Coronavirus All Purpose Thread: moving on?

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Philadelphia just reinstituted their indoor mask mandate.

https://6abc.com/philadelphia-covid-...illy/11738071/

[Sliver]

I'm masking everywhere again including at work.

Had some old moron questioning me on the mask yesterday. He couldn't believe I wouldn't just drink warm rum mixed with butter to ward off Covid. What a fataing idiot.

[dissentowner]

So tried going back to regular activities masked today. Went for a walk and half an hour in I had the sweats and felt wiped. Not ready yet I guess.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I'm masking everywhere again including at work.

Had some old moron questioning me on the mask yesterday. He couldn't believe I wouldn't just drink warm rum mixed with butter to ward off Covid. What a fataing idiot.

You own your own business IIRC? Out of curiosity does this apply to you personally or to anyone who works with you? I'm seeing some businesses requesting the clients mask up, have not seen any yet that have made it mandatory again for employees (I'm in the O&G sector, office based).

[Manhattanboy]

Seems that the case for mask mandates and restrictions is much stronger now than in earlier waves of the pandemic.

Of course that will not happen. With vaccine immunity waning (almost every adult I know had their boosters at least 4 months ago) you have to think people are going to get more serious symptoms.

I was somewhat lucky, tested positive three weeks ago, sore throat, headaches and fatigue, but I was back playing hockey 10 days later.

So for the time being I guess I feel somewhat immune. At least no rush to get a 4th shot.

The disappointing news from some reading I have done is that it seems early results of the Pfizer Omicron specific vaccines are not showing any more success in preventing infections than the current vaccines.

[Fuzz]

https://health-infobase.canada.ca/co...n-coverage/#a3


Alberta has pretty dismal third dose uptake, so we are pretty vulnerable. But other provinces aren't great, either. I'm not really sure why you wouldn't go for your third dose at this point, it should be well known it reduces severity of Omicron. Why would you want to be more sick?

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

You own your own business IIRC? Out of curiosity does this apply to you personally or to anyone who works with you? I'm seeing some businesses requesting the clients mask up, have not seen any yet that have made it mandatory again for employees (I'm in the O&G sector, office based).

I'm not making any rules on it. I'm literally the only one wearing one (and have been since early last week). I know it would be better if everyone did, but it's not a rule I feel like instituting.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I'm masking everywhere again including at work.

Had some old moron questioning me on the mask yesterday. He couldn't believe I wouldn't just drink warm rum mixed with butter to ward off Covid. What a fataing idiot.

I haven’t stopped wearing one personally. It’s been interesting in Guelph, my anecdotal observations since the mandate was lifted has been ~85% voluntary mask wearing in every store I’ve been to. Staff even higher.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

I haven’t stopped wearing one personally. It’s been interesting in Guelph, my anecdotal observations since the mandate was lifted has been ~85% voluntary mask wearing in every store I’ve been to. Staff even higher.

In Calgary I'm not seeing a lot of masking where I go, TBH. In grocery stores people seem to, but maybe because everyone has to get groceries so you're going to see people in there who you won't see at - say - a movie theater.

[Manhattanboy]

Just hoping we get through the NHL playoffs without capacity limits.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Sliver

In Calgary I'm not seeing a lot of masking where I go, TBH. In grocery stores people seem to, but maybe because everyone has to get groceries so you're going to see people in there who you won't see at - say - a movie theater.

From my experience much depends on what environment it is. For example restaurants is practically zero (by customers), in retail it seems to be climbing although I would say still less than 50%. This is for customers, it seems way more staff are masking than customers regardless of the environment.

Office environment it is near zero.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Just hoping we get through the NHL playoffs without capacity limits.

I don't think that will be an issue in the US. Canada maybe more of a chance, however we're looking at Alberta and Ontario only so draw your own conclusion as to how each provincial government may handle it.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Considering Kenny said just 4 days ago in his speech that he wishes we could be more like Florida, there’s a zero percent chance we ever have any mandates again of any kind.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Considering Kenny said just 4 days ago in his speech that he wishes we could be more like Florida, there’s a zero percent chance we ever have any mandates again of any kind.

Given today's weather, perhaps he was referring to the climate.

[ikaris]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

https://health-infobase.canada.ca/co...n-coverage/#a3


Alberta has pretty dismal third dose uptake, so we are pretty vulnerable. But other provinces aren't great, either. I'm not really sure why you wouldn't go for your third dose at this point, it should be well known it reduces severity of Omicron. Why would you want to be more sick?

Easy; probably got Omicron already. Why bother?

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by ikaris

Easy; probably got Omicron already. Why bother?

Because with prior infection and a booster, they found 74.4% protection vs 51.7% with 2 doses and prior infection. against BA.1. It's even better against BA.2.

While prior infection provided 50.2% effectiveness against symptomatic BA.1 infection, the primary vaccination of two-dose BNT162b2 vaccination provided negligible protection at -4.9%. Hybrid immunity gained from prior infection and the two-dose vaccination provided protection at effectiveness similar to that of only prior infection at 51.7%.


The effectiveness of a three-dose vaccination regimen was observed at 59.6%, whereas the effectiveness of hybrid immunity of prior infection and a three-dose vaccination was highest at 74.4%.

*pre-print study.





https://www.news-medical.net/news/20...1-and-BA2.aspx


Plus, who knows what comes next? If you only had 2 doses, chances are they were a long time ago.

[Izzle]

Any indications that a fourth dose might be required? I received my 3rd booster back in Christmas 2021, ie 3+ months back.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Because with prior infection and a booster, they found 74.4% protection vs 51.7% with 2 doses and prior infection. against BA.1. It's even better against BA.2.



*pre-print study.





https://www.news-medical.net/news/20...1-and-BA2.aspx


Plus, who knows what comes next? If you only had 2 doses, chances are they were a long time ago.

So we should start having Covid parties again because without prior infection we aren't getting maximum protection.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

So we should start having Covid parties again because without prior infection we aren't getting maximum protection.

That's a pretty dumb take. The fact is, no matter what your previous infection state, boosters offer additional protection. Other than chart B, every other one shows a significant improvement between 2 and 3 doses, particularity BA.2, which is what we should be concerned with now, given it is ~75% of provincial infections.

Had people gotten boosted last month(when people like Ikaris said it was useless),They'd take their protection against illness from zero to 52%, and if they were already infected(which Ikaris claims makes the booster pointless) they'd get 77% protection(vs 55%). In any case, you have less chance of getting sick. If I were an employer, I'd be pissed if people had to take a week or 2 off because they hadn't bothered with a booster.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

That's a pretty dumb take. The fact is, no matter what your previous infection state, boosters offer additional protection. Other than chart B, every other one shows a significant improvement between 2 and 3 doses, particularity BA.2, which is what we should be concerned with now, given it is ~75% of provincial infections.

Had people gotten boosted last month(when people like Ikaris said it was useless),They'd take their protection against illness from zero to 52%, and if they were already infected(which Ikaris claims makes the booster pointless) they'd get 77% protection(vs 55%). In any case, you have less chance of getting sick. If I were an employer, I'd be pissed if people had to take a week or 2 off because they hadn't bothered with a booster.

The fact is that without natural immunity, prior infection, you are not getting maximum protection.