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NRaleighLiberal

(59,940 posts)
Tue Feb 2, 2021, 08:12 PM Feb 2021

just watched a Yale doc on PBS Newshour - then a story on getting kids back to school...what a

conundrum.

Variants of the virus are popping up here and there. Some are much more easily transmitted/caught.

The two current main vaccines may not be as effective against the variants. But...they may make symptoms less severe.

But, when asked whether someone who recovered from COVID could catch one of the mutations - the answer was - possibly. And that it was concerning.

The interview left me with the feeling (and it is not new - I've had it for some time) that we are playing whack a mole. That we are trying to race as fast as we can to learn, but the virus is moving faster than we are. That dumb fucks who don't wear masks, refuse vaccine, and have COVID parties are like mutation laboratories. Viruses need a host in which to do their thing - and the more hosts, the more possible mutations.

THEN - after all that - we have a story about how it is important to get those kids back to school.

We are in quite a fix right now....with no clear ending as to how or when it will all resolve.

All I can say - and think - is...wear the mask(s). Stay socially distanced. Get vaccinated.

Beyond that, all we can do is watch and hope.

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just watched a Yale doc on PBS Newshour - then a story on getting kids back to school...what a (Original Post) NRaleighLiberal Feb 2021 OP
The parachute has slowed our descent, we can take it off now IcyPeas Feb 2021 #1
Get vaccinated. sheshe2 Feb 2021 #2
We are literally in a race for our lives. The more people infected, the more the mutations. Irish_Dem Feb 2021 #3
If we had all stayed home and worn a proper mask. bamagal62 Feb 2021 #4
Vaccinate ... *the world* ... otherwise, we'll be doing whack-a-mole for a long, long time. Pobeka Feb 2021 #5
Exponential growth is a double-whammy Shermann Feb 2021 #6

IcyPeas

(21,740 posts)
1. The parachute has slowed our descent, we can take it off now
Tue Feb 2, 2021, 08:16 PM
Feb 2021

... "The curve is flattening, we can start lifting restrictions now" = "The parachute has slowed our descent, we can take it off now"


?s=19

sheshe2

(83,336 posts)
2. Get vaccinated.
Tue Feb 2, 2021, 08:27 PM
Feb 2021

Easier said than done. I wish I could. Easier said than done. I am in the age range that should be getting the shot.

Irish_Dem

(45,626 posts)
3. We are literally in a race for our lives. The more people infected, the more the mutations.
Tue Feb 2, 2021, 08:29 PM
Feb 2021

The more the mutations, the harder it is for the vaccines to keep up.
Yes it may soon be the case that the vaccines don't prevent us from getting Covid, but prevent us from dying from it.
And we may have to get yearly vaccines.
That is the good scenario.

Pobeka

(4,999 posts)
5. Vaccinate ... *the world* ... otherwise, we'll be doing whack-a-mole for a long, long time.
Tue Feb 2, 2021, 09:11 PM
Feb 2021

Would've been SOOOO much easier to shut things down 4-6 weeks in Jan 2020, starve COVID of breeding/mutation hosts.

Now it seems we're all just too tired (and I get that), but this slow burn is guaranteeing the whack-a-mole problem, unless we get incredibly lucky.

The planet is always 4-6 weeks away from nearly full control by truly shutting down, then testing/contact tracing actually is feasible.

But we won't, we always have to see how close to the edge of known mathematical disaster we can ride, cause, you know, gotta have "normal".

Shermann

(7,355 posts)
6. Exponential growth is a double-whammy
Tue Feb 2, 2021, 09:52 PM
Feb 2021

Not only do cases increase exponentially, but as the number of active cases increases the frequency of mutations increases. So that is basically exponential growth as well.

We need to flatten the curve. For realsies this time, not the platitude we got in the spring of 2020.

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