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Biden declares pandemic over ...

To date, there has not yet been a responsible and trustworthy Infectious Disease specialist declare that the COVID pandemic is over. Yet, despite this, I have noticed too many abandon effective mitigation strategies. When politicians practice medicine against the accepted policies of evidence based medicine by respected physicians for political capital, this is a recipe for disaster.
 

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WHAT IS A PANDEMIC?​

The World Health Organization (WHO) declares a pandemic when a disease’s growth is exponential. This means the growth rate skyrockets, and each day cases grow more than the day prior. In being declared a pandemic, the virus has nothing to do with virology, population immunity, or disease severity. It means a virus covers a wide area, affecting several countries and populations.

Based on this definition which is from the article @missy linked, I guess some can say it is no longer a pandemic. Cases are not exponentially growing every day.

Is Covid over, obviously not. People are still getting sick and some are hospitalized and some are still dying. I still wear a mask when I'm out doing errands etc. I do believe we will be getting at least one Covid vaccine a year (or even 2) and that doesn't bother me. I've been doing that for the flu for quite a while.

I agree with some of the others that Covid will end up like the flu, it will change and we will have variants and will always be with us. And just like the flu, the more vulnerable will be at the most risk.

But it should be pointed out that the more recent deaths and hospitalizations do seem to be among the unvaccinated. And my experience is the same as @MissGotRocks. I don't know anyone who has died from Covid, although I do know one person who was hospitalized pre-vaccine.
 
DRSAMURAI said:
To date, there has not yet been a responsible and trustworthy Infectious Disease specialist declare that the COVID pandemic is over. Yet, despite this, I have noticed too many abandon effective mitigation strategies. When politicians practice medicine against the accepted policies of evidence based medicine by respected physicians for political capital, this is a recipe for disaster.
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I understand what you are saying but to be honest, I don’t look to the politicians for my health advice. President Biden was asked the question during his interview on 60 Minutes and that was his response. Personal belief or political statement? Who knows for sure but he answered a question - he did not hold a press briefing to give this information. We can all take from it what we will but I don’t consider it to be medical advice and it changes nothing in my personal life regarding COVID.
COVID is still here and probably here to stay in some form or another. I just don’t think as it stands now it is still a pandemic - a continuing health concern to be sure but hundreds of miles from where we started this journey.
Be well!
 
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Austina said:
Not what the Dr who gave me my booster recently thinks. She said we’re going to be living with this for the foreseeable future, and thinks we’ll be having yearly jabs.
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Yes...but we don’t know if that shot will last us for the full year. We’re flying by the seat of our pants.
 
@Lookinagain it’s all subject to how we interpret it. Also from the article I shared.

“ A pandemic cuts across international boundaries, as opposed to regional epidemics. This wide geographical reach is what makes pandemics lead to large-scale social disruption, economic loss, and general hardship. It's important to note that a once-declared epidemic can progress into pandemic status. ”

In any case like you and others, we still wear our N95 masks indoors in public spaces and we don’t socialize indoors. We still see friends but outdoors. And will continue to do so until I personally feel it’s safer than it currently is.

All we need is a severe outbreak during the colder months, add in flu season, and we can be back in a difficult situation. Our healthcare professionals and healthcare system does not need any extra stress. It’s not time, imo, to relax and throw caution to the wind.

Rather if we all continue to wear masks when necessary and not attend super spreader events and get the boosters we can eventually finally end this pandemic. Otherwise we can be right back in the thick of things. It can all change that quickly.

I truly hope that does not happen. But I also wouldn’t be completely shocked if it did.

People are giving up and don’t want any more restrictions after thirty months plus months of restrictions. But I’m sounding the warning bell here. Please be careful. Whatever that means to you. Just because we’re all tired of this and we all want it over doesn’t make it so.

We’re all in this together and we need each other to climb out of this pandemic. To what will be endemic similar to the flu in terms of yearly shots. But respectfully, we’re not there yet. IMO
 
@missy I totally agree that people could be more careful and not throw caution to the wind. And cases will probably spike during winter and we'll start seeing more flu, which we haven't seen for a while. I just haven't decided if we are still in an actual pandemic based upon the definitions that I've read. Needing a vaccine/booster every year for Covid doesn't make it a pandemic for me, or I'd have to say we are often in a flu pandemic, since I take that shot every year too. But I'm not going to say that Covid isn't still a major concern, I'm just not sure what "stage" we are in right now. Pandemic/endemic, I don't know. I'm old, so I'm being very careful. And my days of being a social butterfly are well behind me. But I do understand why younger people are not being as careful as I am. And I know they get sick as well. But to many of them, it's really more like a bad cold and they are willing to get a bad cold if the alternative is to shun social activities indoors or out. I would just hope that they are mindful that others out there are more susceptible and restrict their activities before visiting older parents or relatives, etc.
 
