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OneOfTheOutOfFocusGuys

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Everything posted by OneOfTheOutOfFocusGuys

  1. my fucking kingdom for this to be the R senate's attitude going forward.
  2. By Amy Joyce July 22 at 12:16 PM CT This article was updated Aug. 3. For a brief moment, it felt like we parents had made it. School was wrapping up. People, including our kids 12 and older, were getting vaccinated. Mask mandates were easing. But now we’re facing the delta variant — a highly contagious strain of the coronavirus. States with large outbreaks are seeing rising case numbers among children as well as adults. As it reaches into our communities, how does this strain affect children, and how can we help them safely navigate their days? We spoke with infectious-disease specialists about how to handle this widespread variant. Here are their answers to our questions. How dangerous is the delta variant for children? An internal CDC document obtained by The Washington Post July 29 said it is “likely” that the delta variant causes more severe illness than previous variants. That has not been conclusively established, however, and some infectious disease experts have said they do not see persuasive evidence of a difference. One thing is clear: “It is certainly more transmissible,” said Sean O’Leary, vice chair of the Committee on Infectious Diseases for the American Academy of Pediatrics. For comparison, the alpha variant, which was the most predominant in the United States before this one, was estimated to be 50 percent more transmissible than the original coronavirus. The delta variant is 50 to 60 percent more transmissible than the alpha variant. “We’re in this situation where things are opening up while this is more predominant,” O’Leary said. “There are a lot of reasons for concern for all of us in general. Cases have jumped for kids specifically.” [‘The war has changed’: Internal CDC document urges new messaging, warns delta infections likely more severe] The virus’s ability to spread quickly is especially worrisome because only 30 percent of the children who are eligible are vaccinated, according to the CDC. “That’s pitiful,” said Jennifer Lighter, pediatric infectious-disease specialist at New York University Langone Health. Covid-19 and the flu in children have “the same kind of morbidity,” she said, but added, “If it’s preventable, I don’t want any child getting it.” [Many parents still haven’t gotten their adolescent kids vaccinated. What are they waiting for?] The delta variant has become the dominant strain of coronavirus in the United States, resulting in a rise in infections and hospitalizations. (John Farrell/The Washington Post) How can I protect my tweens or teens, if they are vaccinated or if they aren’t? “The most important thing that we can do is everyone who is eligible to be vaccinated, be vaccinated,” O’Leary said. “That is the best way we can protect society and children, including younger children.” In addition, we must use the same measures we have all along to protect vaccinated and unvaccinated children, he said: “Be thoughtful about what you’re doing, where you’re going, and outdoors is safer than in. In larger crowds, wear a mask. And that applies to kids down to 2.” The vaccine is effective in preventing severe disease among recipients, which is a vaccine’s job, said Allison Bartlett, a pediatric infectious-disease specialist with University of Chicago Medicine. “But it doesn’t protect them from getting infected at all,” she said. The best way to avoid the delta variant is just what we’ve been told so far. “Kids playing outdoors together at a playground is reasonable without masks now, even if they’re not vaccinated,” she said. “But when crowds get bigger or move indoors, masking by everyone is important to keep kids safe.” Should I keep my unvaccinated children away from grandparents or other older people? Families need to try to “maintain some sense of sanity and recognize the importance of human contact while trying to be safe,” O’Leary said. For fully vaccinated grandparents, the risk of infection is “very, very low,” he said, adding, “Personally, my kids are both vaccinated, but if they weren’t, I wouldn’t hesitate to have them around their fully vaccinated grandparents.” Lighter, whose parents are very much involved in her children’s lives, said she just follows the safety rules she normally would, pre-coronavirus: “Kid has a sniffle? We’re not seeing my parents.” That said, “the most important thing a parent can do to protect their children is convince their parents to get vaccinated,” Lighter said. Should I keep my kids out of stores and other indoor places? During this phase of the pandemic, O’Leary said, approach the idea of taking unvaccinated children to indoor public places the same way you do during flu season. “In general, for a kid under 12, the risk for them is not the same as influenza, but it’s in the ballpark,” he said. “So the same decisions you’d make during flu season, this is similar.” Making decisions about visiting indoor public spaces can be done on a case-by-case basis, Bartlett said. “If kids don’t need to be out and about, then we can spare them the exposure,” she said. “But if you and your child are masked and in a store that isn’t super crowded, it’s a reasonably safe thing to do, if a place is encouraging