COVID Being brought under Control

[BritsAbroad]

On 3/19/2021 at 12:45 AM, ldubs said:

 

I was referring to the US.  Please read all of my post before dropping such a silly conclusion on what I said.    

Oh...I wouldnt say silly. I really really want you to be right 👍. I didn't mean to offend. I hope beyond hope we get this sorted before the new variants take hold. As many EU countries thought they were returning to normal too! (I doubt you'll want to read all of this, but try if you can 🙂  as its the latest info we have) Here in the UK we have (mostly) the new 50% more infectious B.1.1.7 variant (& sadly the second highest death rate in the world)   https://www.forbes.com/sites/victoriaforster/2021/03/15/uk-coronavirus-variant-significantly-more-deadly-says-new-study/?sh=f6a79506a1e6 This is the variant causing the current EU crisis.  Lockdowns ahoy. Italy, France, Poland & Germany are some of this mornings headlines here.  The US currently have just over 5.5k cases of B.1.1.7. with Florida hit the most. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/transmission/variant-cases.html  BUT what is worrying is that the more infectious B.1.1.7 variant has taken on the deadlier E484K African/Brazilian mutation. https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n359  A B.1.1.7 & E484K mutation is dire. It can infect those who have just recovered from Covid, and can bypass the exisiting vaccination protection. Anywhere in the world. The longer its circulating in places with less effective social distancing & vaccinations. The more new hardcore variants will kick off & infect everyone else! Apologies if all that was a bit 'wordy', I tried to make it short. 🙂  I generally prefer to stay on the positive side of things...but this is more a cross your fingers with the facts scenario. Basically. I'm on team 'lets get this sorted so I never have to hear about Covid ever again'.....and I really really really need a family holiday......and I don't want my Christmas Caribbean & NY cruise to be cancelled!!! 🌎🛳️👍

[njhorseman]

7 hours ago, ldubs said:

Unless I'm mistaken and Fauci is not our top Public Health spokesman.

However he is chief medical advisor to President  Biden so he does speak for the administration.

[evandbob]

I can only hope that the OP's statement that COVID is "being brought under control" is true.

 

I hope it is not laying low (plateauing) and that we won't have to play "whackavirus" with emerging variants.

 

I'll just take a wait and see attitude for now until more trends and data emerges.  We have both shots, but are in no hurry to cruise yet.

[Hlitner]

9 hours ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

We will see if those cruises actually sail😆. There have been too many announced sailings that have been backtracked for me to believe it will happen till a ship is leaving port😜.

We have had 5 cruises cancelled since last April.  But these cruises from the Bahamas and St Maarten will likely happen as there does not seem to be any entity that will shut them down.  Apparently RCI/Celebrity already has the necessary support from the involved government and these cruises are beyond the reach of our USA  Centers for Disease Control (CDC) who seems to have an agenda of throwing roadblocks up to prevent cruises involving US ports.  Eventually the CDC will relent but they have certainly been "slow walking" the process to restart cruising.

 

I can also see these cruises being helpful to the CDC as they are apparently going to follow a careful protocol using both vaccinations and testing.  If these cruises are successful it might encourage the CDC to adopt similar criteria.  If they fail....that could be a real disaster for the cruise industry.

 

Hank

[ilikeanswers]

13 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

We have had 5 cruises cancelled since last April.  But these cruises from the Bahamas and St Maarten will likely happen as there does not seem to be any entity that will shut them down.  Apparently RCI/Celebrity already has the necessary support from the involved government and these cruises are beyond the reach of our USA  Centers for Disease Control (CDC) who seems to have an agenda of throwing roadblocks up to prevent cruises involving US ports.  Eventually the CDC will relent but they have certainly been "slow walking" the process to restart cruising.

 

I can also see these cruises being helpful to the CDC as they are apparently going to follow a careful protocol using both vaccinations and testing.  If these cruises are successful it might encourage the CDC to adopt similar criteria.  If they fail....that could be a real disaster for the cruise industry.

 

Hank

 

Bahamas has shut it's borders suddenly before when there was an uptake in COVID. From what I understand they are currently vaccinating and with such a small population you would think they would get through everyone by June but I think if we have learnt anything from the last year you just can't count those chicken till the eggs have hatched😕.

[clo]

10 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Yikes. I guess it is because Fauci always references CDC.  Anyway,  thanks for he correction, but replace CDC with NIH (I hope that is right) and my point remains the same.   Unless I'm mistaken and Fauci is not our top Public Health spokesman.   I understand caution is urged and don't disagree.  But it is the same message we have been hearing for months, literally.   Might be losing effectiveness.   

