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itsonlyastrongbuzz t1_j24ws2f wrote

Hospitalizations are the highest they’ve been since January of this year, couple weeks ahead of last years winter surge.

Time to hunker down, test before gathering, and wear a mask in the grocery store for a couple weeks.

Or not, whatever.

I will, you guys do you.

116

ok_backbay t1_j251twe wrote

Does XBB register on the at-home tests? I was sick for 2.5 weeks, lost taste and smell for two days, but tested negative 3 times.

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dante662 t1_j259ea7 wrote

People see what is happening in China and their disconnection with reality really hits home.

​

You cannot "contain" covid. You can stay locked down forever, or you can live with it. You can't semi-lock down, semi-mask, etc. All you are doing is creating more opportunities for the "triple-demic" we are seeing now due to lack of seasonal (and normal) virus circulation.

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TATA456alawaife t1_j259lq9 wrote

Screaming, crying, shitting my pants, vomiting all over the place in terror of the Beta Kappa Alpha Sigma Omega variant

−40

HoneydewOk1731 t1_j25bz9i wrote

It would have been physically impossible to prevent it from spreading to the US, unless all incoming flights were suspended. And we know how xenophobic that is perceived to be. The virus has entered endemic mode, and that’s a good thing

−4

theliontamer37 t1_j25bzry wrote

Lmfao yup. The country where it originated, whose been dealing with it the longest, implemented the longest and strictest lockdowns in the world and it still didn’t contain covid. Thanks for proving my point bud, appreciate it

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MinneapolisKing25 t1_j25csrp wrote

Do we finally have our own variant?! A bummer for sure and hope people don’t get too effected (affected? I never know). I just like seeing home being blasted on things. Stay safe everyone!

−4

BsFan t1_j25d0hn wrote

Could also say that are the same point as this past October and May. There are 200 people hospitalized in the state for covid now, and I bet a good chunk are not vaccinated

−7

OldCoaly t1_j25e9h9 wrote

Is this the part where we pretend there’s literally no middle ground between being welded into your own home and not being allowed to tell customers in your own business to wear a mask?

I think we should encourage vaccination as much as possible, allow businesses to enforce their mask rules if they see fit, not whine at people taking measures to protect themselves, and proudly call out people that think they are freedom fighters but actually just don’t want to be inconvenienced in any way by limiting their public presence when they have COVID or another contagious illness. Those people aren’t noble patriots fighting tyranny, they are jerks that think their desire not to be inconvenienced matters more than the health of otters.

Let’s be honest. Masks aren’t hard to wear. I played D1 volleyball with an n95. Don’t try to tell me it’s impossible to survive a trip to the stop and shop with a mask on. If your or anyone else’s lungs are that frail, a COVID infection will destroy you.

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speedskis777 t1_j25f02g wrote

“And the next one! And the next one! And the NEXT one…. And the next one…”

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theliontamer37 t1_j25fu1h wrote

Where did I say it’s hard to wear a mask? I wore a mask even when they had those ridiculous rules in place where you had to wear em when you came into a bar, but could take them off and stand shoulder to shoulder with ppl once you had a drink. I got double booster as soon as I could, and I’ve had two boosters. I don’t judge ppl, or businesses, who choose to be cautious or choose to implement policies in their place of business. It wouldn’t stop me from visiting a store if I had to wear a mask. What I am against is the government forcing business to implement policies that they don’t want to at this point. Thats why my first comment said let everyone do what they’re comfortable with.

−7

Shapen361 t1_j25grrq wrote

Does anyone know anyone who has died of COVID in the last year? It seems like it's going the way of the flu through vaccines and natural immunity.

−26

SomePolack t1_j25hhvj wrote

Shutting down all flights and then actually having people lockdown. Instead we let people do whatever they wanted and were shocked the virus kept spreading.

America never went into a full lockdown, not even close.

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SomePolack t1_j25hnbc wrote

No, but actually working together as a society to combat it would have been nice. America never fully locked down and many places never isolated at all.

It’s like doing nothing and saying it didn’t work - no shit!

2

metrowestern t1_j25hulg wrote

They locked people in apartment complexes from the outside. People starved to death. It’s terrible there now - travel testing was reinstated yesterday if I’m not mistaken. Containing this was never possible.

0

symonym7 t1_j25ioy7 wrote

Ah cool, subvariant of omicron, which I already had, after being 2x moderna’d.

