

    Oh for pete’s sake!

  36. 36.

    Mousebumples

    November 26, 2021 at 6:57 pm

    I read earlier today (too lazy to find the link, sorry) that South Africa’s reporting that the majority of those who have been identified (in S. A.) with Omicron are not vaccinated.

    I know the Hong Kong quarantine spread cases were both vaccinated, though I think they had been about due for a booster, based on US schedule, anyhow.

    Worth watching though, and waiting for new details.

  37. 37.

    TriassicSands

    November 26, 2021 at 6:58 pm

    @Soprano2: It continues to be a pandemic of the unvaccinated

    Please tell that to the families of those vaccinated individuals who have died. I’m sure they’ll be glad to hear the news. Also, pass that along to all the immunosuppressed individuals (millions of them) who are at risk of dying if they become infected.

  38. 38.

    Sure Lurkalot

    November 26, 2021 at 6:59 pm

    NPR, earlier this week…next up, we’ll talk to (some number) of unvaccinated persons to find out why they say they will never get the shot.

    Anti-vax protests across the globe on the nightly news.

    As long as so-called legitimate news outlets give an outsized voice to these people and events, the longer it appears this will go on. Amplifying what you should not do over what you should is not effective teaching and sadly, the purpose isn’t even to instruct or inform, it’s to get clicks, readers and listeners.

  39. 39.

    Brachiator

    November 26, 2021 at 7:01 pm

    @Matt McIrvin:

    I’m seeing people taking the 4 cases of Omicron that have gotten the most attention, noting that those people are vaccinated, and trying to imply that being unvaxxed protects you from the new variant.

    I have not yet seen a news story by a credible reporter in which a medical expert makes any such claim or connection. I don’t think I have seen a story in which a lay person makes a foolish claim, without the claim being refuted by a medical expert. And this includes foreign source news stories as well as American media.

    I sometimes hear reporters and pundits giving their opinions about Covid, but I ignore this. But even here I have not heard too many outrageous claims or statements.

    Of course I have heard some conservative politicians spout nonsense, but that is something different.

  40. 40.

    Kalakal

    November 26, 2021 at 7:01 pm

    @Soprano2: That’s my impression too. It’s on a par with the framing “100s protest against vaccine mandate at orginization x” rather then “98% of employees at orginization x now vaccinated, a few hundred nutjubs protest”

  41. 41.

    Bill Arnold

    November 26, 2021 at 7:01 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    $62 sounds pricey for a fad like this.

    It’s just so weirdly offensive.

  42. 42.

    oatler

    November 26, 2021 at 7:03 pm

    Got this from another site so all apologies if it’s been seen:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia5c78zlyxw

  43. 43.

    ColoradoGuy

    November 26, 2021 at 7:08 pm

    Re: the doormats. It’s Republican “humor”. It’s trolls all the way down.

  44. 44.

    Brachiator

    November 26, 2021 at 7:09 pm

    OT. Stephen Sondheim has died, age 91.

    From his obituary.

    Over the course of his career, he won an Oscar, a Pulitzer, eight Grammy Awards, eight Tony Awards, a Kennedy Center honor and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Stephen Sondheim Theater in Manhattan’s Theater District is named for him.

    Send in the crying clowns.

  45. 45.

    Another Scott

    November 26, 2021 at 7:09 pm

    WH.gov – Biden’s statement about Omicron:

    […]

    First, for those Americans who are fully vaccinated against severe COVID illness – fortunately, for the vast majority of our adults — the best way to strengthen your protection is to get a booster shot, as soon as you are eligible. Boosters are approved for all adults over 18, six months past their vaccination and are available at 80,000 locations coast-to-coast. They are safe, free, and convenient. Get your booster shot now, so you can have this additional protection during the holiday season.

    Second, for those not yet fully vaccinated: get vaccinated today. This includes both children and adults. America is leading the world in vaccinating children ages 5-11, and has been vaccinating teens for many months now – but we need more Americans in all age groups to get this life-saving protection. If you have not gotten vaccinated, or have not taken your children to get vaccinated, now is the time.

    Finally, for the world community: the news about this new variant should make clearer than ever why this pandemic will not end until we have global vaccinations. The United States has already donated more vaccines to other countries than every other country combined. It is time for other countries to match America’s speed and generosity.

    In addition, I call on the nations gathering next week for the World Trade Organization ministerial meeting to meet the U.S. challenge to waive intellectual property protections for COVID vaccines, so these vaccines can be manufactured globally. I endorsed this position in April; this news today reiterates the importance of moving on this quickly.

    ###

    It’s good he’s still pushing vaccination and increasing donations world-wide. The patent aspects are extremely important too. It needs to get done – this isn’t the last pandemic and nobody is safe unless everyone is safe.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  46. 46.

    SiubhanDuinne

    November 26, 2021 at 7:15 pm

    @Brachiator:

    I know death isn’t unexpected for a man of 91, but I am just gutted by this news — far more than I usually am when a well-known, admired person dies. Man was a fucking genius. RIP, Maestro Sondheim.

  47. 47.

    Cermet

    November 26, 2021 at 7:15 pm

    @Fake Irishman: If you get the ride, I’ll provide extra towels!

  48. 48.

    Ken

    November 26, 2021 at 7:18 pm

    @hrprogressive: But I absolutely don’t expect anything to functionally change in terms of government and Pharma’$ response.

    The one developing new vaccines, and the other paying to distribute them to everyone?  I’d hope that wouldn’t change.  Did you have any suggestions for improvements in the process?

  49. 49.

    SiubhanDuinne

    November 26, 2021 at 7:23 pm

    @Bill Arnold:

    Is there some kabbalistic kind of significance to the dollar amount?

  50. 50.

    Fake Irishman

    November 26, 2021 at 7:27 pm

    @Cermet:

    Best of all, I’m still 42 for a few weeks, so I have all the answers.  I just hope you don’t mind my ….um…. Eclectic… tastes in poetry.

  51. 51.

    raven

    November 26, 2021 at 7:30 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne: We were at a conference in Chicago an wandered into the Jay Pritzker Pavilion and they were having a free show. It was this big tribute to Sondheim. I’ve never liked musicals and had no idea who he was but I’m glad I got to see it.

  52. 52.

    raven

    November 26, 2021 at 7:33 pm

    @raven: Oh! He did Funny Things Happened on the way to the Forum! I take it back.

  53. 53.

    raven

    November 26, 2021 at 7:34 pm

    A Sondheim Celebration’ Provides Perfect Night Music (with and without lyrics) at Millennium Park — Chicago Theater / Classical Review

  54. 54.

