Corona Virus: It's a Marathon, Not a Sprint

[Smoove_B]

First U.S. case of the more contagious COVID-19 strain has now been identified in Colorado.

If we were doing genomic mapping to the degree of other nations, we likely would have found out about this a long time ago. It's been pretty much assumed that it's been here and circulating - it was just a matter of ultimately proving it.

Again, the good news is that everything that has been working - wearing masks, not hanging out indoors with people outside your immediate family, etc... works here as well. And since that's happening perfectly everywhere, there's no need to worry.

But seriously. stay vigilant. We're not finished here by a long shot.

Also, this is another reason why the uncontrolled spread scenario is a nightmare. More circulating virus = more chances for genetic drift = more potential trouble.

[Defiant]

If a more infectious version (meaning it has a higher R0 value) does become the dominate strain, it means we'll need to have more people vaccinated to achieve herd immunity (even assuming the efficacy of the vaccines aren't reduced because of the mutation).

[Daehawk]

Family warns others of short visits after losing mother, father to COVID-19 days before Christmas

My sister works in a salon and so just before Thanksgiving my sister got a COVID test and was negative, and she quarantined for three or four days after she got the negative test. I needed a haircut, and she said, 'Well, why don't I just come by and cut your hair so you don't have to come into the salon,'" Joe recalled.
Joe's sister brought their mother with her to his apartment.

"I did not hug my mom; I did not hug my sister. My sister cut my hair, she was masked and all the windows were open," Joe said. "We were distanced in my apartment and then they left. They were over for maybe 40-45 minutes. Later that evening, my sister started to feel symptoms and about three days later I started to feel symptoms," Joe said.

[Daehawk]

Kinda smacks ya in the face to see a nurse or supposedly a nurse...in CA saying the hospitals are full and patients are dying, they're dropping like flies.

[Defiant]

Congressman-elect Luke Letlow, a Republican, has died after being diagnosed with Covid-19, CNN confirmed Tuesday night.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/29/politics ... index.html

[Skinypupy]

41...wow.

[Kraken]

Congressman-elect Luke Letlow, a Republican, has died after being diagnosed with Covid-19, CNN confirmed Tuesday night.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/29/politics ... index.html

So what happens to his seat-elect? Asking for 81 million friends.

[Isgrimnur]

Sorry to hear about his death. His Twitter is full of pictures out pressing the flesh over the last few months, maskless in most of them, as well as a significant number of his constituents.

WaPo

As the coronavirus ravaged Louisiana, Letlow urged residents to follow social distancing guidelines and to listen to doctors, noting that Abraham, a physician, had returned to Louisiana to help treat covid-19 patients.

But photos on his Twitter page show he had an inconsistent record of wearing masks while campaigning, sometimes covering his face at meet-and-greets but also speaking indoors without a mask on to rooms of mask-free residents. At a candidate forum in October, Letlow urged the state to ease pandemic restrictions, saying, “We’re now at a place if we do not open our economy, we’re in real danger.”

Congressman-elect Luke Letlow, a Republican, has died after being diagnosed with Covid-19, CNN confirmed Tuesday night.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/29/politics ... index.html

So what happens to his seat-elect? Asking for 81 million friends.

ThoughtCo

Vacancies in the House of Representatives typically take far longer to fill. The Constitution requires that member of the House be replaced only by an election held in the congressional district of the former representative.

"When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies." -- Article I, Section 2, Clause 4 of the U.S. Constitution

During the first two-year session of a Congress, all states, territories, and the District of Columbia are required by current federal law to hold special elections to fill any vacant House seat.
...
According to the U.S. Constitution and state law, the governor of the state calls for a special election to replace the vacant House seat. The full election cycle must be followed including political party nominating processes, primary elections and a general election, all held in the congressional district involved. The entire process often takes as long as from three to six months.
...
The people of the affected congressional district do not have voting representation in the House during the vacancy period.

[Blackhawk]

I've railed before about how poorly our Governor is doing at controlling this, leading to Indiana doing its best to win the COVID race. The state Republicans have responded by planning legislation to further limit to Governor's powers because he's doing too much.

Have I mentioned that I want out?

[Ralph-Wiggum]

I think South Carolina is going to give Indians a run for it’s money. Our positivity rate yesterday was 27.1%.

[Blackhawk]

I wasn't headed that direction anyway.

