More contagious version of omicron spreads in U.S., fueling worries

[riversedge]

Source: npr






February 21, 20227:00 AM ET

Thousands of people test positive for the coronavirus in the U.S. daily, and a small but growing fraction of them are for the more contagious omicron variant BA.2.


As the omicron surge continues to decline in the U.S., infectious disease experts are keeping a close eye on an even more contagious version of the variant that could once again foil the nation's hopes of getting back to normal.

The virus, known as BA.2, is a strain of the highly contagious omicron variant that appears to spread even more easily — about 30% more easily.

Because BA.2 quickly overtook the original omicron in South Africa and other countries and has even caused a second omicron surge in Denmark, researchers have been bracing for the same thing to happen in the U.S.

"A lot of us were assuming that it was going to quickly take off in the United States just like it was doing in Europe and become the new dominant variant," says Nathan Grubaugh, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health.........................................

Read more: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/02/21/1081810074/omicron-ba2-variant-spread

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This sneaky virus is not over with us yet.

[L. Coyote]

1. A more deadly strain was inevitable given all the willing petri dishes

Given the surge in deaths in Denmark, we can expect to be back to square one about the same time as everyone relaxes safeguards, with hundreds of thousands of deaths to follow.

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[ancianita]

2. As long as there are approximately 48 million unvaccinated children under age 12...

[turbinetree]

3. And just in time for spring and the states are lower the mask requirements what could possibly

go wrong that already hasn't gone wrong from the very beginning...we are being warned.... ......

[NullTuples]

4. Things like removing mask & other restrictions aren't just randomly "going wrong"

I'm quite frustrated at the number of Democratic Governors who KNEW this variant was already a concern and that it will hit eventually but still went ahead with removal of safety mandates. Much to the chagrin, fear and anger of many disabled & immune compromised people & parents of young children who aren't yet old enough to be vaccinated.

[Skittles]

10. yup

going forward, people who care will still take precautions - selfish assholes will not

[LiberalLovinLug]

21. Its a fine balancing act for Democratic politicians especially

A growing percent of the general population is so weary and worn down from this fight and are eager to believe any voice that says the government is overreaching and abusing their rights, their freedom.

Its disgusting how those politicians on the right have politicized this battle against the pandemic, but they have. And using our own virus fatigue against us. Its come down to "If you love FREEDOM, then you side with us!" If you want to keep having to wear that mask, or worse, continue to be denied service or even jobs because you chose to remain unvaccinated, then vote Democratic.

People sooooooooooooo want this whole thing over. Republicans are piggy backing off of that and leaking out false information or withholding information to cover their gross incompetence with their own citizens health risks, so they can be the first to lift all restrictions. The first to FREE their people!

Democratic leaders know this fatigue is out there, and it wouldn't take much to tip a majority of the population in those districts to Republican if the Rs are seen to be the ones who will free them of all these inconveniences sooner.

Then all that due diligence to protect their own constituents health, is all moot when a Trumpublican gets elected in their place. And all the other programs and initiatives by that Democrat are thrown out with the bathwater.

[NullTuples]

23. So much of that fatigue though is b/c they wouldn't pick a plan & stick to it.

On
Off
On
Off
On
Off

...Imagine if at the start they'd said, "Hey everybody. History shows that pandemics can last for three years or more. Here are the things we are all going to have to do, as much as each of us can, for the next few years. We've got this. We'll try to balance what we can, and be open about what we're doing".

Of course, that's a fantasy. The entire first year of the pandemic the nation's response was largely controlled by Republican leaders denying it was even a problem, and when Dem leaders did try to enact local control, Republicans - and Republican Judges - used their base's dislike of personal restrictions to turn it all into a full-on political issue.

[LiberalLovinLug]

24. Yup

Also, no one really knew much about the virus when it first appeared. We didn't know how long it would last. So we couldn't properly prepare the public mentally for that reality.

One wonders how America would have reacted if Hillary was President in regards to following advice from the medical advisors, and Fauci. One one hand the dire reality of the pandemic would have been communicated sooner. But on the other, you'd have a similar backlash against vaccines. With Trump and others tweeting daily about crooked Hillary's poison.