    Felanius Kootea

    November 26, 2021 at 7:40 pm

    How widespread is US genomic surveillance of COVID-19 variants in low vaccine uptake states like West Virginia, Idaho, Wyoming, Mississippi, and Alabama?  Or to reframe my question, is there a point in banning flights to and from Southern Africa if there isn’t similar genomic surveillance already going on here? What happened to the international movement for patent waivers to allow developing countries to make COVID-19 vaccines?

  55. 55.

    WaterGirl

    November 26, 2021 at 7:42 pm

    @Felanius Kootea: From Another Scott at #45:

    Finally, for the world community: the news about this new variant should make clearer than ever why this pandemic will not end until we have global vaccinations. The United States has already donated more vaccines to other countries than every other country combined. It is time for other countries to match America’s speed and generosity.

    In addition, I call on the nations gathering next week for the World Trade Organization ministerial meeting to meet the U.S. challenge to waive intellectual property protections for COVID vaccines, so these vaccines can be manufactured globally. I endorsed this position in April; this news today reiterates the importance of moving on this quickly.

  56. 56.

    WaterGirl

    November 26, 2021 at 7:47 pm

    @Felanius Kootea:

    How widespread is US genomic surveillance of COVID-19 variants in low vaccine uptake states like West Virginia, Idaho, Wyoming, Mississippi, and Alabama?

    Nonexistent, I’m sure.  The unvaccinated have a lot to answer for.

  57. 57.

    Citizen Alan

    November 26, 2021 at 7:47 pm

    @Scout211:  When I’ve encountered Brandon assholes on FB and Twitter, I’ve just taken to responding in kind. For some reason, they don’t find it funny when I say “Why don’t you go Brandon yourself, you ignorant Mother-Brandoner!”

  58. 58.

    NotMax

    November 26, 2021 at 7:50 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne

    Noted that Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened, a documentary covering the tale and the cast of Sondheim’s legendary misfire Merrily We Roll Along is available on Netflix.

    No slam on Mr. S intended whatsoever; even the Rock of Gibraltar has its faults.

  59. 59.

    zhena gogolia

    November 26, 2021 at 7:51 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne: The NYT obit is as long as War and Peace.

  60. 60.

    zhena gogolia

    November 26, 2021 at 7:51 pm

    @Citizen Alan: Excellent!

  61. 61.

    zhena gogolia

    November 26, 2021 at 7:52 pm

    @NotMax: I love Merrily We Roll Along.

  62. 62.

    Scout211

    November 26, 2021 at 7:54 pm

    Moderna releases a statement on the omicron variant.

    Vaccine maker Moderna says the new Omicron variant represents a “significant potential risk” to the efficacy of its Covid-19 vaccine as well as immunity reached naturally.
    “The recently described Omicron variant includes mutations seen in the Delta variant that are believed to increase transmissibility and mutations seen in the Beta and Delta variants that are believed to promote immune escape,” Moderna said Friday in a news release.

    “The combination of mutations represents a significant potential risk to accelerate the waning of natural and vaccine-induced immunity,” the company said.

    The company said it is working rapidly to test the ability of its vaccine to neutralize the new variant and data is expected in the coming weeks.
    If the current vaccine and the current booster dose of the vaccine are insufficient against the variant, one possible solution is boosting people with a larger dose, which Moderna said it is testing.
    The company is also evaluating two multi-valent booster candidates to see if they provide superior protection against Omicron. Both candidates include some of the viral mutations present in the new variant.
    Moderna is also evaluating an Omicron-specific booster candidate.
    “We have three lines of defense that we are advancing in parallel,” Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said in the release. “The mutations in the Omicron variant are concerning and for several days, we have been moving as fast as possible to execute our strategy to address this variant.”

  63. 63.

    Soprano2

    November 26, 2021 at 7:58 pm

    @TriassicSands: Please tell me the percentage of fully vaxxed who have died as opposed to the unvaxxed. I’ll wait.

  64. 64.

    NotMax

    November 26, 2021 at 7:59 pm

    @zhena gogolia

    Do take a peek at the trailer I linked above. It’s not a downer.

  65. 65.

    Soprano2

    November 26, 2021 at 8:02 pm

    @Kalakal: Yep, that makes me crazy too. They omit the context of these things.

  66. 66.

    Another Scott

    November 26, 2021 at 8:05 pm

    @Felanius Kootea: I suspect the monitoring remains inadequate.

    CDC.gov:

    […]

    Leading the National SARS-CoV-2 Strain Surveillance (NS3) system

    The NS3 program collects, analyzes, and shares information about the genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The program provides a comprehensive and population-based surveillance system for the United States to track virus evolution over time and identify emerging variants that may affect the performance of diagnostics, therapeutics, or vaccines, or that impact the transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 or severity of COVID-19. A notable strength of NS3 is the regular collection of specimens from across the United States to support variant characterization efforts, which provides important data to inform public health decision-making.

    Through partnerships with state and local public health agencies CDC requests up to 750 total specimens per week from all states and jurisdictions for sequencing and further characterization of representative viruses. The NS3 program has three main goals:

    * National virus monitoring: US public health laboratories send representative SARS-CoV-2–positive clinical specimens to CDC on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to support federal efforts to sequence, genetically analyze and phenotypically characterize the viruses circulating among our population over time. This also supports a repository of public SARS-CoV-2 sequence data and specimens.

    * Enhanced Surveillance: Since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, national and global sequencing efforts have identified changes in the SARS-CoV-2 genome as a result from transmission and evolution in humans and animals. These genetic changes can affect many aspects of public health including transmission, disease severity, diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. As part of NS3 enhanced surveillance, CDC may request additional specimens from public health laboratories to investigate variants of interest, variants of concern, or other specified viral classifications, or cases of vaccine breakthrough.

    * Virus characterization: Based on genomic analyses, SARS-CoV-2 variants are isolated from positive specimens provided by US public health laboratories. These isolated viruses are evaluated in CDC laboratories to understand their potential impact on current vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics, and their overall risk to public health.

    As laboratories have scaled up sequencing capacity, CDC works to improve and build additional technical infrastructure and workflows to ensure efficient sequence data submission to public repositories, which store publicly accessible sequence data for scientists to include in analyses. Next-generation sequencing is a multi-step process that involves both laboratory and bioinformatic workflows. The time from specimen receipt at CDC to having an assembled sequence ready for submission to public databases is approximately 10 days. A similar timeline often applies to state, local, academic, and commercial partners.

    The genetic sequence data generated by CDC and state and local public health laboratories are submitted to publicly accessible databases maintained by the National Center for Biotechnology Informationexternal icon (NCBI) and the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Dataexternal icon (GISAIDexternal icon). Integration of surveillance across the United States maximizes the sequencing capacity, expertise, and data that is available to inform public health decision making.