@Lookinagain I don’t think needing boosters makes it the pandemic situation I think we are still in. Rather the widespread havoc and deaths still happening daily. But let’s forget about semantics for a minute. It doesn’t matter if we’re in a pandemic or endemic situation. What matters is everyone practices safe behavior. Because it’s not an everyone for themselves situation. No. We should be concerned about those who are more fragile health wise. And take reasonable measures to keep them safe. Unfortunately many people are selfish and only care about themselves.

Don’t we care about our parents and grandparents? About those who are immunocompromised? Those who have underlying conditions that potentially could make Covid severe for them if they get it?
 
When more than 1/2 the country decided they were done with following guidelines there wasnt much we could do other than just try to protect ourselves.

Many of us know people who dealt with the pandemic differently than we did. I probably went too far on the side of caution and I am fine with that. It was my experience those who should have been the most cautious threw caution to the wind and continued to live their lives as if Covid didn’t exsist. There are people in my life who refused to get vaccinated.

We can’t control what people do or the choices they make. I’d drive myself crazy if I didn’t accept this reality.
 
MamaBee said:
Yes...but we don’t know if that shot will last us for the full year. We’re flying by the seat of our pants.
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How long do regular flu shots "last"? I've never had flu shots, so I'm curious to know this. From what I've read, I thought flu shots were only effective (if they got the strains correct) for the actual flu season, which is much less than a year.
 
The Queen of Denmark now has covid
2nd time this year
Queen Margrethe ii is about 82

:(2

at the funeral she was sitting with her son and then the Swedish king and queen
 
SparklieBug said:
How long do regular flu shots "last"? I've never had flu shots, so I'm curious to know this. From what I've read, I thought flu shots were only effective (if they got the strains correct) for the actual flu season, which is much less than a year.
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we usually i get them because once when we got the flu Gary got pnumonia which was so scary
but it can be hit and miss if they work
you have to hope they get the strains right, they kind of look at the flu season just ending in the northern (or southern) hemisphere and then i reacon just hope for the best
but its better than nothing

you need one every year to match the current strain doing the rounds
 
Arcadian said:
Well we can't stay in pandemic mode forever. I think things have caught up enough that this thing will be just like colds and flu's. Besides, we have to work on preventing wide spread monkey pox at this point...
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This!
We will have to live with this and probably get infected several times.
It already killed people by other means other than the virus by now:

- people who did not get their cancer/illness discovered/treated
- people who suffered from mental issues because not everybody lives in mansion and has a garden, just imagine being locked up in a small apartment
- kids who will now have learning issues because they could not see faces at an important stage of their development
- kids who did not socialize enough and not get enough exposure to normal patogens which lead to the misterious illness in very young children that caused serious liver damage.
- people who had their livelihoods destroyed or taken away
- people who died alone, people who did not get to see their relatives

Enough is enough!

I guess people who had a comfortable life during the pandemic phase, will advocate for keeping this going since it didn't affect them much.
 
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Biden Clarifies COVID Comment​

by Joyce Frieden, Washington Editor, MedPage Today September 21, 2022

"

President Biden on Tuesday sought to clarify his "pandemic is over" comment, saying "it basically is not where it was.""

President Biden on Tuesday addressed comments he made during a "60 Minutes" interview this week in which he said "the pandemic is over," per a pool report.

Driving the news: Biden acknowledged at a New York City fundraiser that he was criticized for the remarks. "But it basically is not where it was," Biden added.

  • The president urged those in attendance to get booster shots if they hadn't already.

President Biden declared the COVID-19 pandemic "over" in an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes" airing Sunday evening.
We still have a problem with COVID.

  • "If you notice, no one's wearing masks. Everybody seems to be in pretty good shape," said Biden in the interview, filmed before he flew to the U.K. to attend Queen Elizabeth II's funeral.
  • "So I think it's changing. And I think this is a perfect example of it."

The big picture: The Biden administration last month extended the public health emergency declaration for COVID through Oct. 13.

By the numbers: There were just over 440,000 new COVID cases and nearly 3,000 deaths from the virus in the U.S. in the past week, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

  • That compares with the record high of 5.6 million-plus cases over seven days last January and the record of more than 23,300 deaths over seven days in January 2021, according to JHU.
Of note: Biden said during his "60 Minutes" interview that the "impact on the psyche of the American people as a consequence of the pandemic is profound."

  • COVID "has changed everything ... people's attitudes about themselves, their families, about the state of the nation, about the state of their communities. And so there's a lot of uncertainty out there, a great deal of uncertainty," Biden said, noting "we lost a million people" to COVID.
  • "When I got elected, only 2 million people had been vaccinated. I got 220 million," he added about his administration's COVID vaccination rollout. "We were left in a very difficult situation. It's been a very difficult time."


