Covid #'s trending down in Canada

[BlueB]

On 8/7/2021 at 7:25 PM, BlueB said:

Croatia: 

Huge number of tourists. On quick rise. I might go soon, for a first-hand report

As promised, reporting live from Croatia! 

I'm I'm one of the most touristy villages on the Adristic coast. It's extremely crowded. I believe Croatia, or at least the coast, is the code orange right now. Locals are telling me there is a lot of cases, but people are hiding it, as no one wants to compromise the tourist season. Neither locals nor tourists give a damn. No masks, very little distance, except in few stores, post office, etc. Everyone shakes hands, lots of locals that know me well have hugged me, some even kissed on the cheeks (local custom). Lots of anti-vaxx mood too. 

Driving from Serbia to Croatian coast, using the quickest route, involves border crossing multiple times: Serbia->Croatia->Bosnia->Croatia. The border police takes the covid related documents in their hands, but barely looks at them. It's more so they can say they asked for the paperwork... 

Edited August 20, 2021 by BlueB
Orange not red...

[pow4ever]

be safe.

I like math:
https://www.covid-datascience.com/post/israeli-data-how-can-efficacy-vs-severe-disease-be-strong-when-60-of-hospitalized-are-vaccinated

Simpson's paradox:  I was very disappointed when it's not related to Springfield/Homer.

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/paradox-simpson/

[bumpyride]

19 hours ago, pow4ever said:

be safe.

I like math:
https://www.covid-datascience.com/post/israeli-data-how-can-efficacy-vs-severe-disease-be-strong-when-60-of-hospitalized-are-vaccinated

Simpson's paradox:  I was very disappointed when it's not related to Springfield/Homer.

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/paradox-simpson/

Thanks for that.  I too like math.  

 

Another way to look at how people lie with math:  If 100% of the population is vaccinated and 1 person in that population is hospitalized then 100% of the people in the hospital are vaccinated people.  This is how they twist math.  I believe this is what one of my Summer School Math Instructors called a Fallacious Analogy.  

A False analogy is an informal fallacy. It applies to inductive arguments. It is an informal fallacy because the error is about what the argument is about, and not the argument itself. ... In a false analogy, the objects may have some similarities, but they do not both have property X.

Lying with numbers is pretty effective when people are math and informationally challenged. 

Disclosure:  I took Math in Summer School because I knew that it was the only way that I could possibly keep my interest, was in an intensive, condensed, course.  That Math Teacher was working on how to make a Flying Saucer Fly.  No word on that from Area 51,

[BlueB]

2 days in Bosnia-Hertzegovina... No one gives a damn about Corona. 

[BlueB]

And back to beautiful, sunny Vancouver! 

After a month of hopping borders and hugging people all over the Balkans, my kid and I returned in good health. Canada seems to have a pretty good entry system, where lots of stuff is uploaded prior to travel. They still check the covid related docs, though. 

One part I didn't understand was mandatory masks on the plane. Due to Canadian regulation, only people in possession of negative test could board. Majority, being the returning Canadians, were vaccinated too. What's the point of the masks then? I wonder if the airline is actually protecting itself, from potential liability... 

Another interesting situation in Europe: there is a huge outbreak of a stomach virus (not corona). It lasts between 24 and 48 hrs and leaves you drained and weak. About 80% of people returning from the seaside have symptoms. They all rush to testing and 80-90% tests negative to covid. 

[Neil Gendzwill]

I think it's Canadian regulation, period.  I know in the Saskatoon airport once you hit security you need to be masked and I assume that requirement carries on for any plane you board.

[BlueB]

I think it's the airline regulation. The flight was Lufthansa and departing from Serbia, via Germany, so the only thing Canada could impose is that people without PCR test couldn't board the plane. 

[SunSurfer]

7 hours ago, BlueB said:

And back to beautiful, sunny Vancouver! 

After a month of hopping borders and hugging people all over the Balkans, my kid and I returned in good health. Canada seems to have a pretty good entry system, where lots of stuff is uploaded prior to travel. They still check the covid related docs, though. 