    Up to 750 samples per week, nationwide, seems kinda small to me…

    :-/

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  67. 67.

    zhena gogolia

    November 26, 2021 at 8:07 pm

    @NotMax: Oh, I’ll have to watch it. Looks great.

    The woman at 1:04 used to be our local KCMO diva.

  68. 68.

    Dan B

    November 26, 2021 at 8:13 pm

    @NotMax: At Joe My God blog there are  number of commenters who met or worked with Sondheim including a cast member of Merrily We Roll Along.  Sondheim’s husband is in his early forties.  I hope he has good support.

  69. 69.

    Citizen Alan

    November 26, 2021 at 8:14 pm

    @Raoul Paste: Honestly, every time I see “the Omicron Variant,” I think it has something to do with the Transformers and is probably voiced by Orson Welles.

  70. 70.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    November 26, 2021 at 8:21 pm

    @Citizen Alan:

    every time I see “the Omicron Variant,” I think it has something to do with the Transformers and is probably voiced by Orson Welles.

    The latest thrilling novel from Robert Ludlum….

  71. 71.

    oatler

    November 26, 2021 at 8:23 pm

    @NotMax:

    Look for Elaine Stritch’s “Ladies Who Lunch” on Youtube. Might have been 1971.

  72. 72.

    Sister Golden Bear

    November 26, 2021 at 8:24 pm

    @Citizen Alan: I was reminded of the holidays with our robot overlords — did I say overlords? I meant protectors — on Chiron Beta Prime.

  73. 73.

    Dan B

    November 26, 2021 at 8:30 pm

    @NotMax: Now that I’ve got time I’d love to try your microwave cranberry sauce but don’t want to hunt through Tamara’s post thread.  Would you please repost it.  Thanks.

  74. 74.

    Fair Economist

    November 26, 2021 at 8:36 pm

    Meanwhile, in our “liberal media”, with Omicron threatening the world, allegations of a coup planned in Ukraine, and a record-by-far Black Friday, CNN spends 10 minutes raising “clouds and shadows” about Letitia Jones announcing her run for governor shortly before charges get filed against Cuomo for sexual harassment.
    They admit the charges are justified and of course Jones can run for Governor, but, you know, “we have some concerns”.

  75. 75.

    jl

    November 26, 2021 at 8:38 pm

    @hrprogressive: “The key point of despair with this is that the scientists have been saying this would happen, and that vaccine equity was needed to prevent it from happening, and here we are. ”

    I agree with that completely. I think that enough evidence has emerged about the origin of omicron to know that this is exactly the scenario that virologists and epidemiologists have warned about: the emergence of a potentially very dangerous variant in an immunocompromised or isolated population with partial vaccination. And it shows why high income countries have been both depraved and self-destructive in not moving heaven and earth to get the whole world vaccinated asap.

    It’s frightening, and in one of my favorite Hamilton quotes, a spectacle both hilarious and disgusting.

    And, I think Garrett has been wildly inconsistent in her coverage, but she’s doing a dang fine job with this story. I especially appreciate her accurate reporting that the virus was first ID’d by HK and Botswana. Both countries that have in very different ways made the US effort in public health (though not ultra high tech medicine) look like moldy dog shit.

    Edit: see Trevor Bedford’s twitter on epidemiological and genetic evidence on theories of what kind of population in what kind of environment produced omicron.

  76. 76.

    Jay

    November 26, 2021 at 8:39 pm

    Semi shitty day at work, bridge booked out sick, with out calling in. Managers bailed on a health check when they didn’t show up. Gov.Canada announced we should all wear N95’s, even though we can’t buy them.

    On the bright side, scored 2 dehumidifiers for some flooded out store owners in Abbotsford, along with a pump, walked them through remediation and repair,  and got to meet and treat Charlie, ( named after Travels with Charlie), their 20 old, retired, ex-PALs, Black Lab/Poodle cross.

    He preferred the dried organic liver treats vs the organic chicken.

    Learned that in BC, for most insurance policies, “overland flooding”, is a special rider, so, most people aren’t covered for the flooding.

    The Mayor of Abbotsford says the costs will only be a couple of billion, and that’s just one town.

  77. 77.

    Quiltingfool

    November 26, 2021 at 8:43 pm

    @Scout211: Yesterday I saw a “Let’s Go Brandon” banner in front of a house on the way to KC.  That house has been a Trump advertisement since 2016.  Makes me gag.

  78. 78.

    Soprano2

    November 26, 2021 at 8:45 pm

    @Fair Economist: Concerns they wouldn’t have if she were a white man, of course.  ???

  79. 79.

    jl

    November 26, 2021 at 8:46 pm

    @Matt McIrvin: From what I’ve read by experts, it’s exactly the opposite. From statements by SA public health officials, most of the symptomatic and serious disease is in young unvaccinated people. So far these cases show much more re-infection among the unvaccinated than expected, so it seems to be able to evade immunity due to previous infection. So infection acquired immunity will be much more short lived if it is more transmissible than delta. If that is the case, this means a much more dire outlook for middle and low income countries with low vaccination rates than previously anticipated. And their outlook was already dire.

  80. 80.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    November 26, 2021 at 8:47 pm

    @Citizen Alan:

    I thought Robert Ludlum was back from the dead.

    (Actually, I didn’t know he was dead; I was going to say “retirement.”)

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Oops! Great minds, etc.

  81. 81.

    frosty

    November 26, 2021 at 8:49 pm

    @Jay:Home Depot here in the States (PA and MD) have 3M Aura N95s in stock. I have no idea about Canuckistan.​
     

    ETA: Not medical grade, but they fit tight and don’t fog my glasses as much as others.

  82. 82.

    Brachiator

    November 26, 2021 at 8:50 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    I know death isn’t unexpected for a man of 91, but I am just gutted by this news — far more than I usually am when a well-known, admired person dies. Man was a fucking genius. RIP, Maestro Sondheim.

    When I was an elementary school kid, we learned songs from West Side Story.

    When I became seriously interested in film, I loved Bergman’s Smiles of A Summer Night. Later I stumbled into A Little Night Music.

    I was not naturally attuned to musical theater. But I early on and always had an affinity for Sondheim. Thank the gods.

    Oh yes, and my love for Greek and Roman theater, and for antic comedy naturally led me to A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

  83. 83.

    debbie

    November 26, 2021 at 8:52 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    Yeah, but they’re “incredible.” (I bought a couple recently at about $20 each.)

  84. 84.

    Jay

    November 26, 2021 at 8:53 pm

    @jl:

    346 cases in BC today,

    since the brief “opening”, ( high vaxx rate, low numbers, 30 a day, restrictions briefly lifted),

    We are averaging between the low 300’s to high 500’s every day.

