All About Vaccines

[Jim Kelly]

I think it's the information bubble that steers people into alternate realities. If you're not aware that your devices are deliberately feeding you information that confirms your bias, you can believe what you see in your feed is completely true. And the further you go down that path, the harder it becomes to change your paradigm.

We always must question everything we think we know. Even if something seems absolutely true, you need to investigate that and find alternative sources of information. Be a critical thinker.

[Phoenixx9]

Besides the vaccines, do you all think people are following social distance and mask wearing?

I have seen the majority of people not wearing masks in public places and have even experienced people encrouching upon my space when in a store, almost all of them non-mask wearing.

[Kirby101]

Besides the vaccines, do you all think people are following social distance and mask wearing?

I have seen the majority of people not wearing masks in public places and have even experienced people encrouching upon my space when in a store, almost all of them non-mask wearing.

Depends where you live, in New York, most are, and businesses, especially restaurants, are enforcing it. Though people outside are not wearing masks as much. More are since Omicron.

[CaptainEurope]

Besides the vaccines, do you all think people are following social distance and mask wearing?

I have seen the majority of people not wearing masks in public places and have even experienced people encrouching upon my space when in a store, almost all of them non-mask wearing.

Here in Germany, the vast majority of people are sticking to the rules. The conductors on the bus today checked tickets as well as covid measures today (proof of recent test, vaccination or recovery), and everyone on the bus had followed the rules.
There are often people sliding their masks under their noses on the trains, though.

[Tami]

Long COVID could become Finland's largest chronic disease, warns minister

(Reuters) - “Long COVID”, where symptoms of COVID-19 persist for months after an initial infection, could be emerging as a chronic disease in Finland, Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Krista Kiuru said on Friday.

Speaking at a news conference, she referred to a Finnish expert panel’s summary of more than 4,000 international studies which showed one in two adults and around 2% of children may experience prolonged symptoms connected to COVID-19.

“There is a threat that Finland will see the emergence of the largest, or one of the largest, new groups of chronic diseases, and that not only too many adults will suffer from a long-term COVID-19, but at worst also children,” Kiuru said.

The Finnish institute of health and welfare considers an illness chronic when it has a major impact on public health and the national economy through lowered working capacity and strains on healthcare.

The summary published by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health said long COVID was more likely when the initial infection had required hospitalisation, but it might also occur after a mild or asymptomatic infection.

[JB]

The AMA is disagreeing with the CDC guildlines of five day quarantine with no test requirements.

California's new guidelines for healthcare workers announced yesterday are causing a major stir as well.

California eliminates quarantine for some health care workers who get COVID-19
https://www.ksbw.com/article/califor...kers/38703154#

Health care workers who test positive and are asymptomatic for COVID-19 are allowed to return to work immediately, according to new guidelines announced Saturday by the California State Department of Public Health. No quarantine or testing is required.

The latest rules go on to say that health care providers who have been "exposed and asymptomatic may return to work immediately without quarantine and without testing." However, an N-95 respirator must be worn.

Unrelated, but the CDC Director disclosed on Good Morning America over the weekend that "the overwhelming number of deaths, over 75%, occurred in people who had at least four co-morbidities. So really these are people that were unwell to begin with."

[thwhtGuardian]

I think it's the information bubble that steers people into alternate realities. If you're not aware that your devices are deliberately feeding you information that confirms your bias, you can believe what you see in your feed is completely true. And the further you go down that path, the harder it becomes to change your paradigm.

We always must question everything we think we know. Even if something seems absolutely true, you need to investigate that and find alternative sources of information. Be a critical thinker.

Eh, you're giving anti-vaxxers too much credit, this isn't just simple confirmation bias...we're talking about people who were far from the brightest bulbs in the pack to begin with. Low intelligence people + poor/fake information = bad decisions.

[Jim Kelly]

Eh, you're giving anti-vaxxers too much credit, this isn't just simple confirmation bias...we're talking about people who were far from the brightest bulbs in the pack to begin with. Low intelligence people + poor/fake information = bad decisions.

But that is an information bubble. This existed long before the internet--it's just that social media takes advantage of it. I still remember years ago, when I was a teen-ager, talking to my brother-in-law (when he was in his early tweinties) and being dumbfounded that he didn't know basic geography. I just couldn't believe someone could have so little intellectual curiosity that they wouldn't want to know where places are in the world.

People are like that. Even very intelligent people can be stupid about a lot of things, because they believe it's not important to know Babe Ruth was a left-handed pitcher.

Social media trolls for stupidity. I think that's why they look for conspiracy nuts. If someone believes the Earth is flat or the moon-landings were faked, then they are a pigeon. Target those people and you can suck them into your scams, get them to give up vital information--they're ripe for the taking.