One part I didn't understand was mandatory masks on the plane. Due to Canadian regulation, only people in possession of negative test could board. Majority, being the returning Canadians, were vaccinated too. What's the point of the masks then? I wonder if the airline is actually protecting itself, from potential liability...

A negative Covid test is no guarantee passengers aren't in the early stages of Covid infection. New Zealand has the same requirement for a negative Covid test within 72 hours of departure of plane to NZ. Despite that arriving passengers frequently become Delta Covid positive soon after arrival, while they are still in the mandatory government managed isolation facilities.

[scottishsurfer]

Now well here's a fun little update on myself .

A few weeks after having recovered from covid I had started exercising again going mountain biking but taking it fairly easily. So far so good I decided go to commonwealth games MTB trails in Glasgow one Saturday morning. Decided to push myself a little bit and sprint a small section on the fun blue flow trail. This resulted in me being completely breathless and coughing for around 20-30 mins straight. I chalked it up to pushing to hard to soon so had an easy rest of the day and went a walk on the Sunday but was still finding I got out of breathe quite easily... With the health services being super stretched and otherwise feeling ok I decided to give it a couple of weeks see if I improved. Two weeks later with no real improvement still coughing from time to time and being breathless during physical activity I had a telephone appointment with the Doctor who reckoned it was a bit of long covid mixed with mucus in my lungs that had instead of sitting at bottom of my lungs was now evenly coating the inside limiting there ability to absorb oxygen. So I prescribed some tablets to help break up the mucus and booked me for an x-ray in two weeks to confirm the diagnosis and look for any further damage. Roll on Thursday the 26th I have my xray and it wasn't exactly what was expected... So the radiologists take my xray and instantly ask if I've just had an operation to which I replied eehhh no just covid a couple of months ago. One then rushed grabbed a seat and told me to sit down and to try and relax. A doctor then pretty much came running into the room asking if I was able to walk, I replied yes I walked in and I've been walking about for the past 4 weeks feeling like this. From there I was shown the way around to accident and emergency where the doctor told the reception I needed a bay to be treated immediately. So still not entirely sure what was up I was led to a bay and the head consultant of accident and emergency appeared to see and treat me himself. Apparently my shortness of breathe of cough were the result of a completely collapsed right lung. Seemingly my fitness level and lung capacity had meant I was able to quite easily cope and live with only one functioning as I had been going to work like normal the entire time also. So I was fitted with a chest drain all while having lots of curious nurses and doctors walking by to see the curious site of guy who didn't realize he was only firing on one cylinder for 4 weeks. Well a boring week later in hospital I get keyhole surgery to remove damaged bit of lung that had become a little infected and to also treat a bit of infection in the chest wall. I'm now on mend just waiting for my lung to heal up and reseal so I can escape home in theory other than short term recovery I should be fine in the long run I'm just going to need to take it easy for bit

Edited September 4, 2021 by scottishsurfer
Spelling

[bumpyride]

44 minutes ago, scottishsurfer said:

Now eell here's a fun little update on myself .

Really sorry to hear that.  Scary to say the least.  Hope your mend goes quickly.

With stories like yours it makes me all the more sure that  just being ridiculously careful even with the full course of shots, is absolutely the best policy.  Anyone that lets their guard down is taking some serious risk.

Hope you're better every day.

 

 

 

[BlueB]

@scottishsurferheal well and fast! Really unfortunate. 

[Neil Gendzwill]

Well my wife just tested positive despite being fully Pfizered. Just a runny nose so far. Add her to the stats. We had over 400 new cases last report which is a record regardless of wave and our idiotic government is still insisting that doing nothing other than offering vaccines is the right course of action. Meanwhile our icu, er, testing and tracing facilities are overwhelmed and our medical staff are burned out. 

[scottishsurfer]

I should be fine and hopefully out of hospital In a few days.