[Smoove_B]

"Take this information and make your own decisions"

- Colorado Republican leader as he releases personal information about public health workers online:

“We will publish the names/addresses of these people with no law enforcement abilities,” Hall posted to the Facebook group. “If they want a war, we can give them that but it is time for a revolution.”

Hall outlined his intended targets while announcing the new effort on his own Facebook page.

“If you work for the state, CDPHE, Tri-County or other agencies, you are on the radar, at your homes and elsewhere," Hall wrote. "You want to be Anti-Americans, Patriots are going to show you the errors of your ways. We didn’t ask for this but you brought it on."

The site was taken down, but JFC already.

[Daehawk]

The reds mistake is in thinking the blue doesn't like or doesn't own guns of their own.

[LawBeefaroni]

"Take this information and make your own decisions"

- Colorado Republican leader as he releases personal information about public health workers online:

“We will publish the names/addresses of these people with no law enforcement abilities,” Hall posted to the Facebook group. “If they want a war, we can give them that but it is time for a revolution.”

Hall outlined his intended targets while announcing the new effort on his own Facebook page.

“If you work for the state, CDPHE, Tri-County or other agencies, you are on the radar, at your homes and elsewhere," Hall wrote. "You want to be Anti-Americans, Patriots are going to show you the errors of your ways. We didn’t ask for this but you brought it on."

The site was taken down, but JFC already.

Don't worry, law enforcement is all over it:

The group dedicated to doxing public health workers does not appear to violate any laws, according to Douglas County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Deputy Cocha Heyden.

Heyden said Sheriff Tony Spurlock, seen posing with Hall in photos online, was aware of the page. Heyden said the sheriff’s office would monitor the page and respond if anyone called to report a crime.

[Blackhawk]

Good thing Colorado doesn't have some law like, say....

Every person who, in this state, either orally or by writing, printing, exhibiting, or circulating written or printed words or pictures, shall advocate, teach, incite, propose, aid, abet, encourage, or advise the unlawful injury or destruction of private or public property by the use of physical force, violence, or bodily injury, or the unlawful injury by the use of physical force or violence of any person, or the unlawful taking of human life, as a policy or course of conduct, under circumstances constituting a clear and present danger that violent action will result therefrom, commits a class 6 felony.

[Isgrimnur]

18 U.S. Code § 2261A. Stalking

Whoever—

(1)travels in interstate or foreign commerce or is present within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, or enters or leaves Indian country, with the intent to kill, injure, harass, intimidate, or place under surveillance with intent to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate another person, and in the course of, or as a result of, such travel or presence engages in conduct that—

(A)places that person in reasonable fear of the death of, or serious bodily injury to—

(i)that person;
...
shall be punished as provided in section 2261(b) of this title.

[LawBeefaroni]

18 U.S. Code § 2261A. Stalking

Whoever—

(1)travels in interstate or foreign commerce or is present within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, or enters or leaves Indian country, with the intent to kill, injure, harass, intimidate, or place under surveillance with intent to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate another person, and in the course of, or as a result of, such travel or presence engages in conduct that—

(A)places that person in reasonable fear of the death of, or serious bodily injury to—

(i)that person;
...
shall be punished as provided in section 2261(b) of this title.

Would be a stretch to meet the federal standard.

[Isgrimnur]

He put it up on a website. It crossed state lines. It's federal.

[LawBeefaroni]

He put it up on a website. It crossed state lines. It's federal.

That's the stretch.

[Isgrimnur]

He put it up on a website. It crossed state lines. It's federal.

That's the stretch.

A stretch is making a federal case out of Amish forced beardcutting because the scissors were made in another state.

[LawBeefaroni]

He put it up on a website. It crossed state lines. It's federal.

That's the stretch.

A stretch is making a federal case out of Amish forced beardcutting because the scissors were made in another state.

Where's the commerce?

But here's the more relevant section of the code that may have a chance

(2)with the intent to kill, injure, harass, intimidate, or place under surveillance with intent to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate another person, uses the mail, any interactive computer service or electronic communication service or electronic communication system of interstate commerce, or any other facility of interstate or foreign commerce to engage in a course of conduct that—
(A)places that person in reasonable fear of the death of or serious bodily injury to a person, a pet, a service animal, an emotional support animal, or a horse described in clause (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv) of paragraph (1)(A); or
(B)causes, attempts to cause, or would be reasonably expected to cause substantial emotional distress to a person described in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) of paragraph (1)(A),
shall be punished as provided in section 2261(b) of this title.

