49 thoughts on “C-19 Chat Post – December 14 2021”
Thanks TK.
I have a bad feeling that this Covid-19 page will still be quite active one year from today…and beyond. There seems to be no letup from this virus at all. The “variants” just keep coming, taking over from the previous one.
I’m afraid you may be right. I also wonder if other countries will soon start closing borders to the US.
All NFL coaches and staff must receive a booster by December 27. Players not required as of yet.
A repost from last night. Governor baker does not think an indoor mask mandate is needed yet. Meanwhile, CA is preparing to institute an indoor mask mandate. I wonder if Washington state ever ended its. I’ll have to check.
Boston’s has been in effect since…forever it seems.
We went out to a CVS in West Roxbury to have my wife
receive her Moderna Booster (she is doing ok with milder symptoms than the 1st 2 shots).
The whole 2 1/2 miles from our house to the CVS was devoid of traffic and people. It was eerie. It was really noticeable. There were only a few shoppers in the CVS at 7PM on a Saturday evening! I think with the onset of Omicron, people have begun to take notice and adjust their activities. This gives me some hope.
Glad that your wife is doing ok so far JPD. That booster has now become absolutely necessary.
Thanks Philip and yes that Booster is critical!
So glad your wife is all right so far. Will keep positive thoughts. And I think in toward Boston, people have been more respectful of the virus all along. My daughter said when they go into Belmont, even in summer, most people on the street were wearing masks. I know from Mac’s cousin that Brookline folks have been respectful.
Yes, I go to Brookline most every week and indoor masking has returned. Not sure if it’s an official mandate by the town though. I think businesses are just doing it on their own.
The State House has been closed to the public for 630 days since the pandemic began and it’s unlikely it will reopen anytime soon. It is the only state capitol in the nation to remain closed.
I forgot that. Thanks for the reminder. Yet baker says masks are not needed indoors. And my daughter just said she thinks there may be 20 schools that have removed the mask mandate. I need to check on that. But AFAIC one school is one too many.
Warning…..I am close to using language I don’t typically use. I’m so darned frustrated with out blatant stupidity.
I believe Baker is just going through the motions finishing up his last year in office and leaving it up to each municipality to decide what is best. Perhaps if he were running, he would be thinking differently. Just my opinion.
I believe you are correct. I don’t even have words for my opinion of anyone who has taken an oath and then steps aside at a time of crisis
My ex-wife is a judge in the highest appeals court in the Netherlands; penultimate to the Dutch supreme court. Panels of judges decide civil and criminal cases (there is no jury in the Netherlands). A number of groups protested NPI measures, such as mask and distancing mandates, in schools and public indoor spaces. The groups lost in a number of municipal and provincial courts, and then appealed to the highest (national) appeals court. Last week, while my ex-wife was here she presided virtually over a hearing to decide the fate of the legal action brought by the groups opposed to mask mandates. In a ruling, the appeals court – which is a panel of 5 judges, including my ex-wife, decided that mask and distancing mandates were not unconstitutional.
Sign her up! Get her on our Supreme Court!!!
Wow. How amazing, Joshua. I have goosebumps.
I agree with JPD…sign her up.
Adams said a justice could serve on the court for life as long as he didn’t misbehave. I believe more than one at the moment is “misbehaving.”
I had no idea that “Conservatives” were beyond our borders. If those protesters were American citizens, they would definitely be considered Trumpsters.
Sorry. I am clearly grumpy this morning.
Joshua, I do have a question. Why is it recommended that an at home test be taken three days prior to a get together and then the day of as opposed to just the day of.
Good question, and I don’t have an answer.
Thank you. Nor do I 🙁
The Netherlands has extended its so-called evening/night `lockdown’ until mid January. This means that all businesses (even essential ones like pharmacies and supermarkets), restaurants, etc … must close between 5pm and 6am. Also, all schools will be closing later this week, one week earlier than planned, for an extended holiday break. They’ll reopen January 10th.
