Shanghai Disneyland will close in effort to contain coronavirus

If we have culturally gone wrong in any specific way in the last decade, it's the idea that just because everyone is entitled to an opinion that it's valid. It's like "the customer is always right" taken in a more ridiculous direction. Opinions, the ability to use Google to validate what you already believe, ignoring objective fact and avoiding critical thinking has made people willfully stupid. And for some reason we keep entertaining all of that as some measure of freedom or independence. We're literally celebrating anti-intellectualism as the manifestation of some bizarre ideal of freedom.

To be clear, that's not me calling anyone out here, I think we mostly do a good job of calling each other out on that kind of bull****. I'm talking more about the wider cultural phenomenon.

None of these studies have been published or peer reviewed, but it's encouraging that they reach similar conclusions: omicron does less damage to the lungs.

I should really crack out the bingo board, I think I could have a coverall just in the past 48 hours.

Anthony Fauci Downplays Child COVID Hospitalizations Hitting Record High

Fauci suggested that some of the children currently being treated at medical facilities were hospitalized with COVID as opposed to "because of COVID."

He added that some children who are currently listed as being in hospital with COVID may actually be receiving treatment for "a broken leg or appendicitis," rather than for a severe reactions to the virus.

Wasn't this the territory of conspiracy theorists and deniers not long ago?

DON’T LOOK UP! DON’T LOOK UP! DON’T LOOK UP!

*looks up*

”What the F is that?!? They F-ing lied to us!”

Seriously. One of the best movies I’ve seen in a long time.

Someone mentioned car safety inspections earlier. Not to get off track but as a NY inspector, let me tell you that LEGAL and SAFE are far from the same thing. You would be blown away by some of the vehicles I had to put a sticker on because they technically passed NYSI.

ut if someone is acting and/or calling for action based on factually incorrect information, then I think their position is wrong.

Sure but that is why I said most not all. But often times all info isn't known (and understood) on a objective factual basis. Typically decisions/issues are nuanced/complicated making cearl resolutions a challenge. Again not always though.

Trick is (and you see this happen a lot) you can take a group of people who are in the factually incorrect info based opinion camp and lump in groups of people not in that camp but with similar views. So anyone not getting a vaccine for any and all reasons gets lumped in with those citing VAERS. Foolishness of the VAERS group is attributed to everyone in the no vaccine group.

No doubt having a platform or opinion doesn't in itself make it valid. But we give platforms to a whole host of people for various reasons (celebrities, sports stars, social media drivers or whatever, etc.). Can make things challenging.

Various media outlets do not act in vacuums or randomly. They have target audiences and tailor coverages, stories, etc to appeal to them. Knowing the buttons to push. And you can be factual but not neutral and totally slant/distort stories/coverage to support an agenda.

Comparing what can be done to limit/restrict/regulate privileges and rights is an apples to oranges comparison.

Lord Gonchar said:

Wasn't this the territory of conspiracy theorists and deniers not long ago?

I thought that was "Death counts are inflated". I may not be up to date on my conspiracy theories however.

Remember "death panels" and "you can't keep your doctor?" Yes, those were the silly lies about the Affordable Care Act.

Frankly, a lot of the arguments against vaccines that I hear, while not quite as obviously incorrect as citing VAERS, mostly revolve around not knowing what's in the vaccine or not being sure that it's met the normal rigorous standards for FDA approval. The first is not convincing (does anybody know what's in a flu shot or DTAP or MMR or Coca-cola for that matter?) and the second is wrong. I honestly haven't heard an argument against getting the vaccine that is internally consistent and based on evidence. I would definitely be interested in hearing one if anyone has one.

Good luck. I'm still waiting to hear what the religious exemption is.

The US military is not having any part of religious exemptions, and has discharged people.

ApolloAndy said:

I honestly haven't heard an argument against getting the vaccine that is internally consistent and based on evidence. I would definitely be interested in hearing one if anyone has one.

There is a possible other argument, but I guess it depends on perspectives. What about possible long term effects, lots of vaccines had been around for decades, however something that has only been in existence for a year is impossible to know what could pop up 5 or more years down the road. 70% of the country could potentially have complications years out because of no viable way to test for long term effects.

Or, is there a way to know what long term effects look like? It isn’t like pharma companies haven’t covered things up before in the name of profits which end up manifesting themselves with time and use.

The "what about long term" would be the perfect source of doubt were it not for the fact that mRNA vaccines have been around for decades. The first flu trials happened in the early 90's. That's why the Covid vaccines were approved so quickly.

TheMillenniumRider said:

What about possible long term effects, lots of vaccines had been around for decades, however something that has only been in existence for a year is impossible to know what could pop up 5 or more years down the road. 70% of the country could potentially have complications years out because of no viable way to test for long term effects.

https://www.muhealth.org/our-stories/how-do-we-know-covid-19-vaccin...de-effects

https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/featured-top...s-debunked

https://theconversation.com/how-do-we-know-the-covid-vaccine-wont-h...cts-155714

It is true that there is some non-zero probability of side effects emerging years down the road. It's an extremely thin case given the history of vaccine side effects and it's also sort of a weird argument given the immediate and real threat of Covid and its transmission. I guess I could see that argument, but it feels a lot of like driving everywhere out of a fear of flying, though (750x more fatalities driving per passenger-mile than flying).

As for long-term effects there is something we absolutely know and can be sure of. And all we have to do it ask those unvaccinated long-haulers that will seemingly remain so forever.
There’s some long-term effects for you, all right.

I guess none of you have seen "I Am Legend". Us vaccinated folks should all soon turn into vampires.

As opposed to the unvaccinated folks sucking the life out of the US health care system.

I'm for it if I can be a Lost Boys vampire. Don't come at me with that Twilight **** though.

Also acceptable would be Count von Count.