Coronavirus and Walt Disney World general discussion

[mf1972]

florida board of education sent an order to broward & alachua school board officials stating they have 48 hours to allow an opt out option for masks or they’ll begin to withhold funding.

 

[Kevin_W]

OK, so a lot of information to go over here, and to adequately explain things, we need to take kind of a deep dive into biochemistry and immunology.

First of all, we need a solid definition of what constitutes a "protein" and what makes one protein different from another. Ask someone on the street, and to the question of "What is a protein?", they might reply "It's something we eat", which although true, is not a particularly useful answer. So, here we go... proteins are large biochemical molecules made up of long chains of amino acids. Almost every protein in every living organism is made of just 20 different amino acids. The genetic code (DNA and RNA) specifies the exact amino acid sequence in every protein. The primary sequence of the amino acids determines the how the chain folds over on itself, and this three dimensional folding is what gives each protein its unique chemical and physical properties. The average protein contains a chain of about 500 amino acids, so given 20 potential different building blocks that can be used for each link in the chain, the sheer raw number of possible unique configurations of just an average sized protein is an almost unfathomably large number. Kind of like a box of Legos contains a limited amount of different sized pieces, but there's an almost infinite number of ways they can be put together.

In addition to the primary sequence, the 3 dimensional shape, and therefore, the way a protein functions is influenced by its immediate environment: the temperature, the electrical charges of other molecules in the vicinity, the chemical composition of the environment, including the pH, concentrations gradients, etc. Every protein has a range of all of these parameters where it functions optimally. Take it outside those parameters, and the 3 dimensional folding will alter, thus stopping the protein from its primary function or even damaging it. Some proteins function in the unique environment inside particular cells, some on the surface, and a few, like antibodies, insulin, and clotting factors, to name just some examples, maintain their optimal configuration flowing through the blood.

In every organism with an immune system, all proteins contain a semi-unique residue of protein and carbohydrates that serves as a marker of "self", so that the surveillance systems of the immune system don't set off the alarms and attack that particular organism. In humans, this is known as the "human leukocyte antigen", or, HLA. Any protein (and some large non-protein molecules) that don't express our particular HLA sequence sets off the alarms as "foreign", and generally gets picked up and degraded. Obviously, this system doesn't work perfectly, or we wouldn't have autoimmune diseases.

Now, to answer your question about the spike proteins in this study, and the spike proteins in the vaccine. Other than some minor but crucial amino acid changes amongst the variants, they are functionally the same. But is this relevant? Almost certainly not.

First of all, the study you posted was an in vitro study, which is relevant to the specific question the researchers were trying to answer, but much less relevant to the vaccines. What they found in the study was that the mere presence of the spike protein binding to the ACE receptors of the lung was sufficient to cause a short activation of the complement system, even without the viral genetic material being injected into the target cells. Complement in this context is a localized chemical response that cells give off when infected with a virus, that gets amplified by the surrounding cells and summons the immune cells to the area. I think the key here is that the spike protein alone caused a relatively brief pro-inflammatory response.

Now, back to proteins a bit, specifically the spike protein generated from the mRNA vaccines. The mRNA code is injected directly into the muscle tissue, where the lipid coating allows it to be inserted into the cytoplasm of the cells. This is where the mRNA uses the cells' own protein producing factories (ribosomes) to assemble amino acids into the correct chain that makes the spike protein. It then gets exported to the cell surface, where, because it lacks the host HLA signal, sets off the immune cascade that brings in the macrophages. These large amoeba-like cells then "eat" the spike proteins, and while internalized, break them down into large fragments. These fragments, although they still contain sequences that are unique enough to be recognized as parts of the spike protein, are no longer functional. They have lost their unique 3-D configuration. Once the macrophages have traveled to the lymphocyte stem cells, they present these fragments to one stem cell at a time, until they find one that makes antibodies that can bind tightly to the spike protein fragments. This lucky cell then gets to multiply and forms the reserve army of B or T cells selected recognize and attack the spike protein if it ever shows up again. At this point, the macrophage then completely degrades what is left of the spike protein fragments down into the raw amino acids. To use a Lego analogy, this would be like building a little Lego house, then breaking it down into bigger pieces. The bigger pieces are still recognizable as parts of the house, although they no longer function by themselves as a house. And then, the house pieces are completely taken apart again down into the individual Lego bricks.

