How things are going in your area?

[Green Eyed Monsty]

1 hour ago, WhiteWulfe said:

Province brought in new measures as of tomorrow, although most of them are just recommendations, even as our cases keep increasing at an alarming rate.  Interestingly, they're now offering $100 debit cards to people who get vaccinated...  But only for those who start doing such today... 

How do the hospitalization and death rates compare with the reporting of new cases?

Inquiring minds wish to know.

GEM

On 8/28/2021 at 7:44 AM, redambrosia said:

The thing is, what they consider “unnecessary” may not be so to the person receiving it. My mom has a thing in her eye socket (I can’t remember what it’s called) that gives her horrible headaches (she calls them headache bombs). They knock her on her tush for days at a time. She needs surgery to have it removed, but no one will do it because it’s “not necessary”.

 

She may not be actually dying from it, but she’s in horrible pain most of the time and unable to function. 
 

And that’s not even mentioning the hip replacement that she needs done.

I'm sure all the persons making the "not necessary" decision would quickly revise their opinion if they were wired up with a remote control cattle prod that your mother could activate every time she has a headache coming on.

It's always the people with no investment in a situation who will trivialize someone else's pain.

Hope she gets proper medical attention soonest.

GEM

[Green Eyed Monsty]

On 8/31/2021 at 7:42 PM, Cranky Dog said:

Our provincial vaccine passport officially launches in a few hours. And already it's causing problems outside of the whole "privacy vs liberty vs public health" debate.

 

TLDR: Whether you support the idea or not, it's a mess.

 

So you need an app from either Apple or Android. Two apps really. One for the consumer to create a code, and one for businesses to check the code. If you use Android, you also need to put the app's name in quotation marks (because reasons?). For some reason, the QR Code you got after your vaccines is needed to generate a new QR Code that validates your fully vaccinated status. But if you don't have a smartphone to carry, you have to find a way to load it up and print it out. So you still need a computer, or tablet, or smartphone again... which the elderly love to use. Or you can contact the website/government agency that is already swamped with demands to get the code... Aauuuurgh!

 

I got mine working on my tablet, but since I don't use an Apple or Android phone, I have to do some copy/paste/resize/print to get it to show on my regular phone.

 

I'm visiting my mother in two days. I just know I'll be helping her and most of my local relatives to get their passports working.

 

This whole notion of an app for a government mandate is an ill conceived situation, to be charitable, and an absolute military grade foul up to be more accurate.

Apps don't work for people who are:

A.  Without a "smart" phone, either through not having a cell phone or having the wrong kind of equipment, as in old but still working.

B.  Have a flip phone, most of which don't do apps.

I'm sure the committee of bureaucrats who came up with this "idea" have not given any thought to the above or the ramifications in terms of cost to implement a solution for the people in the above categories.   It's not jsut the cost of a bulk purchase of phones for distribution to those without [during the middle of a chip shortage], it's also the cost of whatever subscription is required to make it possible for the "smart" phone to function.

Case in point:  I have new in March 4g flip phone provided by my new carrier, Consumer Cellular.  Do you think I am going to spend any money for a new phone right now?

Note:  this isn't political, it's about the general level of incompetency being displayed in too may areas today through the [false] assumption that "everybody" has a "smart" phone.

GEM

I'm not  a TECHNOPHOBE, I just don't need all the extra expense and garbage of a "smart" phone imposing additional clutter on my life.  Show me a package for $14 a month, all in,[what I am paying now]  and I might consider it.

[Cyradis]

2 hours ago, WhiteWulfe said:

Province brought in new measures as of tomorrow, although most of them are just recommendations, even as our cases keep increasing at an alarming rate.  Interestingly, they're now offering $100 debit cards to people who get vaccinated...  But only for those who start doing such today... 

Yeah kinda annoying for everyone who already did it, but.... if it gets more people going for it, okay.

 

I would guess that other provinces are also planning on having some sort of hard copy option, yeah? BC intends to, but we haven't seen how it'll be implemented yet. I have my phone with me all the time, but I'd prefer to go with a hard copy, much like my driver's license. Then my ID stuff isn't tied to battery life. I don't mind an app existing, but personal security is a thing to consider, and ease of use. An app very well may be easier to use for a lot of people, but not everyone. Actually.... Sir Cyr is going to need to jump through a few extra hoops probably. He got Dose 1 in BC, but Dose 2 in Spokane, WA. That'll need to get recorded for proof somehow. He *should* be okay with "the proof that let him cross the border" but flipping a passport along with the hand-written cards is also awkward as a daily thing.

