# Coronavirus COVID-19 (2019-nCoV) Thread - 2021 Breaking News **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [January 1, 2021, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428 "2021-01-01T08:03:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 154
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2021, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3124 "2021-11-28T10:05:18Z")
[Australia has covido:](https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-travel-lifestyle-health-hong-kong-5a69ebe19fba0e652a8174955a730780) > [@](#): > > Australian officials confirmed Sunday that two overseas travelers arriving in Sydney are the first to test positive in the country for the omicron variant of the coronavirus, as nations around the world tightened controls against the worrying new strain. > > The two passengers were among a group of 14 others who arrived in Australia from southern Africa on Saturday, They were asymptomatic and were both vaccinated for COVID-19. The remaining 12 have been placed in quarantine. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2021, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3125 "2021-11-28T10:17:34Z")
> [@Tride](#): > > If Omicron is more contagious, but _not_ more deadly for the vaccinated (or even the unvaccinated), a leaky travel ban would slow things down a bit but the outcome would be the same; the unvaccinated will suffer the consequences of their choices sooner. That is unless Omicron scares a few people on the fence into finally vaccinating. That’s one upside of early alarmism. It must be said, Omicron is probably already here. There are going to be other strains of COVID-19, now and in the future. Frankly, if the vaccinated are reasonably well protected from the worst effects, what we should do is not shut things down, but shut them down just for the unvaccinated. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2021, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3126 "2021-11-28T13:23:08Z")
Covido in the Netherlands now, too. ---
**Author:** ![Mikkel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikkel/32/13151_2.png) [@Mikkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikkel)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2021, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3127 "2021-11-28T14:02:17Z")
In Denmark too. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2021, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3128 "2021-11-28T14:18:47Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > How long did it take Delta to spread pretty much everywhere from the time it was first observed? Months? Weeks? > [@AK84](#): > > 7-8 months. It was first observed around this time last year. Became the dominant variant mid summer… Is covid-o moving around the world faster than Delta did? It kind of looks like it. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2021, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3129 "2021-11-28T14:35:53Z")
I have a huge vacation planned for NYC in 3 weeks. I hope omicron doesn’t close the city down. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2021, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3130 "2021-11-28T15:17:50Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > > [@Treppenwitz](#): > > > > [BBC quote] > > Face coverings will be made compulsory in shops and on public transport - but hospitality settings will be exempt from the changes > > “Hospitality settings,” meaning hotels and restaurants? Why not there, too? (Except while you’re actually eating.) The last several times around they weren’t exempt - you walked in wearing a mask, and kept it on until you got to your table (for example). I always doubted that anything much was achieved by that - I turn up at the local pub in a mask, walk to the bar, say I have a table reserved, someone takes me to the table - ninety seconds in a mask, moving around. I then spend an hour in the vicinity of strangers, all of us static and unmasked. It always struck me as a case of ignoring the high risk bits and and de-risking the easy, but low risk, bits. Maybe there’s some research which now confirms this? But I would guess it’s more likely that we have reached the stage where the behavioral scientist on the team says, _Just use some common sense, eh? The gains are tiny and you’re pissing people off - which is going to harm compliance in more meaningful areas._ Just guessing. But yes, you’re right, it’s a very specific change from previous times. j ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2021, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3131 "2021-11-28T15:34:51Z")
Yeah, the “customers must wear masks in the 90 seconds it takes for them to get to their table” thing always struck me as dumb. Separate the tables. Upgrade the HVAC. Have the servers wear masks. But either close eat-in restaurants outright or acknowledge that customers will be unmasked while there. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2021, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3132 "2021-11-28T18:20:29Z")
I’m going to Worldcon in a couple of weeks. Same hope here, for DC. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2021, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3133 "2021-11-28T18:40:54Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Yeah, the “customers must wear masks in the 90 seconds it takes for them to get to their table” thing always struck me as dumb. Separate the tables. Upgrade the HVAC. Have the servers wear masks. But either close eat-in restaurants outright or acknowledge that customers will be unmasked while there. that’s pretty much safety theater. The same for the 6 ft rule . they pulled a number out of their ass that sounded good. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3134 "2021-11-29T01:23:24Z")