[BidenRocks]

5. First and foremost...

Let these people die!
We tried and were met with violence, Fine!
Hasta assholes! Sorry about your kids though.
That's on you!

[BumRushDaShow]

6. We have been through 6 waves

and like a bunch of idiots, some people are determined to start a 7th. Many areas are now removing almost all of the mitigation strategies this go-around. Look out after Spring Break and Easter.

[Jon King]

7. I thought those on this board got that Covid is never 'over'?

Another variant, there will always be more variants. This BA.2 is a bit more severe than Omicron, but boosters restore immunity very well.

Anyone immuno-compromised has to mask up for life, no change there. Those who are boosted will continue to get more boosters as needed and go about life. Anyone is certainly free to wear masks forever in public if they choose too.

This variant is not going to change anything, Covid is here to stay. Decide for yourself and your family what precautions you want to take. Some folks will choose to remain unvaxxed and those who do and are also unhealthy will die of Covid tomorrow, next year, next decade.

Yup, waves will go on forever, a bit less with each one. Hospitals in unvaxxed areas will get better at dealing with them. Nothing new to see here folks.

[NullTuples]

11. Nothing new to see here - except governments telling everyone to relax and go back to "normal"

[oldsoftie]

13. Agreed. China showed a total lockdown still doesn't stop it. We have to deal with it.

Its a shame, but we don't control Mother Nature. When that last country in the world got it that's when I knew we were just stuck with it. They checked & double checked everyone coming to the island, required vaccines & it STILL made it there.
Get vexed, take care of yourself and take extra precautions if needed.

[jmowreader]

8. You had to expect this would happen

It's the COVID Four Step:

Step 1: COVID metrics start to improve.
Step 2: Because things are getting better, states relax COVID-related restrictions.
Step 3: Because states relaxed the restrictions, the damned virus mutates.
Step 4: The Hard Right goes into panic mode as restrictions are reinstated.

If I didn't know better, I'd say this virus had a sense of humor - it seems to live to harass Republicans.

[BlueWavePsych]

9. Unfortunately, I suspect areas with low vax rates will be hit hardest.

Mostly rural areas in red states.

[Metaphorical]

14. At this point there may not be many rural areas in red states left

Middle America and the Deep South have both been dying by attrition even before Covid. The young men and women who could escape have done so, and who's left are increasingly older, sicker, less mobile, and more likely to die from Covid or its complications. I expect over the course of the next couple of decades that the number of incorporated towns in these regions will drop precipitously as they fall below a sustainable level. The 2030 census may be brutal.

[oldsoftie]

15. Possibly affecting purple area votes.

[Evolve Dammit]

16. U.S. has proven we are too stupid to address a pandemic. Simply no ability to deal with any crisis.

Katrina showed us that and it has never improved. We seem incapable. Very sad IMHO. I thought we were better than that. I was wrong it pains me to say. Truly.

[Tree Lady]

18. Visiting in CA where they just lifted masks

In most public places. Me and many others still wearing them. My daughter who wears a mask 8-10 hrs a day was thrilled. I am not so sure.

[IronLionZion]

19. I'm still masking

but I get that a lot of Americans are eager to get it and spread it fast to see who survives. Those of us who are vaccinated and boosted are more likely to survive. Good luck to the others.

There may be fewer of them by the November election. And the survivors of this pandemic can build a stronger more progressive society

[twodogsbarking]

20. I wear a mask in stores.

Protects me maybe, maybe not. No big deal.

[ProfessorGAC]

22. It Protects You

There's no maybe about it.
One of worst pieces of messaging of the entire pandemic was that masks protect others, not the wearer.
The fact that this defied the laws of fluid dynamics & the physics of filtration didn't stop that bad message from being delivered.
It's easily proven, given how filtration works, that masks reduce the particulate transfer.
Do some masks work better than others? Of course!
But, masks protect the wearer, no matter the substrate.