Well done
Question. Does curbside pickup exist other than in the US?
Yes, though it’s used less frequently.
Even today, most grocery shopping in urban and suburban areas across Europe is done on foot or by bicycle. This will never change, and I’m glad it won’t. Parking lots tend to be puny compared to ours, with very limited parking available. So, when there is `curbside’ pickup it’s usually right-outside-the-store pickup.
Seems rather draconian for those businesses. Restaurants especially will take a huge hit. I don’t like that “5 pm closing” for obvious reasons.
While they do take a hit, it is not huge. The government support systems for restaurants and payments for employees are extensive and NOT loan-based. Very few restaurants have gone under in Amsterdam, for example, during the pandemic. And so while profits have been less – also because there’s been a 60% drop in tourists – they’ve almost all managed to stay in business.
The current Dutch government is very pro business, by the way. It’s conservative. It doesn’t take such measures lightly or impulsively. Its main concern, however, is the healthcare system as a whole, public health, and the impact each major Covid wave has on non-Covid patients. Reducing transmission to manageable levels remains a primary goal.
Note, between March 2020 and now, businesses have mostly been able to operate with only minor restrictions about 60-65% of the time. The other 35-40% of the time they’ve faced a varying degree of restrictions, from total closure early on in the pandemic, to crowd limits, to vaccine passes, to hour limits.
Have such measures worked? Well, if we consider that the Covid-19 death rate (deaths per million inhabitants) is about half the U.S. rate then perhaps we can say they have worked.
It all makes perfect sense to me. Logical measures. And I have a feeling folks will adapt to earlier time closures also, keeping business levels up…maybe not as much as typical but still.
I often mention the small, family owned farm in Sutton. Small refers to the small size of its store as they have upwards of 500 acres. Very shortly after March 2020, it began the most efficient curbside pickup I have seen. The store is open; but for a few, curbside is still available. This is because one daughter told me it was literally the curbside folks who kept its business alive.
We are about a 34 mile area town with a bit over 9,000 people and there is no way for most to bicycle. But ingenuity in a few ….who may well better at running this country than those we have…..is awe inspiring.
That 5 pm closing time would not fly here in the U.S. at all. Restaurant owners complained big time about the 9:30 pm closings here locally as it was.
Businesses in general here have ZERO support from both local and federal governments, for the most part.
Thanks Joshua, very informative.
This is where our media fails Biden. There is some relief. But sadly it is not well reported. I thought I’d heard something but hadn’t seen a lot on it so looked. There is probably more but I found this quickly
Schools also received a good deal of $$ in Esser funds. It is the money I firmly believe should be used (with a limit) to pay for home schooling. It is important to remember that individual families who do not feel their children are safe in school are paying extra money out of pocket.
Philip, I do understand that there are cultural differences, and also the support mechanisms for restaurants are not as comprehensive here as they are elsewhere outside our borders.
I am also not pleading for the same approach here. But, I fear our government is too complacent. We’re also missing leadership.
On the other hand, across Europe, leaders are on TV almost every night, addressing the nation about Covid-19, Omicron, etc … I’m seeing precious little of that here. And it’s a missed opportunity. An unforced error on the part of Biden and his team.
Tonight, for example, the Dutch PM addressed the nation once again. I’ve translated a few fragments of the speech.
“We’re seriously concerned about the Omicron variant. … This is why the current set of mitigation measures, including the evening/night lockdown will be extended through the 14th of January and possibly beyond. And, in the meantime other stricter measures will be considered, because of the concerns hospitals have and our policymakers at the Outbreak Management Team … Of course, none of this is welcome news at Christmas, but following the rules during the holiday period is absolutely critical. This especially includes the three days around Christmas [Christmas Eve, Christmas, and Boxing Day). In fact, if you visit Grandpa and Grandma (opa and oma, in Dutch), during those days please obey the rules on distancing, mask-wearing, and limiting physical contacts. Avoid physical contact between children and those over 70. So, no hugs around the Christmas tree.”
