This is hopeful…
The state government of Oregon is publicly freaking out about Omicron on the radio right now
seems like somebody’s got to. even if it winds up being less harmful per case, the fact there will be more cases simultaneously - and that doctors and hospitals are already stretched thin - it’s not going to be good. especially if people don’t start taking it seriously
Dr. Santa! Also… go Stealers?
God damn it, Taylor…
Have they posted a
Click here to find out which type of Covidiot you are!
thingy on their homepage yet?
Popular Ways to Catch Covid! #7 will Surprise You.
#7. Attend Buzzfeed Holiday Party
Test before gathering.
OK, but here’s a concern which my wife pointed out and which I now share…
False negatives were 5% to 10% on the BTNX rapid tests heavily distributed in 
; that was before Omicron. A single test done by an unpracticed hand on a virus with 4 nucleocapsid mutations (see BTNX’s statement) and we get what? Would 20% be an unreasonably high estimate for false negatives?
Would we be attending an indoor gathering with the (as of yesterday in Ontario, maximum) 10 people were it not for the test?
The Science Advisory Table advice on the tests was for a sequence of 5 used over the self-isolation period of individuals who had been in contact with a COVID case and were therefore more likely to test positive and unlikely to be exposed for the testing period.
It seems to us that people may use the tests as a green light to engage in riskier behaviours.
That might make things worse in the end…
I’ll stress again - my friend’s BIL who is a neuro-pathologist, has been participating in autopsies, has said that they are seeing weird things with brains in deceased covid patients… there is so much we don’t know about this yet that it’s pretty scary.
Rant
The hospital at which my wife works is seeing their highest patient load ever. The surgery wards are now being used for patients, with surgeries deferred. Beds are lining the hallways. She just found out she’ll be working all through Christmas, again.
Get your vaccine. Get your booster. Get your flu shot. Wash your hands. Stop acting like we are back to normal.
/Rant
I’m so sorry.