−9

Its_me_mikey t1_j25lr41 wrote

It’s been more than 4 hours. Should I call the doctor?

−13

OldCoaly t1_j25mznd wrote

Sorry, I don’t want to put words in your mouth. You contrasted no rules with a literal authoritarian lockdown. The US was never enforcing anything like China has. Sure, some of the rules were ridiculous, but my whole point is there is gray area between the two extremes. I think mask mandates made complete sense earlier when there was little immunity, vaccine or natural, for the public. I haven’t seen any proposals yet for businesses, only BPS, and studies showed the effectiveness of the mandates in the schools. That’s the government setting the rules for a government-run system. I just reflexively have to respond when it seems people try to equate any restrictions at all with police barricading you in like China.

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mtmsm t1_j25n1sl wrote

You don’t have to live in a bunker. At a minimum, get your omicron booster and wear a mask. 90% of people are not doing those two very simple things.

If you want to be extra careful, rapid test before gatherings. It takes 15 minutes and the tests are free.

Just because you can’t prevent COVID 100% of the time doesn’t mean you have to just throw your arms up and say, “oh well, nothing we can do!”

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lqdizzle t1_j25n4sn wrote

Last year they brought back masks the week before new years, it’s an improvement over that nonsense.

Anyone who isn’t vaxxed at this point is beyond help. Everyone else, If you’re vulnerable please choose to stay home rather than forcing me to.

−8

Yeti_of_the_Flow t1_j25p464 wrote

Yea. Those damn entitled vulnerable people wishing to go to the grocery store are forcing you to do so much. Masks aren't nonsense. Taking precautions to protect those most vulnerable isn't an affront to you. Yes, those unvaccinated are beyond help, but mate... people have the right to exist in society, the least you can do is wear a mask to keep everyone a little safer.

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BossMagnus t1_j25p597 wrote

Work at a Boston Emergency Department, we have a lot of cases and admissions to the hospital, mostly elderly.

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HoneydewOk1731 t1_j25pu6o wrote

Doesn’t matter. Unless the entire world agrees to the same lockdown measures, which may not have even worked the way you believe, the US would have to ban air travel indefinitely. I get that people want more reasons to hate Trump, but what you’re saying makes little sense

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SomePolack t1_j25q48r wrote

I never even referenced the big bad tangerine and I think Biden has downplayed the pandemic for political unity.

All I’m saying is if I was in charge - we would’ve had no international travel as soon as the report hit my desk. Sort out to the problems later, save a million Americans.

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lqdizzle t1_j25qdzd wrote

Put me out of work for months and I lost things I won’t get back. It absolutely forced a lot on me. Get vaxxed. wear a mask and protect yourself if you’re extra vulnerable. That’s appropriate.

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boston_acc t1_j25r8er wrote

The vast majority (if not all) public health professionals I’ve heard have acknowledged that COVID is endemic at this point, much like the flu. The issue seems to be whether we should allow each iteration to continuously demand public policy interventions, despite the free availability of vaccines and the clear centering of hospitalizations around children and the elderly (again, much like the flu).

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camelCaseAccountName t1_j25rdmz wrote

>This is why we never contained COVID, something that would’ve been possible.

It was definitely not possible, and actually never even the goal of lockdowns and other such measures (that was to slow the spread and prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed). It is simply impossible to totally contain a virus like this. Zero COVID is a total myth.

(And for the record, I'm fully in support of vaccine mandates and mask recommendations)

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justhereforporn17629 t1_j25rkd6 wrote

It's a cold. A bad cold but that's it. When this all starred and it appeared much more virulent I was cautious as can be? But now?

Also absolutely lol @ "at a minimum get your omicron booster and wear a mask". How about the minimum being stop being a fat ass, eat an actually healthy diet, stop smoking, get your blood sugar under control etx. THOSE would be the actually effective things to do to protect yourself in the event you caught it.

−23

SomePolack t1_j25rpcx wrote

Agree to disagree. I’m not saying everyone should’ve stayed home forever, but there were definitely more things to do before we gave up and let it spread everywhere.

Let’s not act like there was ever a lockdown - there was people staying home voluntarily.

−5

SomePolack t1_j25s0g2 wrote

Idk, we’re talking about hypotheticals here so who knows. Just saying I would’ve done a lot more than was done, if I had any say.