[thwhtGuardian]

But that is an information bubble. This existed long before the internet--it's just that social media takes advantage of it. I still remember years ago, when I was a teen-ager, talking to my brother-in-law (when he was in his early tweinties) and being dumbfounded that he didn't know basic geography. I just couldn't believe someone could have so little intellectual curiosity that they wouldn't want to know where places are in the world.

People are like that. Even very intelligent people can be stupid about a lot of things, because they believe it's not important to know Babe Ruth was a left-handed pitcher.

Social media trolls for stupidity. I think that's why they look for conspiracy nuts. If someone believes the Earth is flat or the moon-landings were faked, then they are a pigeon. Target those people and you can suck them into your scams, get them to give up vital information--they're ripe for the taking.

It's not an information bubble, it's just plain ignorance...it's just easier to see now because it literally means life or death. Where as before you could try and blame the differences on things like information bubbles, confirmation bias and political differences with those differences leading to where we are now the reality is much simpler: there are ignorant mouth breathers and there's everyone else.

[CaptainEurope]

Eh, you're giving anti-vaxxers too much credit, this isn't just simple confirmation bias...we're talking about people who were far from the brightest bulbs in the pack to begin with. Low intelligence people + poor/fake information = bad decisions.

Sadly, there are always a few orthopedists and dentists to lend an aura of respectability to the Antivax movement.

Especially here in Germany, there is a shocking percentage of medical doctors who "also" believe in utter quackery like Homeopathy.

[JB]

Geraldo Rivera tests positive for COVID
https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavi...jcy-story.html

“It got me. Despite 2 shots of Moderna + Pfizer booster-last Wednesday I tested positive for Covid,” Rivera wrote in a tweet. “Symptoms minimal – mostly scratchy throat that disappeared in hours – never any fever or loss of taste.”

AOC tests positive for Covid after controversial Florida trip
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...-b1989750.html

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has tested positive for Covid-19 just days after she was spotted maskless in Florida.

The New York representative is experiencing symptoms and is “recovering at home”, a statement from her office said on Sunday. “The congresswoman received her booster shot this fall and encourages everyone to get their booster and follow all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance,” it added.

Her test result came just days after she was seen partying without a mask at a packed outdoor event in Miami, even as Covid-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant of the coronavirus continue to soar across the United States.

[JB]

Spain to monitor COVID like the common flu
https://murciatoday.com/spain-to-mon...-129-roes.html

The Spanish president believes the time is right to treat coronavirus as an endemic disease

As Spain continues to ride the sixth wave of the pandemic, President Sánchez has confirmed that for “weeks” now his government has been examining the possibility of treating Covid less like a pandemic disease and more like the annual flu, a system that would cut down on the reporting of national and local daily figures.

“I believe that we have the conditions so that, with caution and little by little, we begin to evaluate the evolution of this disease with different parameters [similar to those used in the flu],” Mr Sánchez announced on Monday January 10.

The president plans to raise his suggestion with the Centre for Coordination of Health Alerts and Emergencies (CCAES) and with the Alerts Report, and indicated that Spain’s Minister of Health has already discussed the strategy with different European ministers. Mr Sánchez believes the time is ripe for change, given that the lethality of Covid has been reduced drastically between the first wave and the sixth: from 13% to 1%.

[JackDaw]

See Noval Djokovic has managed to over-turn (for now) Australian governments attempt to deport him…thereby allowing him to play in Australian Tennis Open in spite of his unvaccinated status.

He won on the grounds of having had a positive PCR test on 16th December (thereby allowing him a three month grace period before Australia’s laws require vaccination.) But in the two days after 16th he attended indoor events where he was in close proximity to many other people. He really does appear to be selfish.

[Darkspellmaster]

See Noval Djokovic has managed to over-turn (for now) Australian governments attempt to deport him…thereby allowing him to play in Australian Tennis Open in spite of his unvaccinated status.

He won on the grounds of having had a positive PCR test on 16th December (thereby allowing him a three month grace period before Australia’s laws require vaccination.) But in the two days after 16th he attended indoor events where he was in close proximity to many other people. He really does appear to be selfish.

And to no ones surprise he's being a a selfish jerk. Wasn't he the same player that busted his racket a few years back because he was angry and threw it?

[JackDaw]

And to no ones surprise he's being a a selfish jerk. Wasn't he the same player that busted his racket a few years back because he was angry and threw it?

He did throw a racket in the French Open..narrowly missing a line judge. Think he got away with a warning that time.

Then later in an American Open, frustrated with losing a point, he took a hard random swing at a ball and did hit line judge that time. That’s an automatic tournament disqualification…a rule all the players know..but he still argued with the umpire for 10 minutes before accepting the decision.

To be fair, all the players have to be completely driven.