SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19

[gotbeer]

2 hours ago, Jason said:

The big difference is we have a lot more people vaccinated now

I don't think it's going to make any difference at all.  

First of all, people who are vaccinated are still getting the Rona, and some even dying.  Not a high amount, but it's still a troubling number.  Especially since it's happening in areas when cases are going down.

Second, only 30% are vaccinated.  That leaves 70% unvaccinated.  Total cases in LA county was 1.23 million over a year.  That's less than 10% of the population of LA county.

Third.  My guess would be, that a majority of the 30% that are vaccinated are probably the same ones that wear a mask all the time, social distance, limit gatherings, hides in their homes.  Their chances were probably low in the first place.  The high risk are probably still going to be high risk.  

Fourth.  It's the mutants that seem to be driving this latest wave.  And we don't know if the vaccines will defend against it.  

Time will tell.  But the wave has already spread from NY to IL.  And both these places have been vaccinating people, just like in CA.

[Redondo]

Concern in Italy that mafia redirecting vaccine to friends as elderly die

Authorities in Italy are investigating whether the Italian mafia is redirecting the country’s supply of coronavirus vaccines away from those who need it most and giving it to their friends and family, according to a report.

Deaths among the elderly have increased in the country, which has struggled in its vaccine rollout, and the prime minister has blamed the rise on younger people jumping the line.

By the end of January, around seven out of every 10 people who received the vaccine in Italy were under 60 years old and at least 1,000 alleged line jumpers are now under investigation across the country, according to Politico.

The mafia often exerts control over health care in the country especially in the south, Politico reported, where the number of people calling themselves health care workers has grown exponentially as the group is among the first to be vaccinated, causing suspicion. 

Several regions in the south have reportedly given as many shots to well-connected people like judges, politicians and journalists as people over 80.

"People are being vaccinated who are outside of any priority category specified by the government, particularly in some regions where there is high density of mafia, and we suspect that the mafia is managing the vaccinations," Mario Giarrusso, a member of the country’s anti-mafia commission, told Politico.

[Redondo]

Chinese COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness 'not high,' government exploring options: officials

China's coronavirus vaccines may not provide the appropriate protection, with the government exploring options to try and boost efficacy as additional vaccines enter clinical trials.

In a rare admission from a normally tight-lipped government, Chinese health officials admitted that the vaccines "don't have very high protective rates."

"It's now under formal consideration whether we should use different vaccines from different technical lines for the immunization process," China Centers for Disease Control director Gao Fu said at a conference Saturday.

Drug companies Sinopharm and Sinovac were the leading producers for China's vaccine efforts, with their products exported to 22 countries including Mexico, Turkey, Indonesia, Brazil and Turkey.

Sinopharm initially reported a 79% efficacy rate, but did not release any trial data for the vaccines.

Meanwhile, foreign trials for the Sinovac vaccine have found a wide range of efficacy, with Brazil reporting 50% efficacy for and Turkey reporting over 80% efficacy, the Washington Post reported.

Sinovac spokesperson Liu Peicheng acknowledged varying levels of effectiveness in the company's vaccine, but claimed a number of factors could result in that variation, including the age of people in a study or the virus strain, among other factors.

[Jay]

Can't Pfizer just sell them the recipe for umpteen-billion dollars?

 

[Jason]

18 hours ago, gotbeer said:

I don't think it's going to make any difference at all.  

First of all, people who are vaccinated are still getting the Rona, and some even dying.  Not a high amount, but it's still a troubling number.  Especially since it's happening in areas when cases are going down.

Second, only 30% are vaccinated.  That leaves 70% unvaccinated.  Total cases in LA county was 1.23 million over a year.  That's less than 10% of the population of LA county.

Third.  My guess would be, that a majority of the 30% that are vaccinated are probably the same ones that wear a mask all the time, social distance, limit gatherings, hides in their homes.  Their chances were probably low in the first place.  The high risk are probably still going to be high risk.  

Fourth.  It's the mutants that seem to be driving this latest wave.  And we don't know if the vaccines will defend against it.  

Time will tell.  But the wave has already spread from NY to IL.  And both these places have been vaccinating people, just like in CA.

You can take that percentage of unvaccinated and large number of them already had the virus and so far the vaccines have shown a good level of protection from the virus. I believe it’s low but do we know the amount of vaccinated people that have been hospitalized after they are fully vaccinated 

[fan_since79]

I just read that 4,000 people are dying every day in Brazil of COVID. The government refuses to do all the lockdowns, etc and the virus is having its way with the population.

