2019 - nCoV (novel coronavirus originating in Wuhan, China)

[ML]

I see you lost your mustache and the hair transplanted to your nipples. You okay with that?

OMG I hadn't even noticed until you brought it to my attention !!

I think I will sue . . . just have to determine who.

[Trenchcoat]

Surprised myself last night, voting ballot for the Welsh Assembly (Parliament) Elections arrived. I hadn't intended to vote as didn't think there would be any party that would have anything much worth voting for. I never really thought much need anyway for a Welsh government beyond an organisation for a regional administrative function rather than a law making function. Anyway at the same time I notice flyers for Ukip and one for Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party. I read both and both really spoke to me. Up to that point I had assumed that Ukip were a spent force and had their day, Brexit achieved. Anyway both among other things want to abolish the Welsh Assembly and stop them trying to take Wales back into the EU as an independent nation.

During the Pandemic one of the biggest pains in the arse was the Welsh & Scottish Parliament's drawing up their own separate rules on what can and cannot be done, that and bringing in their own local lockdowns and region wide lockdowns - both proved inadequate and allowed the virus numbers to rise, only the national lockdowns have proven effective to date, Vaccination drive aside. The other issue for me was that if Wales was part of the EU as a Wales would have been subject to the same slow vaccination blunder as the rest of the EU and many more Welsh people die as a result. The final straw for me though was the Welsh Assembly decision not to sell alcohol after 10pm, that was inexcusable to my mind seriously though it was an unnecessary pain in the arse.

So I unreservedly voted for both Ukip and Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party. For some reason there is a Welsh regional WMP and a local constitutency WMP, the above two just had one to vote for in one but not the other so they didn't clash and split the vote I guess which makes sense. That is another problem with devolved government that there is too much replication of the same job. When we were part of the EU Wales would have had to vote for European MP's so yet another layer and another round of voting Lol. That not to mention local Council Elections as well of course . Elections here are always done either postal or in person, not online, but because of the virus are only done by postal ballot for this Election. So that is a hell of a lot of form filling and instructions on how to do to read through. That's something Americans may enjoy but for most of us Brits I think way, way too much voting for many Brits to want to bother to participate long term particularly as it can't be done online so a fair but of time and bother really. Anyway will see how the results go around the 6th May I guess.

[GQBlues]

LA County’s No-Schedule Vaccination Program. In some localities, they’ll make it a walk-up program at pharmacies much like they do with the annual fly shot.

http://youtu.be/UsOWCeS-w8E

Thanks for Trump’s ‘Warp Speed’ program!!

[ML]

Pfizer vaccine easy to get here also.

Seems all the 'at risk' adults who want to take the vaccine have already done so.

Thus, the program has opened up to anyone over age 16-17, can't remember which age.

But that leaves some 40% of the older population who have so far refused to get the vaccine.

Probably we will start offering a carton of cigarettes or a 6 pack of beer with a shot; maybe that will bring some of that group in.  Or perhaps 5 or so lottery tickets.

Probably a chance to have dinner with Milania would be a real draw.

[GQBlues]

Exactly right. As a matter of fact to help celebrate turning the countywide yellow level state, and to entice the old farts and adults to finally get their vaccines, they’re planning of conducting many of the vaccination sites at the neighborhood strip joints. For the stubborn ones, in-home topless nurse vaccination program will soon be conducted. Me, I’ll wait for the latter once I convinced wifey it really is for my health care.

[Gator]

My 22-yo Russian stepson received his first Moderna jab.  He works part-time, and his employer will pay him over $150 after the second jab.   

Mama still refuses to be vaccinated out of health fears. 

[Faux Pas]

My 22-yo Russian stepson received his first Moderna jab.  He works part-time, and his employer will pay him over $150 after the second jab.   

Mama still refuses to be vaccinated out of health fears.

