# 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:** 9
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2021, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/161 "2021-01-14T17:22:21Z")
This article came out recently about the overall effectiveness of masks. One interesting graph is where they show the reduction in reproducibility value as a function of mask filtration and mask compliance. It’s no surprise that things are better with more mask compliance, but it also shows that even with poor masks that only provide 50% filtration (e.g bandannas), high compliance can cut the R value in half. The benefit is similar with either with 100% of the people wearing 50% efficient masks or 50% of the people wearing 100% efficient masks. [https://www.pnas.org/content/118/4/e2014564118](https://www.pnas.org/content/118/4/e2014564118) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2021, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/162 "2021-01-14T17:28:41Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I doubled up on masks a couple of months ago when I had to spend the morning at my car dealership waiting for a repair. I’ve been double masking for a few weeks now. At the beginning of COVID-19 I was given a package containing 20 N-95 masks. I’ve worn them at work and at play since, rotating their use. The weak point with these masks is the rubber bands that hold the mask on. Eventually they break, and then I began repairing them. I’ve reached the point now that I’m wearing an N-95 with the bands removed and a cloth mask worn over the N-95. ---
**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:** [January 15, 2021, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/163 "2021-01-15T05:05:39Z")
93,533,715 total cases 2,002,407 dead 66,813,279 recovered In the US: 23,848,410 total cases 397,994 dead 14,112,119 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 92,778,786 total cases > 1,986,900 dead > 66,294,162 recovered > > In the US: > > 23,616,345 total cases > 393,928 dead > 13,975,036 recovered There are now over 2,000,000 deaths from covid-19. The US is about 20% of that. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/164 "2021-01-15T05:40:33Z")
South Affrican variant is now in Canada. > **[B.C. identifies first case of infectious coronavirus variant found in South...](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/covid-19-update-jan-14-1.5873879)** > > B.C.'s provincial health officer has confirmed the first case of a more infectious coronavirus variant discovered in South Africa. ---
**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:** [January 15, 2021, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/165 "2021-01-15T12:33:55Z")
[https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/turner-other-texas-mayors-urge-biden-to-send-covid-vaccines-directly-to-big-cities/ar-BB1cKWa2](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/turner-other-texas-mayors-urge-biden-to-send-covid-vaccines-directly-to-big-cities/ar-BB1cKWa2) > … > In a Wednesday [letter](https://twitter.com/Ron_Nirenberg/status/1349510450036305920/photo/1), the 22 mayors urged the Biden administration to establish a national vaccine distribution plan for cities, instead of allocating all available doses to state governments. > … > The mayors of the country’s three largest cities — New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago — also signed onto the letter. The request comes as the country receives widespread backlash for a sluggish vaccine rollout; just 37 percent of the total doses allocated to states so far have been put into people’s arms, according to a [Bloomberg News tracker](https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/). > > “While the traditional health care network will be the answer to ongoing vaccinations in the long term, by allocating vaccines directly to cities and providing funding to support their efforts, more vaccines can be administered in a more quick and efficient matter,” the mayors wrote. > … A national vaccine distribution plan sure sounds like a good idea to me. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/166 "2021-01-15T13:49:58Z")
> In a Wednesday [letter](https, the 22 mayors urged the Biden administration to establish a national vaccine distribution plan for cities, instead of allocating all available doses to state governments. What about rural areas? Don’t they think we should get any? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/167 "2021-01-15T13:52:25Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > What about rural areas? Don’t they think we should get any? - Higher population density increases spread. More likely to have the ultra-cold facilities to store the vaccine. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/168 "2021-01-15T14:02:17Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Higher population density increases spread. > More likely to have the ultra-cold facilities to store the vaccine There’s been quite a lot of spread in rural areas lately. And only one of the vaccines requires ultra-cold facilities. ---
**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:** [January 15, 2021, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/169 "2021-01-15T14:44:48Z")
The federal government delivering directly to large population centers is somewhat feasible, don’t know about every rural community. That said, I don’t see any real benefit. Maybe direct deliveries to hard hit municipalities makes sense. ---
