health

How will pandemic end? Omicron clouds forecasts for endgame

11 Comments
By LAURAN NEERGAARD and CARLA K. JOHNSON

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Today we read:

How will pandemic end? Omicron clouds forecasts for endgame

Yesterday we read:

Weaker virus? Herd immunity? Omicron sparks cautious hopes

Which is it? I prefer to be optimistic.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Which is it? I prefer to be optimistic.

Both are similar articles, talking about how the disease and the necessary responses against it are evolving, and both are quite optimistic, the focus on this one is that several outcomes became possible after the appearance of Omicron, but they are all much better than the current situation. Precautions and vaccination allow populations to function even during the pandemic without having to sacrifice endless lives to the infection.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

“Certainly COVID will be with us forever,”

“I do think we will reach a point where SARS-CoV-2 is endemic much like flu is endemic,”

And as soon as it will be endemic like the flu, more and more people will refuse to take the vaccine.

Same like they are doing with the flu vaccine.

Even already now, many people I know who took the first 2 shots are hesitating now to take the Booster for Covid.

My company will offer us Booster shots from end of february.

The first 2 shots were taken by 99% of our employees.

But so far, there are just 45% willing to take the booster shot.

or at least, hospitalizations and deaths — to declare the pandemic officially over. *

In that case, the pandemic is already over in Japan.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

Japan right now needs aggressive direction based on educated critical analysis of the data and opinions of the world’s experts. The proof that comes after the fact has been way too late to even be relevant. Japan will have to open at some point ant face whatever is left of Omicron and it’s mutations Maybe they are dealing with it all now, and their biggest challenge will be backtracking, we’ll never know.

@virusrex , you obviously know what you are talking about, but maybe tone down the absolutist mentality so people listen. On one hand you conservatively adhere to the Hippocratic oath - do no harm…. admirable indeed, but by sticking to only the so-called proven facts, and discouraging critical thought, there can be no action . On the other-hand you suggest alternative outcomes like endless deaths which has no basis either.. this puzzles me

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

And as soon as it will be endemic like the flu, more and more people will refuse to take the vaccine.

This is something not undersirable, the whole point of the vaccines is to lower the risk, so if there is no appreciable risk then populations can deal with it without the vaccines.

People do not need to vaccinate against Rabies when travelling to Japan because there has not been any local cases detected, but it can be a requirement if travelling for example to the Philippines, the risk is what makes it necessary or not the vaccines.

 sticking to only the so-called proven facts, and discouraging critical thought, there can be no action

There is no confrontation between both things, critical thought is something that can (should) be done stiking to the facts, there is no point in trying to think logically while rejecting what is already known. If you depend on facts that are not true to think critically you are doing it completely wrong.

Science can prove above any reasonable doubt that without measures against the pandemic countless unnecessary deaths are hugely more likely to happen, just because you don't like this conclusion do not make it baseless, it only makes it clear you do not want to accept it, even if it can be proven as true easily.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

There is no confrontation between both things, critical thought is something that can (should) be done stiking to the facts, there is no point in trying to think logically while rejecting what is already known

Except any good scientist knows that "facts" can and do change as knowledge advances. Good scientists don't talk in absolutes. They always acknowledge that they may be proven wrong later.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

For anyone really interested in the topics discussed in this article and covid in general, I highly recommend listening to Peter Attia's latest podcast on the topic (released earlier this week). It covers a lot of ground, but these guys actually know what they're talking about. Overall, It's a generally optimistic outlook too, including a good discussion around why boosters are probably not necessary for most people.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Except any good scientist knows that "facts" can and do change as knowledge advances

Never by giving a free forum to lies and mistaken information, evidence, data is what makes the facts change. Sticking to the facts do not mean making them sacred dogma but using only things that can be proved with evidence. What is completely unvalid is to ask people to let false, misleading information into a discussion just because you like it better, that do not bring any advance.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

human immune systems will continue to get better at recognizing and fighting back.

This is an optimistic but realistic article and I'm glad somebody is writing this. American media right now is full of doom-and-gloom and I am SICK of it. We all have had viruses and flus and recovered. I remember reading in college about the 1968 Hong Kong flu which made zillions sick as a dog. I got the Russian flu as a kid, there was the 'swine flu'. All things will pass.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This is an optimistic but realistic article and I'm glad somebody is writing this. American media right now is full of doom-and-gloom and I am SICK of it

Yup, that’s our msm and they’re not about to let up. This is why people are turning them off. CNN continues to purge viewers

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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