[Smoove_B]

It's pretty egregious regardless. A NJ judge was targeted over the summer by a whacko and her son was killed at their home as a result. Bipartisan legislation was quickly proposed in our state, but I guess since public health workers aren't federal judges, they're on they're own.

The idea that a fellow public figure - an elected official no less - would not only collect but then publish and encourage people to do something is beyond disgusting. He should be charged with anything and everything that's even remotely applicable. Let the courts and his lawyers figure out what makes sense.

[LawBeefaroni]

It's pretty egregious regardless. A NJ judge was targeted over the summer by a whacko and her son was killed at their home as a result. Bipartisan legislation was quickly proposed in our state, but I guess since public health workers aren't federal judges, they're on they're own.

The idea that a fellow public figure - an elected official no less - would not only collect but then publish and encourage people to do something is beyond disgusting. He should be charged with anything and everything that's even remotely applicable. Let the courts and his lawyers figure out what makes sense.

The local sheriff, who is buddies with the doxxer, says no crime. We'll have to wait until a health worker gets murdered.

[stessier]

It took a lot of hard work by a small number of people, but we've done it - SC broke the 30% positivity barrier! We're at 31.4% with 2,001 cases today.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

It took a lot of hard work by a small number of people, but we've done it - SC broke the 30% positivity barrier! We're at 31.4% with 2,001 cases today.

Cheers!

[Daehawk]

You're half way to the US daily death number.

[LordMortis]

"Take this information and make your own decisions"

- Colorado Republican leader as he releases personal information about public health workers online:

“We will publish the names/addresses of these people with no law enforcement abilities,” Hall posted to the Facebook group. “If they want a war, we can give them that but it is time for a revolution.”

Hall outlined his intended targets while announcing the new effort on his own Facebook page.

“If you work for the state, CDPHE, Tri-County or other agencies, you are on the radar, at your homes and elsewhere," Hall wrote. "You want to be Anti-Americans, Patriots are going to show you the errors of your ways. We didn’t ask for this but you brought it on."

The site was taken down, but JFC already.

Wow, reap what you sow. Evidence of why I have come to revile so called patriots. Patriots and tyrants in one.

[Smoove_B]

Speaking of terrorists:

BREAKING: Advocate Aurora now says an employee at its Grafton hospital intentionally removed the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from a refrigerator resulting in nearly 500 doses having to be thrown away

The pandemic and events stemming from it continue to genuinely amaze me. So many "never did I think" moments for me as a result of a newly emerging communicable disease. I don't know what surprised me more, that someone would actually do this -or- that there's apparently quite a few people that just think diseases should be allowed to run rampant through populations of people.

[RMC]

Speaking of terrorists:

BREAKING: Advocate Aurora now says an employee at its Grafton hospital intentionally removed the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from a refrigerator resulting in nearly 500 doses having to be thrown away

The pandemic and events stemming from it continue to genuinely amaze me. So many "never did I think" moments for me as a result of a newly emerging communicable disease. I don't know what surprised me more, that someone would actually do this -or- that there's apparently quite a few people that just think diseases should be allowed to run rampant through populations of people.

How anyone could think this is even remotely acceptable is beyond me. You don't want it, fine don't take it. Don't want your kids to take it, fine, you are an idiot, but whatever, but you want to prevent others and cost us all lots of money by destroying things? WTF is wrong with your thought process... Sigh.. And how did someone have access that would do this.. I hope it was a non-clinician, but who knows..

[Defiant]

In a study published in September, researchers from Ohio State University found that out of more than two dozen athletes from the university who tested positive for COVID-19, 30% had cellular heart damage and 15% showed signs of heart inflammation caused by a condition known as myocarditis.

https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/ohio-s ... o-covid-19

Worth pointing out, though, that the study was small and didn't include controls.

[LawBeefaroni]

Speaking of terrorists:

BREAKING: Advocate Aurora now says an employee at its Grafton hospital intentionally removed the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from a refrigerator resulting in nearly 500 doses having to be thrown away

The pandemic and events stemming from it continue to genuinely amaze me. So many "never did I think" moments for me as a result of a newly emerging communicable disease. I don't know what surprised me more, that someone would actually do this -or- that there's apparently quite a few people that just think diseases should be allowed to run rampant through populations of people.