The wife and I got our Covid booster shots yesterday. We stuck with Pfizer. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3135 "2021-11-29T05:03:36Z")
261,763,463 total cases 5,217,303 dead 236,423,594 recovered In the US: 49,099,590 total cases 799,414 dead 38,880,081 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 261,371,756 total cases > 5,212,373 dead > 236,064,824 recovered > > In the US: > > 49,077,695 total cases > 799,312 dead > 38,861,714 recovered ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3136 "2021-11-29T05:23:00Z")
Things are moving quickly with covido, eh; Japan: > **[WHO warns that new virus variant poses 'very high' risk](https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-japan-fumio-kishida-82e53a7a17d1a4c30031065d389bda37)** > > GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization warned Monday that the global risk from the omicron variant is “very high” based on the early evidence, saying the mutated coronavirus could lead to surges with “severe consequences.” ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3137 "2021-11-29T11:39:44Z")
> **[Scotland expands vaccine rollout after six Omicron cases found](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-59457332)** > > The Scottish government says it will offer a third dose to all over-18s and a second vaccine to those aged 12 to 15. What odds we’re in the thousands by the end of the week? j ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3138 "2021-11-29T12:01:30Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Yeah, the “customers must wear masks in the 90 seconds it takes for them to get to their table” thing always struck me as dumb. Separate the tables. Upgrade the HVAC. Have the servers wear masks. But either close eat-in restaurants outright or acknowledge that customers will be unmasked while there. The point is that you’re walking around during that period, and thus can more easily spread things to other people than when you’re at your table that is distanced from others. Of course, in my experience at least, restaurants are often not actually distancing people, even when they have the space, and don’t seem to require masks for their servers. In that context, I can see saying it isn’t useful. But we shouldn’t be doing that. Heck, we should be masking when we’re not actually eating, which I’d say is usually over half the time you’re in the restaurant. Part of the reason I don’t feel comfortable eating out much is the social pressure to conform to lax masking. (Even my sister and her roommates who go in masked wind up taking them off at the table for the whole time.) The other reason is the unmasked servers. (Though, of course, Omicron and the mass 60% unvaxxed around here are the same concern. It’s ridiculous that my county has the same unvaxxed rate as South Africa who is having trouble getting enough vaccine into arms.) ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3139 "2021-11-29T12:31:08Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > The point is that you’re walking around during that period, and thus can more easily spread things to other people than when you’re at your table that is distanced from others. The “six foot” thing turned out to be based on the false assumption that it’s not airborne. Over time (like while you are eating) particles can spread throughout the room. I understand the reluctance to destroy the entire restaurant industry. But personally, i will not be dining in a restaurant for some time. I love eating at restaurants. I got dragged to one recently as part of a memorial service (i didn’t know in advance that we were meeting at a restaurant) and the food was excellent and it reminded me how nice it is to have excellent food places in front of me. But it’s so much riskier than pretty much anything else i do. Not worth it. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3140 "2021-11-29T13:10:59Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Is covid-o moving around the world faster than Delta did? It kind of looks like it. Why some experts have predicted it will move faster, what you could be seeing could also simply be more genetic sequencing, etc being much more common. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3141 "2021-11-29T14:25:19Z")
Possibly. Another thing is that a lot more attention is being paid to variants now than in November last year. There were two presumptions last year, firstly that the virus wouldn’t make dangerous new mutations quickly and secondly immunity from prior infections and or vaccinations wouldn’t want for years, neither panned out as the Delta wave showed. So they are being super cautious. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3142 "2021-11-29T14:25:19Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > The “six foot” thing turned out to be based on the false assumption that it’s not airborne. Over time (like while you are eating) particles can spread throughout the room. I’ve wondered if one really effective thing they could do in restaurants and bars is just limit how long a party can stay. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3143 "2021-11-29T17:00:50Z")
How would that help? I think lowering the number of people and upgrading the HVAC are both likely effective. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=153) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=155)