    And, there ain’t a lot of people here and miles on miles between us all.

  85. 85.

    Chetan Murthy

    November 26, 2021 at 8:54 pm

    @hrprogressive:

    vaccine equity was needed to prevent it from happening, and here we are

    It’s true that vaccine equity is needed, but it could not have prevented this: last report I saw, SA has 158 days supply of vaccines, they are delaying new shipments of vaccines, and public health officials are openly complaining that the populace is not coming to get vaxxed fast enough.  Vaxx centers are nowhere near capacity.

    The rest of Africa is not like this: they need vaccines and badly.  But this happened in a place where the problem is antivaxxerism.

  86. 86.

    Gravenstone

    November 26, 2021 at 8:58 pm

    @germy: Yes and no. If you end up with a variant completely unaffected by the current generation of mRNA vaccines, then you end up restarting the baseline of who has been “vaccinated “. And that brings you back to zero for vaccine production and availability.  So continuing to expand vaccine production capacity and the supporting infrastructure (syringes, storage and transport systems) will be vital components in addition to the underlying flexibility of mRNA will be critical to getting through the pandemic. Otherwise the time required to effectively vaccinate the global population from scratch (again) will likely remain longer than the timeframe in which another escape variant occurs. Lather, rinse, repeat…

  87. 87.

    jl

    November 26, 2021 at 8:59 pm

    @Another Scott: Experts I read uniformly praise the surveillance system SA has developed as one of one of the best in the world, and their precision and rapidity  of accurate genetic analysis is first rate. And SA has generously lent info and resources to surrounding countries, with have implemented good programs. SA and Botswana and neighboring countries detected it and accurate diagnosed the problem and started superb targeted surveillance with astonishing speed. I don’t know crap about the details of this stuff, I’m just reporting what reliable experts I read are saying.

    One caution about the SA data though. Their surveillance system is designed specifically to pick up dangerous variants asap. Also, SA and Botswana experts discovered almost immediately that you have to slightly modify how the PCR tests are done to detect omicron with high sensitivity. I’ve been looking but haven’t found how this modification affects sensitivity in picking up other variants.

    Anyway, there are many reasons why it is impossible to estimated how transmissible omicron is. Also, right now SA and surrounding countries are recovering from a very large surge, so really not much of anything else circulating to give omicron much of a problem in exploding. But even there, the sample sizes are still relatively  small, so estimates of proportions of different variants are unstable.

    Anyway, experts I read are extremely impressed with the expertise and execution of these countries in South Africa.

  88. 88.

    jl

    November 26, 2021 at 9:01 pm

    @Jay: 346 cases of what?  I don’t understand your comment. Could you clarify?

  89. 89.

    WaterGirl

    November 26, 2021 at 9:01 pm

    @Dan B: My *niece’s cranberry recipe is the best I’ve ever had.

    1 bag cranberries
    3/4 cup sugar
    2 oranges

    Wash the cranberries.
    Peel the oranges and break into chunks.
    Put all of it in a food processor and pulse until finally chopped.
    Chill and serve.

    *Her recipe calls for 1 cup sugar and 1 orange, but I like my way better.

  90. 90.

    Scout211

    November 26, 2021 at 9:02 pm

    @Jay:

    @frosty:

    You can buy the 3m Aura N95 masks (again) at Amazon. They are now sold and shipped by Amazon.

    3m Aura N95

  91. 91.

    Betsy

    November 26, 2021 at 9:02 pm

    @Scout211: it’s O- micron, as opposed to O- mega. I believe in Greek this actually means little letter O and big letter O.

  92. 92.

    lowtechcyclist

    November 26, 2021 at 9:02 pm

    @Soprano2: ​
     

    It’s so great that I know what this means. LOL

    And the Universe will explode later for your pleasure.

  93. 93.

    jl

    November 26, 2021 at 9:06 pm

    @Chetan Murthy: True. But much of that is due, from what I’ve read, to SA’s withdrawal of AZ vaccine when preliminary but misleading evidence came in that it was not effective against variants circulating in SA at the time. So, I think the vax hesitancy there is more a product of an unfortunately mistake in SA policy (which are inevitable in real time emergency management) which can be corrected.

    And, there really isn’t evidence that omicron originated in SA. I was picked up in, IIRC, northern Botswana, and several surrounding South African countries are also more likely sources of origin.

  94. 94.

    Jay

    November 26, 2021 at 9:07 pm

    @frosty:

    we occasionally have the “cup” pattern N95’s on the shelf. Great for concrete grinding for a few hours, sucks for all day wear.

    I wear a surgical mask, ( required by Corporate), with a 2 layer, (cotton and bamboo, 900 thc) fabric mask, with a pocket for a fitted filter, which I fill with hand cut M116 Covid filters, ( medical grade, salvaged from damaged HVAC retrofits in Covid Wards),  that I change, ( masks and filters, every two hours), so I am comfortable with my mask protocols.

    Also set up two HEPA box fans/filters in the hood, and 4 in the tool room, which filter out 60% of all aerosols.

    Just PO’d that finally, the Gov. admitted via advice, what has been known for a year and a half, while there are still shortages.

  95. 95.

    Scout211

    November 26, 2021 at 9:10 pm

    @Betsy:

    All those pronunciation helpers online are telling me that the UK version is OH-my-cron and the US version is OM-i-cron or OM-ee-cron. I am so confused. I think I may just wait until I hear Dr. Fauci say it.  Delta seemed just a teensy bit easier to pronounce.

  96. 96.

    sab

    November 26, 2021 at 9:11 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne: I am also gutted. Genius gone.

  97. 97.

    Another Scott

    November 26, 2021 at 9:13 pm

    @jl: To be clear, I was criticizing the US monitoring.  It’s been the policy of the CDC that they’re not going to do widespread genomic sequencing.  Maybe there are sensible reasons for it (true random sampling can make more sense, if it’s truly random), but too much of the US response has seemingly been at odds with what other nations are doing and we often seem to be doing much worse than other nations in our overall response.

    The UK also does a lot of genomic sequencing, IIRC.

    We need to do better.

    Someone on Twitter made the point that SA is now being punished for rapidly reporting what they know about Omicron.  With the implication that is likely to increase efforts to hide outbreaks.  That indeed may be a consequence – we have to be smart about this.  (Omicron is likely all over the world now, since it was apparently first detected weeks ago…)

    It’s a tough problem.  We need to increase high-quality data-gathering and transparency.

    Thanks.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  98. 98.

    Jay

    November 26, 2021 at 9:13 pm

    @jl:

    346 new covid cases, 115 new hospitalizations, 9 deaths.

    in July, we averaged 30 new covid cases, 1-3 hospitalizations, 0 deaths. Then they pulled the restrictions, Party on Wayne, Garth.

