The US finally has a plan for providing cheap, at-home rapid tests for Covid (yay!) and it involves people finding & buying their own tests and then getting reimbursed via their health insurance (whaaat a fucking joke). https://t.co/faYJQH7PtT
— kottke.org (@kottke)
Dec 2, 2021
from http://twitter.com/kottke
It will be nearly impossible to shift people’s thinking at this point, but the Covid vaccine is really a 3-dose series, not 2 shots + booster. 3 shots = fully vaccinated. https://t.co/ZDXMs8QcTV
— kottke.org (@kottke)
Dec 2, 2021
from http://twitter.com/kottke
Pres. Biden lays out his plan to fight COVID-19 this winter:
— Expand booster access
— Expand vaccine access for kids
— Free at-home rapid tests
— Extend public transit mask requirement
— Testing for international travelershttps://t.co/TmGP3GpWto https://t.co/Yo7F7LdS3u
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics)
Dec 2, 2021
from http://twitter.com/ABCPolitics
The #Omicron variant has reached the US, but we rely on Israel 🇮🇱, Britain 🇬🇧 & now South Africa 🇿🇦 to determine vaccine efficacy, the breakthrough rate, etc. We are flying blind. It’s time to massively improve our genetic surveillance infrastructure.
https://t.co/CBeYzm87j6— Zeke Emanuel (@ZekeEmanuel)
Dec 2, 2021
from http://twitter.com/ZekeEmanuel
A second American patient has been confirmed to be infected with the Omicron variant, and it’s a person in Minnesota who recently traveled to New York for an anime convention. https://t.co/baXOOyoJau
— SFist (@SFist)
Dec 2, 2021
from http://twitter.com/SFist
As expected.
As we ramp up surveillance, we’ll certainly find that the #OmicronVariant is already circulating here in the US. https://t.co/mDxJcBlUPq
— Dr. Anne Rimoin (@arimoin)
Dec 2, 2021
from http://twitter.com/arimoin
(Yes, I know there are more Omicron cases out there, but not thousands).
If Omicron becomes >1-2% of our mix, % is rising fast, AND it shows major immune escape, then I’ll switch to N95s, stop indoor dining, & think twice about travel. Hopefully won’t happen, but it could.(2/2)— Bob Wachter (@Bob_Wachter)
Dec 2, 2021
from http://twitter.com/Bob_Wachter
Being asked a lot: “Are you changing behavior based on Omicron?” Answer: not yet. With one case reported in CA, if you encounter a person w/ Covid today it’s >99.9% likely to be Delta. I’m still careful (masks indoors when unsure if all are vaxxed/boosted) but no change yet.(1/2)
— Bob Wachter (@Bob_Wachter)
Dec 2, 2021
from http://twitter.com/Bob_Wachter
Fully vaccinated = 3 Doses.
— DR. KRUPALI 🇺🇸 (@krupali)
Dec 2, 2021
from http://twitter.com/krupali
Most outbreak novels & movies end w/scientists discovering a cure or vaccine which people line up to receive
Today’s the 1 year anniversary of 1st vaccine being authorized for expanded use
Deaths are⬆️240% over last year, increasing fastest in places w/lowest vaccination rates https://t.co/RVVAaRnAwv
— Tom Bollyky (@TomBollyky)
Dec 2, 2021
from http://twitter.com/TomBollyky
After reading coverage and talking to sources about Trump’s positive covid test, a few small points that stick out to me, a health reporter.
1) Trump hid his positive test from the most senior health officials fighting covid — Birx, Fauci, Hahn, Azar, etc
https://t.co/GWAgu8uuOM— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond)
Dec 2, 2021
from http://twitter.com/ddiamond
The American right: Lets spend 50 years packing the courts with freaks and demons who can’t be removed
American liberals: *Let’s
— Ryan Boyd (@ryanaboyd)
Dec 1, 2021
from http://twitter.com/ryanaboyd
just a reminder that at a costco near you, you can get plan b for generally the best in-store retail price available. and by law, costco pharmacy cannot deny non-members access! you can buy from the pharmacy online or in-store regardless of whether you’re a costco member or not!
— paul de revere (@pderevere)
Dec 1, 2021
from http://twitter.com/pderevere
Man, absolutely every word of this blog post. https://t.co/1G1rqoumTZ
— Mike Bithell (@mikeBithell)
Dec 1, 2021
from http://twitter.com/mikeBithell
If there’s signif. immune escape (from vax, infctn, & MAbs) AND Omicron outpaces Delta, 2 issues to watch:
1) More pressure for mandates, w/ boosters needed to be “fully vaxxed”
2) More push for antivirals (esp. Pfizer) – not just drug approval but fast & easy test➠treat process— Bob Wachter (@Bob_Wachter)
Dec 2, 2021
from http://twitter.com/Bob_Wachter
Vaccine mandates are ethical, legal, and effective. Most of all, health care workers MUST be vaccinated. It’s crucial that those providing care protect themselves and others from the virus, especially with the Omicron variant looming.
https://t.co/OTEFoZJQy6— Zeke Emanuel (@ZekeEmanuel)
Dec 1, 2021
from http://twitter.com/ZekeEmanuel
WARNING FROM AN ICU PHYSICIAN
Looks like this winter may be the worst surge yet. The only patients I have cared for in the ICU in the past weeks have been unvaccinated.
