# 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:** 160
**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:** [December 12, 2021, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3244 "2021-12-12T16:58:58Z")
Arizona: > **[Arizona: Over 3,000 new COVID-19 cases for 12th day in a row](https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-arizona-fd08a4d35a3c8985e52cc8486a5d8af4)** > > PHOENIX (AP) — Health officials in Arizona on Sunday reported 19 new COVID-19 related deaths plus more than 3,000 new cases for the 12th consecutive day. The 3,231 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases pushed the state’s total to 1,316,189 since the... ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2021, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3245 "2021-12-12T17:08:03Z")
Obviously fake news. There is no COVID in Arizona, that’s why mask and vaccine mandates are being outlawed. I have a friend who works at a Safeway pharmacy in Yavapai County (where the first cases of both delta and omicron in Arizona were found). Her employer has said that workers wearing masks make the customers uncomfortable so its discouraged. They don’t do walk in COVID shots because they were throwing out so much expired vaccine. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2021, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3246 "2021-12-12T18:46:23Z")
Too late to edit but that article didn’t mention that there are less than 70 ICU beds available in the state. ---
**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:** [December 12, 2021, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3247 "2021-12-12T21:15:14Z")
This whole, “vaccination protects against serious illness” thing seems to be playing out. I was comparing Arizona to the Northeast on 91-divoc: > **[An interactive visualization of COVID-19 | 91-DIVOC](https://91-divoc.com/pages/covid-visualization/)** > > An interactive, data-forward visualization of COVID-19 data by Prof. Wade at The University of Illinois. Updated daily. And if you look at cases, they are about the same per 100K. But if you look at deaths, Arizona is a lot higher than the northeast. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2021, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3248 "2021-12-12T21:21:02Z")
It’s seriously frustrating and currently frightening. I’m really worried about tripping and breaking my hip because I do NOT want to end up in a hospital filled with un-vaccinated staff and COVID patients. If there is even room to take me, that is. ---
**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:** [December 13, 2021, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3249 "2021-12-13T02:01:28Z")
270,426,226 total cases 5,321,864 dead 243,097,851 recovered In the US: 50,801,455 total cases 817,956 dead 40,003,674 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 269,985,626 total cases > 5,317,622 dead > 242,718,281 recovered > > In the US: > > 50,762,671 total cases > 817,789 dead > 39,986,483 recovered ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2021, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3250 "2021-12-13T13:51:25Z")
A lot of those states with rising numbers of new COVID cases (seven day averaged) on the Johns Hopkins site have turned around. The map is mostly blue now. **Massachusetts** and **Connecticut** did a quick about-face. Not everyone is so lucky. **Maine** hit a new record high of 1475 cases on December 11, _way_ above its previous highs of 609 set on January 12 and 694 on November 24 – higher than both of those put together, in fact. **Wisconsin** looks set to set a new record, with 6601 on Dec 11 and rising rapidly. The previous high was 7045 set over a year ago on November 15 2020. **New Jersey** might also set a new record. It reported 4984 cases on Dec 11 and is rising fast. The previous record was 6191 back on January 12. **Delaware** had 754 cases reported yesterday and is rising rapidly. The prior record was 827 on January 7. Oddly, **Arizona** , despite the bad reports cited above, doesn’t look so bad on the new reported cases chart. The number of cases is increasing, but not at a very fast rate, and it’s way below its previous high from January. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2021, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3251 "2021-12-13T14:35:18Z")
In South Africa, Omicron cases have gone through the roof, but the death rate is still very low. All reports seem to be that it’s a very mild variant. [![](https://i.ibb.co/D7V801S/covid1.jpg) ](https://i.ibb.co/D7V801S/covid1.jpg) [![](https://i.ibb.co/C7S7s0q/covid2.jpg) ](https://i.ibb.co/C7S7s0q/covid2.jpg) It’s nearly three weeks since the Omicron wave started, and if the death rate was going to go up, it would have started to do so by now. We’re still on the lowest lockdown level, and the National Covid Council will be meeting tomorrow to decide if any action needs to taken. I’m betting on slightly stricter rules on gatherings over the Christmas period, but nothing more. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2021, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3252 "2021-12-13T14:43:58Z")
The UK has reported its first death from the omicron variant. > **[Britain battles Omicron 'tidal wave,' as infections double every two to three...](https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/13/uk/uk-omicron-infections-tidal-wave-gbr-intl/index.html)** > > Britain is facing a "tidal wave" of infections from the new Omicron coronavirus variant, ministers have warned, as they sound the alarm on rapid transmission rates in London and across the country. ---
**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:** [December 13, 2021, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3253 "2021-12-13T14:54:43Z")
It’s still a little early to know whether omicron looks mild because it is mild, or because most of the people infected had prior immunity. ---