Fingers crossed your wife's infection gets no worse than what it is already neil

[SunSurfer]

12 hours ago, Neil Gendzwill said:

Well my wife just tested positive despite being fully Pfizered. Just a runny nose so far. Add her to the stats. We had over 400 new cases last report which is a record regardless of wave and our idiotic government is still insisting that doing nothing other than offering vaccines is the right course of action. Meanwhile our icu, er, testing and tracing facilities are overwhelmed and our medical staff are burned out. 

Vaccines won't necessarily stop the virus getting on board, but they do change what your immune system does and how fast it does it. Vaccination should markedly reduced the severity of the illness your wife has as a result of the virus getting a foothold. Hope she heals quickly Neil.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Yes, this is our understanding as well and her symptoms have been mild. However people can still get sick especially those who can’t be vaccinated (under 12s, medical exceptions).  In our province the vaccination rate is less than 75% for 12 and up and quite a bit lower than that for 12-30. We need to get that rate higher. What is required is a federally mandated vaccine passport that is required to enter any public facility, no exceptions save medically legit ones. Trudeau might do something like that if re-elected but it’s looking like the Tories are taking over and they will not do it. 

[lowrider]

Numbers up four days in a row. The most conservative gov't in Canada ( Alberta) is now paying people $100.00 dollars to get vaccinated . That alone screws with my head more than the fact we haven't gotten to 80 percent vaccinated yet and probably won' t until more antivaxers die off and leaves us with fewer to average in ??? Looks like last fall all over again Crack out the mask and hand sanitizer it looks like were back to where we were a year ago !

[Neil Gendzwill]

The 7 day average of new cases as of today in Saskatchewan is the highest it has ever been. 

[Allee]

The Alberta bribe thing is a frigging joke. They should be fining people who haven't had their shots $100 - funny how the vaccine appointments in Ontario spiked hard once they announced the vaccine passport/ you're not coming inside thing. They need to do that here, but I think the AB government has put the whole thing in the "too hard" basket. Another week or so, and we should see the effects of the kids starting back at school. The ICU beds are at 90% now.

Scottish Surfer - that's wild about your lung! Heal up fast!

Neil - oh no, hope D-G is feeling better soon!

[Neil Gendzwill]

Donnagail is much better today, and after tomorrow can officially stop isolating.  Which means I get to vacate the guest room, yay.

[BlueB]

2 hours ago, Allee said:

The Alberta bribe thing is a frigging joke. They should be fining people who haven't had their shots $100 - funny how the vaccine appointments in Ontario spiked hard once they announced the vaccine passport/ you're not coming inside thing. They need to do that here, but I think the AB government has put the whole thing in the "too hard" basket. Another week or so, and we should see the effects of the kids starting back at school. The ICU beds are at 90% now.

Scottish Surfer - that's wild about your lung! Heal up fast!

Neil - oh no, hope D-G is feeling better soon!

Yeah, it's quite funny. They tried it in Serbia, I think it was in 20-30 Euro range. Didn't have too significant results. But fining? How could you do that on something that's not mandated? 

As for any sort of health passport, it's infringement on human rights and setting a dangerous precedent. How about TB passport? AIDS passport? Diarrhea passport? How about pedophile or repeating sex offender passport? Social media correctness passport? Where do you stop? 

[Neil Gendzwill]

Don't say passport then, say "proof of vaccination".  This is nothing new.  It's already been required in various circumstances for various other vaccines.  For example, there are a large number of countries you can't enter without proof of vaccination for Yellow Fever.

[TVR]

What about natural immunity? Vaccination has become a cult. What would the justification be to force vaccination of someone with antibodies from a previous infection when all science shows natural immunity to be more of a robust shield. What are the numbers for risk of adverse affects, including death, vs protection in children as well?

