Covidiots thread

Page 167 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

kitkat22

Golden Member
Feb 10, 2005
1,462
1,322
136
Well, congratulations! We made it. Omicron surge is nigh upon us. We have doctors and nurses out sick and I am getting pleas for help across the state to come work for them.

And I get to do again! Because the last time wasn't fun enough! </sarcasm>

Sigh, the work never ends. Yesterday's meeting basically said this is going to suck and I get to be smack dab in the middle of it.

I offered to work as many days as needed. Last time I had to do this I worked 49 days straight September through November during the last surge. This one looks just as bad if not worse.

So put that laughing emoji down at the bottom. I'm not laughing and I can tell you many families are not either. There are going to be some seriously rough conversations over the next couple weeks.
 

Ajay

Lifer
Jan 8, 2001
15,458
7,862
136
That sucks @cscpianoman. Death rates are down, but with such a high infection rate, it appears that total deaths per week is about the same a peak Delta :(.
We were caught off guard again, for reasons I can't understand.
 

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,387
8,154
126
Well, congratulations! We made it. Omicron surge is nigh upon us. We have doctors and nurses out sick and I am getting pleas for help across the state to come work for them.

And I get to do again! Because the last time wasn't fun enough! </sarcasm>

Sigh, the work never ends. Yesterday's meeting basically said this is going to suck and I get to be smack dab in the middle of it.

I offered to work as many days as needed. Last time I had to do this I worked 49 days straight September through November during the last surge. This one looks just as bad if not worse.

So put that laughing emoji down at the bottom. I'm not laughing and I can tell you many families are not either. There are going to be some seriously rough conversations over the next couple weeks.

So cutting through all the stats and reporting that Omicron is milder....

What are you seeing that is pushing hospital volumes? Supposedly it's not attacking lungs like the first two variants did. How are patients presenting and what is happening in this one vs others?
 

MtnMan

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2004
8,751
7,867
136
City school system here has closed due to COVID. Too many teachers and staff are out with COVID, to open the doors
 

brycejones

Lifer
Oct 18, 2005
26,146
24,081
136
So our local school district just announced their new COVID policy. They've ended all contact tracing and will send notifications to those in the same class. This will have the effect of masking how many kids are really getting it.

The last school board meeting they spent their time dealing with COVID talking about how great a job they are doing.
 
  • Wow
Reactions: DaaQ

Fenixgoon

Lifer
Jun 30, 2003
31,576
9,958
136
So our local school district just announced their new COVID policy. They've ended all contact tracing and will send notifications to those in the same class. This will have the effect of masking how many kids are really getting it.

The last school board meeting they spent their time dealing with COVID talking about how great a job they are doing.
If you don't test, you don't have any cases! Duh!
 

kitkat22

Golden Member
Feb 10, 2005
1,462
1,322
136
So cutting through all the stats and reporting that Omicron is milder....

What are you seeing that is pushing hospital volumes? Supposedly it's not attacking lungs like the first two variants did. How are patients presenting and what is happening in this one vs others?

It still can attack the lungs and that's what lands people in the hospital. Essentially 1/2 of my list is COVID. Two of them have me worried a lot. The others will do fine, they just need to get through the process of recovery which can take time.

Staffing has been an absolute nightmare. It is not unusual for there to be many admissions hanging out in the ER waiting for a room. Essentially log jams the ER. That's at my hospital and sister hospital.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dingster1

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
46,046
33,093
136
City school system here has closed due to COVID. Too many teachers and staff are out with COVID, to open the doors

The schools are technically open around here but as far as actual instruction lol, they don't remotely have the teachers for that. It's just glorified baby sitting right now.
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
84,055
48,054
136
So our local school district just announced their new COVID policy. They've ended all contact tracing and will send notifications to those in the same class. This will have the effect of masking how many kids are really getting it.

The last school board meeting they spent their time dealing with COVID talking about how great a job they are doing.
I think the sad answer here is that essentially everyone will get it. I’m in favor of open schools so long as they have enough staff to operate safely because kids are inherently low risk and all staff should be vaccinated anyway and are therefore low risk.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cytg111

cytg111

Lifer
Mar 17, 2008
23,210
12,854
136
I think the sad answer here is that essentially everyone will get it. I’m in favor of open schools so long as they have enough staff to operate safely because kids are inherently low risk and all staff should be vaccinated anyway and are therefore low risk.

