OT: Omicron effect

[Cornell Lt]

Not sure what the Covid infections look like where you are all from, but here in Ithaca NY, specifically Cornell University, the positive cases have skyrocketed over the past 7 days leading to the University pretty much shutting down. Over the past 7 days there have been approximately 900 positive tests. The most concerning aspect is that over the past couple days there has been a good deal of Omnicron variant detected. Cornell conducts over 3,000 tests per day which is more than most other campuses and their infection rate is now over 4%,.

COVID-19 Information & Resources | Cornell Health

INFORMATION FOR STUDENTSIf you are a Cornell faculty or staff member, please refer to the HR website for guidance. Section breakHow to get a COVID boosterPlease visit our COVID Boosters page. Note that information will be updated as federal and state guidelines evolve.

covid.cornell.edu

 

[UcMiami]

Saw that Cornell closed their campus, and it is worrying - the whole northern half of the country seems to be heading in the wrong direction. Hopefully most of the students everywhere have been vaccinated and cases that do arise will be mild. Wondering if 'having the fans back' will slowly disappear again this winter. There have already been some postponements/cancellations of games.

 

[Cornell Lt]

Saw that Cornell closed their campus, and it is worrying - the whole northern half of the country seems to be heading in the wrong direction. Hopefully most of the students everywhere have been vaccinated and cases that do arise will be mild. Wondering if 'having the fans back' will slowly disappear again this winter. There have already been some postponements/cancellations of games.

Cornell vaccination rate for students, staff and faculty is 97%. There are no known hospitalizations of any CU students as of yet.

 

[uconnfan68]

Lots of breakthrough cases happening. Multiple in my extended family. Thankfully their symptoms are not as severe.

 

[Husky fanatic]

I expect fan participation to dwindle in the days ahead. We still have a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks of surge ahead

 

[HopJim]

Have several emergency room medical doctors and nurses in family and all report that Covid cases are reaching all time highs. Unlike past variants, new one seems to hit children at a higher rate. While I was not a fan of the shutdowns, coming to understand one of the benefits was to allow hospitals to care for those in the most distress. With flu and other virus's also peaking, few hospitals appear capable of handling the current load.

 

[Conndog]

I'm hearing about breakthrough cases all around too in southern VT and NH where I'm from. I had my booster but so too have had some of these people with the new Covid cases. Going to visit elderly in-laws in California next week and will be living the hermit lifestyle until departure to stay safe.

 

[oldude]

Early data indicating that fully vaccinated individuals are only 33% likely to ward off the omnicron variant. The silver lining appears to be that cases are less severe. But heading into the holidays and colder weather omnicron is definitely a cause for concern.

 

[my2cents]

Vaccines do not prevent anyone from "getting" covid, they minimize the seriousness of the illness, once you get the virus. The virus never "goes away", and most likely, everyone at one time will have it.

 

[oldude]

Vaccines do not prevent anyone from "getting" covid, they minimize the seriousness of the illness, once you get the virus. The virus never "goes away", and most likely, everyone at one time will have it.

Depends on the variant. Vaccines had over 90% efficacy against the original native Covid. Against Delta and now Omnicron, vaccines do minimize the symptoms but are far less effective in preventing the virus altogether.

 

[cancontent]

We're seeing a similar trend in Ontario as well. New cases averaging between 1,500 - 1,800/day however hospitalization cases are nowhere close to what they were at this point last year. That gives me a small glimmer of hope for hospital staff but the system has been stretched thin well before the pandemic hit.

Not sure what's going to happen after the holidays. People are so burnt out here that being cautious seems to be going out the window, even for those who were really careful in the past. Fingers crossed and hoping the best for everyone.

 

[pk1234]

Lots of breakthroughs, not a lot of vaccinated people getting seriously ill. Seems irresponsible for Cornell to be sending mildly ill kids home to their older parents and grandparents.

 

[sun]

Lots of breakthroughs, not a lot of vaccinated people getting seriously ill. Seems irresponsible for Cornell to be sending mildly ill kids home to their older parents and grandparents.

Cornell sports have been suspended and they consider it an emergency situation.
They don't even want students eating together in the dining halls, it's grab and go only.
They probably figure that it's easier to quarantine and receive any needed assistance at home in a less risky environment than to remain in a high density living environment.
I don't see how anyone can criticize the Ivy health experts for their decision.
Rather than having a lock down they're instituting a lock out.
That's also what they do when local public schools have too many infections, they get closed down.

Omicron shuts Cornell: University makes students take finals remotely

Cornell University president Martha E. Pollack (inset) announced the Ithaca, New York school would go into the 'red zone.' Positive Omicron cases at Cornell have spiked (pictured).

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[pk1234]

Cornell sports have been suspended and they consider it an emergency situation.
They don't even want students eating together in the dining halls, it's grab and go only.
They probably figure that it's easier to quarantine and receive any needed assistance at home in a less risky environment than to remain in a high density living environment.
I don't see how anyone can criticize the Ivy health experts for their decision.