There’s a lot to unpack in this message. To an American it would probably sound too paternalistic. And, some might even take offense to references to Christmas and Christmas trees. Regardless, it’s a very direct message, and something that is totally missing from our leaders. We only seem to focus on vaccinations and boosters – and even then the messaging is murky at times. The Dutch and practically all others also emphasize mitigation.
Thank you for sharing this with us Joshua. I greatly appreciate your efforts to give us a wider view of what is happening around the world.
I love this. I had a friend who had an Opa.
I also thank you for sharing world view and information
Thus far, my perspective on Omicron:
– More transmissible (by a lot, compared to Delta)
– Less severe (modestly, compared to Delta)
It seems that it impacts children more than Delta.
I admit I’ve done some wishful thinking throughout the pandemic. I want this thing to go away, so I try to block out bad scenarios from time to time. You’ll recall that I was skeptical of claims that Omicron would out-compete Delta. Well, as Bill Clinton once said about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky “I was wrong” (just imagine me saying that in an Arkansas accent). https://twitter.com/theosanderson/status/1470799713104535561
Look at the vertical ascent in Omicron. Delta doesn’t appear to stand a chance. It’s like Mohammed Ali in his prime. It looks like that will begin to happen everywhere soon.
I do fear Mr. Biden ain’t really paying attention. Nor is Mr. Baker, and many others I can name.
The pfeizer pill seems to show promise. I do wish they would list adverse reactions. 430 per group seems small to me but perhaps they purposely choose folks with differing immune systems
I am 100% sure that the co-signers on this resolution are ALL “pro-life.” Well, I call b.s. where I see it. And the “pro-life” position of those who won’t adhere to even the simplest and most common sense public health measures is hypocritical.
Pfizer pill shows real promise in high risk patients: 89% reduction in disease severity IF taken within 3 days of initial symptoms. Adverse events are potentially problematic, however. Furthermore, a separate study showed hat the pill did not meet primary end points in standard risk patients, though it did reduce their hospitalizations by 70%. The primary end point referred to was a set of self-reported symptoms in adults at standard risk of developing Covid-19 complications.
The biggest problem with this pill is cost per patient (will it be affordable and paid for?) and do we have adequate testing (prerequisite for pill’s efficacy). The answer to both questions right now is no.
Thanks, Joshua. Have you seen what the risks are that are mentioned in the link above? And do they typically use such small numbers for the study?
The number is not unusual. But, I find it small, given the incidence of disease across the population. Usually, the higher the incidence the larger the numbers of people studied. We can’t glean much from 430 people in a controlled, clinical setting.
Thank you, Joshua. That was my concern also. Pfeizer did this with the 12-18 also. I posted the number a bit ago but forget what it was. It was not high enough yo truly know the risk of myocarditis or pericarditis.
I also do not like that it mentions reactions but glances over them without mentioning.
I’m hearing chatter that a number of Canadian provinces may temporarily close indoor arenas, or have very limited capacity. This includes NHL hockey arenas.
R-value for Omicron across England is currently 5.5.
Daughter is doing a bit better, but still very fatigued (she’s normally extremely energetic), feeling malaise and has a nasty cough, feverish in the afternoon; >5 days into her `mild’ breakthrough case. Good news is that her boyfriend miraculously has tested negative multiple times and feels fine.
C-19 for 12-15 is ready.
Comments are closed.
Your no-hype southeastern New England weather blog!
Thanks TK.
I have a bad feeling that this Covid-19 page will still be quite active one year from today…and beyond. There seems to be no letup from this virus at all. The “variants” just keep coming, taking over from the previous one.
I’m afraid you may be right. I also wonder if other countries will soon start closing borders to the US.
All NFL coaches and staff must receive a booster by December 27. Players not required as of yet.
A repost from last night. Governor baker does not think an indoor mask mandate is needed yet. Meanwhile, CA is preparing to institute an indoor mask mandate. I wonder if Washington state ever ended its. I’ll have to check.
