Lest we forget, this is not over. Two of my wife's co-workers passed due to COVID.

[cayugafalls]

They work in India. Her team is global, with team mates all over the world working on the platform she supports and maintains.

Her colleagues in India are an integral part of the team. Their passing underscores how this pandemic has struck all of us around the globe. They were people, loved by family and friends and will be missed more than we can know.

Today, India saw it's most deadly day. Over 4,000 people dead. Hospitals over run and no ventilators to be found at all. It will not get better before it gets much worse. This is a tragedy of phenomenal scale.

India reported its highest daily death toll — 4,187 people — on Saturday, weeks into the world's worst wave of coronavirus cases that's leaving people without lifesaving hospital beds, oxygen and drugs.

In all, nearly 240,000 people in India are confirmed to have died from COVID-19, with reported infections topping 21 million.

...snip

But as bad as the government's official numbers are, they are almost certainly a vast undercount.

NPR

It is time we rethink the way we interact. Will we ever again have a world free to co-mingle without the need for caution? The asian countries have been the leader in wearing masks as preventive measure for transmission of disease.

I was in China and Hong Kong in 1998 and there were already numerous people wearing masks at that time. Were they prescient? What did they know? Was it just their intelligence telling them, 'hey, look, I live in a crowded city and I don't want to get sick" or was it something else? A knowledge of things to come.

We can't blame the orange anus for India's woes, but we can point to his toxic denial of the danger and say, 'That, right there, IS the problem".

The world has changed, time to accept the fact that we are not just poisoning the planet, we are poisoning ourselves.

It will not get better, until we get better. That leaves the question.

Will we get better?

I can only hope.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. My ex-wife's cousin just succumbed yesterday here in AZ ... he's like 45

Has two kids too.

She's very sad.

We're still sorta friends that's how I know.

He's also a RWNJ, works as a prison guard, voted for Trump 2X, and I'm SURE did not even try to get vaccinated.

My sympathy is somewhat tempered under the totality of the circumstances.

[cayugafalls]

2. Any death is sad as loved ones are left behind and regardless

of political leanings, kids need their parent and a death of one parent is devastating on the young.

Perhaps, it will all work out for the better. We can only hold them in our thoughts and wish them well.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

3. Yes my friend I totally agree in principle (nt)

[brush]

4. My guess is that Hillary would've handled covid like Joe Biden has...

and hundreds of thousands of Americans would not have died. trump and his incompetent cabal left massive wreckage and death behind...not to mention an attempted coup which they are now trying to blame on antifa and BLM when they're not trying to downplay and forget it.

Elections certainly do have consequences. 2016's were horrible for us.

[brush]

7. Wrong site, buddy. Go back with trump and the covid deniers...

where you came from.

[Hekate]

11. I think you took a wrong turn. Nobody here "worships" Democrats, or turns off their brains...

...at the door. If you don’t know what Joe Biden has already accomplished, and are unwilling to post quietly until you learn — you have likely stumbled into the wrong place for you.

Enjoy your stay.

[ShazzieB]

12. What did you expect?

"sorry but every time i post i get messages saying oh you dont belong here seems silly cant we discuss."


Well, sorry right back at you, but if you post stuff that sounds like right wing trolling, people are going to assume that's what you're doing and respond accordingly.

[GulfCoast66]

5. For much of the world it will be more than a year.

And many Americans who refuse a vaccine will keep dying for a year or more.

For those that had no chance of a vaccine I mourn and will continue to keep in my mind.

For those that refuse a vaccine I feel no joy, but can’t bring myself to mourn. They chose poorly.

If you are vaccinated your chance of getting Covid is car wreck small or less. You chance of dying is lottery winning small.

100 million people fully vaccinated. Around 10,000 breakthrough cases. Around 150 deaths. If you have real fear of getting Covid after being fully vaccinated you should never drive a vehicle again.

[misanthrope]

10. What I can't shake are thoughts of the mutations out there

Six months from now, we could be dealing with something just as contagious, if not more, and waiting for a new vaccine against it.

[GulfCoast66]

13. You can't live your life based on fears unknown.

The vaccines we have now are effective against all known variants. Can new ones come that the vaccine does not work against? Of course. But an Astroid could kill as well. We can’t live our on fear of dying when science does not support that fact

I’m just looking at science and evidence that tells me today, at this time, I’m vaccinated and safe. If you are vaccinated then you too are safe.

Of course I’m still masking up and distancing. To be a team player. But once no one else wants the vaccine, I’m done. Because science tells me I’m hardly at risk. Less than driving to work.

Can that change, of course.

[misanthrope]

19. Sorry, I didn't mean I'm letting it keep me locked away

I'm talking about the cavalier attitude I encounter here that the pandemic is completely over, game done, no need for precaution or any heed taken for the future. I'm doing things closer to normal than I have in the past 16 months, except for being in crowds or packed into indoor spaces. I'm vaccinated but bear in mind I have fairly advanced emphysema and something like the regular flu has been known to put me in the hospital, so I'm mindful.

I'm seeing regional jubilation at sports stadiums throwing away all precaution now and packing them in. Considering what we've seen about the politics of anti-vaxxers/maskholes and their intersection with regional sports enthusiasm, a lot of those folks going shoulder-to-shoulder to watch the Braves or Crimson Tide are going to be spreading COVID and giving it chances to mutate.

So all that to say I'm not counting on the certainty all will be completely "back to normal" in six months. We just don't know right now.

[GulfCoast66]

23. I agree too many non-vaccinated idiots are acting like it over.

And guess what? They are still dying. Not at the numbers in January but still significant. Someone I know just lost their father. Healthy 70 something year old. Refused to get the vaccine. Dude died for trump.

