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There was the expected increase seen every year in respiratory illness, but there were no obvious spikes caused by the holidays or Super Bowl parties.
If you took the dates off of the graphs, you would be hard pressed to find where Thanksgiving or Christmas was.
Also, if you isolate just the Plains states who started their seasonal surge earlier, you can see they peaked BEFORE Thanksgiving.
Any additional cases caused by the holidays did not greatly disrupt the case curve which peaks 6 to 8 weeks after the increase starts. What the holidays did do was disrupt testing seeking behavior creating dips and then a quick post holiday surge before trends return.
Ascribing morality to a seasonal respiratory virus is a bad look.
a spike in cases among most demographics is nearly harmless. There's a greater chance of a Glenwood South reveler driving drunk than requiring hospitalization or causing it in another from a Covid infection.
There was a huge nationwide surge around/after the holidays, not only in cases but also deaths, which means it wasn't just testing that drove the increase.
having not seen/tracked the deaths (and maybe that's an upcoming chart), if it continued to be 65+ folks, then we can only assume they were also tired of restrictions and made a personal choice to congregate with their family for the holidays.
There will definitely be a small spike, as this has mimicked the 1918 pandemic nicely.
The hundreds of millions of people who get/got vaccines will be fine.
The people who exercise good judgement and social distancing will be fine.
The people who want to throw caution to the wind may catch it, and a (very small) percentage of them will end up dying. On the order of 0.1%, which is about 5x as many who die from the flu in that age group.
At what point, when will you feel it's ok for the government to stop mandating how we live and choices we make and let bygones be bygones? Hospitals will not be overloaded because the vast, vast majority of folks who were hospitalized or died were elderly >60.
If you prefer to stay holed up in your house, go for it, but why do you feel it's necessary to make everyone follow your preferred lifestyle? (I am writing this from a hotel in S. America)
It'll be a decade from now there will still be a small group people chanting "it's too soon to socialize!"
There will definitely be a small spike, as this has mimicked the 1918 pandemic nicely.
The hundreds of millions of people who get/got vaccines will be fine.
The people who exercise good judgement and social distancing will be fine.
The people who want to throw caution to the wind may catch it, and a (very small) percentage of them will end up dying. On the order of 0.1%, which is about 5x as many who die from the flu in that age group.
At what point, when will you feel it's ok for the government to stop mandating how we live and choices we make and let bygones be bygones? Hospitals will not be overloaded because the vast, vast majority of folks who were hospitalized or died were elderly >60.
If you prefer to stay holed up in your house, go for it, but why do you feel it's necessary to make everyone follow your preferred lifestyle? (I am writing this from a hotel in S. America)
I believe I will be completely comfortable being maskless 2-3 weeks after my second shot. That date will be around the first week of May. So basically, May 10th or so. I know my co-workers are already ahead of me so I'll be 100% to go back to my office.
My only worry are the effing anti-vaxxers, Qanon/hard-core Trumpers who are hesitant and won't get vaccinated. I am willing to wear my mask so these a$$holes won't get sick and die, because it's not super clear if the vaccine helps with the spread of the virus (definitely helps the vaccinated person, but I am talking about the above-mentioned a$$hats). But at some point as a society we'll have to move on. We just need to hope that those who didn't take it (for stupid reasons) know that they have to suffer the consequences and are okay with it. They refused to wear a mask for us, so why should we wear it forever for them? If there is anyone at my job who can't take the vaccine because of health issues, I am willing to wear a mask around them or do any kind of recommended accommodations. But, I won't be wearing it at 90 degree NC weather in perpetuity. Like they always say freedom ain't free. So if you decide not to take the vaccine, be ready to pay for it.
EDIT: I should have said this is about when I think I'll be ready. But, of course, I will follow the state and national requirements. What Fauci and Cohen say, I'll be happy to follow. However, as I said hopefully in small groups (like work, small gatherings, etc), many will be comfortable being maskless knowing that we are all vaccinated. Plus I am hoping to get back to some sporting events. I miss soccer and I am excited to actually watch some NC Courage game, and that NCAA soccer games that will be held in Cary. I also really hope to go to Durham Bulls game this year.