Boston’s has been in effect since…forever it seems.
We went out to a CVS in West Roxbury to have my wife
receive her Moderna Booster (she is doing ok with milder symptoms than the 1st 2 shots).
The whole 2 1/2 miles from our house to the CVS was devoid of traffic and people. It was eerie. It was really noticeable. There were only a few shoppers in the CVS at 7PM on a Saturday evening! I think with the onset of Omicron, people have begun to take notice and adjust their activities. This gives me some hope.
Glad that your wife is doing ok so far JPD. That booster has now become absolutely necessary.
Thanks Philip and yes that Booster is critical!
So glad your wife is all right so far. Will keep positive thoughts. And I think in toward Boston, people have been more respectful of the virus all along. My daughter said when they go into Belmont, even in summer, most people on the street were wearing masks. I know from Mac’s cousin that Brookline folks have been respectful.
Yes, I go to Brookline most every week and indoor masking has returned. Not sure if it’s an official mandate by the town though. I think businesses are just doing it on their own.
The State House has been closed to the public for 630 days since the pandemic began and it’s unlikely it will reopen anytime soon. It is the only state capitol in the nation to remain closed.
I forgot that. Thanks for the reminder. Yet baker says masks are not needed indoors. And my daughter just said she thinks there may be 20 schools that have removed the mask mandate. I need to check on that. But AFAIC one school is one too many.
Warning…..I am close to using language I don’t typically use. I’m so darned frustrated with out blatant stupidity.
I believe Baker is just going through the motions finishing up his last year in office and leaving it up to each municipality to decide what is best. Perhaps if he were running, he would be thinking differently. Just my opinion.
I believe you are correct. I don’t even have words for my opinion of anyone who has taken an oath and then steps aside at a time of crisis
My ex-wife is a judge in the highest appeals court in the Netherlands; penultimate to the Dutch supreme court. Panels of judges decide civil and criminal cases (there is no jury in the Netherlands). A number of groups protested NPI measures, such as mask and distancing mandates, in schools and public indoor spaces. The groups lost in a number of municipal and provincial courts, and then appealed to the highest (national) appeals court. Last week, while my ex-wife was here she presided virtually over a hearing to decide the fate of the legal action brought by the groups opposed to mask mandates. In a ruling, the appeals court – which is a panel of 5 judges, including my ex-wife, decided that mask and distancing mandates were not unconstitutional.
Sign her up! Get her on our Supreme Court!!!
Wow. How amazing, Joshua. I have goosebumps.
I agree with JPD…sign her up.
Adams said a justice could serve on the court for life as long as he didn’t misbehave. I believe more than one at the moment is “misbehaving.”
I had no idea that “Conservatives” were beyond our borders. If those protesters were American citizens, they would definitely be considered Trumpsters.
Sorry. I am clearly grumpy this morning.
Joshua, I do have a question. Why is it recommended that an at home test be taken three days prior to a get together and then the day of as opposed to just the day of.
Good question, and I don’t have an answer.
Thank you. Nor do I 🙁
The Netherlands has extended its so-called evening/night `lockdown’ until mid January. This means that all businesses (even essential ones like pharmacies and supermarkets), restaurants, etc … must close between 5pm and 6am. Also, all schools will be closing later this week, one week earlier than planned, for an extended holiday break. They’ll reopen January 10th.
Well done
Question. Does curbside pickup exist other than in the US?
Yes, though it’s used less frequently.
Even today, most grocery shopping in urban and suburban areas across Europe is done on foot or by bicycle. This will never change, and I’m glad it won’t. Parking lots tend to be puny compared to ours, with very limited parking available. So, when there is `curbside’ pickup it’s usually right-outside-the-store pickup.
Seems rather draconian for those businesses. Restaurants especially will take a huge hit. I don’t like that “5 pm closing” for obvious reasons.
While they do take a hit, it is not huge. The government support systems for restaurants and payments for employees are extensive and NOT loan-based. Very few restaurants have gone under in Amsterdam, for example, during the pandemic. And so while profits have been less – also because there’s been a 60% drop in tourists – they’ve almost all managed to stay in business.
