Coronavirus Concern Up

[Hardknockshomestead]

My community seemed to take COVID more seriously for a couple weeks after we peaked at 24th worst county in the USA. Over 10% of the community tested positive in a few weeks' time. If it's true that actual case numbers are 8x positive tests, maybe we have some herd immunity going too?

New cases have been down in my county and state, even after Thanksgiving. If this trend holds through January, I may feel comfortable adding some outings back in.

What do you think @Hardknockshomestead ?

Tortoise, I'm sorry I missed your post!
Yes, i believe we most likely have quite a bit of "herd immunity" here. The rates of reported new infections and new deaths have slowed here, it seems. I'm talking daily new cases and deaths as a percent of the total. I'm not a math whiz and I'm having a hard time expressing what I'm trying to say lol.
It seems to me a big percent of people have had the virus in my part of the county. I hear people talking at work and I don't believe only 15 percent have been infected.
People are weary of it all.
Folks are shopping, kids are in school, and everyone knows several entire families or businesses that have been infected. It reminds me of pre-covid flu season. Herd immunity surely is not far away.

 

[Mini Horses]

I personally think a lot of people had mild cases and felt it was typical cold/flu, so didn't test. Probably a good amount of immunity from all that type. If you haven't been sick and you are high risk, or constantly in a possible exposure environment, I'd think you should consider taking a vaccine. Building enough immunity is only way we are going to get this stuff down. We are all weary of the limits we face. . I don't see a lot of slack for months, however. It's about what little protection we can all share and it will not be for as long as it has been.

 

[JanetMarie]

In the 90s when I worked at a very busy walk in medical clinic, one of the doctors there told me that a flu vaccine was not necessary, because I was constantly exposed to ill people (natural immunity).

Something to think about.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I worked at a skilled nursing facility where flu shots were mandated for all patients and staff every year. After my last flu shot, I was very sick with resp. flu 3 times that winter. Since then, I've refused to take a flu shot, and have not had a respiratory virus other than very mild cold since then. (It's been about 5 years since I've had a flu shot.) The SNF mandate stated that one must have the flu shot or wear a mask from Nov. 1- April 30. I can not wear a mask. So... I am oh so very thankful that the corporate cut backs eliminated my per diem hours in Oct. 2019. I had come to the conclusion that I would not work under the flu shot/mask mandate. I'm oh so thankful that the decision was made for me.

 

[farmerjan]

Don't wear a mask on any farm I test and haven't seen one single worker/milker on a dairy wearing one. Wear one for PT and shopping where they insist. But I shop seldom and try to not patronize stores that absolutely require it. Had a neighbor come to get some snips off the holly tree.... raining lightly, only me here, 10 ft away at least.....and she is wearing a mask.....outside...... no one with her in the car, going right back up the road 1/10th mile......
I have so much exposure with the animals and the vaccinations we do use, keep my immune system as healthy as I can.... not going to spend the rest of my life wearing a mask. If the wearing a mask, 6 ft distancing, all that was really the way to go, we would have gone through this and been done with it. The sooner we get to the herd immunity stage, and that means exposure and vaccine, the faster this will pass. We can't stop people from dying, whether it is from this or the flu or heart attacks or cancer or whatever..... When it is time it is time. We are also given the brain to make sensible decisions for our lives..... if it isn't working, don't keep doing the same thing and expect different results. Take charge of your health and make it work for you.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

If the wearing a mask, 6 ft distancing, all that was really the way to go, we would have gone through this and been done with it.

Hmmmm, perhaps the problem is that a lot don't believe it's important to wear a mask, don't think it's important to keep a 6 foot distance, they get on airplanes and travel to other peoples homes who also don't observe distance or wear masks. SMH....

No, we can't stop it all - but we can make a difference.

 

[Sassafras II]

This is from the CDC

 

[Sassafras II]

 

[Sassafras II]

 

[FarmerJamie]

The underlying issue for me, there is no data on mask compliance, so mask/no mask effects are conjectures by all of us. The whole contact tracing/phone monitoring brew haha has dropped off of the radar.

Just like a recent local "advisory info ad" about ICU beds being "maxed out" yet icu beds are only 10% of total bed space. Yes, i know its more complicated, but there are no claims of not having required equipment or PPE gear.

Another county nearby hyped mobile units for morgue space at a hospital in a newspaper.....later retracted as it was for a spike in non covid deaths, ODs and suicides.

How many hospital beds are near you? Details by Ohio county

Ohio has about 34,000 hospital beds, including about 2,500 for intensive care.

www.google.com

Yes, covid can be deadly for some of our most vulnerable.

This whole situation is starting to fail the sniff test.