How anyone could think this is even remotely acceptable is beyond me. You don't want it, fine don't take it. Don't want your kids to take it, fine, you are an idiot, but whatever, but you want to prevent others and cost us all lots of money by destroying things? WTF is wrong with your thought process... Sigh.. And how did someone have access that would do this.. I hope it was a non-clinician, but who knows..

Patriots, last stand against evil, etc. The social media echo chamber (and promise of gofundme bailouts) emboldens people.

[RMC]

Speaking of terrorists:

BREAKING: Advocate Aurora now says an employee at its Grafton hospital intentionally removed the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from a refrigerator resulting in nearly 500 doses having to be thrown away

The pandemic and events stemming from it continue to genuinely amaze me. So many "never did I think" moments for me as a result of a newly emerging communicable disease. I don't know what surprised me more, that someone would actually do this -or- that there's apparently quite a few people that just think diseases should be allowed to run rampant through populations of people.

How anyone could think this is even remotely acceptable is beyond me. You don't want it, fine don't take it. Don't want your kids to take it, fine, you are an idiot, but whatever, but you want to prevent others and cost us all lots of money by destroying things? WTF is wrong with your thought process... Sigh.. And how did someone have access that would do this.. I hope it was a non-clinician, but who knows..

Patriots, last stand against evil, etc. The social media echo chamber (and promise of gofundme bailouts) emboldens people.

That boogles my mind. I am a veteran, so actually put my life and time into my "Patriotism'. I would not equate this to any type of "Patriot" that I define. But I get your meaning. It just pisses me off that people would equte this to that. At best this is a terrorist act.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

In a study published in September, researchers from Ohio State University found that out of more than two dozen athletes from the university who tested positive for COVID-19, 30% had cellular heart damage and 15% showed signs of heart inflammation caused by a condition known as myocarditis.

https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/ohio-s ... o-covid-19

Worth pointing out, though, that the study was small and didn't include controls.

I believe that the Florida basketball player that collapsed on the court had previously had Covid and was diagnosed with myocarditis. Super scary stuff.

[Smoove_B]

Wired is at least saying what needs to be said:

If all of this seems to be adding up to a 2021 that looks like 2020: Yes, that’s what the experts predict. Despite the commitment of everyone who participated in social distancing, much of the world is now worse off than in the spring, when lockdowns and mask-wearing first seemed crucial things to do. And vaccines are arriving so heterogeneously that, for some number of months, people who have gotten the shots will be living or working alongside people who are still at risk. A nurse might be protected when her kids have not been; a senior citizen might get the vaccine but be living in a household with fortysomethings who are considered low priority. Until enough people have been vaccinated to establish herd immunity, the safest thing to do is to behave as though everyone is vulnerable.

...

That means there may not be a single moment that feels right for a national rejoicing—which might not be appropriate anyway, given the hundreds of thousands who have died. And even if we get to that point (one long national exhale, if not one loud cheer), it may only mark a pause. Despite the thousands of pieces of research written in 2020, so much about the coronavirus is unknown: How much it will mutate. If infection creates durable immunity. How long vaccine protection will last. Whether it will be a seasonal risk in the same way colds and flu are. And, crucially, whether enough people refuse the possibility of protection, through vaccination or through masks, to leave us all at risk.

Covid could become something we have to be persistently on guard against, the target of regular vaccinations for children or adults. “Eradication is not in the cards,” says Tom Frieden, an infectious disease physician and former CDC director, now president and CEO of the research organization Resolve to Save Lives. “As with measles or other vaccine-preventable diseases, we're going to see outbreaks that need a public health response. We're still going to need to do testing, isolation, contact tracing, and quarantine, and vaccinate around cases and clusters as those occur.”

[Smoove_B]

Warp speed? Not even close as 2020 comes to a end:

Only about 2.8 million Americans had received a COVID-19 vaccine going into the last day of December, putting the United States far short of the government’s target to vaccinate 20 million people this month.

...

“The rapid availability and distribution of so many doses – with 20 million first doses allocated for distribution just 18 days after the first vaccine was granted emergency use authorization – is a testament to the success of Operation Warp Speed,” a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson said in a statement. Doses that have been allocated but not distributed will ship in January.