Yea, Omicron changed the equation somewhat. Still, its all about not swamping the hospitals.
Its almost like when they finally get the tracing done its already too late, Omicron is already on its next and next victim again.
 

allisolm

Elite Member
Administrator
Jan 2, 2001
24,986
4,322
136
He's going to appeal, but this is making me smile:

And Australia cancelled his visa for a second time. His lawyer plan to appeal. A hearing is to be on Sunday and he is scheduled to play in the Australia Open on Monday. We'll see how it goes this time. He has a history of weird scientific beliefs.

"Djokovic described how in 2010 he met with a nutritionist who asked him to hold a piece of bread in his left hand while he pressed down on his right arm. Djokovic claims he was much weaker while holding the bread, and cited this as evidence of gluten intolerance."

" ...he claimed that positive thought could "cleanse" polluted water, adding that 'scientists have proven that molecules in water react to our emotions.' "

"Djokovic's wife repeated a 5G conspiracy theory on Instagram - her post was given a misinformation label by the social network."


 
  • Wow
Reactions: Bitek

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
46,046
33,093
136
I think the sad answer here is that essentially everyone will get it. I’m in favor of open schools so long as they have enough staff to operate safely because kids are inherently low risk and all staff should be vaccinated anyway and are therefore low risk.

All parents care about is that the kids are out of the house. Even if they aren't doing jack at school because the staff is out sick. If that's what it takes to prevent another round of bitching and political fingerprinting fine. The janitorial staff can read them the newspaper in the auditorium or something.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hal2kilo

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
84,055
48,054
136
Yea, Omicron changed the equation somewhat. Still, its all about not swamping the hospitals.
Its almost like when they finally get the tracing done its already too late, Omicron is already on its next and next victim again.
Right but kids and the vaccinated aren’t the ones swamping the hospitals so closing the schools doesn’t do much to help hospital capacity while it does do a lot of harm to students.
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
84,055
48,054
136
All parents care about is that the kids are out of the house. Even if they aren't doing jack at school because the staff is out sick. If that's what it takes to prevent another round of bitching and political fingerprinting fine. The janitorial staff can read them the newspaper in the auditorium or something.
I don’t agree with that. While you’re right that having some sort of child care is an aspect of this:

1) that’s an entirely reasonable thing to want. People’s lives and work are structured around an expectation that this is taken care of. Frequently going back and forth introduces chaos in people’s lives and costs a lot of money.

2) especially in high need areas schools do a lot of other stuff for kids, providing them with food, social services, safety from abusive home environments, etc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DaaQ

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
46,046
33,093
136
I don’t agree with that. While you’re right that having some sort of child care is an aspect of this:

1) that’s an entirely reasonable thing to want. People’s lives and work are structured around an expectation that this is taken care of. Frequently going back and forth introduces chaos in people’s lives and costs a lot of money.

2) especially in high need areas schools do a lot of other stuff for kids, providing them with food, social services, safety from abusive home environments, etc.

Oh don't misunderstand me, I think remote learning is basically a disaster for a lot of especially younger kids and that point #2 is indeed important. I just want to be clear eyed about what "keeping the schools open" really means in terms of actual educating at this moment in time (not much).
 
  • Like
Reactions: hal2kilo

brycejones

Lifer
Oct 18, 2005
26,146
24,081
136
Oh don't misunderstand me, I think remote learning is basically a disaster for a lot of especially younger kids and that point #2 is indeed important. I just want to be clear eyed about what "keeping the schools open" really means in terms of actual educating at this moment in time (not much).
Substitute teachers with high school diplomas aren't effective educators? (Kansas)
 

Roger Wilco

Diamond Member
Mar 20, 2017
3,874
5,726
136
Kids need structure and stimulation. When mom and dad are working full-time, it's virtually impossible to fulfill these needs when daycare is not an option and going most places is not an option.