**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:** [January 15, 2021, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/170 "2021-01-15T15:21:11Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > What about rural areas? Don’t they think we should get any? I hope that’s not a serious question. One thing at a time. In other, disturbing news: > **[Vaccine reserve was exhausted when Trump administration vowed to release it,...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/01/15/trump-vaccine-reserve-used-up/)** > > States were anticipating a windfall after federal officials said they would stop holding back second doses. But the policy had already changed, and no stockpile exists. > _States were anticipating a windfall after federal officials said they would stop holding back second doses. But the approach had already changed, and no stockpile exists._ I will crosspost and comment on this elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/171 "2021-01-15T17:57:10Z")
Governor Kate Brown is not happy. > ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/172 "2021-01-15T17:59:31Z")
**This is a deception on a national scale**. Oregon’s seniors, teachers, all of us, were depending on the promise of Oregon’s share of the federal reserve of vaccines being released to us. I meant to add this part. ---
**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:** [January 15, 2021, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/173 "2021-01-15T18:20:32Z")
I’m in group 1a and there still isn’t even a notification plan, much less anything to distribute, outside the Portland-Salem area. At that, Keiser and others in that area are or will soon be out of vaccine. ---
**Author:** ![Skypist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skypist/32/169_2.png) [@Skypist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skypist)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/174 "2021-01-15T19:29:24Z")
So this means no additional vaccine coming so the first recipients won’t have a second dose and people in 1a and 1b won’t get their first anytime soon probably? And the South Africa variant is coming that may be able to bypass the vaccine anyway. It seems like a whole shitload more of us are going to get this and just hope we survive. I saw a report that said natural immunity could last 5 months. That’s not written in stone of course but damn. What is the future? Are we just going to keep having Covid endemic everywhere and no vaccine for years or never? ---
**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:** [January 15, 2021, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/175 "2021-01-15T19:33:55Z")
Back in the spring when this first started, my Mom asked me “how long are we supposed to live like this? Forever?” She was not at all happy when I replied “maybe.” ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/176 "2021-01-15T22:09:59Z")
> [@Skypist](#): > > I saw a report that said natural immunity could last 5 months. Note that this study showed that imperfect immunity lasted 5 months, but the study didn’t make any guesses about longer times. They know it lasts at least 5 months, and it could be much longer. ---
**Author:** ![Skypist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skypist/32/169_2.png) [@Skypist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skypist)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/177 "2021-01-15T23:13:36Z")
Thanks. It sounds like immunity from the shot could last a year. ---
**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:** [January 16, 2021, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/178 "2021-01-16T05:02:28Z")
94,314,878 total cases 2,017,904 dead 67,346,542 recovered In the US: 24,102,429 total cases 401,856 dead 14,228,969 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 93,533,715 total cases > 2,002,407 dead > 66,813,279 recovered > > In the US: > > 23,848,410 total cases > 397,994 dead > 14,112,119 recovered ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2021, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/179 "2021-01-16T12:36:37Z")
Plasma therapy looks like it isn’t much use. > **[Covid: 'Convalescent plasma no benefit to hospital patients'](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55681051)** > > Donations of plasma from people who have recovered from the virus have been suspended. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2021, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/180 "2021-01-16T15:06:39Z")
> [@Skypist](#): > > Thanks. It sounds like immunity from the shot could last a year. The only way to know for _sure_ how long it lasts is to stick it into people, then wait that long, then see how many are still immune. So we can’t know for _sure_ that immunity lasts e.g. 3 years until it’s been 3 years since folks first got immunized. We certainly have reasonable scientific grounds to extrapolate forwards from what we do know for _sure_ about the last several months since the trials started. You’ll find lots of dishonest sceptics saying that since we can’t know for _sure_, we therefore know nothing. That’s false logic. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=10)