Omicron shuts Cornell: University makes students take finals remotely

Cornell University president Martha E. Pollack (inset) announced the Ithaca, New York school would go into the 'red zone.' Positive Omicron cases at Cornell have spiked (pictured).

www.dailymail.co.uk

If the students are fully vaccinated (which they are) and young and healthy it is not risky for them.

 

[oldude]

Some additional data to consider. During the rise of the Delta variant new cases were doubling approximately every 2 weeks. Omnicron variant cases are doubling every 2 days. Last week, Omnicron represented 0.4% of all new Covid cases in the US. This week Omicron represents 3% of all new cases.

 

[oldude]

Lots of breakthroughs, not a lot of vaccinated people getting seriously ill. Seems irresponsible for Cornell to be sending mildly ill kids home to their older parents and grandparents.

I was under the impression that Cornell is only sending home students who test negative, with students who test positive remaining on campus, isolated in quarantine, until they test negative.

 

[pk1234]

I was under the impression that Cornell is only sending home students who test negative, with students who test positive remaining on campus, isolated in quarantine, until they test negative.

That would be the smart thing to do, that's good to hear. That said, those negative students are still going home to go to parties, bars, family holiday gatherings, etc.

 

[oldude]

If the students are fully vaccinated (which they are) and young and healthy it is not risky for them.

Hopefully. But there are outliers, young, seemingly healthy individuals who get very sick.

 

[pk1234]

Hopefully. But there are outliers, young, seemingly healthy individuals who get very sick.

I honestly have not seen or heard of any young, healthy, VACCINATED individuals getting seriously ill or dying, and the average symptoms for young, healthy VACCINATED individuals on average seem to be even less with Omicron than Delta.

 

[oldude]

That would be the smart thing to do, that's good to hear. That said, those negative students are still going home to go to parties, bars, family holiday gatherings, etc.

To the extent those students live in NY, they are going home to a statewide mask mandate.

 

[sun]

I honestly have not seen or heard of any young, healthy, VACCINATED individuals getting seriously ill or dying, and the average symptoms for young, healthy VACCINATED individuals on average seem to be even less with Omicron than Delta

This is a UConn WBB forum and the President of Cornell will handle his own business.
That's why he gets paid the big bucks, because he's responsible for his decisions.

 

[oldude]

I honestly have not seen or heard of any young, healthy, VACCINATED individuals getting seriously ill or dying, and the average symptoms for young, healthy VACCINATED individuals on average seem to be even less with Omicron than Delta.

While rare, there are such cases. In October a 21 year old UGA student named Tim Kuhn died from Covid 3 months after being completely vaccinated. Kuhn was studying to be a personal trainer and was considered by friends and family to be extremely healthy.

 

[HuskyNan]

While rare, there are such cases. In October a 21 year old UGA student named Tim Kuhn died from Covid 3 months after being completely vaccinated. Kuhn was studying to be a personal trainer and was considered by friends and family to be extremely healthy.

You never know if someone has an undiagnosed condition that might make them more susceptible to COVID.

 

[oldude]

You never know if someone has an undiagnosed condition that might make them more susceptible to COVID.

Agreed, but in this young man’s case, he had no underlying conditions and the doctors who treated him when he contracted Covid were completely mystified once he took a turn for the worst.

 

[pk1234]

Agreed, but in this young man’s case, he had no underlying conditions and the doctors who treated him when he contracted Covid were completely mystified once he took a turn for the worst.

I'm extremely skeptical about that case considering basically all the articles and shares on Social Media seem to be from right wing anti-vax news outlets.

 

[Cornell Lt]

This is a UConn WBB forum and the President of Cornell will handle his own business.
That's why he gets paid the big bucks, because he's responsible for his decisions.

That's sesxist...The president of Cornell is a female

 

[ClifSpliffy]

looks like ol 'week 48' did what it always does. every year. as expected.
the good news, and as reported here in january of '20, this bug will/is devolving in its 5? year expected evolution into the common cold.
wash ur hands! don't lick doornobs!
u'll be fine. gesundheit!
(context: in a world of seven and a half billion people, currently there are around 250 million infected with around 6 million departed. do the math.
chinese freaking out cuz it just dawned on them that, also reported here loooong ago, it's rife in the animal kingdom. whatta they gonna do? kinda hard to get a wolverine to sit still for a flu shot.)

 

[Cornell Lt]

I was under the impression that Cornell is only sending home students who test negative, with students who test positive remaining on campus, isolated in quarantine, until they test negative.

Cornell is not sending anyone off campus. They are encouraging those who have not tested positive to leave as reasonably can be expected. They are encouraging those who have tested positive to self quarantine, but no one is enforcing the quarantine or isolation. These kids will be spreading the bug like wildfire in their home towns.

 

[HuskyNan]

Agreed, but in this young man’s case, he had no underlying conditions and the doctors who treated him when he contracted Covid were completely mystified once he took a turn for the worst.

I was thinking of Sergei Grinkov, an Olympic skater for Russia who was in excellent physical health. He dropped dead at 28 of an undiagnosed genetic heart defect.