If you have not been vaccinated, now is the time.
If you are due for a 3rd shot, get it now.
— Gabriel Bosslet (@gbosslet)
Dec 1, 2021
from http://twitter.com/gbosslet
A man shoplifting ~$200-950 in goods from Walgreens got much more media coverage than Walgreens stealing $12 million in wages from their employees. Shoplifting is mostly a moral panic but corporate wage theft is an actual problem. https://t.co/cB6wMrdUB1
— kottke.org (@kottke)
Dec 1, 2021
from http://twitter.com/kottke
If you’re looking for reasons to stay calm about the Omicron variant—for now, at least!—read this @RuthReader story. https://t.co/wx1JZYm5aw
— Harry McCracken (@harrymccracken)
Dec 1, 2021
from http://twitter.com/harrymccracken
The majority-conservative Supreme Court is open to overturning Roe v. Wade (either in part or as a whole). “Should Roe be overturned, at least 20 states will immediately or in short order make almost all abortions unlawful.” Fuck. This. https://t.co/CM5TgFlBnx
— kottke.org (@kottke)
Dec 1, 2021
from http://twitter.com/kottke
#VaccinesWork #VaccinesSaveLives https://t.co/YzHR1U2MPc
— Christopher A. Longhurst (@calonghurst)
Dec 1, 2021
from http://twitter.com/calonghurst
Preliminary report of #Omicron says Omicron is 1.3x more transmissible than Delta, & unvaccinated have 2.4x greater risk of severe. Those with BOOSTERS: 90% lower risk of severe outcome. But it’s only early ➡️main worry is if 2 doses enough—data is coming.
https://t.co/3hPWsYclpX— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing)
Dec 1, 2021
from http://twitter.com/DrEricDing
New data to show that Paxlovid (the Pfizer anti-Covid pill) overrides concerns about variants https://t.co/AG5Z5XmUM8 https://t.co/YZdXgbLkQe
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol)
Nov 30, 2021
from http://twitter.com/EricTopol
The Omicron variant was “already spreading in western Europe before the first cases were identified in southern Africa”. Again, we should be thanking Botswana & South Africa for raising the alarm so quickly here. https://t.co/YISuOUdF07
— kottke.org (@kottke)
Nov 30, 2021
from http://twitter.com/kottke
3) When you hear about protection from vax potentially waning, this also means that protection from prior infection (which was less robust) will wane too. We should really be talking about immunity waning, not just vax-related.
4) Being unvaxxed is most dangerous state of all.— Bob Wachter (@Bob_Wachter)
Nov 30, 2021
from http://twitter.com/Bob_Wachter
Some confusion over vaccines, immunity & variant. So:
1) Although we hear “vax efficacy may be lower w/ Omicron,” still v. likely that vax will protect a lot, even if less than before.
2) If vax efficacy does wane, you want best possible immunity to start with (ergo, boosters)…— Bob Wachter (@Bob_Wachter)
Nov 30, 2021
from http://twitter.com/Bob_Wachter
The FBI produced this nice chart comparing what kinds of privacy leaks the various messaging apps have. https://t.co/H0ItCiBmny https://t.co/wWyePE7VVZ
— Guardian Project (@guardianproject)
Nov 30, 2021
from http://twitter.com/guardianproject
While we deal w Delta & learn about Omicron:
1 Get vaccinated / boosted
2 Upgrade mask indoors (fit/filtration matter)
3 Improve ventilation (home, work, school, …)
4 Test based on risk (eg, pre/post travel)
5 Test early if symptoms: treatments better
6 Stay home if sick
— Tomás Aragón, MD, DrPH (@DrTomasAragon)
Nov 30, 2021
from http://twitter.com/DrTomasAragon
NEW: the Moderna CEO expects vaccines to struggle against the new Omicron variant, predicting a “material drop” in effectiveness https://t.co/B2uOg1Oddu
— Matthew Garrahan (@MattGarrahan)
Nov 30, 2021
from http://twitter.com/MattGarrahan
I support canceling student debt. I have none to cancel: I graduated with $15k in subsidized loans I could easily pay even when I was making 26k a year.
I want everyone to have what I had: an affordable education and a chance to build financial stability. https://t.co/krH2msvFdZ
— Annalee (@LeeFlower)
Nov 30, 2021
from http://twitter.com/LeeFlower