Definitely wouldn’t have told people not to worry and to keep gathering for holidays.

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oldcreaker t1_j25spm8 wrote

Anecdotal, but I know three recent cases that tested negative initially with pretty strong symptoms, but tested positive 2-3 days after the symptoms developed. They all thought it was flu or other virus, then it turned out to be COVID.

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MBOSY t1_j25svli wrote

Time for another culture war while we all get mildly sick for a couple of days.

−14

Commercial_Board6680 t1_j25uliw wrote

I've been vaxed 2X, boostered 2X. That's it. I know more shit's coming down the pike, but I don't care anymore. If it gets me, well then it gets me. Living like a scared rabbit ain't living.

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OldCoaly t1_j25vtkh wrote

That’s the fun thing about viruses. They mutate. I also got omicron despite having 3 vaccines at the time. 2 Moderna plus a booster. The current round that’s out, number 4 for those that got them as they rolled out, was specifically made for omicron and it’s derivatives. I got that this fall after I got sick at the end of spring and have been exposed multiple times since with no infection. It’s like wearing a long sleeve shirt in September. It’ll keep you warm enough, but when December comes that protection isn’t enough and you need something stronger. The virus mutates and experts can’t really predict how the major mutations will occur. They try to react as fast as possible, which is why the newest vaccines are so effective against omicron derived variants despite the first doses released being pretty useless to them.

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magellanNH t1_j25y1nu wrote

IMO, it depends on what you're willing to do and for how long. China's problem was that they didn't have an end game.

Before the vaccine, countries other than China, like Japan and Australia for example, strived for zero-covid with pretty harsh interventions. Both countries took less of a hit to GDP than the US did and both had significantly fewer deaths per capita than we did (US 3,226 deaths/million, Japan 453, Australia 648).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic_death_rates_by_country

Even China isn't guaranteed to end up worse off than us. Epidemiologists are predicting 500k to 1 million deaths in China from this wave. If that happens, that'll put them at around 1/5 the death rate we had in the US. Also, they barely took any hit to GDP in 2020 and 2021 compared to the US (in 2022 they did take a hit, but it didn't come close to the hits we took).

So if we're keeping score, several countries implemented zero covid policies and did much better than the US in terms of both deaths and GDP hit.

2

Artvandelay2019 t1_j25y1zz wrote

Will this one show up on the at home tests? Been sick for 2 weeks and no sign of it going away yet.

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Pete_Dantic t1_j25ypa4 wrote

>The vast majority (if not all) public health professionals I’ve heard have acknowledged that COVID is endemic at this point, much like the flu.

I don't know that this is as generally agreed upon as you think. Endemicity entails predictability, which, unlike the flu season, COVID does not have. We've gotten waves year round.

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symonym7 t1_j260tz4 wrote

So, you were thrice vaccinated, got omicron, and were then exposed to a new variant + 4th boost, with no ill effect. Given that the initial 3 vaccinations did not protect you, is your assumption still that the 4th dose was the ultimate protection in your exposures vs natural immunity? I’m reading your comment as: was vaccinated, got sick, then didn’t get sick after subsequent exposure.

−1

OldCoaly t1_j261570 wrote

Thrice vaccinated, those three were based on the first variants. Omicron gains traction. Get omicron. Four months later get vaccine made for omicron. Four months since many exposures, no infection, over 8 months after omicron infection.

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laflizzy t1_j263r1l wrote

Hey am I allowed to ask whatever happened with that Boston University COVID variant research? You know the one where they were creating new variants in a lab. Or does that make me a conspiracy theorist

Idk seems odd to me that story would come out and 2 months later we have a new dominant strain that is locally specific to New England

−17

RoaminRonin13 t1_j2641cn wrote

I don’t know about ok_backbay, but generally this kind of common sense seems to elude an amazing number of people.

Most of the people I work with have been smart / thoughtful enough to work from home when sick - but I still know people going to work, walking around coughing and being gross, with some “I took a Covid test and I’m negative” nonsense.

Yeah, but you’re still sick dummy - get away from me.

Edit: I should say, I know this is coming from a privileged position where my coworkers and I can work from home. Not everybody has that opportunity - in which case people should probably mask-up when they’re sick, Covid or not.

