Coronavirus Outbreak

[Josh]

From what I hear from some missionaries who just got back from Russia (Russia isn’t renewing basically any visas unless you are politically well connected), the government is as authoritarian as usual with mask rules, rules against congregating etc but the populace blatantly ignores it all, sort of like how they also ignore parking zones, traffic rules, etc and the police and government then try to enforce them with a heavy hand.

Covid panic appeals to authoritarians everywhere.

[Soloist]

funny enough, I wouldn't use this new wonder drug even if its not had fetal testing. (don't know if it does, I don't care) why anyone would want to take an SSRI without needing to is beyond me...

[Robert]

funny enough, I wouldn't use this new wonder drug even if its not had fetal testing. (don't know if it does, I don't care) why anyone would want to take an SSRI without needing to is beyond me...

Because of the off label benefits dealing with Covid.

[Robert]

[Robert]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34159342/

Results: Among 202 treated participants, virus isolation was significantly lower in participants receiving 800 mg molnupiravir (1.9%) versus placebo (16.7%) at Day 3 (p = 0.02). At Day 5, virus was not isolated from any participants receiving 400 or 800 mg molnupiravir, versus 11.1% of those receiving placebo (p = 0.03). Time to viral RNA clearance was decreased and a greater proportion overall achieved clearance in participants administered 800 mg molnupiravir versus placebo (p = 0.01). Molnupiravir was generally well tolerated, with similar numbers of adverse events across all groups.

Conclusions: Molnupiravir is the first oral, direct-acting antiviral shown to be highly effective at reducing nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 infectious virus and viral RNA and has a favorable safety and tolerability profile.

https://www.newsmax.com/finance/streett ... d/1042122/

Merck & Co has signed a licensing agreement with the United Nations-backed Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) that will allow more companies to manufacture generic versions of its experimental oral antiviral COVID-19 treatment, the U.S. drugmaker and the organization announced Wednesday.

Merck said the royalty-free license would apply to 105 low- and middle-income countries. It allows manufacturers selected by MPP to make generic versions of molnupiravir, the antiviral pill Merck has developed with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.

[Ken]

I know this is satire. But there are actually probably five reasons why large majorities of parents will get their kids vaccinated against Covid once is is approved for younger kids, despite the low risk that kids will die of the disease.

First while deaths among children are rare, they are not zero. About 700 children have died of Covid in the US since the pandemic started and many thousands more have suffered severe consequences including hospitalization, long term chronic effects etc. Many pediatric wards in the south were full of child Covid patients during the last Delta wave. One might make the same quip about say polio. How many children's lives were saved from the polio vaccine last year? How many lives were saved by the MMR vaccine? Or the chicken pox vaccine?

Second, millions of families have vulnerable older family members at home who are indeed at risk of Covid, including many who are immuno-compromised. Vaccinating children is one way to better ensure that kids aren't bringing the disease home from school with them, even if they themselves are at low risk.

Third, vaccinating children ensures that they can stay in school when inevitable close contact interactions with Covid-positive individuals happen. At the HS where I teach teachers and students follow strict seating charts for classes and cafeteria. Any time the school has a positive case, which happens regularly, all students who have been in "close contact" with that student per seating charts and such are contacted. Those who are vaccinated are allowed to stay in school during the quarantine/observation period. Those who are not must isolate at home for a week and then test negative before being allowed to return to school. This is a giant hassle, especially at the elementary level. Many parents will vaccinate their kids just to avoid it.

Fourth, many parents are nervous about taking their unvaccinated kids out in public and will happily vaccinate so they can get back to things like traveling, going to Disney, eating out in restaurants, etc. with their kids.

Fifth. Many parents see vaccinating kids as yet one more tool for bringing the pandemic to a quicker end, even if their own kids are not at great risk. Kids can still be spreaders and keep the disease lingering in the community longer if they are not vaccinated. And it is also the only way to protect the many vulnerable people in our population, including many other children, who are immuno-compromised and for whom the vaccine is ineffective and the disease is a major risk. Some people do care about others beyond their immediate families.

[RZehr]

I plan to not vaccinate my children at this point, even though I am and my wife is. I just don’t see it as necessary.
If something changes in terms of restrictions, or child sicknesses, I’ll change. I’m not against it, I’m just not seeing any benefit right now. Further, by waiting we will have more time to gain more child response data. And given the way the vaccines lose their protection, by waiting until later, we sort of “save” that protection for a newer variant.
I’m really not that interested in a yearly booster regiment for a disease of low serious threat to children. Or even myself. But I would probably be happy to see my parents and uncles and aunts get boosters.

[Robert]

First while deaths among children are rare, they are not zero. About 700 children have died of Covid

More die of the flu, auto accidents and several other things. Should we vaccinate against all those things too?

Second, millions of families have vulnerable older family members at home who are indeed at risk of Covi

Studies show that vaccinated pass on the virus as much as unvaccinated.

Third, vaccinating children ensures that they can stay in school when inevitable close contact interactions with Covid-positive individuals happen.

They should get Covid, get over it and have long lasting antibody protection. This is much better.

Fourth, many parents are nervous about taking their unvaccinated kids out in public and will happily vaccinate so they can get back to things like traveling

These are uneducated people who are living from fear instead of knowledge. Should we encourage that or bring truth to them?

Fifth. Many parents see vaccinating kids as yet one more tool for bringing the pandemic to a quicker end

No scientific evidence vaccines in children will do this. This is, again, living in fear instead of knowledge.

It is the vulnerable who need to be vaccinated. The sooner we reach herd immunity, the sooner this gets behind us. Many more are suffering from fear then the disease right now. Even Bill Maher is saying the pandemic is behind us now. Lets move forward in knowledge and wisdom and stop living in fear and propaganda.

[Robert]

I plan to not vaccinate my children at this point, even though I am and my wife is. I just don’t see it as necessary.
If something changes in terms of restrictions, or child sicknesses, I’ll change. I’m not against it, I’m just not seeing any benefit right now. Further, by waiting we will have more time to gain more child response data. And given the way the vaccines lose their protection, by waiting until later, we sort of “save” that protection for a newer variant.
I’m really not that interested in a yearly booster regiment for a disease of low serious threat to children. Or even myself. But I would probably be happy to see my parents and uncles and aunts get boosters.

I have encouraged my wife to get a booster while my boys and myself will not.

[Szdfan]

First while deaths among children are rare, they are not zero. About 700 children have died of Covid

More die of the flu, auto accidents and several other things. Should we vaccinate against all those things too?

Um…we do vaccinate against the flu. We also have air bags, seat belts and speed limits to try and mitigate the risk of auto fatalities.