Mama's right, don't take the vaccine

[BillyB]

Earlier I reported infections rising in the nation. In my county infections are rising although 60% of the population has one or more shots of the vaccine. A certain number who had COVID has natural temporary immunity. It's possible 70% of the population in the country supposedly has immunity from the virus and although we are rolling into warmer weather, infections have increased and my governor is talking about going back to more restrictions. Go figure.

http://www.kiro7.com/news/local/coronavirus-vaccine-milestones-reached-king-county-infections-rise/WS4I5UJ2BZHFDD7RHPIZBLJTKQ/

[Boethius]

Mama's right, don't take the vaccine

Depends on which one.  The Pfizer vaccine is very safe.  I had the Astrazeneca vaccine, as it is the only one available to me currently, with no ill effects.

There is a CBC program called Quirks and Quarks which examines all sorts of scientific issues.  They interviewed a scientist from the University of Texas whose research was instrumental in cutting down the time for development of the mRNA vaccines.  That scientist, Jason McLellan, told Quirks and Quarks that his own research had been moved ahead significantly when a Chinese team released an academic paper.  This research is why the vaccine developed so quickly. 

The whole interview is worth a listen, but here's a snippet -

http://tinyurl.com/me4tafyh

[Faux Pas]

Depends on which one.  The Pfizer vaccine is very safe.  I had the Astrazeneca vaccine, as it is the only one available to me currently, with no ill effects.

There is a CBC program called Quirks and Quarks which examines all sorts of scientific issues.  They interviewed a scientist from the University of Texas whose research was instrumental in cutting down the time for development of the mRNA vaccines.  That scientist, Jason McLellan, told Quirks and Quarks that his own research had been moved ahead significantly when a Chinese team released an academic paper.  This research is why the vaccine developed so quickly. 

The whole interview is worth a listen, but here's a snippet -

http://tinyurl.com/me4tafyh

Ah, no. I still ain't buying it. There is no good going to come from injecting a poison like mRNA into your body, for any reason. A body which is quite capable of defending against a virus such as covid anyway. The world is on the verge of believing a lie. mRNA is a solution to a problem that doesn't really exist, it would appear it's main function is to create problems. Covid is real, we know this but it's not the killer it's been promoted as for an entire worlds population to march down and accept the poison. You've been mislead

[BillyB]

Although vaccines are rolling out in full speed and the weather is warmer, Current daily infections worldwide has doubled compared to February and daily deaths increased too.


http://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

[GQBlues]

Although vaccines are rolling out in full speed and the weather is warmer, Current daily infections worldwide has doubled compared to February and daily deaths increased too.

http://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

Man! The US covid-19 mortality rate went up to an unnerving, jaw-dropping, alarming two-tenths of 1 percent today. Gawd almighty help us!

[ML]

Man! The US covid-19 mortality rate went up to an unnerving, jaw-dropping, alarming two-tenths of 1 percent today. Gawd almighty help us!

I think there is a lot more to be concerned about than just death from covid.

I have seen some of the interviews with people who had it and survived. 
They told of almost unbearable pain and discomfort from its affects. 
Like a 300 pound person sitting on your chest for days, weeks and months.
I certainly would not have wanted to go through it, and may decided to end my life just to stop it.

And then there are the long-haulers who never get over it.

[GQBlues]

I think there is a lot more to be concerned about than just death from covid.

I have seen some of the interviews with people who had it and survived. 
They told of almost unbearable pain and discomfort from its affects. 
Like a 300 pound person sitting on your chest for days, weeks and months.
I certainly would not have wanted to go through it, and may decided to end my life just to stop it.

And then there are the long-haulers who never get over it.

I don't doubt the point you make, ML.


I had my annual check-up with the good doctor last week. We had time to discuss COVID, vaccination and the darn statistics. He obviously is a strong proponent of the vaccination. I told him at times I rely too heavily on numbers, and casually made the point of the mortality rate, but he immediately countered on this being skewed. He said it is misleading because the fatality within my age bracket represent the majority of the fatality on COVID.


