While the world is in a much better place in 2022 than it was in the 1930s, the confluence of events – which includes the perpetual drag that Covid has on public health – is putting a tremendous amount of pressure on everything from the worldwide economy to global healthcare systems to supply chains. It’s the `perfect storm’ for global malaise on a scale we haven’t seen in many decades. The good news is that the U.S. is actually faring better economically than many of its peers (you wouldn’t know this from what the media highlights). Unemployment is extraordinarily low, the budget deficit has come down to very manageable levels, and even inflation is not as bad here as it is in quite a number of European countries. Moreover, even with respect to Covid, in recent months, the U.S. hasn’t been doing as poorly as, say, the U.K. and Portugal.
Just as the CDC has trouble messaging, the Democrats in particular can’t seem to message – especially the President – well on our position, globally, which, while precarious, isn’t the gloom and doom that the media portray it to be.
JPD, Covid certainly isn’t gone. As I reported yesterday, it’s still making its way around nursing homes/assisted living facilities. I’ve now encountered this personally on multiple occasions.
One of the issues is booster uptake, which is relatively poor in the U.S., even in high-risk facilities. Most of the older folks have had boosters – but certainly not all (this is a travesty, in my view, as boosters save lives by preventing severe disease). And, many of the workers at these facilities, including health aides, haven’t been boosted. Some aren’t even vaccinated. While vaccinations will not prevent transmission, they help mitigate somewhat by reducing viral loads. Not a panacea, but helpful to prevent severe disease and deaths.
Moreover, protections like KN95 masks aren’t being used universally in healthcare facilities, which I sincerely don’t understand.
Frankly I wouldn’t wear a KN95 mask myself. I tried it on once and it was very uncomfortable.
It took me quite a while to adapt to kn95s. Especially with glasses.
Joshua there are some cloth masks with n95 inserts. Have you heard feedback on those
Joshua, just curious. Do you ride public transit to get around as well? You have always mentioned how much you walk and take daily runs. Fewer and fewer riders and even employees now are wearing masks. Also fewer shoppers and clerks in grocery stores as well. Only the cashiers maintain their mask wearing. I don’t know if it’s still mandated by the store or just by choice.
I do use public transit. I always wear a KN95 mask on the trains, buses, and planes. I’m a dying breed.
By the way, the BA.4 and BA.5 wave is underway in earnest across Europe. Experts were suggesting this would be mostly limited to Portugal and the U.K. Well, they were wrong. Evidently, BA.4 and BA.5 don’t care if you’ve had previous sub-variants. There’s a lot of culling the herd going on.
Any chance that the BA.4 and BA.5 variants stay in Europe or are they destined to arrive here eventually?
Oh my. Pretty soon we will Wear some type of apparatus that delays our speech so it can be censored before sound comes out
I’m 60 years old. To many here will probably look down upon me. My opinion is if you want to wear a mask go ahead and wear one. If you don’t, don’t. I haven’t in about 6-8 months. My belief is there will always be waves of disease in every form. Sometimes when I see everyones comment I feel like im doing wrong. Ik it’s a very liberal blog and that’s great. But I think im a bit more in the middle and think this administration has been atrocious in just about every area. It’s like we have a missing American administration. Thank you!
Olive, I don’t look down upon anyone. I’ve been quite critical of this Administration as well as the previous one; for a different set of reasons. I try to be as non-partisan as I can. Actually, I think the blog is this way, too, whether it’s weather and climate-related issues or Covid. It’s a healthy mix of opinions. I respect them all, even if I sometimes disagree.
One thing, though, to keep in mind is that Covid is unlike other diseases. Just a brief perusal of the global data shows that. We haven’t experienced anything like this – disease-wise – pandemic in 100 years. It has impacted a tremendous number of people worldwide, and not just in terms of deaths, but also hospitalizations, long Covid, and now the research that shows probable links to strokes, hepatitis and myocarditis in quite a number of people.
There are no easy solutions to Covid or any other public health crisis. Of course, this also applies to all the world’s current problems, from inflation to war to supply chain issues.
I respect the fact that every individual has his or her own views. Sometimes folks misinterpret a differing opinion as a put down. You may recall that was the case on the weather blog a few years ago. It is no more than a disagreement.
I spent half of my life right of center. Now I’m left of center unless I’m not. Confusing I know.
Like Joshua, I have faulted Biden in some areas. But I also think he has done an excellent job in other areas.
As far as not wearing a mask, I will wear one to protect me but also to protect folks around me Thats just my choice. As long as a choice is not politically motivated, I have no problem. This is just not a political issue
C-19
6-15
ready
Comments are closed.
Your no-hype southeastern New England weather blog!
Thanks TK.
re: Vicki’s post on Weather page
Covid is NOT gone, although the whole country for the most
part is acting like it is. Oh well, such is life in the USA these days.