The current Dutch government is very pro business, by the way. It’s conservative. It doesn’t take such measures lightly or impulsively. Its main concern, however, is the healthcare system as a whole, public health, and the impact each major Covid wave has on non-Covid patients. Reducing transmission to manageable levels remains a primary goal.
Note, between March 2020 and now, businesses have mostly been able to operate with only minor restrictions about 60-65% of the time. The other 35-40% of the time they’ve faced a varying degree of restrictions, from total closure early on in the pandemic, to crowd limits, to vaccine passes, to hour limits.
Have such measures worked? Well, if we consider that the Covid-19 death rate (deaths per million inhabitants) is about half the U.S. rate then perhaps we can say they have worked.
It all makes perfect sense to me. Logical measures. And I have a feeling folks will adapt to earlier time closures also, keeping business levels up…maybe not as much as typical but still.
I often mention the small, family owned farm in Sutton. Small refers to the small size of its store as they have upwards of 500 acres. Very shortly after March 2020, it began the most efficient curbside pickup I have seen. The store is open; but for a few, curbside is still available. This is because one daughter told me it was literally the curbside folks who kept its business alive.
We are about a 34 mile area town with a bit over 9,000 people and there is no way for most to bicycle. But ingenuity in a few ….who may well better at running this country than those we have…..is awe inspiring.
That 5 pm closing time would not fly here in the U.S. at all. Restaurant owners complained big time about the 9:30 pm closings here locally as it was.
Businesses in general here have ZERO support from both local and federal governments, for the most part.
Thanks Joshua, very informative.
This is where our media fails Biden. There is some relief. But sadly it is not well reported. I thought I’d heard something but hadn’t seen a lot on it so looked. There is probably more but I found this quickly
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/05/restaurant-revitalization-fund-opens-28-billion-in-grants-up-for-grabs.html
Schools also received a good deal of $$ in Esser funds. It is the money I firmly believe should be used (with a limit) to pay for home schooling. It is important to remember that individual families who do not feel their children are safe in school are paying extra money out of pocket.
https://oese.ed.gov/offices/education-stabilization-fund/elementary-secondary-school-emergency-relief-fund/
Philip, I do understand that there are cultural differences, and also the support mechanisms for restaurants are not as comprehensive here as they are elsewhere outside our borders.
I am also not pleading for the same approach here. But, I fear our government is too complacent. We’re also missing leadership.
On the other hand, across Europe, leaders are on TV almost every night, addressing the nation about Covid-19, Omicron, etc … I’m seeing precious little of that here. And it’s a missed opportunity. An unforced error on the part of Biden and his team.
Tonight, for example, the Dutch PM addressed the nation once again. I’ve translated a few fragments of the speech.
“We’re seriously concerned about the Omicron variant. … This is why the current set of mitigation measures, including the evening/night lockdown will be extended through the 14th of January and possibly beyond. And, in the meantime other stricter measures will be considered, because of the concerns hospitals have and our policymakers at the Outbreak Management Team … Of course, none of this is welcome news at Christmas, but following the rules during the holiday period is absolutely critical. This especially includes the three days around Christmas [Christmas Eve, Christmas, and Boxing Day). In fact, if you visit Grandpa and Grandma (opa and oma, in Dutch), during those days please obey the rules on distancing, mask-wearing, and limiting physical contacts. Avoid physical contact between children and those over 70. So, no hugs around the Christmas tree.”
There’s a lot to unpack in this message. To an American it would probably sound too paternalistic. And, some might even take offense to references to Christmas and Christmas trees. Regardless, it’s a very direct message, and something that is totally missing from our leaders. We only seem to focus on vaccinations and boosters – and even then the messaging is murky at times. The Dutch and practically all others also emphasize mitigation.
Thank you for sharing this with us Joshua. I greatly appreciate your efforts to give us a wider view of what is happening around the world.