The government has said that for every dose shipped, it is keeping a second dose in reserve as well as a safety stock, which would bring the total number of vaccine doses closer to 40 million.

...

“The Federal Government has distributed the vaccines to the states. Now it is up to the states to administer. Get moving!” U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted.

Local public heath officials told Reuters that the lack of federal funding for vaccine distribution has prevented them from hiring needed staff.

[LawBeefaroni]

How anyone could think this is even remotely acceptable is beyond me. You don't want it, fine don't take it. Don't want your kids to take it, fine, you are an idiot, but whatever, but you want to prevent others and cost us all lots of money by destroying things? WTF is wrong with your thought process... Sigh.. And how did someone have access that would do this.. I hope it was a non-clinician, but who knows..

Patriots, last stand against evil, etc. The social media echo chamber (and promise of gofundme bailouts) emboldens people.

That boogles my mind. I am a veteran, so actually put my life and time into my "Patriotism'. I would not equate this to any type of "Patriot" that I define. But I get your meaning. It just pisses me off that people would equte this to that. At best this is a terrorist act.

I'm certainty not equating it to patriotism. It's how they perceive it though, and in the name of such, nothing is off the table.

[LawBeefaroni]

In a study published in September, researchers from Ohio State University found that out of more than two dozen athletes from the university who tested positive for COVID-19, 30% had cellular heart damage and 15% showed signs of heart inflammation caused by a condition known as myocarditis.

https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/ohio-s ... o-covid-19

Worth pointing out, though, that the study was small and didn't include controls.

I believe that the Florida basketball player that collapsed on the court had previously had Covid and was diagnosed with myocarditis. Super scary stuff.

A friend of mine went to the ER a month ago with what he thought was a heart attack. Turns out it was COVID.

[$iljanus]

Warp speed? Not even close as 2020 comes to a end:

Only about 2.8 million Americans had received a COVID-19 vaccine going into the last day of December, putting the United States far short of the government’s target to vaccinate 20 million people this month.

...

“The rapid availability and distribution of so many doses – with 20 million first doses allocated for distribution just 18 days after the first vaccine was granted emergency use authorization – is a testament to the success of Operation Warp Speed,” a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson said in a statement. Doses that have been allocated but not distributed will ship in January.

The government has said that for every dose shipped, it is keeping a second dose in reserve as well as a safety stock, which would bring the total number of vaccine doses closer to 40 million.

...

“The Federal Government has distributed the vaccines to the states. Now it is up to the states to administer. Get moving!” U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted.

Local public heath officials told Reuters that the lack of federal funding for vaccine distribution has prevented them from hiring needed staff.

Not unexpected from the man who threw paper towels to a crowd after a devastating hurricane and called it a day.

All this talk of "American Exceptionalism" is right. We're exceptional when it comes to our capacity for ignorance, cruelty, indifference, etc.

[LawBeefaroni]

Warp speed? Not even close as 2020 comes to a end:

Only about 2.8 million Americans had received a COVID-19 vaccine going into the last day of December, putting the United States far short of the government’s target to vaccinate 20 million people this month.

...

“The rapid availability and distribution of so many doses – with 20 million first doses allocated for distribution just 18 days after the first vaccine was granted emergency use authorization – is a testament to the success of Operation Warp Speed,” a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson said in a statement. Doses that have been allocated but not distributed will ship in January.

The government has said that for every dose shipped, it is keeping a second dose in reserve as well as a safety stock, which would bring the total number of vaccine doses closer to 40 million.

...

“The Federal Government has distributed the vaccines to the states. Now it is up to the states to administer. Get moving!” U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted.

Local public heath officials told Reuters that the lack of federal funding for vaccine distribution has prevented them from hiring needed staff.

Not unexpected from the man who threw paper towels to a crowd after a devastating hurricane and called it a day.

All this talk of "American Exceptionalism" is right. We're exceptional when it comes to our capacity for ignorance, cruelty, indifference, etc.

It's the Trump trademark. Ostentatious gold letters on absolute shit product.

[stessier]

It took a lot of hard work by a small number of people, but we've done it - SC broke the 30% positivity barrier! We're at 31.4% with 2,001 cases today.

Cheers!

Fortunately it dropped today! 31.2% and 3300+ cases.