what all of these IT'S TIME TO OPEN crybabies want to say, but know better than to say publicly, is that what they want is for it to be 2019, and, like, yes, everyone would prefer that, people in hell want ice water, grow up
— GOLIKEHELLMACHINE (@golikehellmachi) February 9, 2022
Fauci says US exiting ‘full blown’ pandemic' as world marks 500K Covid deaths since Omicron https://t.co/Ch86MoUfPC
— MSN International Edition (@msnintl) February 9, 2022
U.S. plans to roll out COVID-19 shots for children under 5 years in February https://t.co/P0ohKDDT5U pic.twitter.com/JBkwDbxpNy
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 9, 2022
You're more likely to die from Covid in the U.S. than other rich nations. The U.S. surpassed 900k deaths over the weekend & may reach 1M by April. Omicron’s high transmissibility may be partly to blame. But low vaccination & booster rates are also reasons https://t.co/juqe3YwRYk
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) February 10, 2022
Vaccination has truly been liberating for a lot of people, which you see both in people’s individual ability to live their lives well again, but also in the collective feeling for the vaxxed-and-relaxed that maybe dying of COVID-19 is now a “you” problem.
— Matt Pearce ? (@mattdpearce) February 9, 2022
'We are not there yet:' As states drop mask rules, the CDC stands firm. The Biden administration says federal masking guidance wouldn't change for now but is seeking advice on a way forward. Winter respiratory viruses—omicron included—are still circulating https://t.co/75TPN3LC0P
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) February 10, 2022
Absolutely wild to me that people want to call for an end to mask mandates like this but alrighty. Guess 2 years of chaos isn’t enough to learn the lesson. https://t.co/wWbupNmFeN
— Edward Nirenberg (@ENirenberg) February 9, 2022
#COVID19 was the No. 2 cause of death in the U.S. last month, our updated analysis finds.
For nearly 2 years, it's regularly been among the top 3 leading causes of death except for a brief period last summer before the delta wave.
w/@PetersonCHealth: https://t.co/PNcBLH61Ph pic.twitter.com/3JYU9aAy8p
— KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation) (@KFF) February 9, 2022
There are more people dying from COVID every day right now than they thought died in a whole month.
— Renee (@paix120) February 8, 2022
======
"Never have so many people been #vaccinated in one year against a single disease than were vaccinated against #COVID19 in 2021, and never has a global #vaccine rollout covered such a large percentage of the population so quickly."https://t.co/dDKXtjKVTp
— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) February 10, 2022
3 countries, Denmark, Netherlands, and Israel, are among the highest for new case rates in the world, with very different patterns for outcomes. 2-shot vaccination rates are 82%, 72%, and 66%, respectively. Boosters 62%, 50%, and 55%.
Supports importance of primary vaccination. pic.twitter.com/rIxlPBYI5O— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) February 9, 2022
Hong Kong COVID infections surge, experts warn could near 30,000 a day https://t.co/EOwi2q25Oe pic.twitter.com/L1l06kShsC
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 10, 2022
Japan's COVID-19 surge shows signs of peaking as curbs extended https://t.co/5K7G9SiPAr pic.twitter.com/9cHzClXMM1
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 10, 2022
South Korea will begin offering Novavax Inc.’s COVID-19 vaccine at hospitals, nursing homes and public health centers next week, adding another tool to fight a fast-developing omicron surge. https://t.co/ZIDzUGXlrR
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 10, 2022
S.Korea turns to self-treatment as Omicron fuels COVID surge https://t.co/VOqf9hhLXO pic.twitter.com/E20eSv76TX
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 10, 2022
COVAX cuts N.Korea's COVID vaccine allotment after no deliveries accepted https://t.co/3hXWoNMV4o pic.twitter.com/nXPeRynRcE
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 10, 2022
The Philippines has lifted a nearly two-year ban on foreign travelers in a lifesaving boost for its tourism and related industries as an omicron-fueled surge eases. https://t.co/mHtEO7Dca7
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 10, 2022
New Zealand cracked down on anti-vaccine mandate protesters, who have camped outside its parliament building for the last three days to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates https://t.co/C34WkhSyk5 pic.twitter.com/O9b24H83tn
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 10, 2022
Coronavirus cases continue to rise rapidly in Tonga, and tests have confirmed that the particularly contagious omicron variant is behind the isolated Pacific island nation’s first community outbreak since the start of the pandemic. https://t.co/pRXJTg3Yvy
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 10, 2022
