Coronavirus Outbreak

[Ken]

What's going on in Denmark is concerning. They are a highly vaccinated, highly boosted country, that basically doesn't have vaccine hesitancy; the unvaccinated there are almost entirely unvaccinated because they cannot be, either too young, or too old and frail.

As cases have exploded, hospitalizations are tracking close behind, close to hitting all time highs, and deaths are trending much upwards as well.

If the vaccines aren't working in Denmark, a very cooperative country, with good health, good healthcare, and a compliant population, then they aren't working anywhere.

What makes Denmark especially concerning? The latest numbers from the Danish Health Authority is that, as of today there are 894 people hospitalized, 43 in ICU of which 29 are on ventilators. Yesterday 12 people in Denmark died of Covid and their current death rate (past 14 days) is 0.29 per 100,000 This is for a nation of 5.8 million. Sources: https://www.sst.dk/en/English/Corona-en ... d%20charts and https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/202 ... cases.html

The closest US state in terms of population is Wisconsin which has a nearly identical population of 5.8 million. As of today, the average number of people hospitalized in Wisconsin is 2237, the number of people in the ICU is 480 and the number of people on ventilators is about 240, numbers that are all more than 10x higher than Denmark. Oh, and Wisconsin is averaging 43 Covid death's per day for a current death rate of 0.79 per 100,000, or about 3x higher than Denmark. Sources: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/ ... m#capacity and https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/202 ... cases.html

Why does Denmark have a 10x lower ICU hospitalization rate as of today and a 3x lower death rate as of today compared to Wisconsin when both are suffering the peak of the Omicron wave? What is different between Denmark and Wisconsin that could account for Denmark's remarkably better performance? Could it be that Denmark has a fully vaccinated rate of 81% while Wisconsin has a fully vaccinated rate of 63%?

What else would account for the fact that Denmark is doing so much better than Wisconsin?

Here, I'll make a quick graph so we can see the comparison more easily. Why are we more concerned about Denmark than Wisconsin?

[Josh]

Fine, Ken, let's pick a different country. What's going on in Israel is concerning.

[GaryK]

Man Can’t Get Heart Transplant Because He’s Not Vaccinated Against COVID

The family says he was at the front of the line to receive a transplant but because he has not received the COVID-19 vaccination he is no longer eligible according to hospital policy. And Ferguson says his son refuses to get the shot.

“It’s kind of against his basic principles, he doesn’t believe in it. It’s a policy they are enforcing and so because he won’t get the shot, they took him off the list of a heart transplant,” Ferguson said.

https://boston.cbslocal.com/2022/01/24/ ... am-womens/

This just seems so unethical to me. For a 31 year old man to have been at the front of the line to receive a transplant and then to no longer be eligible for it because he refuses to take the vaccine...what has this world come to?

[Ken]

Fine, Ken, let's pick a different country. What's going on in Israel is concerning.

Why is Israel concerning to you? Didn't you tell us recently in the hospital staffing thread that "Covid is no big deal?"

[Josh]

Fine, Ken, let's pick a different country. What's going on in Israel is concerning.

Why is Israel concerning to you? Didn't you tell us recently in the hospital staffing thread that "Covid is no big deal?"

It's concerning if people getting boosters is associated with deaths going up. Covid isn't a big deal, but whatever the boosters are doing to people certainly is. My opinion is that once you get too many boosters, your body's normal immune response can't fight off covid (or other colds / flu type viruses) anymore.

[Ken]

Man Can’t Get Heart Transplant Because He’s Not Vaccinated Against COVID

The family says he was at the front of the line to receive a transplant but because he has not received the COVID-19 vaccination he is no longer eligible according to hospital policy. And Ferguson says his son refuses to get the shot.

“It’s kind of against his basic principles, he doesn’t believe in it. It’s a policy they are enforcing and so because he won’t get the shot, they took him off the list of a heart transplant,” Ferguson said.

https://boston.cbslocal.com/2022/01/24/ ... am-womens/

This just seems so unethical to me. For a 31 year old man to have been at the front of the line to receive a transplant and then to no longer be eligible for it because he refuses to take the vaccine...what has this world come to?

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that organ transplants require the use of powerful anti-rejection medicines that suppress the natural immune system, which would otherwise destroy the "foreign" organ.

[Josh]

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that organ transplants require the use of powerful anti-rejection medicines which suppress the natural immune system which would otherwise destroy the "foreign" organ.

So, why does he need to get vaccinated again? Vaccines don't do you much good once you're on immunosuppresants.

[Ken]

Fine, Ken, let's pick a different country. What's going on in Israel is concerning.

Why is Israel concerning to you? Didn't you tell us recently in the hospital staffing thread that "Covid is no big deal?"

It's concerning if people getting boosters is associated with deaths going up. Covid isn't a big deal, but whatever the boosters are doing to people certainly is. My opinion is that once you get too many boosters, your body's normal immune response can't fight off covid (or other colds / flu type viruses) anymore.

It would be concerning if those receiving vaccine boosters were dying of Covid at higher rates than the unvaccinated. Fortunately the exact opposite is the case.

[Robert]

https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking- ... reme-court

The New York State Supreme Court has struck down unelected Governor Kathy Hochul's statewide mask mandate. Judge Thomas Rademaker said that the issuance of a mask mandate without the state legislature actually voting on the measure is beyond the authority of either the governor or the state health commissioner.

Judge Rademaker of Nassau County said that enacting laws such as at these is "entrusted solely to the State Legislature." New York City still has a vaccine mandate in place, requiring all persons aged 5 or over to show proof of vaccination prior to entry into most indoor, public spaces other than shops.

The rules reads, in part, that "There can be no question that every person in this State wishes, wants and prays that this era of COVID ends soon and they will surely do their part to see that is accomplished.

"However, enacting any laws to this end is entrusted to the State Legislature. While the intentions of Commissioner Bassett and Governor Hochul appear to be well aimed squarely at doing what they believe is right to protect the citizens of New York State, they must make their case to the State Legislature."

[GaryK]

Man Can’t Get Heart Transplant Because He’s Not Vaccinated Against COVID

The family says he was at the front of the line to receive a transplant but because he has not received the COVID-19 vaccination he is no longer eligible according to hospital policy. And Ferguson says his son refuses to get the shot.

“It’s kind of against his basic principles, he doesn’t believe in it. It’s a policy they are enforcing and so because he won’t get the shot, they took him off the list of a heart transplant,” Ferguson said.

https://boston.cbslocal.com/2022/01/24/ ... am-womens/

This just seems so unethical to me. For a 31 year old man to have been at the front of the line to receive a transplant and then to no longer be eligible for it because he refuses to take the vaccine...what has this world come to?

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that organ transplants require the use of powerful anti-rejection medicines that suppress the natural immune system, which would otherwise destroy the "foreign" organ.

But the hospital also said that a cold could kill him. What are they going to mandate in order to keep him from getting a cold? Why do any transplants at all if something might kill the person receiving the transplant. There's risk involved in any medical procedure. Why all of a sudden are people being taken off transplant lists because the person might get Covid?

And not only that, but what about the risk of myocarditis after vaccination in someone whose heart is already severely damaged? The hospital is apparently okay with that risk but not the Covid risk.