 

[Tank]

7 hours ago, Redondo said:

Concern in Italy that mafia redirecting vaccine to friends as elderly die

Authorities in Italy are investigating whether the Italian mafia is redirecting the country’s supply of coronavirus vaccines away from those who need it most and giving it to their friends and family, according to a report.

Deaths among the elderly have increased in the country, which has struggled in its vaccine rollout, and the prime minister has blamed the rise on younger people jumping the line.

By the end of January, around seven out of every 10 people who received the vaccine in Italy were under 60 years old and at least 1,000 alleged line jumpers are now under investigation across the country, according to Politico.

The mafia often exerts control over health care in the country especially in the south, Politico reported, where the number of people calling themselves health care workers has grown exponentially as the group is among the first to be vaccinated, causing suspicion. 

Several regions in the south have reportedly given as many shots to well-connected people like judges, politicians and journalists as people over 80.

"People are being vaccinated who are outside of any priority category specified by the government, particularly in some regions where there is high density of mafia, and we suspect that the mafia is managing the vaccinations," Mario Giarrusso, a member of the country’s anti-mafia commission, told Politico.

italian - cuomo - favoritism

the governor of new york is a mafioso.

[RallyMo]

3 hours ago, fan_since79 said:

I just read that 4,000 people are dying every day in Brazil of COVID. The government refuses to do all the lockdowns, etc and the virus is having its way with the population.

 

Hold on a second, I'm gonna head to the filing cabinet.

Ok, I got what I needed.

Ahem...

JUST LIKE THE FLU.

[Jason]

3 hours ago, fan_since79 said:

I just read that 4,000 people are dying every day in Brazil of COVID. The government refuses to do all the lockdowns, etc and the virus is having its way with the population.

 

That’s a shit hole country and could probably benefit from a do over 

[Don]

Got my second shot on Thursday. Absolutely zero side effects.

[Redondo]

 

'COME AT ME'

 

Disturbing Zoom video shows teacher berating students over push for in-person learning

 

A California high school teacher was caught on camera berating students for their parents' collective push to end remote learning and return children to their classrooms full time. 

In a video shared on Facebook, San Marcos High School teacher Alissa Piro can be heard raising her voice at several seniors during a virtual lesson over Zoom.

Piro, who teaches English, appears to be referencing an ongoing lawsuit launched by a coalition of parents against Gov. Gavin Newsom and six North Country school districts seeking eased COVID restrictions and an accelerated return to physical classrooms, though local unions say doing so would constitute judicial overreach.

"If your parent wants to talk to me about their profession and their opinion on their profession, I would love to hear that...," she says.

"However, if your parent wants to come talk to me about how I'm not doing a good enough job in distance learning based on what you need as an individual? Just dare them to come at me. Because I am so sick to my stomach of parents trying to tell educators how to do their job."

The video was reportedly filmed by a family member of a student in attendance, and was shared to a private Facebook group aimed at reopening schools in the district. After over a year of remote learning, the district recently agreed to a hybrid model which allows students to attend in-person learning two days a week. The local union reportedly voted to keep the hybrid model for the duration of the school year, outraging parents and students anxious to return to in-person instruction.

In another video shared on the platform, Piro can be heard aggressively yelling at a student inquiring about a "White student union."

"You don't need a White student union, Jake. You get everything," the teacher retorts.

A mother of a student in Piro's class told Fox News that she brought the videos to the attention of the school principal Adam Dawson several weeks ago. Dawson agreed that Piro's behavior was "inexcusable" and vowed to address it, but failed to follow up. Dawson did not immediately return Fox News' request for comment. 

"She's a bully," the mother wrote in the "Open SM Schools" private Facebook group. "These rants were so often my child said he "tuned her out" and was just trying to get thru the class...this is exactly what's wrong with education and if the school district sweeps this then they are just as responsible."

The mother said she "cried" after the video was sent to her by her child while at work.

"These poor kids have endured so much. I held onto the video for 3 months and hardly told a soul fearing retaliation...I shared it with some of my close friends a few weeks ago when I saw her behavior was continuing this term and I felt awful for not standing up for these kids sooner."

A different mother posted that Piro had previously taught her daughter at a High Tech elementary school but that she was eventually fired and appears to have "gone down hill" since then. 

 

Edited April 12, 2021 by Redondo

[Redondo]

 

California city erects fence outside COVID mandate-defying restaurant in Burbank

A California city erected a fence outside a restaurant that has repeatedly flouted coronavirus health orders, a report said.