    The “scariest” number, is we have gone from 0 extended care home outbreaks in July, to 28 so far.

    The only bright spot is that deaths are lower than last year.

  99. 99.

    Dan B

    November 26, 2021 at 9:14 pm

    @WaterGirl: Thanks.  Must buy oranges.

    And I may make a cherry pie.  I made a gluten free Frankencherry pie for my brother’s girlfriend.  No gluten means crust cannot be transferred from cutting board to pie pan.  Much stitching was involved.  Tasted great!

  100. 100.

    scav

    November 26, 2021 at 9:15 pm

    @Betsy: little O and big O in Greek actually seem to be different sounds. Maybe short O and long O? I can’t read the little codes anyhow.  Something along those lines.

     

    @WaterGirl:

    That’s our families traditional cranberry relish!  Only we leave on the orange peels and sometimes add a solid dash of Cointreau.

  101. 101.

    Jay

    November 26, 2021 at 9:16 pm

    @Another Scott:

    seconded.

  102. 102.

    Another Scott

    November 26, 2021 at 9:17 pm

    @Scout211:

    I’d go with the Greek – Omicron vs Omega.

    :-)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  103. 103.

    Dan B

    November 26, 2021 at 9:19 pm

    @Jay: Most people cannot understand that reduced or eased restrictions does not mean that it is over.  It does not mean Party Time!

  104. 104.

    Dan B

    November 26, 2021 at 9:20 pm

    @scav: Must get Cointreau!   Mmmm….

  105. 105.

    Jay

    November 26, 2021 at 9:21 pm

     

    @Dan B:

    I use a “rolling rag” for pie crusts. 800 thread count cloth, dusted in my gluten tolerant house with flour. Holds SWMBO’s “shortbread” pie crust together long enough to get it in pan or on top.

    like landscape fabric and good sod.

  106. 106.

    scav

    November 26, 2021 at 9:21 pm

    @Another Scott: Wiki adds

    In classical Greek, omicron represented the sound [o] in contrast to omega [ɔː] and ου [oː]. In modern Greek, omicron represents the mid back rounded vowel /o̞/ , the same sound as omega.

  107. 107.

    Winston

    November 26, 2021 at 9:24 pm

    Great. Just fucking Great. Looking forward to 900 days isolation.

  108. 108.

    jl

    November 26, 2021 at 9:24 pm

    @Another Scott: Sorry, I should have explained the reason for my comment better. I was simply pointing out the contrast between the, IMHO very misguided US approach, and that in SA and surrounding countries. A number of countries have put in place well designed population based surveillance systems some more than a year ago, and from what I’ve read, put them to very good use. So, I was agreeing with and trying the amplify your point.

    Norway and Finland have had their own versions since Spring 2020 and both report that they’ve played a very important role in their world class control efforts (1/10 the disease and death with far less social and economic disruption than in US)

    Edit: Norway to get a heads up on geographic movement of transmission, Finland as a backstop to their contact tracing system, by my nonexpert eyes in a clever way. See WHO European observatory and Finland PH reports for details on that.

  109. 109.

    Dan B

    November 26, 2021 at 9:27 pm

    @Jay: Something like that might have helped but I could only get 3 inch pieces to hold together.  There are some thickeners that might help like Agar powder but they might make it rubbery.

  110. 110.

    jl

    November 26, 2021 at 9:28 pm

    @Jay: Thanks.

  111. 111.

    West of the Rockies

    November 26, 2021 at 9:28 pm

    Maybe we should call it the OMG variant.  Of course, wingnuts will call it the LOL variant.

  112. 112.

    Brachiator

    November 26, 2021 at 9:30 pm

    @Scout211:

    All those pronunciation helpers online are telling me that the UK version is OH-my-cron and the US version is OM-i-cron or OM-ee-cron. I am so confused. I think I may just wait until I hear Dr. Fauci say it.

    I am sure that some college fraternity or sorority could help you with this. ;)

  113. 113.

    Ken

    November 26, 2021 at 9:33 pm

    @Dan B: Tis the season when the cooking networks are 24/7 holiday cake-decorating contests. Those chefs hobbyists don’t have any problem with serving a dessert that’s 25% PVC pipe, 25% styrofoam, and 25% florist’s wire, with the remaining quarter being mostly frosting to cover the inedible stuff.  So I wouldn’t worry about a little agar in the pie crust.

  114. 114.

    Jay

    November 26, 2021 at 9:37 pm

    @Dan B:

    sometimes, it’s just a pinch together crust, shape it as best as you can, press a matching pie plate in to make it “pretty”.

    in the end, it’s still pie, which beats cake hands down, ( other than cheesecake, which is technically, a pie).

  115. 115.

    jl

    November 26, 2021 at 9:37 pm

    @Ken: Guess that’s why I go through so many toothpicks after eating holiday cakes.

  116. 116.

    Mike in NC

    November 26, 2021 at 9:41 pm

    We got a temporary free subscription to BritBox, and are watching Season 6 of Shetland.

  117. 117.

    Dan B

    November 26, 2021 at 9:43 pm

    @Jay: Pie, yes!  Sour cherry pie, OMG!!!  Although WA sour cherries are sweeter than the ones we had in Ohio.  I don’t use much sugar but I think some lemon juice would be good.

  118. 118.

    Cowgirl in the Sandi

    November 26, 2021 at 9:44 pm

    @WaterGirl:

    My recipe is very similar, but I use an organic orange and leave the peel on as it’s processed.  It gives a little bitterness which is nice with the sweet/tart of the cranberries.

  119. 119.

    sab

    November 26, 2021 at 9:45 pm

    @Dan B: Have you not heard of wax paper? I roll all my piecrusts on wax paper. I like my crusts very shortcrusty with minimal water. Makes them wonderfully flaky when baked but very difficult to handle before baking. If your piecrust is easy to handle before baking you are doing it wrong and it will be tough not flaky after baking (i.e. just like store-bought.)

    ETA In retrospect my comment sounds needlessly snarky and disrespectful of your baking aptitude. But other than that I stand by my opinions on piecrusts.

  120. 120.

    Dan B

    November 26, 2021 at 9:48 pm

    @sab: My mother made crusts that were amazingly flaky and fairly easy to handle.  Waxed paper sounds good.

    Must buy waxed paper!!

  121. 121.

    Cowgirl in the Sandi

    November 26, 2021 at 9:50 pm

    @scav:

    Ohhhh – adding a dash of Cointreau sounds great!!  Must try next year!

  122. 122.