I guess if we're told what to do and we don't do it then the message gets repeated. When they talk to us, sure, it's not the photo op of hundreds on the beach not doing anything right. And if they were only killing themselves (deliberately being dramatic!!!) I'd say go for it.

[ldubs]

4 hours ago, njhorseman said:

However he is chief medical advisor to President  Biden so he does speak for the administration.

 

Yes, that is my understanding of his role too.  

[ldubs]

5 hours ago, BritsAbroad said:

Oh...I wouldnt say silly. I really really want you to be right 👍. I didn't mean to offend. I hope beyond hope we get this sorted before the new variants take hold. As many EU countries thought they were returning to normal too! (I doubt you'll want to read all of this, but try if you can 🙂  as its the latest info we have) Here in the UK we have (mostly) the new 50% more infectious B.1.1.7 variant (& sadly the second highest death rate in the world)   https://www.forbes.com/sites/victoriaforster/2021/03/15/uk-coronavirus-variant-significantly-more-deadly-says-new-study/?sh=f6a79506a1e6 This is the variant causing the current EU crisis.  Lockdowns ahoy. Italy, France, Poland & Germany are some of this mornings headlines here.  The US currently have just over 5.5k cases of B.1.1.7. with Florida hit the most. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/transmission/variant-cases.html  BUT what is worrying is that the more infectious B.1.1.7 variant has taken on the deadlier E484K African/Brazilian mutation. https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n359  A B.1.1.7 & E484K mutation is dire. It can infect those who have just recovered from Covid, and can bypass the exisiting vaccination protection. Anywhere in the world. The longer its circulating in places with less effective social distancing & vaccinations. The more new hardcore variants will kick off & infect everyone else! Apologies if all that was a bit 'wordy', I tried to make it short. 🙂  I generally prefer to stay on the positive side of things...but this is more a cross your fingers with the facts scenario. Basically. I'm on team 'lets get this sorted so I never have to hear about Covid ever again'.....and I really really really need a family holiday......and I don't want my Christmas Caribbean & NY cruise to be cancelled!!! 🌎🛳️👍

 

Thanks and no worries.   Probably my bad.  

 

What you mention reminds me of something I read recently from our Dr Fauci.  He says the best way to handle the variants was to get everyone vaccinated as soon as possible so they (the variants) don't have a chance to get started.   We are happily moving in that direction.  

 

Our youngest lives and works in France.  The lockdown is a tough situation.     

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, clo said:

I guess if we're told what to do and we don't do it then the message gets repeated. When they talk to us, sure, it's not the photo op of hundreds on the beach not doing anything right. And if they were only killing themselves (deliberately being dramatic!!!) I'd say go for it.

 

Yes, but that has nothing to do with what I was mentioning.   

[BritsAbroad]

41 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

Thanks and no worries.   Probably my bad.  

 

What you mention reminds me of something I read recently from our Dr Fauci.  He says the best way to handle the variants was to get everyone vaccinated as soon as possible so they (the variants) don't have a chance to get started.   We are happily moving in that direction.  

 

Our youngest lives and works in France.  The lockdown is a tough situation.     

Absolutely agree. The faster this is removed from the masses the better for everyone. I've been Pfizer'd. But the UK is now saying even those double dose vaccinated will be having 'another' vaccination this autumn...because the exisiting vaccination no longer protects enough for the new variants already. Fingers crossed things get moving.....

[Aplmac]

37 minutes ago, BritsAbroad said:

Absolutely agree.

The faster this is removed from the masses

- the better for everyone.

 

I've been Pfizer'd. But the UK is now saying even those double dose vaccinated will be having 'another' vaccination this autumn...

because the existing vaccination no longer protects enough

for the new variants already. Fingers crossed things get moving.....

 

I've been AstraZeneca'd (expecting second shot 5th. May)

and I entirely agree with having another vaccination later in the year

hopefully something different again (J&J one-shot?)

It seems to be the only way....to vaccinate our way

out of this curse upon us!

 

 

[clo]

3 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Yes, but that has nothing to do with what I was mentioning.   

You wrote

" But it is the same message we have been hearing for months, literally.   Might be losing effectiveness."

 

But it's the facts. It's the same message cause people haven't been doing what they should do. What would be a new message that you would suggest?   

[CruiserBruce]

28 minutes ago, clo said:

You wrote

" But it is the same message we have been hearing for months, literally.   Might be losing effectiveness."

 

But it's the facts. It's the same message cause people haven't been doing what they should do. What would be a new message that you would suggest?   