OK, so where am I going with all of this...

1) To do the damage in the lungs, the intact, functioning spike protein actually needs to be in the lungs. The vaccine material is injected directly into the muscle tissue, with minimal penetration into the blood stream, and even here, whatever vaccine material enters the blood stream only contains the instructions for the spike protein, not the spike protein itself.

2) Once the muscle cells express the spike protein, it gets pretty quickly gobbled up (as does any material the body recognizes as "foreign"). Even if any spike protein did slip into the blood, the different chemical environment of the blood vs. the interstitial fluid that surrounds the muscle cells would change its configuration. And the immune surveillance system in the blood is about a million times more sensitive than outside the bloodstream. Anything recognized as foreign here gets almost immediately bound up and eliminated, unless there's just so much of it being continually made that it overwhelms the immune response. So, I seriously doubt any significant amount of vaccine-induced spike protein will be able to migrate to the lungs. The half-life of the actual correctly configured spike protein from the vaccine is relatively brief in vivo. The enduring effect is not from the spike protein itself, but from the B and T cells that are recruited to recognize and fight it.

3) There is no evidence, after hundreds of millions of doses given, that people have suffered any lung damage from vaccination (barring perhaps some exceedingly rare allergic reactions).

4) Lung tissue actually recovers from injury quite well, unless you subject the lungs to almost constant bombardment from smoke, debris, or a raging infection.

(I need to get back to work, so I may to proofread and correct what I just wrote)...

To be continued with a summary.

Thanks for taking the time to write this. That was educational.

 

[Figgy1]

I am not a germaphobe... I am more of an ickaphobe. Touch something sticky - ewww ick! Sometimes those things are full of sweaty hand residue. I really wish they'd lose them or get something better. They slow things down so darn much.

Not even covid related LOL.

Part of the reasons we were early enough we were the first ones lined up in the morning When we hopped we hand sanitized after.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

I'm not particularly worried about getting COVID from a finger scanner.

However, this time has made me a little more conscious of personal hygiene. I'll personally be carrying hand sanitizer with me from now on, to theme parks in particular, and clean my hands more often after touching things like scanners, handrails, lap bars, etc.

It's more about minimizing risk from things like the common cold in general, as opposed to thinking it's completely necessary to avoid COVID.

 

[DCBaker]

Announcement happening from Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer asking residents to conserve water due to high usage of Liquid Oxygen at local hospitals -

"Long before hospitals were using liquid oxygen to help save the lives of COVID-19 patients, Orlando Utilities Commission has relied on the substance to help purify and clean its water.

Liquid oxygen is now in short supply due to a record number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, and OUC said its supply is running low. That forced the utility company on Friday to call on its water customers to cut back on their water usage immediately.

OUC provides water service to Orlando residents as well as residents in unincorporated Orange County.

Company officials said irrigation accounts for about 40% of its consumption and they need to reduce that in the coming days to help conserve its liquid oxygen supply. The first step in doing so is asking water customers to stop watering their lawns.

Liquid oxygen removes hydrogen sulfide, a colorless gas, from the water. The gas, if not removed, gives the water a strong rotten egg smell.

The utility company said it has a lower than normal supply of liquid oxygen because it is also being used to help treat COVID-19 patients at local hospitals.

Doctors have found that using liquid oxygen helps better treat patients trying to fight the virus.

The record-high surge in COVID-19 patients in local hospitals has led to an increase in the use of liquid oxygen, leading to the shortage at OUC."

OUC asking water customers to start conserving water immediately: Hereâs why

Liquid oxygen is now in short supply due to a record number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, and OUC said its supply is running low.

www.wftv.com

 

[JoeCamel]

Announcement happening from Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer asking residents to conserve water due to high usage of Liquid Oxygen at local hospitals -

"Long before hospitals were using liquid oxygen to help save the lives of COVID-19 patients, Orlando Utilities Commission has relied on the substance to help purify and clean its water.

Liquid oxygen is now in short supply due to a record number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, and OUC said its supply is running low. That forced the utility company on Friday to call on its water customers to cut back on their water usage immediately.