    Jay

    November 26, 2021 at 9:50 pm

    @jl:

    scary thing is, they pulled the restrictions for about 2 weeks, until the numbers shot up.( idiots),  Slapped them back down.

    Covid fatigue is a real thing.

    A year ago, I was “mask police”, “special exemption” rule enforcer,

    now, I’m protected as best as I can be, ain’t getting within 6 feet of “you” if you ain’t properly masked, and I don’t care if “you” die.

    done with those people.

    still remember the first lifting last year. 12 noon.

    Daydrinking in a park, sitting on the grass on the hill, great calamari, and all of a sudden, 40 people playing pick up maskless basketball on the one court at 12:01.

    Morons.

  123. 123.

    Ruviana

    November 26, 2021 at 9:50 pm

    @Dan B:  Your grocery list is getting longer and longer!

  124. 124.

    JoyceH

    November 26, 2021 at 9:52 pm

    Just saw an article saying that Pfizer will know in two weeks if its vaccine is effective against Omicron. Fingers crossed. (House Pfizer here.)

  125. 125.

    Kayla Rudbek

    November 26, 2021 at 9:52 pm

    I’m considering making Cranberry raisin pie for Christmas, although since my parents will be in town I’ll have to substitute balsamic vinegar for the lemon zest. My mother has even more food allergies/sensitivities than I do (citrus, celery, and tomatoes IIRC).

    And thanks to my sibling I found a site called gtfoitsvegan.com when checking the store-bought rolls for ingredients…

  126. 126.

    Jay

    November 26, 2021 at 9:58 pm

    @Dan B:

    try a good apple, ( Winestiens, Goldens or in a pinch, Gravenstiens) with 1/3rd blackberries. Himalayan blackberries are a weed down your way too. Add about 3 tablespoons of fine tapioca, ( to suck up the juice), and 3 tablespoons of sugar.

    Let it set, reheat if needed for real vanilla ice cream.

  127. 127.

    Jay

    November 26, 2021 at 9:59 pm

    @Dan B:

    parchment works too.

  128. 128.

    sab

    November 26, 2021 at 9:59 pm

    I bought late season apples, chopped them up as if for pie, put them into a freezer bag with sugar and seasoning ( mostly cinnamon) and then froze them. Baked my first pie from that batch and it was delicious. Had to take a hammer to the bag to break off the frozen apples, but who cares when they are going to be baked anyway.

  129. 129.

    sab

    November 26, 2021 at 10:00 pm

    @Jay: That sounds so good.

  130. 130.

    sab

    November 26, 2021 at 10:01 pm

    @Jay: Agreed that parchment paper works as well.

  131. 131.

    Fair Economist

    November 26, 2021 at 10:02 pm

    @jl:

    And, there really isn’t evidence that omicron originated in SA. I was picked up in, IIRC, northern Botswana, and several surrounding South African countries are also more likely sources of origin.

    Indeed, it could have been almost anywhere in the area.

    But – more relevantly, what we *can* say is this resulted from inadequeate vaccination. Trevor Bedford looked at the phylogeny and Omicron originated from a basal strain closely related to the original – which would be gone by now if we had widespread vaccination. In addition these hypermutation events happen in immunosuppressed patients getting monoclonal antibody therapy; and *that* wouldn’t happen if they and those around them were properly vaccinated. So it didn’t happen in some slum or farm village; this arose in somebody wealthy enough to get monoclonals, meaning they *could and should* have been properly vaxxed and Omicron would never have arisen.

    So while we don’t know where it came from, it’s antivaxxer plague rats that caused it.

  132. 132.

    Jay

    November 26, 2021 at 10:03 pm

    @sab:

    seconded.

    worked in commercial bakeries for a decade. Croissants, puff pastry, are easier ( commercially) than a good pie crust.

  133. 133.

    dnfree

    November 26, 2021 at 10:03 pm

    @WaterGirl: I have a similar recipe that involves cranberries, a whole  navel orange complete with peel, sugar, and a small can of crushed pineapple.  You could probably just add the pineapple to your recipe.  Then you cover it and let it sit on the counter overnight to blend and thicken.

  134. 134.

    debbie

    November 26, 2021 at 10:06 pm

    Local news is highlighting Black Friday shopping; Cabela was filled with unmasked shoppers.  ?

  135. 135.

    Dan B

    November 26, 2021 at 10:07 pm

    @Jay: Now it is:  Must buy Parchment!

    Longer list.  Must buy Wheelbarrow!

  136. 136.

    Jay

    November 26, 2021 at 10:09 pm

    @sab:

    when I got married for the 2nd time, we had a simple ceremony in the upper meadow, 4 friends, one JP, 2 dogs, 2 cats,

    then retired to the porch for Alton Browned Ribs, baked russets, Jay Salad and apple blackberry pie with real vanilla ice cream,

    Oh, and mojito’s, lots of mojito’s,….

  137. 137.

    sab

    November 26, 2021 at 10:11 pm

    @Jay: I am done wirh those people except for the young, who need their idiot parents’ permission. In my complicated family, one of my quasi- granddaughters went back to school in a voluntary mask setting unvaxxed because her custodial parent is a moron and would not let her get vaxxed. She got Covid and brought it home. Her baby brother got it and had a stint in hospital on oxygen. She felt very guilty although she had done everything she could do (masking) to protect him.

    Had he died, she would have felt undeserved guilt forever. Makes me froth at the mouth when I think of her idiot mother, who left kid with choice of feel guilty or hate your mom. Fortunately baby got better and teen didn’t face that choice.

  138. 138.

    Jay

    November 26, 2021 at 10:11 pm

    @Dan B:

    single wheel or double wheel,

    powered with the auto dump feature,

    gas powered or cordless?

  139. 139.

    Dan B

    November 26, 2021 at 10:13 pm

    @debbie: My partner drove the Nissan Leaf to his siblings in Bellingham, 90 miles north.  Police were managing the huge line of vehicles at the outlet mall where the charging station is located 60 miles north of here.  He couldn’t get in.  Traffic was awful on I-5 so he was running late.  Should be in a foul mood when he’s home.  That and the FOX grenades from his siblings.

  140. 140.

    sab

    November 26, 2021 at 10:16 pm

    @Kayla Rudbek: Cranberry raisin pie sounds so good. My winter plan is to always have a pie available for eating.

  141. 141.

    Dan B

    November 26, 2021 at 10:16 pm

    @Jay: Electric, solar, levitating.  Throw in a little quantum – why not?

  142. 142.

    sab

    November 26, 2021 at 10:17 pm

    @Jay: All that sounds good, but apple/blackberry sounds amazing.

  143. 143.

    Jay

    November 26, 2021 at 10:18 pm

    @sab:

    yup.

    Sucks.