 

[strawhat]

51 minutes ago, Green Eyed Monsty said:

This whole notion of an app for a government mandate is an ill conceived situation, to be charitable, and an absolute military grade foul up to be more accurate.

 

Additionally, given how industry after industry is being hit with ransomware attacks and general hacking (including insurance and credit reporting, y'know the folks who have all of your data) just adds to how poorly thought out the concept is.

 

I have little issue with vaccination incentives, but I would prefer if such things would include those of us who have been more...proactive...about our participation.  Still, whatever it takes to get us to get across the finish line (hopefully before some new variant that bypasses vaccination or significantly increases mortality). 

 

It's getting tough to keep track of the variants.  We're already through mu...which may finally be "the" variant that completely bypasses current vaccination attempts.  

[Green Eyed Monsty]

18 minutes ago, strawhat said:

 

Additionally, given how industry after industry is being hit with ransomware attacks and general hacking (including insurance and credit reporting, y'know the folks who have all of your data) just adds to how poorly thought out the concept is.

 

I have little issue with vaccination incentives, but I would prefer if such things would include those of us who have been more...proactive...about our participation.  Still, whatever it takes to get us to get across the finish line (hopefully before some new variant that bypasses vaccination or significantly increases mortality). 

 

It's getting tough to keep track of the variants.  We're already through mu...which may finally be "the" variant that completely bypasses current vaccination attempts.  

You know, I hadn't even thought of that aspect of the basket of problems created by an apps based "solution".  Added to the observations I made, this might actually be the biggie.

IMHO the best immunity is being provided by the bodies own immune system from having dealt with a mild case of the Covid.  From everything I've been able to glean, the people who have developed natural antibodies seem to have the broadest spectrum resistance to reinfection.  If this proves to be the case long term then it would appear that vaccinations based on the traditional plan of an inert form of the virus being used to generate anti-bodies may prove to be the most successful.

GEM

[Cyradis]

Unfortunately, naturally acquired from a mild case is a heck of a gamble. I wouldn't gamble on getting a mild case; the disease has taken down people a lot fitter than me. I'd hazard that those who get breakthrough cases after vaccination (which mostly are mild, less of a gamble) aren't going to get covid again. But I already know one person who got Original and Gamma 6 months later (before they could get vaccinated). They fortunately are fine; both times was mild but unpleasant for them. If it hit me unvaccinated though? I'd be out for many weeks - a common cold takes me down for weeks. Undoubtedly covid would be worse.

I think the Novavax vaccine that is either finished trials or nearing completion is a more traditional type one; I'm all for a huge range of vaccine types available. Also curious on the "mix and match" trials that tested AstraZeneca/Pfizer or Moderna instead of same of both types. Mmmm goodly science being done.

 

Pretty upset right now: the protests in front of the hospital in downtown Vancouver effectively killed someone. I may not like their protests, but folks have the right to do so.... HOWEVER. Don't broccoli up ambulances. Don't block hospitals. Go to friggin' city hall or the art gallery like the other protests that happen almost weekly. The art gallery plaza is a great area to hold a protest that doesn't block access to emergency medicine and it is just a few blocks away - I've been there and done that myself. Don't literally block the entrance to the hospital from ambulances. Someone had an industrial accident. The ambulance was supposed to take 8 minutes to get them to the hospital. It took 16 minutes. The hurt person bled to death as a result of not getting to the ER in time to get stitched up. Only so much that can be done while in-ambulance.

[Jasper_the_2nd]

So, "shockingly" the week after school opened  and our number of cases doubled over the weekend, with 122 new cases reported today. 

Luckily for us, there was only one case reported in our entire region, but other regions, not so much.

Just waiting for the "back to the office has been delayed, again" email.

Hope I can still get to Nova Scotia this weekend.....

 

[Pegazus]

2 hours ago, Jasper_the_2nd said:

So, "shockingly" the week after school opened  and our number of cases doubled over the weekend, with 122 new cases reported today. 

Luckily for us, there was only one case reported in our entire region, but other regions, not so much.

Just waiting for the "back to the office has been delayed, again" email.

Hope I can still get to Nova Scotia this weekend.....

 

Yeah, got ours last week. Only saving grave is that we’re having beautiful weather.