U.S. tends to `follow’ what happens in the U.K. If this tendency continues, we’ll soon be having another uptick in cases. https://twitter.com/COVID19actuary/status/1536366519034253312
While the world is in a much better place in 2022 than it was in the 1930s, the confluence of events – which includes the perpetual drag that Covid has on public health – is putting a tremendous amount of pressure on everything from the worldwide economy to global healthcare systems to supply chains. It’s the `perfect storm’ for global malaise on a scale we haven’t seen in many decades. The good news is that the U.S. is actually faring better economically than many of its peers (you wouldn’t know this from what the media highlights). Unemployment is extraordinarily low, the budget deficit has come down to very manageable levels, and even inflation is not as bad here as it is in quite a number of European countries. Moreover, even with respect to Covid, in recent months, the U.S. hasn’t been doing as poorly as, say, the U.K. and Portugal.
Just as the CDC has trouble messaging, the Democrats in particular can’t seem to message – especially the President – well on our position, globally, which, while precarious, isn’t the gloom and doom that the media portray it to be.
JPD, Covid certainly isn’t gone. As I reported yesterday, it’s still making its way around nursing homes/assisted living facilities. I’ve now encountered this personally on multiple occasions.
One of the issues is booster uptake, which is relatively poor in the U.S., even in high-risk facilities. Most of the older folks have had boosters – but certainly not all (this is a travesty, in my view, as boosters save lives by preventing severe disease). And, many of the workers at these facilities, including health aides, haven’t been boosted. Some aren’t even vaccinated. While vaccinations will not prevent transmission, they help mitigate somewhat by reducing viral loads. Not a panacea, but helpful to prevent severe disease and deaths.
Moreover, protections like KN95 masks aren’t being used universally in healthcare facilities, which I sincerely don’t understand.
Frankly I wouldn’t wear a KN95 mask myself. I tried it on once and it was very uncomfortable.
It took me quite a while to adapt to kn95s. Especially with glasses.
Joshua there are some cloth masks with n95 inserts. Have you heard feedback on those
Joshua, just curious. Do you ride public transit to get around as well? You have always mentioned how much you walk and take daily runs. Fewer and fewer riders and even employees now are wearing masks. Also fewer shoppers and clerks in grocery stores as well. Only the cashiers maintain their mask wearing. I don’t know if it’s still mandated by the store or just by choice.
I do use public transit. I always wear a KN95 mask on the trains, buses, and planes. I’m a dying breed.
By the way, the BA.4 and BA.5 wave is underway in earnest across Europe. Experts were suggesting this would be mostly limited to Portugal and the U.K. Well, they were wrong. Evidently, BA.4 and BA.5 don’t care if you’ve had previous sub-variants. There’s a lot of culling the herd going on.
Any chance that the BA.4 and BA.5 variants stay in Europe or are they destined to arrive here eventually?
Oops. Had on wrong page
https://twitter.com/abraarkaran/status/1536220575185547265?s=21&t=xrg4ivylK4QzEhBJbrLqbQ
Soon, “monkeypox” will be completely eliminated:
https://www.science.org/content/article/rename-monkeypox-remove-geographic-stigma-researchers-say
Oh my. Pretty soon we will Wear some type of apparatus that delays our speech so it can be censored before sound comes out
I’m 60 years old. To many here will probably look down upon me. My opinion is if you want to wear a mask go ahead and wear one. If you don’t, don’t. I haven’t in about 6-8 months. My belief is there will always be waves of disease in every form. Sometimes when I see everyones comment I feel like im doing wrong. Ik it’s a very liberal blog and that’s great. But I think im a bit more in the middle and think this administration has been atrocious in just about every area. It’s like we have a missing American administration. Thank you!
Olive, I don’t look down upon anyone. I’ve been quite critical of this Administration as well as the previous one; for a different set of reasons. I try to be as non-partisan as I can. Actually, I think the blog is this way, too, whether it’s weather and climate-related issues or Covid. It’s a healthy mix of opinions. I respect them all, even if I sometimes disagree.
One thing, though, to keep in mind is that Covid is unlike other diseases. Just a brief perusal of the global data shows that. We haven’t experienced anything like this – disease-wise – pandemic in 100 years. It has impacted a tremendous number of people worldwide, and not just in terms of deaths, but also hospitalizations, long Covid, and now the research that shows probable links to strokes, hepatitis and myocarditis in quite a number of people.
There are no easy solutions to Covid or any other public health crisis. Of course, this also applies to all the world’s current problems, from inflation to war to supply chain issues.
I respect the fact that every individual has his or her own views. Sometimes folks misinterpret a differing opinion as a put down. You may recall that was the case on the weather blog a few years ago. It is no more than a disagreement.
I spent half of my life right of center. Now I’m left of center unless I’m not. Confusing I know.
Like Joshua, I have faulted Biden in some areas. But I also think he has done an excellent job in other areas.
As far as not wearing a mask, I will wear one to protect me but also to protect folks around me Thats just my choice. As long as a choice is not politically motivated, I have no problem. This is just not a political issue
C-19
6-15
ready