He does have a point I can't, and won't, argue with.
http://www.statista.com/statistics/1191568/reported-deaths-from-covid-by-age-us/

But interestingly however, if you took the subset of this from the whole (50 plus age range - mortality v population), it isn't that much different, rate-wise. It would 'only' be at the 4 tenths of 1% range.


population slice

[BillyB]

I think there is a lot more to be concerned about than just death from covid.

I have seen some of the interviews with people who had it and survived. 
They told of almost unbearable pain and discomfort from its affects. 
Like a 300 pound person sitting on your chest for days, weeks and months.
I certainly would not have wanted to go through it, and may decided to end my life just to stop it.

And then there are the long-haulers who never get over it.

My friend got it and almost died. He said it was like a boa constrictor around his chest. He had to go to the hospital emergency room 3 times. Covid gave him blood clots and he was in pain for over a month. He's in his early 50's and has a compromised immune system. I asked if he's going to take a vaccine and his answer was a big "NO". He worked as a nurse in a laboratory that did drug trials and knows the vigorous testing they go through. It scares him on how fast they rushed the vaccines. Certain safety tests take years to complete and that did not happen with the current vaccines. Since they provide temporary immunity, people will need to take more shots of the experimental vaccines. People may need to take more experimental vaccines for COVID variants. Vaccine manufactures will be immune from lawsuits. Who knows how long this will last? The experts in charge aren't revealing their long term game plan.

[fathertime]

But interestingly however, if you took the subset of this from the whole (50 plus age range - mortality v population), it isn't that much different, rate-wise. It would 'only' be at the 4 tenths of 1% range.

My poor old pops (Closing in on 101 years old) chastises me for not getting the shot. "Do you want to be one of the dead".  I continue to have no interest.  I'll fight the fight if I have to, win/lose/draw.  At least 1 daughter, wife, and son have already had it.  I'd be surprised if I didn't pick it up at some point, and not have too bad of symptoms.  Given my relatively low level of risk, I'll take my chances with my own immune system.    There could be a point in the future where the virus mutates in a more deadly way, in which case if a vaccine is shown to help in that case, I may change my mind.



Fathertime! 

[BillyB]

Long term safety studies on vaccines still need more time to conclude but there will always be a steady stream of reports coming out that will put experimental vaccines in a bad light.


Thousands of women report their menstrual cycle is affected by the vaccines.

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/researchers-looking-into-link-between-covid-vaccine-and-menstruation/2495593/


Report says mRNA vaccines can trigger neurological diseases.

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/04/report-pfizer-moderna-covid-vaccines-trigger-alzheimers-als-neurological-d

http://www.hennessysview.com/images/covid19-rna-based-vaccines-and-the-risk-of-prion-disease-1503.pdf


After 40 years of research, we don't have a vaccine for the virus that causes HIV/AIDS. We don't have a vaccine for the common cold. No cure for cancer. All of a sudden we have a new virus show up, vaccines are created in a few months, it will be effective for only a few months, and they want everybody in the world to inject something into their bodies that is not approved for humans and get never ending booster shots.

[GQBlues]

While not as deadly as COVID-19, it is nonetheless reportedly an excruciatingly painful experience older folks go through if one is not vaccinated for it. Shingles affect 1 in 3 older (50+) folks.


So how many is aware, or even know, what shingles is and what it can actually do to you if you're not vaccinated? Way less than half.

[GQBlues]

My poor old pops (Closing in on 101 years old) chastises me for not getting the shot. "Do you want to be one of the dead".  I continue to have no interest.  I'll fight the fight if I have to, win/lose/draw.  At least 1 daughter, wife, and son have already had it.  I'd be surprised if I didn't pick it up at some point, and not have too bad of symptoms.  Given my relatively low level of risk, I'll take my chances with my own immune system.    There could be a point in the future where the virus mutates in a more deadly way, in which case if a vaccine is shown to help in that case, I may change my mind.

Fathertime!

Both my in-laws are also urging me to get vaccinated. FIL is more adamant about this than MIL. Then again, fatherly advice also warned me against getting an electric car, too. His biggest reason against that is - 'look what happened in Texas!'