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Commercial_Board6680 t1_j26803r wrote

I'm fully aware of how respiratory diseases spread and, for nearly 3 years, I've taken all the proper precautions. I'm someone who gets a flu shot every year. My point being, I don't think I can last much longer not going to movie theaters, museums, and the like. If I don't get out amongst the living, what's the point in waking up? I may be an introvert, but I'm not an isolationist, so I'm ready to go out and take a chance before I go mad.

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alexabobexa t1_j269las wrote

I have been sick for more than a week and I don't think I can taste much or smell much but I tested positive for the flu. Negative for COVID on home test. The flu is crazy in NE right now so it could be that?

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Commercial_Board6680 t1_j26dshs wrote

No, it's the fear of going out and enjoying life after being in semi-isolation for this duration. In other words, I'm not going to remain in isolation like I have, no matter what comes next. But I always get whatever annual vaccination is recommended as a general precaution.

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Academic_Guava_4190 t1_j26f0q2 wrote

Go! Get out and live life before, God forbid, they shut it all down again and you have no choice. You know how to be smart. Drink a lot of water, get your annual shots, wash your hands and face, cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze. Don’t wait until you are a lyric in Alanis’ Ironic 2.0

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Academic_Guava_4190 t1_j26fso5 wrote

I have still been wearing masks in places like grocery stores, pharmacies, post office, etc where people sick, vulnerable, and the like may HAVE to go regardless of your health status. But I definitely think people should not be going out to eat or the movies what have you if they aren’t feeling well.

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timecoyote t1_j26kbyl wrote

If I'm at a hospital, fine. If I'm sick, fine. But it's been long enough, I'm vaxxed and boosted multiple times, and I'm going to the bar and chatting with people without a mask. I need to be a person again.

0

RailRoad_Candy t1_j26svwn wrote

Until it looks like WWZ outside I think I'm done worrying.

1

garvierloon t1_j26xoha wrote

Oh fuck kehd, these guys got the Casey Affleck Variant

−1

Commercial_Board6680 t1_j2700kw wrote

Nah. Just old and vulnerable health. Had to take severe precautions. Now I'm bored and don't give a shit if my life depends on it anymore. Ironic thing, I always said we could lose to the microbes, then covid and all its mutations came along. Thought I'd be dead by now, so I think I just might live a bit first.

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NeckarBridge t1_j276kpn wrote

Same. We were on alert in our household when my toddler had a high exposure at school. He got sick 4 days later, and me the day after him. So according to CDC you count onset of symptoms as day zero, my toddler and I both tested every day and didn’t get a positive until our respective day 7, long after the worst symptoms had resolved.

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brufleth t1_j27pad6 wrote

Where I work they don't even take a covid test. They just come in and get people sick and act surprised when the other people get covid.

Somewhat related: had a co-worker dealing with a very sick grandkid who when asked didn't even know what RSV is.

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ipsumdeiamoamasamat t1_j27r84r wrote

Several co-morbidities here and I’m basically where you are. Fully vaxxed and boosted, I do the flu shot every year, I’ll still mask up on public transit, and my work shuttle (MASCO) requires you to mask up even if you don’t want to. Only so much you can do. Of course I don’t want anything to happen, but the Big Guy might have different plans. I’ll hang out at the bar, enjoy a couple cold ones and BS, and hope for the best.

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f0rtytw0 t1_j27sl1p wrote

Remember, you don't wear a mask to protect yourself, you do it to protect others. The mask doesn't do much to protect you, but it does a lot to keep your shit from spreading.

So you could have COVID, be pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic but be spreading it everywhere. This is one the reasons it was able to spread so quickly in the past, if I feel fine, don't think I am sick, then I see no reason to take any measures, like wearing a mask.

−4

zwermp t1_j27wgl7 wrote

People get sick in the winter. More at 11.

−3

TheColorAndThe t1_j2817oj wrote

Same here. Had classic symptoms, super congested, headache, etc. and was testing negative for two days, on the third day of the test was like instant double line. Despite working with the public, it was my first time having Covid, super weird.

5

Barstomanid t1_j28g3l7 wrote

They say it's the worst flu year in a decade. I'm really trying to avoid it, since we already had covid and RSV in my house this winter, and I'm not trying to catch 'em all here. Kids bring home EVERYTHING from school...

