All Things COVID-19
- Thread starter Sotally Tober
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With all the talk about Alberta, it seems to me that BC is wide open, at least when it comes to BC Ferries and the hotels. Watched the news this am and the ferries are booked solid with tens of thousands coming over to Vancouver Island this weekend. Apparently the hotels are also maxed out. With all the fires in the rest of the province, VI is apparently the exotic vacation location of choice for those who have a pent-up desire to get away. Because I am at extreme risk and even though I am double dose vaccinated, this does make me a bit nervous. I will be watching closely to see what happens to the numbers on VI as a result of this weekend's invasion. BC Ferries was controlling the numbers and strictly enforcing mask and distance requirements, and that was before the super variants. I wonder how it will work out if the ferries and hotels are going to be maxed out.
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GLG
Well-Known Member
Friday July 30 vaccination report
Canada has reached the two thirds point in fully vaccinating everyone 12 or older.
81.2% of 12+ have at least one dose.
Over 49 million doses have been administered.
Provincial dose penetrations (12+) .
Alberta is falling behind other provinces on first dose rates.
Dose penetration of the total Canadian population.
70.9% have at least one dose, 58.2% are fully vaccinated.
https://twitter.com/Billius27
Canada has reached the two thirds point in fully vaccinating everyone 12 or older.
81.2% of 12+ have at least one dose.
Over 49 million doses have been administered.
Provincial dose penetrations (12+) .
Alberta is falling behind other provinces on first dose rates.
Dose penetration of the total Canadian population.
70.9% have at least one dose, 58.2% are fully vaccinated.
https://twitter.com/Billius27
IronNoggin
Well-Known Member
Cognitive deficits in people who have recovered from COVID-19
People who had recovered from COVID-19, including those no longer reporting symptoms, exhibited significant cognitive deficits versus controls when controlling for age, gender, education level, income, racial-ethnic group, pre-existing medical disorders, tiredness, depression and anxiety.
GLG
Well-Known Member
The BC COVID-19 Modelling Group works on rapid response modelling of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a special focus on British Columbia and Canada.
The interdisciplinary Group was convened by Caroline Colijn (SFU) and Dan Coombs (UBC) with support from the Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences.
https://bccovid-19group.ca/
The interdisciplinary Group was convened by Caroline Colijn (SFU) and Dan Coombs (UBC) with support from the Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences.
https://bccovid-19group.ca/
Majority of COVID-19 cases at large public events were among vaccinated Americans: CDC study
A new study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that three-quarters of individuals who became infected with COVID-19 at public events in a Massachusetts county had been fully vaccinated.
I think there’s 2 things to note regarding this. First, the Delta variant is significantly more infectious than the others. Second, only 4 hospitalizations and zero deaths (last time I looked) associated with this outbreak. So yes, while vaccinated people can still contract it, the most severe outcome(s) are mitigated.Majority of COVID-19 cases at large public events were among vaccinated Americans: CDC study
A new study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that three-quarters of individuals who became infected with COVID-19 at public events in a Massachusetts county had been fully vaccinated.www.ctvnews.ca
I am curious to see if there is any breakdown on cases according to vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna, J&J) relating to this outbreak.
sly_karma
Crew Member
And as much as people want to blame them for their choice and complain that the public health system shouldn't have to treat those who eschew the vaccine, that's not the way it works. If we declined to treat them, then we'd have to withhold treatment for everyone else who poor choices landed them in need of medical help: smoking, alcohol, drugs, fast driving, overeating, undereating, skiing, rock climbing, boating in bad weather....
cracked_ribs
Well-Known Member
This in from a friend of mine who has been working on this from the beginning - well, an acquaintance really; but we have a lot of friends in common and I place a very high degree of trust in his comments.
He has been one of my primary sources of information throughout the pandemic and works in a high level research capacity at a large US institution.
For me personally, that's enough to shift the risk calculus in favour of being vaccinated. Also, as things open up, it's more likely my kid will be in daycare or other community activities which changes his exposure profile, which changes mine.
Everyone has to do that math for himself and up to now I haven't been sufficiently concerned to take the remote long term risk of the vaccine. I have never been very concerned about short term side effects.