I believe I will be completely comfortable being maskless 2-3 weeks after my second shot. That date will be around the first week of May. So basically, May 10th or so. I know my co-workers are already ahead of me so I'll be 100% to go back to my office.
My only worry are the effing anti-vaxxers, Qanon/hard-core Trumpers who are hesitant and won't get vaccinated. I am willing to wear my mask so these a$$holes won't get sick and die, because it's not super clear if the vaccine helps with the spread of the virus (definitely helps the vaccinated person, but I am talking about the above-mentioned a$$hats). But at some point as a society we'll have to move on. We just need to hope that those who didn't take it (for stupid reasons) know that they have to suffer the consequences and are okay with it. They refused to wear a mask for us, so why should we wear it forever for them? If there is anyone at my job who can't take the vaccine because of health issues, I am willing to wear a mask around them or do any kind of recommended accommodations. But, I won't be wearing it at 90 degree NC weather in perpetuity. Like they always say freedom ain't free. So if you decide not to take the vaccine, be ready to pay for it.
EDIT: I should have said this is about when I think I'll be ready. But, of course, I will follow the state and national requirements. What Fauci and Cohen say, I'll be happy to follow. However, as I said hopefully in small groups (like work, small gatherings, etc), many will be comfortable being maskless knowing that we are all vaccinated. Plus I am hoping to get back to some sporting events. I miss soccer and I am excited to actually watch some NC Courage game, and that NCAA soccer games that will be held in Cary. I also really hope to go to Durham Bulls game this year.
I sorta have come down on a different, yet kinda similar, path forward for myself. I will (like you) obviously follow the medical guidelines regarding when, post full vaccination, the mask can go. I don't go to an office, so I don't have those things to be concerned about.
However, me personally, I'm going to keep my masks going forward for cold and flu seasons. Yes the idea of masks during cold flu season were not something widely seen here (in Pre COVID times) but they do carry efficacy in lessening the transmission of seasonal viruses. In a way, the "awkward glass" has been broken as it relates to them.
So, post epidemic/pandemic, I will be rocking a mask during the cold-flu season for a couple of reasons.
1. A mask really isn't overbearing.
2. To steal the words of Nino Brown....its the American way to not lay low when one gets sick (again pre and post COVID) - seeing someone with a cold in an office was pretty normal...even if you ignore just how dumb it was to see it. My BiL got COVID up in RI from two of his employees literally coming into work after XMas knowing they both had COVID. Common sense/cognitive ability jokes go here.
3. I grew up in Asia where mask wearing is the norm during times of sickness/excessive pollution. I don't have the same stigma of it that your average Joe and Jane American had/has.
So if a mask can help lessen the chances of my once a year cold, cool, Ill utilize the tools I have available. If that causes snickering from a Bubbah or Karen at a Target this coming December/January....oh well. I got my AirPods in ignoring you anyway. Deuces bi***es.
I sorta have come down on a different, yet kinda similar, path forward for myself. I will (like you) obviously follow the medical guidelines regarding when, post full vaccination, the mask can go. I don't go to an office, so I don't have those things to be concerned about.
However, me personally, I'm going to keep my masks going forward for cold and flu seasons. Yes the idea of masks during cold flu season were not something widely seen here (in Pre COVID times) but they do carry efficacy in lessening the transmission of seasonal viruses. In a way, the "awkward glass" has been broken as it relates to them.
So, post epidemic/pandemic, I will be rocking a mask during the cold-flu season for a couple of reasons.
1. A mask really isn't overbearing.
2. To steal the words of Nino Brown....its the American way to not lay low when one gets sick (again pre and post COVID) - seeing someone with a cold in an office was pretty normal...even if you ignore just how dumb it was to see it. My BiL got COVID up in RI from two of his employees literally coming into work after XMas knowing they both had COVID. Common sense/cognitive ability jokes go here.