masking among others.” [Masks and covid-19: Explaining the latest guidance from the CDC and other experts] What you do also depends on where you live and how viral the spread is in that community. If there is a lot of spread, take more precautions. Finally, if you or your children are in contact with someone who is immunocompromised, you need to take extra precautions. How likely is it that as a vaccinated parent, I could pass along the delta variant to my child? Vaccinated parents who are infected will have some amount of virus that they can spread, Bartlett said, but “it’s less than if not vaccinated.” Also, a “breakthrough infection” among vaccinated people is still very rare, Lighter added. What about the youngest babies and toddlers who might be heading back to daycare soon? How do we protect them? “This speaks to the importance of protecting the vulnerable,” Bartlett says. “Nothing we do is risk free. But having our daycares continue to do what they’re doing — teachers masking, have children 2 and up masking, and not mixing teachers and classrooms — are all things we still need to be doing to keep everyone safe.” [Your questions about coronavirus vaccines, answered] She encourages families, friends and childcare providers to do as much outdoors as possible with the little ones. The risk with delta, she says, is that even a vaccinated person who is feeling okay "could potentially spread and infect someone not vaccinated, and that absolutely includes 6-month-olds in a childcare setting. So I think that vaccinating and masking in schools and childcare settings is the way to go right now.” Should I go along with eased restrictions that seem to be happening at camps now, or re-tighten my own because of the spread of the variant? Bartlett hopes that parents in areas where masks aren’t mandated will make it clear to children that it’s important to mask up when indoors. The kids are protecting themselves, but even more, they are protecting others if, in fact, a kid has the virus and doesn’t know it. She also hopes that adults interacting with children wear masks as well. “We want those around them to wear their masks to protect our child,” she said. How does this affect a return to school? Should I be worried about sending my children back in person? “It makes sense to have layered mitigation measures but to have kids in school,” O’Leary said. “We absolutely want kids in school.” The benefits of in-person school, she and other experts say, outweighs the risks of getting the virus. But schools must keep safety measures in place. “Kids are just missing too much school, and that needs to shift now,” Lighter said. “Not being in school caused a lot of unnecessary harm.” For the vast majority of kids, Bartlett said, “there was less engagement in learning, less social emotional development, no physical therapy, occupational therapy … meals. And having friends and support systems. All those nonacademic components are essential and outweigh the risk of a covid infection if we’re doing everything to minimize the risk.” The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics have advised that everyone in schools wear masks, particularly because “you can’t verify who is vaccinated and who isn’t,” Lighter pointed out. If everyone is wearing masks, the chance for spreading the virus is much lower. Although many jurisdictions based their policies on CDC guidance, the CDC is not a regulatory agency and does not have authority to impose policies or enforce its guidance. What do I do if my kids go to schools where masks aren’t mandated? “I’m very concerned about schools that are not mandating mask use,” Bartlett said. “I don’t have great solutions at the moment other than [pointing out that] clearly the AAP is very strong in our opinion about wearing masks all the time in schools where not everyone is vaccinated.” The specialists we spoke to were frustrated about the messaging around masks — from some adults. If a school doesn’t mandate masks, families should make sure their children are wearing them indoors, they said. “Kids do fine with masks. … They understand the rationale behind it,” Bartlett said. “They’re vulnerable and want to get back to hanging out with friends. Masking will allow them to do that.”
  3. I swear I’m an anti vaxxer! Then how do you explain this text book I found in your office? it’s not mine! I’ve never seen that! And this subscription to The Lancet? I only get it for the comics. I promise! sir, your last name is Pfizer. no relation! No relation! book ’em
  4. seems like the statistical analysis of that KY tweet are way off, particularly because it is a trump tard state with low vaccination rates.
  5. imagine caring about facebook enough that your coworkers know of your appellate points for your mental facebook briefing.
  6. so you did, in fact, take one for the team.
  7. i use it because i've got worms. the covid part is just a bonus
  8. That’s amazing. I remember thinking I guess old people think other old people are attractive. Felt like she was whatever geriatrics thought was good for their mid fifties, but did nothing for me.
  9. Yeah, I did that the first time I tried to set it up. No luck.
  10. Heh. Sure enough, the mobile service just messaged me and said GFY, RTM.
  11. Trying that now. I haven't because I feel like an old and am embarrassed. I'm 41 and can't get my newfangled techno-car to work.