Of course, the chances of that ever happening again is not very good, so therein lies the whole 'numbers' (odds)  application again.

But FWIW, wifey got her vaccination appointment this Friday.

[ML]

While not as deadly as COVID-19, it is nonetheless reportedly an excruciatingly painful experience older folks go through if one is not vaccinated for it. Shingles affect 1 in 3 older (50+) folks.


So how many is aware, or even know, what shingles is and what it can actually do to you if you're not vaccinated? Way less than half.

I got two Shingles vaccines.
There was an older one that was 60-70% (or something like that) effective.
The newer one (Shingrex) is something like 90-95% effective.

I had a strong fear of Shingles because my Mother got it and was one of the 5% or so who have lingering effects the rest of their lives.

[Faux Pas]

Both my in-laws are also urging me to get vaccinated. FIL is more adamant about this than MIL. Then again, fatherly advice also warned me against getting an electric car, too. His biggest reason against that is - 'look what happened in Texas!'

Of course, the chances of that ever happening again is not very good, so therein lies the whole 'numbers' (odds)  application again.

But FWIW, wifey got her vaccination appointment this Friday.

Try to dissuade her

[BillyB]

Earlier I posted the former senior project manager for epidemics at the Gates Foundation and former VP and Chief Science officer at Pfizer saying mass vaccinations can lead to depopulation by compromising our immune systems. This mass vaccination of experimental vaccines has never been a strategy against pandemics and it may be a colossal blunder. The guy in the video explains it in simple terms. He shows how our immune system works and the vaccines work and how it can stop our immune system from working. For a healthy person, it's best to wait for this experiment to end. It may end well. It may not end well.


http://gab.com/QAnon_John/posts/105991648263486665

[GQBlues]

Try to dissuade her

Wifey and I sat down and actually discussed this at length. I'm on the fence, and she was too at one time. What I did told my wife was - I've no right to tell her what she needs to do regarding whether or not she should get vaccinated. I am not even sure if I should or not myself. I'm neither a scientist or a doctor, and trust in our government had gone out the window for me. Especially this past 12+ years. Intense distrust the past 4.5!


I wish I had the answer, FP. But I do not.

[BillyB]

What I did told my wife was - I've no right to tell her what she needs to do regarding whether or not she should get vaccinated.

In the past I've told my wife she is my family and I do have a say about what she does if she gets into something that will destroy herself and the family such as drugs, gambling or other addictions.

Not all safety studies have been completed on vaccines. I admit they will work against the virus but there is a chance as experts have claimed the vaccines can weaken our immune systems and make us more likely to die from pathogens in the future leading to mass depopulation. I certainly wouldn't give experimental vaccines to children in my care which is probably a crime anyway so basically I can't recommend giving the vaccines to anybody except those who have a high risk of dying from COVID.

mRNA vaccines have been studied for decades. Moderna's pipeline of medicine is in the link below. They have never had a mRNA medicine approved for the market. Our government has never allowed any of their medicines to make it to stage 3 trials. What are the issues that are keeping their medicines in stage 2? I'd like to know those things before recommending the vaccine. We may not like the answer so for now, I trust a couple of experts, who are qualified to lead teams of medical scientists, when they say we may be making a colossal blunder with the mass vaccination strategy.

http://www.modernatx.com/pipeline

[Faux Pas]

Wifey and I sat down and actually discussed this at length. I'm on the fence, and she was too at one time. What I did told my wife was - I've no right to tell her what she needs to do regarding whether or not she should get vaccinated. I am not even sure if I should or not myself. I'm neither a scientist or a doctor, and trust in our government had gone out the window for me. Especially this past 12+ years. Intense distrust the past 4.5!


I wish I had the answer, FP. But I do not.

Answers a few and far between but I do see and understand your point. My wife and I have had the same discussions and we always come to the same conclusion, there's no logical need to get the poke. It doesn't add up. Of course we could both be wrong but I'd personally rather be wrong without the poison in my body than right with it inside me