The new COVID thread

[johnnya24]

What about differences in obesity rate between UK and USA?

UK 37th (28%) and USA is 12th (36%). Not a large % difference, but a difference nonetheless for a grouping that has been hit hard by Covid.

It was one of the motivating factors that got my ass in gear to drop 40 pounds in 2021.

40 pounds ... that's nearly 3 stone ... well played. I'm trying to drop about 12 pounds over the next month or so. I can't carry weight without feeling awful.

Could very well be a factor. Without any expertise, I'd say prior variants of Covid that attacked the lungs more vigorously would probably be more dangerous for unfit and obese folk. But

[revo]

cps? Ctu?

CTU = Counter Terrorism Unit

Haven't you ever seen 24? Duh!

[umjewman]

Who did you drop it on?

I think he left it on the pavement when he had the scooter accident.

[umjewman]

Wow, dropping 40 lbs in a year is a hell of a feat--much respect for that. I had not thought much before that COVID could motivate positive changes like this. I wonder how many others lost some LBs or quit smoking during the pandemic.

In my text chain with my high school friends the other night when a third friend tested positive for Covid, someone goes:

Friend 1: "Don't worry, you're not obese, almost all of the hospitalizations are people who are obese."

Friend 2: "Shit, nice knowing y'all."

[Gregg]

I think he left it on the pavement when he had the scooter accident.

That seems much harder than Atkins!

[Sour Masher]

In my text chain with my high school friends the other night when a third friend tested positive for Covid, someone goes:

Friend 1: "Don't worry, you're not obese, almost all of the hospitalizations are people who are obese."

Friend 2: "Shit, nice knowing y'all."

It sneaks up on you...like a slow moving bear that catches you and stuffs pizza, chips, and deserts down your throat for 20 years. Or at least that was what the bear did to me.

[Ken]

It sneaks up on you...like a slow moving bear that catches you and stuffs pizza, chips, and deserts down your throat for 20 years. Or at least that was what the bear did to me.

Is this some kind of convoluted bear shits in the desert joke?

[Sour Masher]

Is this some kind of convoluted bear shits in the desert joke?

You haven't lived until you had has sand pudding, cactus cupcakes and other desert-themed desserts: https://hooraymag.com/2017/05/30/des...ired-desserts/

[johnnya24]

What about differences in obesity rate between UK and USA?

The other thing that occurred to me is this: if Omicron can make an individual sick or very sick because of obesity, diet, poor lifestyle choices - what would a more severe future variant do? We saw the damage Delta caused.

It's certainly not going to be better, right?

My view is that, we won't get a better shot at semi-herd-immunity from this family of diseases than Omicron, and it's a huge mistake to be implementing restrictions in places where Delta is clearly being displaced.

China for instance are shutting down entire cities again - but is this from Omicron, Delta, or some new variant? If it's Omicron, it's a huge mistake IMO.

[Moonlight J]

40 pounds ... that's nearly 3 stone ... well played. I'm trying to drop about 12 pounds over the next month or so. I can't carry weight without feeling awful.

Could very well be a factor. Without any expertise, I'd say prior variants of Covid that attacked the lungs more vigorously would probably be more dangerous for unfit and obese folk. But

Thanks -- did it with a few factors and this guy followed a very similar journey to what I did https://medium.com/@jonpeterswrites/...e-105fa8db393e . I'd add in 3+ miles of walking daily, long hikes once a month, and a bit of running as well. Just today, I walked the 4.25 mile round trip to my barber rather than drive it to start the day. I was out the door at 6:30 and home by 8:30 to start the work day.

[The Feral Slasher]

The other thing that occurred to me is this: if Omicron can make an individual sick or very sick because of obesity, diet, poor lifestyle choices - what would a more severe future variant do? We saw the damage Delta caused.

It's certainly not going to be better, right?

My view is that, we won't get a better shot at semi-herd-immunity from this family of diseases than Omicron, and it's a huge mistake to be implementing restrictions in places where Delta is clearly being displaced.

China for instance are shutting down entire cities again - but is this from Omicron, Delta, or some new variant? If it's Omicron, it's a huge mistake IMO.

Do you believe that exposure to Omicron will provide effective, lasting immunity ?

[johnnya24]

Do you believe that exposure to Omicron will provide effective, lasting immunity ?

Depends what you mean by "effective, lasting immunity" ... I think that any kind of prior infection will bolster your immunity against future strains, as will vaccines. And combined, that is about the best shot we have.

I do not want to catch Delta. But we will have to live with Covid, just like we live with Influenza etc, and I imagine at some point in the future I will be exposed to a Delta-like strain that will attack my lungs more vigorously that Omicron.

I would like my immune system to be best equipped to deal with that eventuality. Hybrid-immunity seems like the best we can muster right now. And all the data suggests Omicron is everyone's best bet to achieve hybrid-immunity without risking the more severe side effects of the other strains.

So I guess no, I don't believe it will give "effective, lasting immunity", but it's the best we've got.

We have no more plays really. As much as I am pro-vaccine - I don't fancy the prospect of getting boosted every 6 months of the rest of my life - and that certainly won't fly with the wider population.

[Ken]

Depends what you mean by "effective, lasting immunity" ... I think that any kind of prior infection will bolster your immunity against future strains, as will vaccines. And combined, that is about the best shot we have.

I do not want to catch Delta. But we will have to live with Covid, just like we live with Influenza etc, and I imagine at some point in the future I will be exposed to a Delta-like strain that will attack my lungs more vigorously that Omicron.

I would like my immune system to be best equipped to deal with that eventuality. Hybrid-immunity seems like the best we can muster right now. And all the data suggests Omicron is everyone's best bet to achieve hybrid-immunity without risking the more severe side effects of the other strains.

So I guess no, I don't believe it will give "effective, lasting immunity", but it's the best we've got.

We have no more plays really. As much as I am pro-vaccine - I don't fancy the prospect of getting boosted every 6 months of the rest of my life - and that certainly won't fly with the wider population.

I get a flu shot every year, how is this different?

[johnnya24]

I get a flu shot every year, how is this different?

If I were elderly or at-risk, sure. Otherwise I'm OK with catching the flu.

[The Feral Slasher]

Depends what you mean by "effective, lasting immunity" ... I think that any kind of prior infection will bolster your immunity against future strains, as will vaccines. And combined, that is about the best shot we have.

I do not want to catch Delta. But we will have to live with Covid, just like we live with Influenza etc, and I imagine at some point in the future I will be exposed to a Delta-like strain that will attack my lungs more vigorously that Omicron.

I would like my immune system to be best equipped to deal with that eventuality. Hybrid-immunity seems like the best we can muster right now. And all the data suggests Omicron is everyone's best bet to achieve hybrid-immunity without risking the more severe side effects of the other strains.

So I guess no, I don't believe it will give "effective, lasting immunity", but it's the best we've got.

We have no more plays really. As much as I am pro-vaccine - I don't fancy the prospect of getting boosted every 6 months of the rest of my life - and that certainly won't fly with the wider population.

Thanks. I guess I'm just not very optimistic that catching Omicron is going to do that much in the long term fight against Covid, hopefully I'm wrong since a whole lot of people are going to get it. I suspect that boosters will be the path unless/until they come up with something that provides lasting protection. I'd be fine with boosters indefinetely until there is a better option.