Coronavirus and Walt Disney World general discussion

[Heppenheimer]

Very interesting read on the probable undercounting of COVID deaths in the US and a new way to determine a better read on it. They say it could be as much as 20% more which would put us over a million. So sad.

The US is undercounting COVID deaths, researchers say. Now they have a tool to figure out why.

COVID deaths in the United States have been undercounted, public health experts say. They're trying to figure out where and why.

amp.usatoday.com

I don't doubt we've missed plenty of COVID deaths, but 20% seems a bit high. The simple reason is that unlike, let's say, heart attacks and strokes, which can kill the patient very quickly while they debate if they should seek care or not, even without treatment, COVID is a relatively slow death. There aren't that many people who would tolerate the sensation of constantly drowning for more than a day or two before going to an ER, no matter their financial or social situation. And ERs are required by law to evaluate everyone who shows up at their door.

I think there's probably better explanations for a large portion of the excess death we're currently seeing in underserved populations.

 

[Polkadotdress]

Very interesting read on the probable undercounting of COVID deaths in the US and a new way to determine a better read on it. They say it could be as much as 20% more which would put us over a million. So sad.

The US is undercounting COVID deaths, researchers say. Now they have a tool to figure out why.

COVID deaths in the United States have been undercounted, public health experts say. They're trying to figure out where and why.

amp.usatoday.com

And also, it seems as if there is a concern that vaccination totals are overinflated.

Health Experts Worry CDC’s Covid Vaccination Rates Appear Inflated - KFF Health News

Accuracy issues raise red flags because the data is used to plan and direct resources in the nation’s continuing response to the covid-19 pandemic.

khn.org

 

[Parker in NYC]

Not mandate but starting in early January, Greece will start fining people over age of 60 , 100 euros per month who do not at least received their first dose by early January.

But they’ll still be able to afford Genie+

I'm not grumpy today. Just getting ahead of it.

When we get to page 4685 or 4690, we'll see those all quoted without the "might" and "could" and told he was just making stuff up that he had no idea about.

It is kind of telling that he didn't just start with "What we know so far" and then give the rest of it. Instead, he qualified every single statement that none of them are really known yet but just suggested outcomes based on what we know so far. It's like he knows he cannot make two statements have them the retain context later. Each one has to be complete on its own. It must be exhausting trying to speak with every statement needing to stand on it's own without the surrounding statements providing context.

I’ve used a similar rationale here in the past to anticipate future PREDICTABLE responses. It didn’t do any good. Even calendaring! Doesn’t matter. People will people.

 

[Parker in NYC]

Also, I’m writing from December 2021 where masks are still required on NYC public transport and WDW public er private transport.

 

[drizgirl]

Also, I’m writing from December 2021 where masks are still required on NYC public transport and WDW public er private transport.

Aren't masks required everywhere in the US on public transportation?

 

[Parker in NYC]

Aren't masks required everywhere in the US on public transportation?

Are they? Wow, that even exceeds my predictions from last year. You know, when I was received with a wall of laughing emojis and eyerolls.

 

[Lilofan]

Aren't masks required everywhere in the US on public transportation?

Yes, it was by executive order for all USA public transportation made in late January 2021 overturning the previous decision to be left to local leaders.

 

[Parker in NYC]

Yes, it was by executive order for all USA public transportation made in late January 2021 overturning the previous decision to be left to local leaders.

And WDW decided to keep it, too. That was the most important part of what I predicted back in the day.

 

[correcaminos]

And WDW decided to keep it, too. That was the most important part of what I predicted back in the day.

Though they dropped it for a while this summer before Florida spike. Following the CDC they are barely on the level where one suggests to drop, but they kind of float around those numbers at the time so I doubt they'll drop again until it stabilizes.

Though tbh why seem happy about your predictions? Personally I'm rather miffed at people

 

[DCBaker]

"The U.S. is expanding COVID-19 boosters, ruling that 16- and 17-year-olds can get a third dose of Pfizer’s vaccine.

The U.S. and many other nations already were urging adults to get booster shots to pump up immunity that can wane months after vaccination, calls that intensified with the discovery of the worrisome new omicron variant.

On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration gave emergency authorization for 16- and 17-year-olds to get a third dose of the vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech -- if it’s been six months since their last shot.

There’s one more step: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must formally recommend the boosters for this age group and a decision is expected soon.

The Pfizer vaccine is the only option in the U.S. for anyone younger than 18, either for initial vaccination or for use as a booster. It’s not yet clear if or when teens younger than 16 might need a third Pfizer dose."