Paris bans French 'freedom convoy' protests from the capital https://t.co/eYwrLGCNT1 pic.twitter.com/CSOljm2zuL
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 10, 2022
From late February, people in England with COVID-19 will no longer be legally required to self-isolate to stem the spread of COVID-19, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, proposing to speed up existing plans to live with the virus https://t.co/6XJCGGhbZx pic.twitter.com/HIJMyGdAxS
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 9, 2022
Covid rules are to be axed in England, but is pandemic’s end really in sight? https://t.co/UEIa41VJUj
— The Guardian (@guardian) February 9, 2022
Today, the United States donated an additional 88,920 Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses to Haiti through #COVAX. We are proud to partner with @MsppOfficiel to protect Haitian communities. Together we will help end the COVID-19 pandemic. pic.twitter.com/lgAU30qbRM
— Department of State (@StateDept) February 9, 2022
Even I — Cassandra that I am accused of being — could not have imagined in 2020 that the #COVID19 #pandemic would lead to anti-public health protests on this scale. The #CanadaTruckers protests threaten the auto industry & trade between the ?? & ?? with big economic potential. https://t.co/fwPwhfC4Rf
— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) February 9, 2022
======
The missing public health perspective is that our behaviors (interacting with the virus) cause these surges. So putting protections in place early can reduce surges. And keeping those protections in place can drive surges down faster and lower. /2
— Dr Maria Pyra, PhD (@epimom2) February 9, 2022
Why boosters? The human immune system’s ability to remember past infections is one of its hallmarks, but a long-lasting response isn't guaranteed. For some types of infections the immune system requires periodic 'reminders' in the form of booster shots https://t.co/wJiLH55VHw
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) February 10, 2022
Nearly 1 in 3 older adults develop a new condition —#LongCovid —after Covid infection. Conditions involve a range of major organs, including heart, kidneys, lungs & liver— as well as mental health complications. Few LongCovid studies involve people >65 https://t.co/aOyRrlfUoR
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) February 10, 2022
Risk of new heart problems jumps after COVID; mRNA shot side effects no different for cancer patients https://t.co/1o9HiwUrp3 pic.twitter.com/DFaDoAZLYa
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 10, 2022
======
Black children have experienced higher rates of severe COVID.
Not surprisingly, I’ve yet to speak with a Black parent who supports ending masks in schools.
Ironic that the clamor to end masking is happening during a month designed to amplify Black voices. pic.twitter.com/jZVYxq6sOw
— Dr. Taison Bell (@TaisonBell) February 9, 2022
A Kansas Republican Representative who said he doesn’t trust the COVID-19 vaccine a few months ago has been missing all session. He’s now been brought into the Statehouse sick & on oxygen so that he can help override the Congressional Redistricting veto.#ksleg https://t.co/FzgJDBhV68
— Davis Hammet (@Davis_Hammet) February 9, 2022
“Universally available vaccine” that tens of millions of Republicans have chosen not to take, in part because of the great work by ppl like Glenn’s friend Tucker in spreading fear, uncertainty, and doubt about the vaccines. https://t.co/ZuhKxBkEBm
— James Surowiecki (@JamesSurowiecki) February 7, 2022
It’s also a trash take because 30% of those deaths happened between Jan-March, before vaccines were widely available even to seniors. But I’m sure that’s somehow Biden’s fault, too.
As I argued many times, the US’ bad performance vs Covid in 2020 was not all on Trump: the pandemic revealed deep problems with our public-health bureaucracy. But there were specific things Trump did (or did not do) that did clear damage to the pandemic effort. Why deny it?
One problem with Covid intellectually is that it’s now impossible to be a Covid contrarian and be serious, because Covid contrarian positions are now all stupid. (Saying kids shouldn’t wear masks and schools shouldn’t close isn’t contrarian today.) GG’s thread is a case in point.
Basically, you can say true stuff about Covid and be boring, or try to be original, which requires saying stuff that isn’t true. That’s why so much of my writing about Covid takes the form of critique: it’s the only intellectually engaging mode of writing about Covid that’s left.
The one dimension of the Covid debate that remains intellectually interesting is what it tells us about how ppl use and misuse data, present and misrepresent it, interpret and misinterpret it, and how an explosion of information creates its own set of problems.
COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Wednesday/Thursday, Feb. 9-10Post + Comments (88)