  12. All this homelink talk made me try to set it up again yesterday. Still cannot. I have a 2021 Model S and can never get it to detect the signal from my garage remote. I follow the prompt: walk to the front, 3" in front of the T, hold it down for 30 seconds. Never detects. Can't find any other wisdom out there.
  13. ooof. i haven't schadened so much freude in a long time.
  14. Lulz: You trusted the President?? This President?? That's a paddlin'.
  15. Lawyas sanctioned in Colorado. Sanctions under Rule 11, inherent authority and 18 usc 1927 While Plaintiffs’ counsel insist that the lawsuit was not intended to challenge the election or reverse the results, the effect of the allegations and relief sought would be to sow doubt over the legitimacy of the Biden presidency and the mechanisms of American democracy (the actual systems of voting) in numerous states. In short, this was no slip-and-fall at the local grocery store. Albeit disorganized and fantastical, the Complaint’s allegations are extraordinarily serious and, if accepted as true by large numbers of people, are the stuff of which violent insurrections are made. The Complaint did seek, among other things, an injunction barring “any further unconstitutional behavior,” id. at 81, and “permanent injunctive relief to remedy the ongoing effects of Defendants’ unconstitutional conduct.” Id. at 83. But the requested injunctions aside, the main focus of the suit, at least as emphasized by Plaintiffs’ counsel in argument, was a demand for a massive amount of money, likely greater than any money damage award in American history. Seeking a “nominal amount of $1,000 per registered voter,” Plaintiffs asked for a total $160 billion for the putative 160-millionperson Plaintiff class. Dkt. #1 at 82. This figure is greater than the annual GDP of Hungary (lulz) The personal affidavits Plaintiffs attached to the original Complaint recount the generalized fear and suspicion that the “system” is rigged, and a sense that American democracy no longer works. The affidavits are notable only in demonstrating no firsthand knowledge by any Plaintiff of any election fraud, misconduct, or malfeasance. Instead, Plaintiffs’ affidavits are replete with conclusory statements about what must have happened during the election and Plaintiffs’ “beliefs” that the election was corrupted, presumably based on rumors, innuendo, and unverified and questionable media reports. For example, the affidavit of Amie Trapp, a resident of Alabama, recites, It is obvious our federal election has been tampered with and compromised by Dominion Voting Systems Inc, along with the founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, his wife Priscilla Chan, and many others acting as governors/secretaries of state across the country. Every day, we, as a country, find out more information about this corrupt system, Dominion, and the government officials who allow it. Dkt. #1-9 at 3, ¶¶ 7–8. Not stated is any nonconclusory basis for Ms. Trapp to believe this. The affidavit of Plaintiff Larry D. Cook of California presents similarly unconvincing allegations of election fraud, based solely on his belief (although Mr. Cook seems more distressed about mandatory vaccinations and the removal by Facebook of his posts related to vaccines and QAnon): I believe that there was widespread vote fraud and manipulation during the 2020 Presidential Election and as such, this topic, along with the vaccination topic, along with the Qanon topic, as well as other ‘controversial topics,’ should not be censored, ‘fact checked,’ deleted and/or result in a ban or permanent account deletion just because the topic at hand challenges the official narrative as presented in mainstream media, the Democrat Party, the liability-free vaccine industry and other domestic and foreign controlling interests. Dkt. #1-6 at 7, ¶ 29. Mr. Cook provides no personal knowledge about any election fraud or impropriety. Trump's own inanities weigh in favor of sanctions. Pretty excoriating of the BS world we live in. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/colorado-sanctions-trump-lawsuit/2021/08/04/704dec92-f53a-11eb-a49b-d96f2dac0942_story.html Magistrate judge tho.
  16. Gosh, I wonder if we can spot a comorbitity.
  17. Mr Nagy leaves behind his inconsolable wife Stacey, his three children Heath, Heather, and Heathest.
  18. I know of another school that is mandating all everybody wear masks, students and teachers alike. It's a wink wink nudge nudge this isn't mandated mandate, but it's a mandate.
  19. AISD is allowing remote learning under the law that allows for homebound students (like, people with brain injuries or other super serious stuff) for people that don't want to send their kids to school. Usually that is like a half dozen kids in the city. Now it is going to be thousands. They will inevitably get legal push back.
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