[JayCT]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

Sorry, but acquiring "natural immunity" by enduring the much more virulent Delta was like Russian roulette. I choose not to play!

I agree. Great anology. Jay

[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by Stylo

I mean, no one got Delta on purpose. We were pretty careful, work from home, and still got it. From a relative in healthcare, who had tested negative the day before we got together for a weekend trip that gave it to whole family.

We were all fine. From 30’s to 80’s. She had it the worst, in the sense that she had lingering fatigue for a few months before being 100%. No one had more acute symptoms than a typical bad cold. Vaccines do seem to limit severity quite a bit, the person in 80’s had some serious risk factors and was fine.

Yeah but I think you're talking about Omicron in all likelihood. For most (not all but I'll agree most), getting Omicron was like a "very bad cold" and super easy to catch even if vaccinated. But Delta and before was definitely "Russian Roulette" in outcomes if you got it.

Originally Posted by whatsgoingon4

So a year from now, 5 years from now we're still going to be wearing masks? Bleh.

Most pandemics from the last century seem to last about two years, I guess this one will just go on for years and years. One big difference I see is we didn't have the technology to test for the Spanish Flu. Sure it was still going around, and descendants "variants" are still here today. But life had to go back to normal back then. The biggest difference I see now is we don't "have to" go back to normal/

Travel doesn't have to come back. In person conferences and gatherings don't have to come back. People don't have to go out ever again if they don't want to.

Yet people suffer from loneliness that virtual meetups don't replace. Businesses that rely on people going out won't get that business again. Lessened travel has consequences. I'd even go so far as to say masks have consequences, but I can't really say that out loud of course.

And yet I keep seeing articles saying now that all diseases, flu, colds, ones that we never would have expected to be as bad as Covid is or was, need to be treated the same. Shutdowns if necessary, seasonal or year round mask wearing, etc. It's horrifying to me that some people want this permanent. I don't want it myself. I've been good about wearing masks, respecting those at risk, but some of us (a lot I hope actually) want to take the masks off and go back to normal. We don't want virtual this and that forever.

I understand your concern but I don't think that will happen. In fact, with Omicron now super dominating and the numbers starting to go on the wane, I think as little as two months from now we might start to finally see some movements back to normal. Now the wild card is another "variant" that actually makes it worse and not better, but I think we're heading toward endemicity and a weaker COVID, we are just about at 2 years and as you said, historically this is where these things start to wane.

One reason I believe this is look how close we came to things becoming normal back in June and July. What stopped it was Delta. But once this wanes (again I'm saying about 2 months) if nothing else is happening and hospitals are not being overwhelmed, we might finally put this heavily in our rear view mirror. I know that was said so many times before but I think we got this. No one is going to want to wear masks anymore if this gets down to a "bad cold" for all.

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by 7 Wishes

Yeah but I think you're talking about Omicron in all likelihood. For most (not all but I'll agree most), getting Omicron was like a "very bad cold" and super easy to catch even if vaccinated. But Delta and before was definitely "Russian Roulette" in outcomes if you got it.

No, Omicron wasn’t a thing then. It was late September into October we had it.

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by Stylo

I mean, no one got Delta on purpose. We were pretty careful, work from home, and still got it. From a relative in healthcare, who had tested negative the day before we got together for a weekend trip that gave it to whole family.

We were all fine. From 30’s to 80’s. She had it the worst, in the sense that she had lingering fatigue for a few months before being 100%. No one had more acute symptoms than a typical bad cold. Vaccines do seem to limit severity quite a bit, the person in 80’s had some serious risk factors and was fine.

I hope not. But the post I was responding to, seemed to imply that it was better to catch Delta than getting vaccinated.

[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

I hope not. But the post I was responding to, seemed to imply that it was better to catch Delta than getting vaccinated.

Exactly and it's not the way to go because as someone else said, it's "Russian Roulette" (and no that's not the case with vaccines, any serious sides were like 1 in a million chances). Maybe it's a lot less of a crapshoot when you catch Omicron so I won't comment/say the same there, but YMMV.

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by 7 Wishes

Exactly and it's not the way to go because as someone else said, it's "Russian Roulette" (and no that's not the case with vaccines, any serious sides were like 1 in a million chances). Maybe it's a lot less of a crapshoot when you catch Omicron so I won't comment/say the same there, but YMMV.

My booster was worse than delta by far, but I obviously realize it’s different for everyone.

[seanhenry]

Originally Posted by 7 Wishes

that's not the case with vaccines, any serious sides were like 1 in a million chances.

Really? It's fun to throw numbers around. Sources?

[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by seanhenry

Really? It's fun to throw numbers around. Sources?

Sure, here's one: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...se-events.html

[whatsgoingon4]

Originally Posted by 7 Wishes

One reason I believe this is look how close we came to things becoming normal back in June and July. What stopped it was Delta. But once this wanes (again I'm saying about 2 months) if nothing else is happening and hospitals are not being overwhelmed, we might finally put this heavily in our rear view mirror. I know that was said so many times before but I think we got this. No one is going to want to wear masks anymore if this gets down to a "bad cold" for all.

True but Dr. Fauci still talks about continuing masks and measures to "keep cases down" after case numbers decline. So from that at least I don't see any end to the restrictions.

Last summer things became more normal because the CDC truly thought the vaccines stopped infection and transmission. That was the whole reason for the mask requirement getting relaxed and return to normalcy. With Delta, the off-ramp was lost.

Now with Omicron, it seems mild enough (whether that's because of prior infection immunity and vaccine immunity or it truly is weaker, I don't know). But it still seems the idea is to still keep cases down indefinitely.

I also get the feeling that in general cases are lower in the summer because people are outdoors plus there is more sunlight exposure. I really hope we don't get caught up in a pattern where the summer is freer but rest of the year has masks and restrictions...

[Stepfordct]

There are meds in the pipeline so that by summer hopefully this will just be endemic. These meds will treat symptoms. Everyone who wants will get a booster. Life goes on.