Plus, if Fauci says, after considering the situation, that a new focus or direction is appropriate, the screaming of "they are moving the goalposts again!!!" is deafening, as if everyone in the internet world,  with their years of pandemic management expertise, think there is one tried and true management schedule that you can set your watch by. Fauci and the other medical and scientific personnel can't win for losing.

[ldubs]

49 minutes ago, clo said:

You wrote

" But it is the same message we have been hearing for months, literally.   Might be losing effectiveness."

 

But it's the facts. It's the same message cause people haven't been doing what they should do. What would be a new message that you would suggest?   

 

Yes, I did write that.  I thought it very clear we were talking about your comment on the plateau concern.  Had nothing to do with people doing beach parties.   I never said we should not follow Fauci's guidance.  I said the communication needs improvement and I did make a suggestion.   

 

[ldubs]

42 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Plus, if Fauci says, after considering the situation, that a new focus or direction is appropriate, the screaming of "they are moving the goalposts again!!!" is deafening, as if everyone in the internet world,  with their years of pandemic management expertise, think there is one tried and true management schedule that you can set your watch by. Fauci and the other medical and scientific personnel can't win for losing.

 

There is always that group that will attack everything that is said.  Setting them aside, I think another part of the problem is people only see snippets of what the experts say.  

 

The COVID briefing yesterday was pretty good and provided explanations for needed actions.   I think some of the comments were over the head of the average person (like me), but in large, I thought it was pretty good info.  What I want is a clear understanding of the game plan.   What is getting us to the end zone.   Sadly, many folks don't even know about the briefing much less see the whole thing.  They only hear of the more sensational quotes, which in many cases can be out of context.   

 

 

 

[clo]

49 minutes ago, ldubs said:

I said the communication needs improvement and I did make a suggestion.   

And I guess I still missed it. Sorry.

[ldubs]

3 minutes ago, clo said:

And I guess I still missed it. Sorry.

 

No worries & no need to apologize.   I just think more can are done to pull everyone together.

[clo]

1 minute ago, ldubs said:

 

No worries & no need to apologize.   I just think more can are done to pull everyone together.

We were chatting this afternoon with a pharmacist we've come to know. Like us he's furious that people are getting their 'info' through FB and the like.

[ldubs]

42 minutes ago, clo said:

We were chatting this afternoon with a pharmacist we've come to know. Like us he's furious that people are getting their 'info' through FB and the like.

 

Maybe we should force FB to post a weekly status recap on ever user's feed including a reinforcement of the game plan that will lead to success.  

 

"Press like if you want the pandemic to end"  

[ilikeanswers]

1 hour ago, ldubs said:

Maybe we should force FB to post a weekly status recap on ever user's feed including a reinforcement of the game plan that will lead to success.  

 

"Press like if you want the pandemic to end"  

 

"share with 10 friends if you don't want to get COVID19" 😜

[BoozinCroozin]

17 hours ago, Hlitner said:

 Apparently RCI/Celebrity already has the necessary support from the involved government and these cruises are beyond the reach of our USA  Centers for Disease Control (CDC) who seems to have an agenda of throwing roadblocks up to prevent cruises involving US ports. 

If covid is/was as bad as the CDC stated, all mass transit would have been shutdown. All entry into the US would have been blocked and terminated back in March 2020. The real issue is who is lining the pockets of politicians. 

Edited March 21, 2021 by BoozinCroozin

[ilikeanswers]

10 minutes ago, BoozinCroozin said:

If covid is/was as bad as the CDC stated, all mass transit would have been shutdown.

 

But then how would essential workers get to work😳?

[BoozinCroozin]

1 minute ago, ilikeanswers said:

But then how would essential workers get to work😳?

I am sure many people labelled as essential are not essential. WalMart, Home Depot, Lowe's are not essential businesses. Extended car warranty companies are not essential. And if there was a need for mass transit ONLY for essential workers, that could be an exception. But, determining essential vs non-essential is a joke. 

[ilikeanswers]

14 minutes ago, BoozinCroozin said:

I am sure many people labelled as essential are not essential. WalMart, Home Depot, Lowe's are not essential businesses. Extended car warranty companies are not essential. And if there was a need for mass transit ONLY for essential workers, that could be an exception. But, determining essential vs non-essential is a joke. 

 

I don't know the other shops but I remember when I was in America Walmart sold food I would think that would qualify as essential?

[BoozinCroozin]

14 minutes ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

I don't know the other shops but I remember when I was in America Walmart sold food I would think that would qualify as essential?

A part of the store does is all. But the rest of it is non-essential.