[redambrosia]

3 hours ago, Pegazus said:

Only saving grave is that we’re having beautiful weather.

Freudian slip?

[Pegazus]

4 hours ago, redambrosia said:

Freudian slip?

Guess I dug that myself.

 

Or, the stupid phone doesn't like how my thumbs touch the screen. It's always off center and just a biiiit outside.

[Cyradis]

BC's vaccine passport is live now. It is a QR code that you get an image of and present either on your phone or as a paper card. I got mine printed about business card size and laminated; can carry it next to my ID. Cautiously optimistic about it going well, despite the nasty protests. BC's cases are still high, and rising... but slowly. We may be at the top of the hump on this wave. Sure hope so, considering we do actually have very high vaccination rates here. But classes just started and incoming students are not all bright (some major parties in violation of health orders supposedly spread some plague around). I'm not stuck teaching at least, and in public space everyone is masked up so it could be worse.

 

I get to do a tiny bit of field work from Wednesday-Saturday (well, driving Wednesday and Saturday, but I see rocks Thursday and Friday). My adviser just told me he wants me to finish my PhD by August next year. I thought the goal was November next year. Broccolifarts.

[Cranky Dog]

1 hour ago, Cyradis said:

BC's vaccine passport is live now. It is a QR code that you get an image of and present either on your phone or as a paper card. I got mine printed about business card size and laminated; can carry it next to my ID. Cautiously optimistic about it going well, despite the nasty protests. BC's cases are still high, and rising... but slowly. We may be at the top of the hump on this wave. 

Like Jasper observed, it looks like we got hit by the "back to school" wave. It sure felt like it last year.

 

As for BC's vaccine passport, I hope restaurants don't get overzealous with out-of-province visitors who don't have access to the passport.

 

We've had an American citizen (of French-Canadian roots) visit her father in Quebec, and being turned down in every restaurant she went or called for info. "You need your QR code! You need your QR code!" again and again, despite her being double-vaccinated and has the paperwork to prove it *and* there are provisions in the system to account for them, but the restaurant industry doesn't seem to be aware of it,

[WhiteWulfe]

We're now up to provincial counts of over 1,500 new cases a day, have over 600 in the hospital, and 154 in ICU...  And still no new or additional measures brought in.  With these metrics, the old system would have us right back to various things closed with just take-out an option, and many measures in place. 

 

Oh, the things I'd love to type here regarding that, but I'll just say it's not fun watching the current response be a wait and see approach. 

[Inarah]

Kids are back to school, with predictable results.  Still lots of talking about what to do, and a lawsuit gets filed every time some agency tries to implement safety measures.  Our major regional hospital has patients in the hallways, and has stopped accepting transfers from other, less equipped hospitals.  It's painful to watch. 

 

Meanwhile, it's been 10 days since we left Reapercon and 1000 of our friends...... and I haven't heard one word about anyone getting sick. 

 

 

[Cyradis]

9 hours ago, Cranky Dog said:

Like Jasper observed, it looks like we got hit by the "back to school" wave. It sure felt like it last year.

 

As for BC's vaccine passport, I hope restaurants don't get overzealous with out-of-province visitors who don't have access to the passport.

 

We've had an American citizen (of French-Canadian roots) visit her father in Quebec, and being turned down in every restaurant she went or called for info. "You need your QR code! You need your QR code!" again and again, despite her being double-vaccinated and has the paperwork to prove it *and* there are provisions in the system to account for them, but the restaurant industry doesn't seem to be aware of it,

 

Yeah, we'll see. Sir Cyr is in the weird boat of having 1 dose from BC, 1 dose from the US, so he can't get his QR code without jumping through a lot of hoops. Places are supposed to accept "whatever got someone into Canada in the first place" regarding vaccination record. We haven't tested it yet. Seemed like my new officemates from Ontario and Scotland were doing okay yesterday. I'm more worried about people heckling the restaurants than issues with our proof right now.

 

Also suspect there will be a bit of a bump due to school year starting. Perhaps not a mega bump. The fraternities that partied hard and got people sick did suck some penalties for that; hopefully they'll chill out.

 

30 minutes ago, Inarah said:

 

 

Meanwhile, it's been 10 days since we left Reapercon and 1000 of our friends...... and I haven't heard one word about anyone getting sick. 

 

 

 

I've heard of one person on friend's list who went to Reapercon getting pretty nasty sick, but with many tests, always negative for covid. They got disgusting Other ConCrud instead it seems.