    So far, lost 12 co-workers to covid, all before vaccines, almost died of covid my self, still not “right”, but better,

    Here, on the bright side, kid’s don’t need parental approval to get vaxxed, ( and a bunch of other medical), and the parents, unless they gave consent, don’t get to know.

  144. 144.

    sab

    November 26, 2021 at 10:19 pm

    If I had my life to live over I think I would have liked to cook for a living not do tax returns. But never having done that commercially I obviously don’t know what I am talking about.

  145. 145.

    Another Scott

    November 26, 2021 at 10:20 pm

    @Dan B:

    Chinese.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  146. 146.

    Jay

    November 26, 2021 at 10:25 pm

    @sab:

    try the Jay salad. Assorted weeds from the garden, diced sweet red pepper, diced mango, handfull of salted shelled pistachios or sunflower seeds, flakes of chèvre cheese, raspberry vinaigrette, ( or in a pinch, olive oil,  Ribena, white wine vinegar)

  147. 147.

    sab

    November 26, 2021 at 10:26 pm

    @Jay: Canada does do many things better.

    Have I ever mentionned that my dad, a Korean war vet, tried to move us to BC in the mid 1960s to avoid the draft for Vietnam for my then 10 year old brother. My mother (whose grandmother was Canadian) refused to let him move his kids from Florida to Canada in January. Years later, my brother missed being drafted to Vietnam by six months.

    Dad was a doctor. We could have lived in BC.

  148. 148.

    Jay

    November 26, 2021 at 10:38 pm

    @sab:

    the food industry is tough, with low margins, dominated by trends, but these days, getting a tv show or book deals can keep even failing places alive. But that’s like winning a lottery. Covid has made it harder.

    but yeah, having people enjoy a meal and say so, probably beats explaining how maxing out their 401k would have saved them $250 in federal taxes and $41 in State taxes.

  149. 149.

    Jay

    November 26, 2021 at 10:44 pm

    @sab:

    January in the Lower Rainland, Vancouver Island or the Oakanogan, is like Maine in summer. Elsewhere, it can be cold, or brutal, moreso if you are coming from Floriduh.

    Fewer alligators, more wolves, cougars and bears.?

  150. 150.

    sab

    November 26, 2021 at 10:46 pm

    @Jay: Instead we are in Ohio. Very cold in winter. No alligators, no cougars, no wolves, hills and coyotes but no mountains.

  151. 151.

    Jay

    November 26, 2021 at 10:47 pm

    @sab:

    btw, would have been nice to have you up here.

  152. 152.

    WaterGirl

    November 26, 2021 at 10:49 pm

    @dnfree: Pineapple.  I would not have predicted that.

  153. 153.

    Jay

    November 26, 2021 at 10:49 pm

    @sab:

    do you get to hear coyote song.

    loved that when we lived on the property.

  154. 154.

    sab

    November 26, 2021 at 10:52 pm

    @Jay: We live right down the street from a 1000 acre Metropark. Coyotes howl and yap all night long. Endlessly annoying to the dogs.

  155. 155.

    sab

    November 26, 2021 at 11:00 pm

    @sab: I personally like to hear coyotes. My dog does not. Fortunately she is too big for them to even think about attacking. I do think they are attractive.

  156. 156.

    Dan B

    November 26, 2021 at 11:00 pm

    @sab: Coozed for seven years.  Got a bleeding ulcer from the second restaurant, Swiss chef drank during lunch.  Last restaurant had French service from huge platters with Sole with Lobster farci, white wine sauce and black truffles, Saddle of venison with a six step sauce with juniper berries, red currant jelly, red wine, and unsweetened whipped cream.  The chef with a wife and two little boys tried to seduce one of the young guys who worked the broiler station.

    I couldn’t be in a restaurant for a full year.

  157. 157.

    Another Scott

    November 26, 2021 at 11:03 pm

    @sab: You’re  forgetting Mad River Mountain.

    ;-)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  158. 158.

    sab

    November 26, 2021 at 11:08 pm

    @Dan B: Thanks. So I have no regrets.

  159. 159.

    sab

    November 26, 2021 at 11:10 pm

    @Another Scott: Do they still get snow, what with climate change?

    Ohio is not all flat.

    ETA: Medina County is pretty much all flat. Not Florida but not very hilly

    ETA : But don’t they have the Hinckley migrating buzzards, that needed cliffs before there were cellphone towers?

  160. 160.

    Dan B

    November 26, 2021 at 11:24 pm

    @sab: There are some great restaurant owners but I didn’t encounter them.  Oh, my first restaurant job at the Seattle Tennis Club in the wealthiest part of the city the inspector was always greeted outside the kitchen door.  We covered the fresh fruits and salads with plastic wrap and would have to remove it very carefully to keep the rainwater out of the fruit and salad greens.

  161. 161.

    Dan B

    November 26, 2021 at 11:30 pm

    @Another Scott: My Uncle’s family who lived in Akron went to Boston Mills Ski Resort.  The titter we heard is they put the resorts initials on the skis.  That was very dirty for that time and location.

  162. 162.

    sab

    November 26, 2021 at 11:33 pm

    @Dan B: Hadn’t heard that. Will spread it around.

  163. 163.

    Matt McIrvin

    November 26, 2021 at 11:41 pm

    The sheer amount of off-the-cuff Wrong On The Internet going around right now is really upsetting me.

  164. 164.

    sab

    November 26, 2021 at 11:46 pm

    @Matt McIrvin: Is that here at BJ? If so I am very sorry.

  165. 165.

    Fake Irishman

    November 27, 2021 at 12:07 am

    @sab:

    I’ll vouch for Ohio not being all flat. When my mom was learning to drive a stick, she avoided Murray Hill that marked the east boundary of Cleveland (and the first foothill of the Appalachian mountains and the beginning of the snow belt) for years.

    also ran enough of the Metroparks during high school Cross Country to appreciate the hills. We used to run from my High school down through Euclid Creek Metropark, beautiful run, no fun running the hill on the way out. We once climbed out of the ravine because we were young and dumb, but that was a fun afternoon workout. I do miss those days.

  166. 166.

    sab

    November 27, 2021 at 12:17 am

    @Fake Irishman: Cleveland, yes? I love Cleveland.  It has seen better times but it is still a wonderful city.

  167. 167.

    Dirk Reinecke

    November 27, 2021 at 12:24 am

    Speaking as a South Africa this is very dissapointing news. But not unexpected, our vaccination rate has dropped, we’ve only reached 26% vaccinated and the government has recently had to tell the vaccine manufacturers to delay shipments as there is just no demand.

    I went for the vaccine on the first day it was available in August and it was a 2  hour wait. By the time of my second shot it was a 10minute wait. When I took my father (we had to wait longer for him because he had had a severe case of covid and had been hospitalized) there was not wait at all.

