Covid "Stratus" variant making a comeback while Kennedy fucks up the entire medical system

[Eliot Rosewater]

Last edited Sun Aug 10, 2025, 04:15 PM - Edit history (1)

https://apple.news/AAGI5nNRkT-2JvDAXIcMTIw

Screaming about this for months, and he’s still there and nothing’s going to be changed and millions of us are going to die.


I am not saying millions will die from this strain of Covid, I am saying and I have been saying several times a day that because of Kennedy ending our healthcare system, the next pandemic will kill millions of us and of course it will.

For fuck sake from the flu alone:




He has cut funding for mRNA vaccine development: Kennedy's HHS department has terminated contracts and halted funding for 22 projects focused on developing mRNA vaccines for respiratory illnesses, including the flu, amounting to nearly $500 million. He argued that these vaccines are ineffective against rapidly mutating viruses like the flu, though this claim has been disputed by many scientific experts.
Dismissed the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP): Kennedy fired all 17 members of the ACIP, a panel that traditionally provides scientific guidance and recommendations on vaccination policy to the CDC. He replaced them with individuals who critics claim align with his own skepticism about vaccines.
Cancelled or weakened contracts with vaccine developers: Companies involved in mRNA vaccine research, such as Pfizer, Moderna, and others, have had their contracts terminated, rejected, or restructured by HHS under Kennedy's leadership, according to Al Jazeera.
Influenced recommendations regarding vaccine components: In one instance, Kennedy accepted a controversial recommendation from the newly appointed ACIP to remove the preservative thimerosal from flu vaccines, despite evidence showing it poses no health risk in the quantities used.

[RandomNumbers]

1. Can't read the article - requires signup, maybe no VPN

Didn't even get the sign up prompt until I disabled my VPN.

Not signing up (even if it is "free" ) so hopefully the info can be found elsewhere.

[Eliot Rosewater]

2. Here is part of it, swipe from the bottom of the screen up and sometimes you can get it

The big picture: A summer outbreak of COVID-19 cases isn't a shocker. But it's arriving before children head back to school, where the virus could spread even more.
The risk of a summertime COVID-19 wave comes after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unilaterally changed federal COVID vaccine recommendations, causing confusion over who should get the shots.
COVID-19 cases rising in U.S.
Driving the news: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday upgraded national wastewater viral activity for COVID-19 from "low" to "moderate."

[MrWowWow]

3. Feeling Hoarse? You Might Have the New 'Stratus' Covid Variant

Feeling Hoarse? You Might Have the New ‘Stratus’ Covid Variant

https://www.wired.com/story/feeling-hoarse-you-might-have-the-new-stratus-covid-variant
.
*“COVID is rising again in California… tied to new subvariants, such as Stratus and Nimbus”*
https://www.sfchronicle.com/health/article/california-covid-cases-rise-20805070.php


This Looks Free From a Pay wall:

The Guardian – “West coast sees highest Covid‑19 levels as cases rise across US, CDC data says” (mentions Stratus as a new variant)
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/08/west-coast-high-covid-19-levels-cdc

[Eliot Rosewater]

4. I saw that also, have to read more I guess.

[vapor2]

5. THANKS! Guardian has no pay wall

[EdmondDantes_]

6. Exceedingly unlikely

Between vaccine based immunization, most people have already had covid and so have additional immunity based on that, and the medical community has better treatment understandings, there's nothing that would suggest millions of us will die as a result of a variant. That's even more the case given it's a descent of the previous most common variant JN.1. Yes immunity from vaccines and prior infection fade, but not to the point of going back to no natural immunity as we had in 2020.

So far there's no evidence that this version is more lethal and given that's been the case for the vast majority of covid variants, that should be the default assumption barring new evidence. The WHO has assessed the danger as low.

https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/25062025_xfg_ire.pdf?sfvrsn=fab54cd7_1

[Eliot Rosewater]

10. I didn't say because of Covid that millions

Are going to die, I am making the general observation that I make several times a day that because of Kennedy in charge of our entire healthcare system denying cancer screening cancer research vaccine development that when not if another pandemic hits yes millions will die.

[TnDem]

7. Millions of us aren't going to die

At least not from the newest strain of covid.

[JCMach1]

8. Ran through my family this week

5x for me FFS. That's with full vaccination and immunity from infections and cautious.

Coming back from vacation again. Mask, no mask Heathrow (LHR) is the commonality in 4 of my infections.

Sore throat, sniffles and body ache. Mild case this time. Wife had it worse. Son in middle.

[kimbutgar]

9. One of my co workers had Covid a few weeks ago.

I didn’t work with her the day before and she called in the sick the day I worked the job. And took over being the lead. I had my annual physical the following week and happily accepted getting another Covid shot!

[Liberal In Texas]

11. My grandson had it. Fully vaccinated. He was away a sleep-away camp and brought it home.

In the PNW. Over it now and didn't pass it on to the rest of the family.