**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:** [December 13, 2021, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3254 "2021-12-13T15:27:16Z")
There is also the fact that Covid deaths are a lagging indicator–that patients are sick for weeks or months before they die but omicron is very new. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2021, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3255 "2021-12-13T15:57:32Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > It’s still a little early to know whether omicron looks mild because it is mild, or because most of the people infected had prior immunity. South Africa has only 23% fully vaccinated, so I doubt that’s a factor. > [@PastTense](#): > > There is also the fact that Covid deaths are a lagging indicator–that patients are sick for weeks or months before they die but omicron is very new. In previous waves the lag time has been 2-3 weeks before patients start being put on ventilators. That hasn’t happened this time. Some experts are saying that the number of omicron infections has already peaked in Gauteng, where the first outbreak occurred. > **[Omicron cases may already be peaking in South Africa](https://fortune.com/2021/12/13/omicron-cases-may-already-be-peaking-in-south-africa-less-than-a-month-after-the-covid-19-variant-first-surfaced/)** > > Less than a month after the COVID-19 variant first surfaced. > Data from the country’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases shows positivity rates dropping from 30% to around 15% between Thursday and Saturday, while the number of new hospitalizations fell from 207 to 64 over the same period. > This optimistic assessment is in contrast to the deep anxiety that Omicron has stoked in the U.S. and Europe … These worries may be overblown, at least in Streicher’s reading of the situation. ---
**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:** [December 13, 2021, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3256 "2021-12-13T16:48:29Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > South Africa has only 23% fully vaccinated, so I doubt that’s a factor. Only 23% fully vaccinated, but quite a lot had a prior infection, and I assume some are partially vaccinated, too. They are studying the rate of reinfection, and it’s really high. The corollary to that is that a lot of people with Omicron had a prior infection. I don’t know what percent, but I bet it’s significant. Personally, I’m optimistic that omicron isn’t going to be a big deal for people who have prior exposure, either through infection or vaccines. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2021, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3257 "2021-12-13T17:13:17Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > It’s still a little early to know whether omicron looks mild because it is mild, or because most of the people infected had prior immunity. Or because the population is so young ---
**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:** [December 13, 2021, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3258 "2021-12-13T17:23:37Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Personally, I’m optimistic that omicron isn’t going to be a big deal for people who have prior exposure, either through infection or vaccines. Don’t you understand that when doctors talk about “mild” cases they just mean that the patient wasn’t hospitalized–while in fact the patient may feel truly miserable: “sick as a dog” and “wishes he was dead”. But the big problem for people with prior exposure is that they may have all kinds of other medical problems and the hospitals will be filled to capacity and there will be massive delays in getting treatment. ---
**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:** [December 13, 2021, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3259 "2021-12-13T17:24:20Z")
BBC version of the story. > **[Covid: First UK death recorded with Omicron variant](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59639007)** > > People should set aside the idea Omicron is a milder variant and get their booster jab, the PM says. Of note: > Health Secretary Sajid Javid told MPs Omicron now represented 20% of cases in England. And > The NHS website crashed on Monday after more than 110,000 people tried to book their booster before 09:00 GMT, the government said. > > There have also been long queues at walk-in centres and new orders for lateral flow tests on the government website have been temporarily suspended due to high demand. 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:** [December 13, 2021, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3260 "2021-12-13T17:27:41Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > > [@puzzlegal](#): > > > > Personally, I’m optimistic that omicron isn’t going to be a big deal for people who have prior exposure, either through infection or vaccines. > > Don’t you understand that when doctors talk about “mild” cases they just mean that the patient wasn’t hospitalized–while in fact the patient may feel truly miserable: “sick as a dog” and “wishes he was dead”. I do. But I’m personally more worried about long covid than about feeling sick as a dog for a week. That’s the news I’m waiting to see re omicron. I think we’ll know a lot more within a week, though. (Maybe not re long covid, but about most of the other risks) and that’s when my household will decide if we are bunkering down again, or going about our lives with masks. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2021, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3261 "2021-12-14T01:03:42Z")
Just got a broadcast email to everyone at my agency (I’m a government contractor) that due to increasing levels of COVID in the agency’s area, masks are once again required when inside a Federal building. Dunno if that’s government-wide, or just in that specific area. Since I don’t go into the office at all, it’s a non-issue for me. ---
**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:** [December 14, 2021, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3262 "2021-12-14T04:00:43Z")
I’m very glad that I never got out of the habit of wearing a mask in public. Having comfy masks helps, of course. ---
**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:** [December 14, 2021, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3263 "2021-12-14T04:02:21Z")
271,097,024 total cases 5,328,507 dead 243,754,350 recovered In the US: 51,018,282 total cases 819,315 dead 40,154,700 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 270,426,226 total cases > 5,321,864 dead > 243,097,851 recovered > > In the US: > > 50,801,455 total cases > 817,956 dead > 40,003,674 recovered [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=159) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=161)