OUC provides water service to Orlando residents as well as residents in unincorporated Orange County.

Company officials said irrigation accounts for about 40% of its consumption and they need to reduce that in the coming days to help conserve its liquid oxygen supply. The first step in doing so is asking water customers to stop watering their lawns.

Liquid oxygen removes hydrogen sulfide, a colorless gas, from the water. The gas, if not removed, gives the water a strong rotten egg smell.

The utility company said it has a lower than normal supply of liquid oxygen because it is also being used to help treat COVID-19 patients at local hospitals.

Doctors have found that using liquid oxygen helps better treat patients trying to fight the virus.

The record-high surge in COVID-19 patients in local hospitals has led to an increase in the use of liquid oxygen, leading to the shortage at OUC."

OUC asking water customers to start conserving water immediately: Hereâs why

Liquid oxygen is now in short supply due to a record number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, and OUC said its supply is running low.

www.wftv.com

Good luck with the water reduction not much rain now And people would rather have a green lawn than worry about others

 

[lazyboy97o]

Good luck with the water reduction not much rain now And people would rather have a green lawn than worry about others

Orange County already has watering restrictions. Not sure how much they are enforced but they are in place.

 

[MisterPenguin]

First of all, the study you posted was an in vitro study, which is relevant to the specific question the researchers were trying to answer, but much less relevant to the vaccines. What they found in the study was that the mere presence of the spike protein binding to the ACE receptors of the lung was sufficient to cause a short activation of the complement system, even without the viral genetic material being injected into the target cells. Complement in this context is a localized chemical response that cells give off when infected with a virus, that gets amplified by the surrounding cells and summons the immune cells to the area. I think the key here is that the spike protein alone caused a relatively brief pro-inflammatory response.

Allow me to complement this...

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

Announcement happening from Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer asking residents to conserve water due to high usage of Liquid Oxygen at local hospitals -

"Long before hospitals were using liquid oxygen to help save the lives of COVID-19 patients, Orlando Utilities Commission has relied on the substance to help purify and clean its water.

Liquid oxygen is now in short supply due to a record number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, and OUC said its supply is running low. That forced the utility company on Friday to call on its water customers to cut back on their water usage immediately.

OUC provides water service to Orlando residents as well as residents in unincorporated Orange County.

Company officials said irrigation accounts for about 40% of its consumption and they need to reduce that in the coming days to help conserve its liquid oxygen supply. The first step in doing so is asking water customers to stop watering their lawns.

Liquid oxygen removes hydrogen sulfide, a colorless gas, from the water. The gas, if not removed, gives the water a strong rotten egg smell.

The utility company said it has a lower than normal supply of liquid oxygen because it is also being used to help treat COVID-19 patients at local hospitals.

Doctors have found that using liquid oxygen helps better treat patients trying to fight the virus.

The record-high surge in COVID-19 patients in local hospitals has led to an increase in the use of liquid oxygen, leading to the shortage at OUC."

OUC asking water customers to start conserving water immediately: Hereâs why

Liquid oxygen is now in short supply due to a record number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, and OUC said its supply is running low.

www.wftv.com

Dear lord.

Let's say it again, all together now.

This. Should. Not. Be. Happening. Get. Vaccinated.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Dear lord.

Let's say it again, all together now.

This. Should. Not. Be. Happening. Get. Vaccinated.

And where a mask! And practice distancing! And maybe avoid crowded places while you’re at it!

 

[Mark52479]

Stop finger scanning when covid happens. Re-open it when it's at it's worst. Gotta love the logic!

It was nice not getting stuck behind people that didn't know how to use it.

It's clear (to me at least) Chapek wants things back to normal as fast as possible.

This week, buffets are back, no masks on rides anymore, this morning announced MORE buffets will be back in the next couple of weeks, rumors candlelight will return this holiday. Its pure money revenue now.

Like I said before I will be shocked if indoor masks are still around for the start of the 50th. Removing them this week from the rides was the first step to "not required indoors, but, we strongly recommend you wear them" thats coming SOON

 

[disneygeek90]

It's clear (to me at least) Chapek wants things back to normal as fast as possible.

This week, buffets are back, no masks on rides anymore, this morning announced MORE buffets will be back in the next couple of weeks. Its pure money revenue now.