Anyone want to explain to the rest of humanity why Israel, with one of the highest vaccination rates of any county on the planet is having record numbers of infection right now? It isn't from the unvaccinated, and these record case counts prove the vaccine doesn't stop transmission. This push to force vaccination while ignoring natural immunity is not helping to convince people and those pushing the previously exposed who now have immunity to vaccinate had better hope there are no long term side effects as the vaccine manufacturers have liability immunity, but those administrating the vaccine do not. 

[BlueB]

14 minutes ago, Neil Gendzwill said:

Don't say passport then, say "proof of vaccination".  This is nothing new.  It's already been required in various circumstances for various other vaccines.  For example, there are a large number of countries you can't enter without proof of vaccination for Yellow Fever.

Yes, been in few of those countries... Kind of silly. They are not worried of you bringing the sickness in, but contracting one while there. Which should be personal choice. 

Also, we are already in the country, not entering, where we have chartered rights of mobility and non-discrimination. 

For the record, my entire family is vaccinated, but I support the right of choice. I don't mind mingling with other people and don't ask them about their vax status. 

[bumpyride]

Personal choice should come along with personal responsibility.  Delta Airlines (who are self insured) have now said they're going to charge anyone that isn't vaccinated $200/mo more for health insurance.  Why?  Because it cost Delta $40,000 to 50,000 for those that are hospitalized.  Why should my insurance be paying for people that refuse to get vaccinated?  And don't try to compare it to aids, or the common flu.  We have a crisis of a pandemic.  It's already killed millions and counting.(640,000 in dumb fk USA alone). It's an entirely new type of crisis and has the potential to get worse with variants.

Yes Israel is having breakthrough cases: 

 in the months since the vaccines were rolled out, 6,765 people who received both shots have contracted coronavirus, and epidemiological tracing has revealed that an additional 3,133 people contracted Covid-19 from those vaccinated individuals. The 6,765 represent a little more than one percent of the total number of those vaccinated, which now stands at over 5,100,000.

Freedom also comes along with being able to choose who you are exposed to.  If you don't want to subject yourself to an unvaccinated person, you should have the right to know if a person is vaccinated.  If you own a business and don't want to be exposed or have any of your customers exposed to unvaccinated people, you should have the right to choose whom you serve.

The chances of a breakthrough case are now figured at 1 in 5,000.  Pretty good odds, BUT I have 2 friends that have had breakthrough cases and I don't have that many friends.  Both were in their late 60's or mid 70's and were down hard for just a couple of days, and were back close to normal in 2 weeks.  I shudder to think what would have happed to them if not for the vaccine.  Look at the death rate of the unvaccinated and compare.  Pretty striking.

We will see covid and it's new variants for the next couple of years because of people who figure their "Personal Freedom" is much more important than society.

Hopefully none of us will be the cause of the death of an innocent/child.  The non-vaccinated who have health risks and can't get vaccinated, I hope for the best.   The ones that feel it's necessary to be only concerned with their personal freedom, well I certainly won't be weeping.  They've already caused unnecessary pain and death.

[TVR]

Can we charge an extra $200 a month for health insurance for smokers? How about vapers? What about those who smoke weed; can we start drug testing them monthly? Since car crashes injure so many, can we start implementing additional premiums for those who drive an automobile? Maybe we should do stricter contract tracing and allow people who catch COVID to sue those who they contracted it from. Maybe we could expand that to all other communicable ailments. What happens when an unvaccinated catches it from the vaccinated; can they sue the provider who administered the vaccine as it didn't work? What about all the heart issues with children who are being vaccinated. Do we weep for them? I do. --added for context https://torontosun.com/news/provincial/over-100-ontario-youth-have-been-sent-to-hospital-for-vaccine-related-heart-problems  What were these kids chances of becoming seriously ill from COVID vs what they will now endure for the rest of their lives, not including future issues as there are no long term studies. What is the human cost of these kids lives now?

How about those who are overweight? Maybe we can make a sliding scale where the premium increases based upon how much over your BMI is, or do we do this ONLY with COVID and the vaccine status. This is why I say the vaccine status is becoming a cult, as no other item makes people think so myopically. 

Edited September 7, 2021 by TVR