2

Laureltess t1_j28i2jj wrote

Same thing happened to my husband. Coworker spread Covid at the office Christmas party, he started having symptoms the Sunday before Christmas, but didn’t test positive until Tuesday. It’s now day 12 and even though his symptoms have been gone since day 6 he’s still showing a positive 🤷‍♀️

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bb5199 t1_j28mjsx wrote

No one is going to stay home until you're "symptom free." When you're at you're sickest, you should stay home like if you have a fever. But if you have a cough or sniffle afterwards as your illness improves, I would expect people to be back to their normal lives.

0

bb5199 t1_j28mqmt wrote

Hardly anyone knew what RSV was until this year. For people over the age of two, it is a cold. Kids get sick. Kids get high fevers. Rest and fluids. It doesn't matter if it's called RSV, the flu, covid. All the same treatment for a kid.

−2

bb5199 t1_j28ndko wrote

"Thanks to the vaccine." Haaa- I hadn't heard that one in a while. For me, it wasn't that bad, fever for two days and feeling good in few days. No jabs.

Most cases of covid without vaccines are the same as you described or even fewer symptoms. Most of my vaxxed friends/family had much worse cases than my covid bouts with no vax.

−7

gacdeuce t1_j28uilb wrote

Basically, with the newest variants, negative tests on the rapid tests (at-home tests) mean next to nothing. Positives should, however, be treated as accurate. This has been the case for a while.

1

TeaWithMingus t1_j28w11e wrote

As a teacher, I just can’t wait to go back to work after break. Respectful kids, supportive parents, lovely administrators, and ohh the money gonna make me the big bucks.

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ZanyLady t1_j292h1m wrote

Lol - my boyfriend and I spent the holidays in Buffalo where we were snowed in for 4 days. Narrowly escaped the storm and drove back to Boston only to realize we were positive for COVID the next morning.

My boyfriend is in grad school and was taking finals right until he flew in to Buffalo. Since we were basically quarantined from the snow in Buffalo, we’re hypothesizing my boyfriend must’ve caught it during finals - XBB must be the culprit!

Snow quarantine —> COVID quarantine 🫠🫠

1

firestar27 t1_j2970q7 wrote

>Remember, you don't wear a mask to protect yourself, you do it to protect others. The mask doesn't do much to protect you, but it does a lot to keep your shit from spreading.

This was commonly thought earlier in the pandemic, but now we know that a good mask can protect you just fine. I don't think that cloth mask will do much in that regard, but a medical mask will help protect you somewhat, and a properly worn N95 will give you solid (but not perfect) protection. Masks still protect others, and I'd guess they probably protect others more than they protect you, but they do protect you, and so it can still be worth wearing a good mask even just to reduce your personal risk.

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RoaminRonin13 t1_j299qm9 wrote

Most people who have had children know what RSV is.

But yeah, for most people over the age of 1 or 2 RSV is a shitty cold. RSV was a big deal this year because it ripped through daycares and preschools - I realize it’s anecdotal, but everyone I know with kids under 5 had RSV in their home, and I know two people with babies that were hospitalized. It appears to have been a bad year for it.

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SgtPapa t1_j29ggfd wrote

Print money out of thin air, give everyone newly printed money, people spend newly printed money which inputs more money into circulation which decreases the value of the existing money and now things that once $1 are now $1.75.

Both parties are to blame and now the Fed needs to raise interest rates in order to curb the inflation or else it will keep spiraling.

2

hoopbag33 t1_j29lbvu wrote

Uh, there are plenty of boosters. I could easily make an appt and get one in October of this year, exactly when I wanted to get it, on like 2-3 days notice at a local CVS along with the flu vaccine.

We have them, people don't care anymore and aren't getting them at a high enough rate to do anything.

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bb5199 t1_j29mpq9 wrote

Perhaps because they kept their kids more isolated in the past couple of years and missed getting it. I have multiple kids and haven't given RSV a second thought. Every person in the US has usually had it by age 2.

0

bb5199 t1_j29n13e wrote

Yes, exactly and similar to how it's always been since Apr 2020. It has been an inconvenience to healthy or non-elderly people and a bigger concern for those with multiple comorbidities and the elderly.

−1

hopkins_ghost t1_j2a582j wrote

I’ve been sick three times since early November, no positive tests. This last one felt JUST like the symptoms I had from getting the shot. I was wondering if these new variants might not show up on the tests

1

Roszo21 t1_j2anvfe wrote

Allergies and dry winter air are a fairly obvious challenge to this since they can mimic mild COVID symptoms. It can be difficult to know what to do when you're just feeling a bit off.

1