Like I said before I will be shocked if indoor masks are still around for the start of the 50th. Removing them this week from the rides was the first step to "not required indoors, but, we strongly recommend you wear them" thats coming SOON

They're still required on indoor rides. And "strongly recommend" shouldn't come back until cases are under control in the state and county again. Which isn't likely soon.

 

[correcaminos]

I never found them to be that gross, and I greatly preferred the current entry/exit to the old turnstyles. It shouldn't be a big deal, but just walking out of the park at the end of the day without having to go through a turnstyle was immensely pleasing to me.

Over the years, we have had the occasional finger won't scan or behind someone in the same boat, but that's been pretty rare and probably added at most a minute to our day (though it feels long int he moment).

Probably because you are not an ickaphobe

My aunt with CP had issues using and switched to ID. I've seen kids having issues. Mine, being AP attached, can get screwed up if my nails change in length too much. I like no turnstile, I hate using my finger.

 

[Mark52479]

They're still required on indoor rides. And "strongly recommend" shouldn't come back until cases are under control in the state and county again. Which isn't likely soon.

While I agree with you 100%.....think about this......

All of this 50th merchandise that was announced last week, whats the one thing we didnt see with the 50th logo on it?

Everything under the sun was made with the 50th logo except MASKS.

Again I think they will be gone by Oct 1. I really really do.

 

[disneygeek90]

While I agree with you 100%.....think about this......

All of this 50th merchandise that was announced last week, whats the one thing we didnt see with the 50th logo on it?

Everything under the sun was made with the 50th logo except MASKS.

Again I think they will be gone by Oct 1. I really really do.

I don't think they expected this to be our state 6 months ago. Masks were BOGO only a few weeks ago. 6 months ago, we had vaccines on the way and didn't foresee to have cases at an all time high in August.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Announcement happening from Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer asking residents to conserve water due to high usage of Liquid Oxygen at local hospitals -

"Long before hospitals were using liquid oxygen to help save the lives of COVID-19 patients, Orlando Utilities Commission has relied on the substance to help purify and clean its water.

Liquid oxygen is now in short supply due to a record number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, and OUC said its supply is running low. That forced the utility company on Friday to call on its water customers to cut back on their water usage immediately.

OUC provides water service to Orlando residents as well as residents in unincorporated Orange County.

Company officials said irrigation accounts for about 40% of its consumption and they need to reduce that in the coming days to help conserve its liquid oxygen supply. The first step in doing so is asking water customers to stop watering their lawns.

Liquid oxygen removes hydrogen sulfide, a colorless gas, from the water. The gas, if not removed, gives the water a strong rotten egg smell.

The utility company said it has a lower than normal supply of liquid oxygen because it is also being used to help treat COVID-19 patients at local hospitals.

Doctors have found that using liquid oxygen helps better treat patients trying to fight the virus.

The record-high surge in COVID-19 patients in local hospitals has led to an increase in the use of liquid oxygen, leading to the shortage at OUC."

OUC asking water customers to start conserving water immediately: Hereâs why

Liquid oxygen is now in short supply due to a record number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, and OUC said its supply is running low.

www.wftv.com

Maybe having water that tastes like rotten eggs will drive some of the hold-outs to get the vaccine, although there may be too many links in the cause/effect chain for them to make the connection.

 

[DisneyDave71]

 

[sullyinMT]

View attachment 581102

That also lines up pretty well with an influx of international travelers for, um, the Olympics.

If we’re posting to prove a point, without any context at all, present the whole picture, at least.

 

[Chi84]

HIPAA was enacted 25 years ago. Today it's wrongly being used to justify keeping COVID status secret. — USA TODAY

The 25-year-old Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is often misunderstood and lately has been wrongly invoked to shield COVID status.

apple.news

This is a great article for people who continue to be confused about HIPAA and its relationship to health disclosures.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Dear lord.

Let's say it again, all together now.

This. Should. Not. Be. Happening. Get. Vaccinated.

Absolutely horrifying. This is what so many have been saying, it’s not just death rates, or severity of illness. Allowing uncontrolled spread with no mitigation can cause a cascade effect across the entire system.

Case and point.