The Netherlands cancel all public celebrations and go into lockdown.
Paris cancels New Year’s Eve Fireworks.
Lots of things being canceled here, including the Radio City Christmas show. I’ve heard restaurants closing because staff members testing positive. The thing about Times Square is that it’s outdoors, and they can easily control the density of attendees because they put them in corrals. And I heard that they are issuing tickets to many fewer people to spread them out more.
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The vaccines were never meant to “prevent the spread”. They were meant to help prevent hospitalization and death. I’ll take that.
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I know the Times Square party is outside. It also draws hundreds of thousands of people in a very small area, many of whom will be drunk and maskless. NYC can go ahead with it, but frankly I have zero patience with additional covid outbreaks or lockdown measures then. If a giant drunk party can be held, then schools can stay open.
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For the past several years, Times Square New Year’s Eve has been very carefully controlled with no alcohol allowed. This year’s celebration requires proof of vaccine.
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Everyone involved with vaccines has been telling you for nearly a year that the more chances you give this to spread (by not vaxxing, by running around maskless, by insisting on congregating indoors without masks or social distancing or decent ventilation, by traveling as though there’s no pandmic), the more opportunity you give this virus to evolve into something that the vaccines can’t reach. All they can do is tell you. They can’t unplug your ears and make you listen; that part’s up to you.
As it happens, the vaccines do still limit spread among vaxxed/boosted people. Not prevent; limit. If you want things to get worse, there’s room for them to get worse. Just carry on ignoring the scientists.
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i think outdoors is pretty safe still. THink of all those college football games, and even here in ATl the world series and parade. I did not hear of any outbreaks. Once people move indoors, gatherings, etc we hear more about spreading. I am heading to S. Florida in a few days and look forward to outdoor dining and just being outdoors.
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Um, no. Wrong. Incorrect.
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That was with a less transmissable variant. Outdoors is no doubt safer than indoors, but outdoors in a crowd is probably less safe than it was a few months ago.
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I’m not sure about that anymore with Omicron. The fact that another wave is forming in the South and Southwest may indicate that the Omicron variant can transmit well outdoors.
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Remember that in the South there was a wave in the summer because people were indoors. The fall is when most people hang out outdoors here, but in the winter we are indoors again.
You know what would be extremely helpful right now: people learning to amuse themselves at home in non-destructive ways.
I’ve been in near-lockdown for most of two years now. I seem to be fine. I talk with people all the time – by phone, by zoom, and – when viral conditions permit – in person, in stores, in classrooms, in yards and parks, on the street, doctor’s offices, etc. My kid comes home from college now and then, and depending on local viral conditions we spend time at home (masked) or just go out for walks; she’s quarantining for a few days in her empty dorm before coming home for break for a few weeks, or for as long as she wants to tolerate lockdown. I have more projects than I can handle and am busy paying down my mortgage like…um…probably “a house on fire” is the wrong cliche there. I’ve made an awesome garden and learned to pressure can (which I’m reaping the benefits of now); I’m reconnecting with my inner 70s kid and have learned to knit (I’m working on the mustard-colored sweater only I will love); I’m, like, fine.
I haven’t traveled. But I’ve done a lot of traveling. I’ve traveled more than the average mid-20th-c person did in a lifetime. And I’d been planning to travel a lot less anyway – CO2 and all.
The main thing I’m not is itchy and bored and looking for distractions. Nor am I trying to burn up the time by drinking (though I do have a promising cellar going now) or overeating. I’m just living and working and enjoying my time. I’m also, after decades of single-mothering, sleeping, holy mother of god. It’s wonderful. I had a busy last few weeks, and today, beginning of break, I slept about ten hours. Like a spa. I’ll have a run later, having come to terms with the fact that I do not run fast anymore. That actually I jog.
If around 70 million more people could be similarly content in near-lockdown conditions, I think it’d make a gigantic difference.
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Oh, how sad. I’d have watched online…I can see though that they’d have trouble stopping people from coming out.
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I believe the new wave covers some parts of South and Southwest where the weather is still warm enough for people to spend time outdoors.
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Bummed about the fireworks too, as we hoped to watch on TV …but in the grand scheme of things totally insignificant.
I think it’s hit Europe already and now it’s hitting the East Coast, that’s why they’re closing campuses left and right, or moving exams online, or pushing back graduations.
https://www.chronicle.com/article/omicron-is-here-and-colleges-are-scrambling
Excellent chart depicting the Omicron wave (scroll down, its the first chart)
Omicron might be milder but cases are doubling over 2 days. It’s taking over Delta very very fast.
It’s like a tsunami. Huge wave. Everyone vaccinated is in the hills or on the top floor of a building. We’ll all get wet but many will drown. And when they use up all hospital resources, stroke victims, kids with appendicitis, heart attacks and car accidents… we’ll get hurt anyway.
I got 10 take home tests. Better safe than sorry.
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Columbia, Imperial studies say no clear reason to believe omicron’s less dangerous than delta, warn that we don’t know yet, likely will soon.
This wave is also surging in Australia, which is about to enter its summer season.
This study seems to say: No protection from prior Covid infection, no effected of monoclonal antibodies like Regeneron in helping treat Omicron patients, no protection from two vaccinations (I assume 6 months ago or more) and even reduced protection s from two vaccinations and a booster.
'Individuals who received a booster shot of either of the two mRNA vaccines are likely to be better protected, although even their antibodies exhibited diminished neutralizing activity against omicron."
So, if you get infected, unless the Pfizer or Merck drug (or Ivermectin) works, it would be rational to get boosted (and vaccinated if you are not). I doubt that will have much influence on decision-making among the unvaccinated.
I think those who life in the south have a different definition of “warm enough” than those of us in the northeast.
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