If I had a chronic condition like you unfortunately do, I think I would wear a mask every flu season. I’m going to be wearing one when I have a cold with no fever. If feverish I call out from work.

Stay safe.

[Treefrog]

24. There are plenty of vaccinated "idiots' acting like it's over too.

It’s not over. Not by a long shot.

[Treefrog]

25. There are plenty of vaccinated "idiots' acting like it's over too.

It’s not over. Not by a long shot.

[misanthrope]

26. No, but we're in a lull, waiting and watching

There's no indication where it will go from here. There are just too many unknown variables, unfortunately enhanced by those who will use any excuse to declare the pandemic "over."

Enjoy the seeming respite in ways you can without being unsafe.

[GulfCoast66]

28. While way less than those wanting to declare the pandemic over, some can't let it go.

Even though to this point, after 5 months of unprecedented rate of vaccinations only a hand full of people who are vaccinated have come down with Covid. And less than 150 have died. Out of 100 million or more than have been vaccinated.

If someone does not believe these numbers or feel there is another shoe about to drop and wants to keep masking up and distancing for the foreseeable future they have my support. Does not bother me a bit.

But Biden has said the goal is to totally reopen the economy my July 4th which I agree. By then everyone who wants to be vaccinated will be. I’ll be damned that I will keep doing what I’ve gladly done for the past year to protect the idiots among us since my vaccine make it pretty much impossible for me to get Covid. Literally less than 1 in 1000 chance. Not to die from it. But to get it. And as more of us get vaccinated the odds continue to go down.

This is a fact based site. And those are the facts. The situation might change in the future as will my calculations at that point. But the way the data is looking now I consider myself safe. Mind you as a team player I still mask up and distance. But that will end eventually.

[misanthrope]

31. Key portion

"Mind you as a team player I still mask up and distance. But that will end eventually."

Agreed

[beaglelover]

33. I agree with you 💯!

[susanr516]

32. Moderna is already testing a booster that target variants

and trials are showing good results.
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/moderna-says-its-covid-vaccine-booster-works-well-against-variants-n1266413

[brewens]

8. I saw on the Spokane news that the Eagles Lodge in Republic, WA had a superspreader event and lost

two people. I think they said 10 seriously ill including the woman interviewed. She may have been the bar manager. She was in the hospital for over a week and thought she might die. I think it was just a karaoke night.

That's NE Washington. Real red. I'm a couple hundred miles south in Idaho. Our Eagles have been doing the same shit, plus had bigger crowds because members from the neighboring WA Eagles were going there because restrictions were lax. Just asking for it going to that place.

[GulfCoast66]

30. Sorry, fresh out of sympathy.

Had they all chosen to be vaccinated they would be fine.

We are just starting to see the thousands of people whose political allegiance gets them killed.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

9. Worse yet, the numbers in India are some

horrific multiple of the official numbers.

It's a VERY populous nation, people crowded together and not very good health care. Honestly, the only surprise is that it's taken this long for the illness and death numbers to get this high.

[BigmanPigman]

15. I follow Worldometers for Covid data

and today the US had 100,569 Total Cases per 1 Million Population while India had 16,025 cases. I agree, I don't know how they stayed so low for so long.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

[cayugafalls]

18. India's numbers are vastly under reported.

Sad but true.

Vastly is probably an understatement.

[BigmanPigman]

21. I read that the US numbers are vastly under reported too.

https://interestingengineering.com/study-estimates-a-much-higher-covid-19-death-rate-than-reported

"Study Estimates A Much Higher COVID-19 Death Rate Than Reported
Instead of the previously reported 580,000 deaths in the U.S., the exact number seems closer to 900,000 in total."

[cayugafalls]

22. Thank you for that link.

Science, who knew.

My wife and I always believed the number to be under reported.

Science seems to confirm it.

[ProfessorGAC]

27. That Number Is Way Too High

Actuaries at major insurance companies are saying our number is around 20% higher than reported. They've been saying that for 10 months.
The 900k is from the same group that updated their methods, math & projections every other week and almost got it wrong.
Per the experts I know, it's something over 700,000 in the US.
India, on the other hand, are grossly underreported.
The sudden spike in reported numbers is a combination of a severe outbreak AND their reporting structure catching up to reality.
Their numbers were never as low as reported. It's been much worse there the whole time.

[Treefrog]

14. Very sad.

Sadder still that I read right here on this site that at least one person here says no more mask wearing for him, and just too bad for anyone who might get sick. Really disheartening. Some really can’t see further than themselves.

[cayugafalls]

17. Personally, I am following the Asian path. I told my Dr. I will be wearing my mask,

for the foreseeable future regardless of what anyone says. The world has changed.

New viruses will crop up. What was once an uncommon occurrence will become the norm.

Population growth and food scarcity will only make matters worse.

I will wear a mask like I wear a seat belt. Now that I know a mask can save my life, I would be stupid to not wear one.

Peace.

[Treefrog]

20. Very wise. I was taken aback by the other poster's flippant and cavalier attitude.

Surprised to read it here, of all places.

[GulfCoast66]

29. I did not read about anyone no longer wearing a mask.

I still wear mine as a team player.

What I did say is that unless new data comes out about the effectiveness of the vaccine, once everyone who wants the vaccine has it I’m done with the masks. I’m not going to keep doing what I’ve been doing to protect the idiots among us. Nor will most people. I wear a mask to protect others first, then myself. But if vaccinated the chance of getting Covid is minister. I won’t keep altering my lifestyle to help right wing idiots who choose to be at risk.

Joe has said his goal is to totally reopen the economy by July 4. I support that.

[live love laugh]

16. Thanks Pfizer and Moderna for not sharing your formulas