The fencing was put up Saturday outside of Tinhorn Flats Saloon & Grill in Burbank after a court ordered the establishment’s electricity be shut off, according to an NBC Los Angeles report.

The eatery has racked up nearly $50,000 in fines since the start of the pandemic for violating public health orders, allowing outdoor dining at a time when the practice was banned by the county, according to the Los Angeles Times.

A judge on Friday ruled the restaurant cannot reopen without new permits.

The city had previously placed sandbags outside the business in a bid to keep it closed.

But on Tuesday, Lucas Lepejian, the 20-year-old son of the restaurant owner, was arrested for allegedly removing the barriers.

The owner of the restaurant, Baret Lepejian, told the Times that he will not pay the fines.

"Show me one shred of evidence how I am endangering the public," he told the newspaper.

"This has never been about safety or the public. It’s never been about that. This whole thing is about fear and control," he said.

[Adam]

4 hours ago, Redondo said:

 

California city erects fence outside COVID mandate-defying restaurant in Burbank

A California city erected a fence outside a restaurant that has repeatedly flouted coronavirus health orders, a report said.

The fencing was put up Saturday outside of Tinhorn Flats Saloon & Grill in Burbank after a court ordered the establishment’s electricity be shut off, according to an NBC Los Angeles report.

The eatery has racked up nearly $50,000 in fines since the start of the pandemic for violating public health orders, allowing outdoor dining at a time when the practice was banned by the county, according to the Los Angeles Times.

A judge on Friday ruled the restaurant cannot reopen without new permits.

The city had previously placed sandbags outside the business in a bid to keep it closed.

But on Tuesday, Lucas Lepejian, the 20-year-old son of the restaurant owner, was arrested for allegedly removing the barriers.

The owner of the restaurant, Baret Lepejian, told the Times that he will not pay the fines.

"Show me one shred of evidence how I am endangering the public," he told the newspaper.

"This has never been about safety or the public. It’s never been about that. This whole thing is about fear and control," he said.

He could start a gofundme and have his fines paid for in 20 minutes

[Lhalo]

On 4/11/2021 at 10:09 AM, fan_since79 said:

I just read that 4,000 people are dying every day in Brazil of COVID. The government refuses to do all the lockdowns, etc and the virus is having its way with the population.

Where did you read this?

[Jason]

22 minutes ago, Lhalo said:

Where did you read this?

Brazil's daily deaths from COVID pass 4,000 for first time (timesunion.com)

[Lhalo]

6 minutes ago, Jason said:

Brazil's daily deaths from COVID pass 4,000 for first time (timesunion.com)

Thanks.

[Jason]

24 minutes ago, Lhalo said:

Thanks.

They aren't doing well on the vaccination front either 

[UndertheHalo]

Brazil is a huge disaster for a lot of reasons.  The federal government’s impressively even shittier response than ours plays no small part.  Bolsanaro is going to get smoked by Luna in the coming election. 

[UndertheHalo]

I got my 2nd dose of Moderna on Saturday. Pretty rough last night and this morning for me. Not a great time. 

Edited April 13, 2021 by UndertheHalo

[tdawg87]

1 hour ago, UndertheHalo said:

I got my 2nd dose of Moderna on Saturday. Pretty rough last night and  this morning for me.  Not a great time. 

2nd dose made me sore as fuck.

Although @cals fed me a bit more than usual that night.

[RallyMo]

3 hours ago, Jason said:

Brazil's daily deaths from COVID pass 4,000 for first time (timesunion.com)

Yep. It's probably all mislabeled deaths, though. They're trying to make Trump look bad and get that Medicare $.

[RallyMo]

2 hours ago, UndertheHalo said:

Brazil is a huge disaster for a lot of reasons.  The federal government’s impressively even shittier response than ours plays no small part.  Bolsanaro is going to get smoked by Luna in the coming election. 

Indeed. It's bananas over there.

[RallyMo]

I'll be joining the writing team over at The Family Circus starting next week.

[gotbeer]

59 minutes ago, cals said:

Not good news.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/13/health/johnson-vaccine-pause-cdc-fda/index.html

6 out of 6.8 million doses.  I remember when people were getting severe allergic reactions to vaccines, and dying, and it was phrased as within statistical norms.  Those were the dark ages of 2020.  

Oh, and Cals.  Women.  

[RallyMo]

Good news.

https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/04/13/986647390/u-k-coronavirus-strain-does-not-lead-to-more-severe-illness-and-death-study-find