But my guess is that the much higher viral load of the variant my friend is referring to will make it more likely I can't avoid exposure in the near-term, because it will probably spread much more aggressively.
If I don't think I can realistically bank on not being exposed, I think the known short term and unknown long term risk of covid significantly exceeds the known, minimal short term risk of the vaccine and the unknown but probably minimal long term risk.
So that is my reasoning as far as getting vaccinated.
He has been one of my primary sources of information throughout the pandemic and works in a high level research capacity at a large US institution.
For me personally, that's enough to shift the risk calculus in favour of being vaccinated. Also, as things open up, it's more likely my kid will be in daycare or other community activities which changes his exposure profile, which changes mine.
Everyone has to do that math for himself and up to now I haven't been sufficiently concerned to take the remote long term risk of the vaccine. I have never been very concerned about short term side effects.
But my guess is that the much higher viral load of the variant my friend is referring to will make it more likely I can't avoid exposure in the near-term, because it will probably spread much more aggressively.
If I don't think I can realistically bank on not being exposed, I think the known short term and unknown long term risk of covid significantly exceeds the known, minimal short term risk of the vaccine and the unknown but probably minimal long term risk.
So that is my reasoning as far as getting vaccinated.
cuttlefish
Well-Known Member
The advice you recently received from your acquaintance about the transmissibility of the new variant corresponds with what I have been hearing from my nephew-in-law. He works at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.
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OldBlackDog
Well-Known Member
Coronavirus: More than 3,000 cases in a day, setting record for new wave
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said that Israel is "in a competition between vaccines and epidemics, between an open country and more restrictions."
www.jpost.com
GLG
Well-Known Member
August 4th is Walk-in Wednesday!
All #IslandHealth #COVID19 immunization clinics are offering 1st & 2nd vaccine doses – no appt or registration!
Dose 1: All those ages 12+
Dose 2: Those vaccinated BEFORE June 16
Clinic locations: https://covid19.islandclinics.ca
Deewar25
Well-Known Member
for all US states reporting numbers, unvaccinated are accounting for 95-99% of all hospitalization & deaths. Seems to be the case. One thing of note thou is lower % in Scotland/England. They were initially heavily dependent on Astrazeneca! Worth noting for those that took the first available route.
Considering 98-99% of hospitalizations are unvaccinated, you could probably use this.
COVID-19 Hospitalizations
gis.cdc.gov
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
I've now past covid freedom day, two weeks post second dose!
GLG
Well-Known Member
The beginning of Vancouver Island’s fourth wave is here
Every new case on the Island has for weeks been the faster-spreading Delta variant. Here's what that means
By Brishti Basu
August 5, 2021
A rapid rise in COVID-19 cases in BC through the month of July and into August has experts concerned about the coming phase of the pandemic, with the Delta variant making up every new case on Vancouver Island for the past few weeks.
Dr. Sarah Otto, a professor of evolutionary biology at the University of British Columbia, along with an interdisciplinary team of independent experts known as the BC COVID-19 Modelling Group, released their seventh report on the state of the pandemic in late July.
It found that while vaccination rates are on the rise, the province has already entered a period of rapid growth in COVID-19 cases propelled by a corresponding surge in Delta variant cases.
“We are at the beginning of a fourth wave,” Otto told Capital Daily, pointing out a graph created by their modelling group colleague, data analyst Dr. Jens von Bergmann, which shows a steady rise in cases in every health authority after most restrictions were lifted in BC on July 1.
The steepest ongoing incline in case counts has been in the Interior Health region—a departure from the last three waves of the pandemic, where Fraser Health accounted for the majority of cases. A total of 742 new cases were recorded over BC Day long weekend, between July 30 and Aug. 2.
Nearly 400 of the cases were in the Interior Health region. Several communities in that region hold the dubious honour of having some of the lowest vaccination rates in the province. Overall, as of July 23, 26.2% of the population in Interior Health remained unvaccinated, compared to 14.8% in Vancouver Coastal, the region that boasts the highest vaccination rates in the province thus far.
The central Okanagan local health area was identified as the main hotspot for virus transmission and, as a result, a local outbreak was declared in that region. While the rest of BC goes maskless, central Okanagan residents are required to wear masks in all public indoor spaces and people from outside the area are discouraged from travelling there until at least Aug. 11.