I love this. I had a friend who had an Opa.
I also thank you for sharing world view and information
Thus far, my perspective on Omicron:
– More transmissible (by a lot, compared to Delta)
– Less severe (modestly, compared to Delta)
It seems that it impacts children more than Delta.
https://twitter.com/Antonio_Caramia/status/1470806503779188738
I admit I’ve done some wishful thinking throughout the pandemic. I want this thing to go away, so I try to block out bad scenarios from time to time. You’ll recall that I was skeptical of claims that Omicron would out-compete Delta. Well, as Bill Clinton once said about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky “I was wrong” (just imagine me saying that in an Arkansas accent). https://twitter.com/theosanderson/status/1470799713104535561
Look at the vertical ascent in Omicron. Delta doesn’t appear to stand a chance. It’s like Mohammed Ali in his prime. It looks like that will begin to happen everywhere soon.
I do fear Mr. Biden ain’t really paying attention. Nor is Mr. Baker, and many others I can name.
For those on Medicare, your Part B premiums are going up a lot in 2022. And no, it’s not a Covid-19 thing. Rather, it’s because of the possible cost of covering Alzheimer’s treatments. https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshuacohen/2021/12/03/as-medicare-decides-whether-to-pay-for-aduhelm-to-treat-alzheimers-disease-its-future-is-uncertain/?sh=50ce5069a06c
The pfeizer pill seems to show promise. I do wish they would list adverse reactions. 430 per group seems small to me but perhaps they purposely choose folks with differing immune systems
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/12/14/health/pfizer-paxlovid-pills-covid-treatment/index.html
JPD. How is Mrs OS?
Down the list of importance ….. but as a sports fan, I´m wondering if professional sports leagues may need a break soon.
The covid positives showing up on teams the past 5-7 days is rising sharply.
Good question. The cases are climbing. When do playoffs start?
Missouri Attorney General is making it illegal to order someone who tests positive for Covid-19 to isolate and quarantine. https://twitter.com/_mattyflex/status/1469788138893725697
I am 100% sure that the co-signers on this resolution are ALL “pro-life.” Well, I call b.s. where I see it. And the “pro-life” position of those who won’t adhere to even the simplest and most common sense public health measures is hypocritical.
Pfizer pill shows real promise in high risk patients: 89% reduction in disease severity IF taken within 3 days of initial symptoms. Adverse events are potentially problematic, however. Furthermore, a separate study showed hat the pill did not meet primary end points in standard risk patients, though it did reduce their hospitalizations by 70%. The primary end point referred to was a set of self-reported symptoms in adults at standard risk of developing Covid-19 complications.
The biggest problem with this pill is cost per patient (will it be affordable and paid for?) and do we have adequate testing (prerequisite for pill’s efficacy). The answer to both questions right now is no.
Thanks, Joshua. Have you seen what the risks are that are mentioned in the link above? And do they typically use such small numbers for the study?
The number is not unusual. But, I find it small, given the incidence of disease across the population. Usually, the higher the incidence the larger the numbers of people studied. We can’t glean much from 430 people in a controlled, clinical setting.
Thank you, Joshua. That was my concern also. Pfeizer did this with the 12-18 also. I posted the number a bit ago but forget what it was. It was not high enough yo truly know the risk of myocarditis or pericarditis.
I also do not like that it mentions reactions but glances over them without mentioning.
I’m hearing chatter that a number of Canadian provinces may temporarily close indoor arenas, or have very limited capacity. This includes NHL hockey arenas.
R-value for Omicron across England is currently 5.5.
Hospitalizations in London up 38% in one week. https://twitter.com/jneill/status/1470667271429398534
Daughter is doing a bit better, but still very fatigued (she’s normally extremely energetic), feeling malaise and has a nasty cough, feverish in the afternoon; >5 days into her `mild’ breakthrough case. Good news is that her boyfriend miraculously has tested negative multiple times and feels fine.
C-19 for 12-15 is ready.