  • At a protest outside the White House on Monday, organized by the nonprofit MEAction Network, campaigning for long COVID sufferers and people with myalgic encephalomyelitis, or chronic fatigue syndrome, demonstrators said their message to Biden was the pandemic was not over, The Hill reports.
"
 
SparklieBug said:
How long do regular flu shots "last"? I've never had flu shots, so I'm curious to know this. From what I've read, I thought flu shots were only effective (if they got the strains correct) for the actual flu season, which is much less than a year.
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The flu vaccine takes about 2 weeks to become fully effective and lasts about 14 weeks.
 
SparklieBug said:
How long do regular flu shots "last"? I've never had flu shots, so I'm curious to know this. From what I've read, I thought flu shots were only effective (if they got the strains correct) for the actual flu season, which is much less than a year.
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Exactly! That’s why I think a yearly one is too soon.
 
Calliecake said:
I don’t think this is over and am glad we have vaccines and therapeutics. I think it’s here to stay.

I loved summer because I didnt worry about Covid as we did most things outside with other people and dined at restaurants with outdoor dining. I’m hoping I feel comfortable this fall and winter. I’m still concerned about older and immune compromised family members but I felt this way before covid.

Wearing a mask indoors hasn’t bothered me. They conceal jowls extremely well LOL.
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Wearing a mask has saved my mug from scaring other people!!! I love my mask!
 
Yeah but my under eye wrinkles are more pronounced with the mask on because it’s so tight. I look like something dead from Tales of the Crypt!
 
Friend of mine got a notice, the president has declared the pandemic is officially over so all work from home is canceled and anyone not back in the office on Monday it will be assumed they resigned.
 
Karl_K said:
Friend of mine got a notice, the president has declared the pandemic is officially over so all work from home is canceled and anyone not back in the office on Monday it will be assumed they resigned.
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You have to be kidding!!
 
Karl_K said:
Friend of mine got a notice, the president has declared the pandemic is officially over so all work from home is canceled and anyone not back in the office on Monday it will be assumed they resigned.
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absurdly out-of-touch and moronic response to Biden's statement...so many businesses are archaic and clueless...
 
Karl_K said:
Friend of mine got a notice, the president has declared the pandemic is officially over so all work from home is canceled and anyone not back in the office on Monday it will be assumed they resigned.
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They may be able to sue over that. Their place of business better have every protection in place to the letter as well or they're in trouble.
Elon Musk said that about Tesla employees, not Biden.

I can't believe private businesses could get away with it. At least, they shouldn't be able to. Was this in a right to work state?

*edit, sorry for the changes-probably not a good idea to put where DH works on a public forum.
 
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Well, the president didn't "declare" anything really. He gave an opinion that it's over to the extent people are acting like it's over and cases and deaths are not escalating. I guess that employer will see who shows up to work and who doesn't and good luck to them when they try to replace the people who don't.
 
MamaBee said:
Yeah but my under eye wrinkles are more pronounced with the mask on because it’s so tight. I look like something dead from Tales of the Crypt!
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Wrinkles Schminkles.
Take comfort that by wearing the mask you're less likely to end up dead, or with long covid.
 
MamaBee said:
Yeah but my under eye wrinkles are more pronounced with the mask on because it’s so tight. I look like something dead from Tales of the Crypt!
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You need to design a mask that pushes the face up into the areas that need it and then stops where it starts to cause creasing. I am certain this can be done. I really don’t know why some medspa doc or plastic surgeon or influencer hasn’t already made one.
 
i just started experiencing allergies since I moved into my building almost a year ago. I’m moving very soon but I’ve started to wear a mask inside my own apartment. I have no problem wearing them all over the place again, honestly. Covid is clearly here to stay and I hate being sick, even having annoying allergy symptoms kind of sick. I’d rather continue to be a woman of mystery. Lol
 
Karl_K said:
Friend of mine got a notice, the president has declared the pandemic is officially over so all work from home is canceled and anyone not back in the office on Monday it will be assumed they resigned.
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That is one of the most ignorant things I have ever heard. The President stated his opinion - he is not a king - he doesn’t decree the law of the land!! I would imagine that any private company could cancel working from home at any point they want to and trying to pin that on the President or any other public official is cowardly. After states reopened businesses, they were never required to allow employees to work from home and the decision for them to return to the workplace is the employer’s and the employer’s only. You cannot just assume that an employee resigned either. You can terminate them for cause and they can file for unemployment benefits. They may - and probably would be - denied these benefits for failure to present for work.

Many people have returned to their workplace and many had no choice depending on their line of work. You make sure you are up to date on vaccines and boosters, wear a mask if you choose, and off you go. It is not possible for everyone to hole up at home indefinitely. They have to work to live and don’t have that option. It is important for all of us to realize that everyone can’t just avoid people and all situations that make you feel vulnerable. To all the millions of people that go to work every day, for kids that go to school every day and for those that must interact in the world every day, I wish you well. You make the world go round for all of us!
 
I can't really say more about my friends situation/location/company.

I think its going to be very common and widespread that companies are going to be pushing very hard to get everyone back in the office very soon.
A lot of people I know are already back in the office.
Trouble finding child care is a huge problem.
 
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