3. I grew up in Asia where mask wearing is the norm during times of sickness/excessive pollution. I don't have the same stigma of it that your average Joe and Jane American had/has.
So if a mask can help lessen the chances of my once a year cold, cool, Ill utilize the tools I have available. If that causes snickering from a Bubbah or Karen at a Target this coming December/January....oh well. I got my AirPods in ignoring you anyway. Deuces bi***es.
Oh, I am absolutely with you on this. I was actually just saying the other day that I will be donning that mask during the flu season without any hesitation. I have enough masks to last me 3-4 flu seasons now. If someone has a problem with it, it's their problem. But, I have no desire to ever getting a flu/cold ever again. I will probably do that when I travel too. All that stupid recycled air in airports during the flu season is never good for anyone. Hopefully going forward, wearing a mask isn't going to be an odd thing here in the USA.
Oh, I am absolutely with you on this. I was actually just saying the other day that I will be donning that mask during the flu season without any hesitation. I have enough masks to last me 3-4 flu seasons now. If someone has a problem with it, it's their problem. But, I have no desire to ever getting a flu/cold ever again. I will probably do that when I travel too. All that stupid recycled air in airports during the flu season is never good for anyone. Hopefully going forward, wearing a mask isn't going to be an odd thing here in the USA.
Yup. They've basically become akin to a seat belt for me. Am I guaranteed to not get F'd up in a car accident by wearing a seat belt? No. Am I in a better spot to mitigate serious injury and death by utilizing one? You betcha. 8th grade physics (well, maybe not 8th grade physics in the US, probably more 10th grade physics) teaches you all the average person needs to know about objects in motion.
Does a mask eliminate the transmission of Rhinovirus? No. Does it provide some level mitigation? Yup. Does it cost me anything to utilize one? Not really...whats a mask filter go for these days? 30 cents on Amazon....
Oh, I am absolutely with you on this. I was actually just saying the other day that I will be donning that mask during the flu season without any hesitation. I have enough masks to last me 3-4 flu seasons now. If someone has a problem with it, it's their problem. But, I have no desire to ever getting a flu/cold ever again. I will probably do that when I travel too. All that stupid recycled air in airports during the flu season is never good for anyone. Hopefully going forward, wearing a mask isn't going to be an odd thing here in the USA.
I believe I will be completely comfortable being maskless 2-3 weeks after my second shot. That date will be around the first week of May. So basically, May 10th or so. I know my co-workers are already ahead of me so I'll be 100% to go back to my office.
My only worry are the effing anti-vaxxers, Qanon/hard-core Trumpers who are hesitant and won't get vaccinated. I am willing to wear my mask so these a$$holes won't get sick and die, because it's not super clear if the vaccine helps with the spread of the virus (definitely helps the vaccinated person, but I am talking about the above-mentioned a$$hats). But at some point as a society we'll have to move on. We just need to hope that those who didn't take it (for stupid reasons) know that they have to suffer the consequences and are okay with it. They refused to wear a mask for us, so why should we wear it forever for them? If there is anyone at my job who can't take the vaccine because of health issues, I am willing to wear a mask around them or do any kind of recommended accommodations. But, I won't be wearing it at 90 degree NC weather in perpetuity. Like they always say freedom ain't free. So if you decide not to take the vaccine, be ready to pay for it.
EDIT: I should have said this is about when I think I'll be ready. But, of course, I will follow the state and national requirements. What Fauci and Cohen say, I'll be happy to follow. However, as I said hopefully in small groups (like work, small gatherings, etc), many will be comfortable being maskless knowing that we are all vaccinated. Plus I am hoping to get back to some sporting events. I miss soccer and I am excited to actually watch some NC Courage game, and that NCAA soccer games that will be held in Cary. I also really hope to go to Durham Bulls game this year.
I don't think those people care what you do. They just want to be left alone and not told what to do. Me included.
We've become a nation of lemmings, looking to the government to take care of us and tell us what to do.
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