# 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:** 40
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/811 "2021-03-15T22:05:16Z")
> [@echoreply](#): > > This brings up a side question, do we know if other diseases work like this, like rhino or RSV related colds? Or, are we discovering it about SARS-Cov-2 because the technology to get virus counts is relatively cheap, and there is funding and motivation to do this kind of research? Yes, many other diseases show asymptomatic spread and post-viral syndromes. Though it’s heavily researched and not hard to find the information, most people aren’t aware because those diseases don’t have the magic combination of being highly contagious and (relatively) frequently serious like COVID You get shingles, shrug your shoulders, and say “oh right, it’s the chickenpox I had 40 years ago.” It’s not very contagious and you don’t die, so you never give it another thought. But it’s quite common. ---
**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/812 "2021-03-15T23:24:12Z")
Shingles isn’t a post viral syndrome nor meaningfully an asymptomatic spread thing. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/813 "2021-03-16T04:41:31Z")
> [@FigNorton](#): > > Israeli case counts kept rising well into their much more efficient vaccine rollout. At least 4 weeks in before case numbers were being obviously affected, iirc. I don’t see anything in the Israel graphs, cases or deaths, that looks all that different from the US’s: a large peak around the holidays which has tapered downward but is still higher than it deserves to be, especially deaths which are still pretty high (for Israel). I’m not sure what I’d expect to see in the data graphs from vaccinations. If deaths are overwhelmingly from older people, and you vaccinate all older people, I’d expect deaths to drop precipitously to a very low level while cases might remain high as the less death-prone groups wait to be vaccinated. I can’t say I see that pattern anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/814 "2021-03-16T05:31:22Z")
The graphs are similar. So you think the vaccination campaign in Israel hasn’t had any effect? ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/815 "2021-03-16T05:33:52Z")
I don’t think that at all. But I’m wondering why that effect isn’t apparent. ---
**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:** [March 16, 2021, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/816 "2021-03-16T05:34:19Z")
120,773,904 total cases 2,672,204 dead 97,418,471 recovered In the US: 30,138,586 total cases 548,013 dead 22,286,551 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 120,417,285 total cases > 2,665,249 dead > 96,972,282 recovered > > In the US: > > 30,081,657 total cases > 547,234 dead > 22,169,237 recovered ---
**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/817 "2021-03-16T05:37:06Z")
I suppose that it could be that comparing those two countries isn’t the most useful thing to do. Pretty different situations. ---
**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:** [March 16, 2021, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/818 "2021-03-16T05:40:55Z")
Welcome back. I kinda missed you. ---
**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/819 "2021-03-16T05:41:53Z")
Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/820 "2021-03-16T12:18:43Z")
> [@FigNorton](#): > > Shingles isn’t a post viral syndrome nor meaningfully an asymptomatic spread thing. It’s a reactivation of _varicella zoster_ from an earlier infection. It has a post-viral syndrome called _postherpetic neuralgia_. My point is that features of COVID such as asymptomatic transfer and post-viral symptoms are commonly known in other diseases. COVID is far from the first disease to show it. It’s only notable because it’s a new disease that has several problematic features. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/821 "2021-03-16T13:10:21Z")
vaccination rate us: 21.4% have one dose 11.5 fully vaccinated 109,081,860 doses administered 135,847,835 doses distributed 80% doses used. the log jam is starting to break up. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2021, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/822 "2021-03-17T06:54:46Z")
121,290,697 total cases 2,682,554 dead 97,823,652 recovered In the US: 30,231,550 total cases 549,367 dead 22,358,469 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 120,773,904 total cases > 2,672,204 dead > 97,418,471 recovered > > In the US: > > 30,138,586 total cases > 548,013 dead > 22,286,551 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:** [March 18, 2021, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/823 "2021-03-18T02:03:24Z")