This is obviously severely detrimental to the whole family's mental health, and more importantly, childhood development. We've been doing it for damn near two years...
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
84,055
48,054
136
Oh don't misunderstand me, I think remote learning is basically a disaster for a lot of especially younger kids and that point #2 is indeed important. I just want to be clear eyed about what "keeping the schools open" really means in terms of actual educating at this moment in time (not much).
Yes, I think the next month or so will be a time of pretty limited instructional value.
 

MrPickins

Diamond Member
May 24, 2003
9,015
578
126
Talking with my the principal of my daughter's elementary school (of ~400 students) they had 20 staff members out the other day. She said they barely made it.

This is before the wave had really even spiked here.

I'm just glad we're all vaccinated/boosted.

All parents care about is that the kids are out of the house. Even if they aren't doing jack at school because the staff is out sick. If that's what it takes to prevent another round of bitching and political fingerprinting fine. The janitorial staff can read them the newspaper in the auditorium or something.

The school's janitorial staff was down 50% also :(
 

akugami

Diamond Member
Feb 14, 2005
5,662
1,852
136
The schools are technically open around here but as far as actual instruction lol, they don't remotely have the teachers for that. It's just glorified baby sitting right now.

All parents care about is that the kids are out of the house. Even if they aren't doing jack at school because the staff is out sick. If that's what it takes to prevent another round of bitching and political fingerprinting fine. The janitorial staff can read them the newspaper in the auditorium or something.

Sadly, in a red state, that's all they want. A babysitter. Don't give a crap about the education level. Actively fights legislation that improves public education. Then bitch, moan, and complain that the system is against them.


I don’t agree with that. While you’re right that having some sort of child care is an aspect of this:

1) that’s an entirely reasonable thing to want. People’s lives and work are structured around an expectation that this is taken care of. Frequently going back and forth introduces chaos in people’s lives and costs a lot of money.

2) especially in high need areas schools do a lot of other stuff for kids, providing them with food, social services, safety from abusive home environments, etc.

I hate remote learning. I think it is bad for younger children. And I agree with your sentiments, I just am too jaded at this point to believe that those in red states really want all of the potential positives of our public education system.

I don't know how else to explain the criminal underpayment of our educators, or the active fight from conservatives of what a "proper education" should entail. They just want a babysitter for the next generation of inbreds cultists.
 

Heartbreaker

Diamond Member
Apr 3, 2006
4,228
5,228
136
:mad:

Covidiot Dad (in Canada) abducts daughter to keep her from being vaccinated:


Meanwhile, Michael appeared on a right-wing talk show from an undisclosed location last week to discuss his views against the vaccine. During the interview, uploaded to the online platform Rumble, he and the host exchange unsubstantiated and disproven stories about COVID-19 vaccines, including false claims that MRNA vaccine change human DNA.

“I’m her father, it’s my job to protect her,” he says in the video.

"Even if there's a one in a million chance that your daughter could, not even die, but there's a one in a million chance she couldn't have a baby, wouldn't that be enough?"

He's obviously been using that time to brain wash the poor kid. :mad:

The missing girl is visible in the background for much of the interview. At one point, the host asks whether the daughter wants the vaccine, at which point her father points the camera at her.

"It can change your DNA. I don't believe God wants me to. And it can make you sick and kill you," the girl said.

They seriously need to catch this fuck, and lock him up for kidnapping and child abuse.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hal2kilo

uclaLabrat

Diamond Member
Aug 2, 2007
5,543
2,855
136
Kids need structure and stimulation. When mom and dad are working full-time, it's virtually impossible to fulfill these needs when daycare is not an option and going most places is not an option.

This is obviously severely detrimental to the whole family's mental health, and more importantly, childhood development. We've been doing it for damn near two years...
I feel you man. Been doing this for 4 years, since my oldest was diagnosed with leukemia before Christmas 2017, and finished treatment end of Feb 2020. When she was on treatment (and until about Aug 2020) she was immunocompromised, so any time she or anyone in her class had so much as a runny nose, we kept her home. She'll be in 3rd grade next year and she's been in school probably a grand total of 3 months in her life. It's been incredibly tough and we're hopefull everyone will be back in school in a couple weeks.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Roger Wilco