US expands Pfizer COVID boosters, opens extra dose to age 16

The U.S. is expanding COVID-19 boosters, opening a third dose of Pfizer's vaccine to people as young as age 16.

apnews.com

 

[ToTBellHop]

No cases have been detected on the Galactic Starcruiser, yet. Wonderful news for those traveling on her.

 

[DisneyDebRob]

I don't doubt we've missed plenty of COVID deaths, but 20% seems a bit high. The simple reason is that unlike, let's say, heart attacks and strokes, which can kill the patient very quickly while they debate if they should seek care or not, even without treatment, COVID is a relatively slow death. There aren't that many people who would tolerate the sensation of constantly drowning for more than a day or two before going to an ER, no matter their financial or social situation. And ERs are required by law to evaluate everyone who shows up at their door.

I think there's probably better explanations for a large portion of the excess death we're currently seeing in underserved populations.

Agree with 20% being high. I’m just interested now if they can actually narrow it down to close to what it is. The general article is very interesting though.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Agree with 20% being high. I’m just interested now if they can actually narrow it down to close to what it is. The general article is very interesting though.

Missing 20% of COVID cases seems more likely. But I have a hard time believing that up to 20% of COVID deaths would go unreported.

 

[FanforDisney]

Yes, it was by executive order for all USA public transportation made in late January 2021 overturning the previous decision to be left to local leaders.

While kids must eat lunch outside at school in December. This has gone too far in my opinion

Kindergarten students in Portland, Oregon were forced to sit outside eating lunch on buckets in the near-freezing cold while socially distanced from their classmates.

https://yournews.com/2021/12/09/226...en-students-forced-to-sit-outside-on-buckets/

 

[Heppenheimer]

While kids must eat lunch outside at school in December. This has gone too far in my opinion

Kindergarten students in Portland, Oregon were forced to sit outside eating lunch on buckets in the near-freezing cold while socially distanced from their classmates.

https://yournews.com/2021/12/09/226...en-students-forced-to-sit-outside-on-buckets/

That news source doesn't exactly look like the most reliable, and there's absolutely no context given for that video as to what was actually happening, other than one person's angry tweet.

And in what world are temperatures in the 40s "near freezing"? Unless you live in the south, but that would hardly be "near freezing" to someone who lives in the Pacific NW. During the winter, my friends and I would spend hours each week outside in much colder temperatures than that when we were that age.

 

[drizgirl]

While kids must eat lunch outside at school in December. This has gone too far in my opinion

Kindergarten students in Portland, Oregon were forced to sit outside eating lunch on buckets in the near-freezing cold while socially distanced from their classmates.

https://yournews.com/2021/12/09/226...en-students-forced-to-sit-outside-on-buckets/

If they did that in prisons, someone would file a lawsuit and it would blow up all over social media.

 

[hopemax]

And in what world are temperatures in the 40s "near freezing"? Unless you live in the south, but that would hardly be "near freezing" to someone who lives in the Pacific NW. During the winter, my friends and I would spend hours each week outside in much colder temperatures than that when we were that age.

As someone who actually went to elementary school in the PacNW, I'm struggling to think of any of my classmates who would not have preferred to be eating lunch outside than in our ancient cafeteria... DH and I still joke about the typical weather forecast... Drizzle, High 45 Low 42... every day... for 4 months. Which is one of the reasons I don't live there anymore.

 

[Heppenheimer]

As someone who actually went to elementary school in the PacNW, I'm struggling to think of any of my classmates who would not have preferred to be eating lunch outside than in our ancient cafeteria... DH and I still joke about the typical weather forecast... Drizzle, High 45 Low 42... every day... for 4 months. Which is one of the reasons I don't live there anymore.

The multi-purpose room they called a cafeteria at our school in PA smelled like a unique combination of sulfur, mold and burning metal. We couldn't wait to get outside for recess!

 

[Kevin_W]

And in what world are temperatures in the 40s "near freezing"?

Well, 32°F if the freezing point for water. Is 40°F "near" that? I think it's reasonable to call 8°F "near".

/endtemperaturesymantics

 

[correcaminos]

That news source doesn't exactly look like the most reliable, and there's absolutely no context given for that video as to what was actually happening, other than one person's angry tweet.

And in what world are temperatures in the 40s "near freezing"? Unless you live in the south, but that would hardly be "near freezing" to someone who lives in the Pacific NW. During the winter, my friends and I would spend hours each week outside in much colder temperatures than that when we were that age.

Just feels like freezing to us cold weather wusses. I now some from Florida in Seattle at the moment. I'm sure it feels down right frigid

All this to say, my kid has to go outside even in middle school when the temps are like this at lunch. Just to get them outside (eating this year is inside though last year at the end of the year they were outside for some eating). They survive.