I Think The MAGA Group Will Now Be Getting Vaccinated And They Will Wear Masks Now.....

[global1]

I was shopping today and waiting in the checkout line when I overheard two masked guys talking about the Omicron variant.

They both were very freaked out by this variant and as they went on talking further - I learned why they were freaked out.

It's because the variant is coming from Africa "and you know the kind of people that are spreading it don't you" - said one to the other. "For that reason and that reason alone - I'm going tomorrow to get vaccinated and I'll be wearing my mask too" - the other guy said.

I surmised that they are freaked out because they feel this variant is spreading from 'black' people (Africans). This is plain racism and was being talked about - out loud - by IMHO two racists right in a checkout line.

I couldn't believe my ears.

Does anyone know if that is what's being talked about on RW and MAGA sites?

Are we going to be seeing vaccination rates going up in the U.S. now?

Is this the latest Qanon conspiracy theory?

[Claustrum]

1. How is being concerned about a variant from Africa a conspiracy theory?

It's a fact that it originated from there. Racist are going to take those fact and make racist judgements and reactions from it. But that doesn't make it a conspiracy theory.

All in all, if that gets them to vaccinate and get serious about COVID, so be it and I think the world is better for it (in the sense of combating COVID outbreaks). It's not like I can control their racist tendencies.

[captain queeg]

2. Well, not too surprised. Guess we'll see if the RW is spreading that idea.

[underthematrix]

3. Yep. It's exactly what I thought when I first read about Omi.

I could not stop laughing because I knew the appearance of the word AFRICA would work like magic.

Link to tweet

[Haggard Celine]

9. We need to find out how South Africa does their genomic sequencing

and do it here. There are probably things we do here that they could learn about, too. We all should be sharing information with each other. I'm glad the Biden administration has given away so many doses of the vaccine. They said the other other day that we've donated more than anyone else. But we need to get more of those things made all over the world and get them into arms, or we're going to see more and more of these variants pop up. It will probably happen anyway, but it won't spread as rapidly or be as deadly. I read the other day that Russia's Sputnik vaccine is effective. They could give it away, too, or maybe the WHO could buy some of them. Whatever it takes to get people inoculated.

[LisaL]

23. We know how to do genomic sequencing.

We just don't do much of it in the US regarding covid.
"To test for SARS-CoV-2, researchers extract RNA from a specimen and search for genetic fragments indicative of the virus. Some university labs that became testing centres during the pandemic sequenced the entire genomes of viruses when time and money allowed, putting them at the forefront of surveillance efforts last year. “Our sequencers have been humming since the start of the pandemic,” says Pavitra Roychoudhury, a computational biologist at the clinical virology department at the University of Washington (UW) in Seattle. But a lack of money for supplies and for paying researchers has frequently prevented Roychoudhury’s lab from sequencing its total capacity of about 1,000 genomes per week."
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00908-0

[Haggard Celine]

24. So we know how. Our labs just don't have enough money.

That figures. Guess our government has more important shit to spend money on, although I don't have a clue what that might be.

[jmbar2]

4. It's a hot topic on Stocktwits which has large MAGA and disinformation Bot followings

Mostly, they are treating it as a "false flag". Stock market futures are ripping back up after Friday's scare, so seems like there's not a lot of worry about it on the markets today.

[Bristlecone]

20. It really does. I stopped using it because of that specifically.

That and they use more tracking cookies than any other site I frequent. By a mile.

[jmbar2]

22. I use adblock - not sure about the cookies

There are three or four people I follow on the site. They've taught me a lot about trading. The rest of it is a cesspool.

[Mr.Bill]

5. The RW websites I look at

Still think the whole virus thing is a hoax, and the only thing killing people are the vaccines.

[TheBlackAdder]

21. I guess there won't be vaccine shortages and a run on toilet paper.

[LonePirate]

6. They will not get vaccinated/wear masks unless a new variant starts killing almost all unvaccinated.

That might not even convince them to protect themselves and others.

[sakabatou]

7. No, they'll only get the vaccine if people they're close to have to go into the hospital or die.

[Claustrum]

11. Not even then for some.

We've seen videos of patients refusing to believe they got COVID while they lie in a hospital bed or the stories of family members demanding the doctor to change cause of death to anything but COVID. We don't call them a cult for no reasons.

[Wounded Bear]

8. That's too bad...

the part about them getting vaxxed, I mean.

First it was the Chinese, now it's the "Africans." We all know what that means.

[Septua]

10. Stupidity

The original Covid came from a Chinese somebody...their racism race specific? If they come up with any reason to get vaccinated, it's good.

[Metaphorical]

12. If it's what it takes to get them vaccinated, I'll take it

Social pressure works. The thirty percent of so of Americans that are unvaxxed are already feeling the pressure with vax card mandates either making them unemployable or being snubbed by their families at Thanksgiving. That happened this year to a sister-in-law who for some bizarre reason is now dating an anti-vaxxer. She was distinctly NOT invited to Thanksgiving this year, and I think she's not only reconsidering the situation but is questioning whether or not the guy's actually worth the hassle.

My take is that the anti-vaxxers are now in a position where they're trying to find an excuse to get vaccinated to save face. Expect some of the RW media (Fox News, more than likely) to capitulate, to start saying that it may have been a hoax, but the South Africa variant with the weird name is coming, and it's far worse than all of the others. I doubt that will actually be the case (IF you are vaccinated) but it provides a good excuse for the RW Media to move onto something else rather than being seen as betraying their audience.

[BlackSkimmer]

13. Oh my. nt

[TreasonousBastard]

14. Gotta think about this just a little more...

Anti-vax is stupid, and stupidity is long lasting, but racism is even longer lasting.

Which one do we want to be cursed with in the longer run?

Can we get rid of one without the other?

[milestogo]

15. The virus might make you black.

[Busterscruggs]

17. That's nice

But would I be able to compete in track at the olympics?

[milestogo]

19. Track but not swimming.

[LiberalFighter]

16. If it works. Great.

I didn't even look at it that way making the connection with racists being scared of Covid from Africa.

[SMC22307]

18. I haven't heard that being discussed. But RWers are calling it "MEV"...

(Midterm Election Variant) unleashed by Democrats to make sure everyone has to vote by mail thereby ensuring Democratic victories in 2022. Maybe that'll drive 'em to get vaccinated... WTF knows.