Some news from my home state: > **[The Latest: Biden administration to send $10B to states](https://apnews.com/article/seoul-discrimination-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-south-korea-b3fafd5403d760c81d31ebab852daa74)** > > WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is sending $10 billion to states to expand COVID-19 testing in schools, as part of its push to get more schools open five days a week before the end of the school year. > [@](#): > > Nevada is making all residents ages 16 and older eligible for the coronavirus vaccine starting April 5 as part of its efforts to inoculate the population as quickly as possible. > > Gov. Steve Sisolak said Wednesday that opening appointments will reduce confusion and help address vaccine skepticism and access issues. > > The timeline will make vaccines appointments available in the coming weeks to hundreds of thousands more people in Nevada, where roughly 61% of the population is older than 18 and younger than 65. > > The decision satisfies President Joe Biden’s goal to have everyone 18 years and older eligible for vaccines by May 1 in all states. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/824 "2021-03-18T02:34:07Z")
Is the number of people eligible for vaccines the bottleneck to getting everyone vaccinated? From what I’ve been hearing, there are still way, way more people trying to get vacinated than available doses. Like on the [CVS vaccine schedule site](https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine), there are hardly any appointments available. Either states are fully booked or there are just a few cities in the states with available appointments. One problem I foresee of prematurely expanding eligibility is that people will get frustrated and give up looking if they can’t easily get an appointment. Most people aren’t going to spend hours or days calling around and clicking refresh on scheduling sites looking for appointments. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/825 "2021-03-18T02:48:07Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > Is the number of people eligible for vaccines the bottleneck to getting everyone vaccinated? No, I don’t think so. I’m slightly worried that a lot of eligible but low-tech folks (many of them older and poorer) are getting bypassed because they can’t or won’t scramble hard enough. I was able to intervene with my mother, but it was an serious pain in the ass for awhile. The vaccination process, such as it is, unfortunately heavily favors the technologically competent, highly motivated, highly mobile and very flexible. That said, I get why its being opened up as quickly as feasibly possible. The more people you vaccinate quickly, probably the faster you knock down transmission generally and the better it is for the population as a whole. At a certain point it becomes a question of delaying for and spending resources on difficult-to-reach stragglers when you have a large cohort available to get it now and willing to get it any which way they can. It becomes a problematic numbers game and of course eventually political pressure would mount. I don’t doubt there is some gun-jumping going on, but I get the sense of urgency. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/826 "2021-03-18T02:56:56Z")
I’ve had calls from all of my medical offices. No tech savvy needed. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/827 "2021-03-18T03:03:30Z")
> [@susan](#): > > I’ve had calls from all of my medical offices. No tech savvy needed. My mother for example has no relevant medical offices - she hasn’t seen a doctor in years due to failure to sign up for Medicare B (she was given some shitty advice by a Soc Security agent) and falling through the cracks on Medicaid. She’s on nobody’s radar and would be informed by nobody - no internet, no newspapers and little TV news as she refuses to pay for or let me pay for cable. I had to tell her there was a pandemic starting up, she didn’t have a clue 🙄. Unfortunately I doubt she was unique especially when you start thinking about poorer immigrant communities with weaker English skills. ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/828 "2021-03-18T12:59:05Z")
Montana announced yesterday that they will open vaccinations to everyone over 16 on April 1. Currently in Bozeman the health department is offering 400 spots this entire week (for a population of 100,000). We have not received any information from our PCPs, even though the hospital was a partner in the Pfizer trials. Unless vaccine supply is dramatically increased this is going to be a shitshow. The next phase was supposed to be front-line workers and they’re going to get lumped in with everyone else. I’d be pissed! We drove to Billings (2 hrs one-way) Monday and got our first shot. There are lots of rumours swirling that distribution is being affected by politics–new Republican Governor and Bozeman voted heavily Democrat. ---
**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:** [March 18, 2021, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/829 "2021-03-18T13:09:38Z")
Yeah, some sort of queue, even a non-ideal queue, keeps us from all trampling each other. Unless the supply of vaccine ramps up VERY QUICKLY I don’t see all these expanded eligibility rules helping any. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/830 "2021-03-18T13:34:42Z")
> [@Tride](#): > > The next phase was supposed to be front-line workers and they’re going to get lumped in with everyone else. If front-line workers are only in the next phase, who have the previous phases targeted? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=39) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=41)