    I think it has to do with a large distrust of government, lack of knowledge, and an expectation of poor service by government.

  168. 168.

    sab

    November 27, 2021 at 12:26 am

    Funny sort of Cleveland story. My oldest grand-daughter, now twenty, grew up in Cleveland. She cried every day in kindergarten because she missed her mom so much. So that is how her schoolmates knew her, as the kid who cried.

    When her dad married our daughter and she got in our orbit she came to Akron schools. She said it was such a relief to not  be known as the kid who cried in kindergarten, years before.

  169. 169.

    sab

    November 27, 2021 at 12:29 am

    @Dirk Reinecke: I am curious. Do you think we in the West are holding back on vaccines becaise we do not care, or because we think your health infrastructure is so weak that vaccines would be wasted?

  170. 170.

    Jay

    November 27, 2021 at 12:30 am

    @Dan B:

    @sab:

    First real job I had was as a bus boy/dishwasher at a Bino’s, ( extinct Denny’s type clone) in grade 11.

    got bumped up to $15 an hour, ( minimum was $3.75) because I never missed a shift, scraped all the grease out of the tile grout, cleaned and sharpened the cooks stuff asap, and was offered a gofor job at a steel plant for $14.75.

    MGR realized he would have to hire 3 staff to replace me, with out the quality. Cooks made $10.34.

  171. 171.

    NotMax

    November 27, 2021 at 1:11 am

    @Dan B

    Apologies for late reply, only now got back to the desk.

    Anyhoo, here ya go.

    Depending on your microwave, might take five or even ten minutes (or a bit longer) for the berries to soften. A standard potato masher is what I use to much ’em up once they’re done nuking. I don’t give any kind of exact measurement as to how much sugar to stir in once the berries have been mashed, as some prefer it more tart than others. If after it’s been jelled in the fridge it’s too tart, can always stir in some more. Also, have found it is very forgiving as to how much OJ and how much liqueur to add before refrigerating, so let “to your own taste” be your guide.

  172. 172.

    Thor Heyerdahl

    November 27, 2021 at 1:46 am

    @Jay: 
    I bought N95 from Dent-X earlier this year. Canadian company, good fit and comfortable. Ordered on the site https://www.ppe-supply.com/ who was quick with their delivery.

  173. 173.

    Dirk Reinecke

    November 27, 2021 at 1:54 am

    @sab: 

    As someone who lives in the third world I don’t think the vaccine problems we are experiencing has anything to do with the developed world.

    At the start one could make the argument that the global north grabbed all the vaccines at the start, but that has been over now for a while.

    The vaccines and the availability is not the problem. Our government is the problem. Our political leadership is utterly depraved and indifferent to the citizens. This then leads citizens to not trusting what the government says. I suppose we are similar to the Russians in that regard.

    As an example, the South African Health Minister Zweli Mkhize hired a PR company run by his former personal assistant to co-ordinate his press briefings, media interviews etc. These are all functions which the department should have been able to do itself.

    This amount spent on this was enough for 500,000 double doses of Pfizer. This isn’t an isolated case, the ANC simply cannot keep its hands out of the cookie jar.

    The ANC is what the Republican party would be if it had had 20 years in control of all three branches of government.

    Earlier this year we had massive riots when the former president was sent to jail for contempt of court by the apex court (the constructional court). Somewhere between 300-500 people died and the unrest was only stopped by deploying the entire defense force (25,000 soldiers)

  174. 174.

    Anne Laurie

    November 27, 2021 at 3:56 am

    @Fair Economist: Trevor Bedford looked at the phylogeny and Omicron originated from a basal strain closely related to the original – which would be gone by now if we had widespread vaccination. In addition these hypermutation events happen in immunosuppressed patients getting monoclonal antibody therapy; and *that* wouldn’t happen if they and those around them were properly vaccinated. So it didn’t happen in some slum or farm village; this arose in somebody wealthy enough to get monoclonals, meaning they *could and should* have been properly vaxxed and Omicron would never have arisen.

    Dead thread, but Southern Africa has quite a few people who are immuno-suppressed because they’re on treatments for HIV.  In fact, at least one of the standard vaccines (Astra-Zeneca, I think?) wasn’t being used in at least some of those nations because it was suspected of causing problems for those on HIV prophylaxis.  So it may not be ‘selfish anti-vaxxers’ as much as ‘underfunded health services trying to balance conflicting needs.’

  175. 175.

    yellowdog

    November 27, 2021 at 6:55 am

    @Fair Economist: The story that I saw said it did NOT arise from the unvaxed, but from a single immunocompromised individual. Apparently they can determine that by how the mutations arose.

  176. 176.

    tybee

    November 27, 2021 at 7:43 am

    @Another Scott:

    fascinating.  thanks!

  177. 177.

    Another Scott

    November 27, 2021 at 8:59 am

    @tybee: ?

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  178. 178.

    WaterGirl

    November 27, 2021 at 9:19 am

    @Thor Heyerdahl: You linked to the site but I can’t figure out which mask you are referring to.  If you see this, can you link to the mask itself?

  179. 179.

    The Pale Scot

    November 27, 2021 at 10:52 am

    @Felanius Kootea:

    I’m all for banning movements  to and from the red plague states.

    Just give me a day to get out of here

  180. 180.

    Matt McIrvin

    November 27, 2021 at 11:07 am

    @sab: mostly not here, but there’s a lot of “DOOOOM the vaccines are useless now, humanity will be exterminated” going around. Also, as I said, the people trying to argue that vaccination makes you catch the new variant.

  181. 181.

    Matt McIrvin

    November 27, 2021 at 11:14 am

    @The Pale Scot: Right now some of the worst outbreaks are in blue states– the South burned itself out from prior infection. When I go home to Massachusetts I’ll be flying back into the plague zone.

  182. 182.

    Another Scott

    November 27, 2021 at 1:17 pm

    @Matt McIrvin: I think rising cases have a lot to do with outside temperatures.  Mississippi’s R is above 1.0 again with 53.7% at 1+ dose, as is my county (Fairfax VA – 75.6% 1+ dose).

    Of course it’s not the only thing, but many/most of the places on fire have been cold. (Scroll down to Risk Levels and plot by County. Note that even in the South, there are scattered green counties.)

    It’s not over… :-(

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  183. 183.

    Scout211

    November 27, 2021 at 1:48 pm

    A follow-up to the most important question about the omicron variant:  just how do we pronounce it?

    Apparently, it is pronounced OH-mi-cron. I listened to several news clips and Dr. Fauci and they are all using the long O sound and the short i sound.

    Not that you care, but now you know. ?

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