Otto praises these regional restrictions as “an excellent approach ...to address the rise in cases where they are quickly, rather than wait for many more cases across the province.”
The Delta variant spreads among vaccinated individuals, most of whom are asymptomatic and don’t know they’re infected, until it finds an unvaccinated host. From there, the virus has an easier time spreading to others who have not been immunized and has a much higher likelihood of landing them in the hospital.
A look at the vaccination status of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in BC proves this point. According to BC Ministry of Health statistics, between June 15 and July 15, 137 unvaccinated people landed in the hospital—just eight fully vaccinated individuals were hospitalized in that period.
The Delta variant has been hard at work in July, rapidly overtaking the Alpha and Gamma variants that were once prevalent in BC. At last count, Delta accounted for 61% of cases in the province, followed by Gamma which made up 28% of sequenced cases.
More:
https://www.capitaldaily.ca/news/the-beginning-of-vancouver-islands-fourth-wave-is-here
Every new case on the Island has for weeks been the faster-spreading Delta variant. Here's what that means
By Brishti Basu
August 5, 2021
A rapid rise in COVID-19 cases in BC through the month of July and into August has experts concerned about the coming phase of the pandemic, with the Delta variant making up every new case on Vancouver Island for the past few weeks.
Dr. Sarah Otto, a professor of evolutionary biology at the University of British Columbia, along with an interdisciplinary team of independent experts known as the BC COVID-19 Modelling Group, released their seventh report on the state of the pandemic in late July.
It found that while vaccination rates are on the rise, the province has already entered a period of rapid growth in COVID-19 cases propelled by a corresponding surge in Delta variant cases.
“We are at the beginning of a fourth wave,” Otto told Capital Daily, pointing out a graph created by their modelling group colleague, data analyst Dr. Jens von Bergmann, which shows a steady rise in cases in every health authority after most restrictions were lifted in BC on July 1.
The steepest ongoing incline in case counts has been in the Interior Health region—a departure from the last three waves of the pandemic, where Fraser Health accounted for the majority of cases. A total of 742 new cases were recorded over BC Day long weekend, between July 30 and Aug. 2.
Nearly 400 of the cases were in the Interior Health region. Several communities in that region hold the dubious honour of having some of the lowest vaccination rates in the province. Overall, as of July 23, 26.2% of the population in Interior Health remained unvaccinated, compared to 14.8% in Vancouver Coastal, the region that boasts the highest vaccination rates in the province thus far.
The central Okanagan local health area was identified as the main hotspot for virus transmission and, as a result, a local outbreak was declared in that region. While the rest of BC goes maskless, central Okanagan residents are required to wear masks in all public indoor spaces and people from outside the area are discouraged from travelling there until at least Aug. 11.
Otto praises these regional restrictions as “an excellent approach ...to address the rise in cases where they are quickly, rather than wait for many more cases across the province.”
Delta spreading among vaccinated
More precautions are still needed in communities with a high vaccination rate, primarily because of the Delta variant, which spreads more easily than others and can be transmitted by vaccinated people.The Delta variant spreads among vaccinated individuals, most of whom are asymptomatic and don’t know they’re infected, until it finds an unvaccinated host. From there, the virus has an easier time spreading to others who have not been immunized and has a much higher likelihood of landing them in the hospital.
A look at the vaccination status of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in BC proves this point. According to BC Ministry of Health statistics, between June 15 and July 15, 137 unvaccinated people landed in the hospital—just eight fully vaccinated individuals were hospitalized in that period.
The Delta variant has been hard at work in July, rapidly overtaking the Alpha and Gamma variants that were once prevalent in BC. At last count, Delta accounted for 61% of cases in the province, followed by Gamma which made up 28% of sequenced cases.
More:
https://www.capitaldaily.ca/news/the-beginning-of-vancouver-islands-fourth-wave-is-here
sly_karma
Crew Member
So many tourists in the Okanagan at present. Seems like half of Alberta is here and likely the other half about to arrive. Party party party in Kelowna, no surprise we're getting new cases like crazy. My IH and hospital friends tell me it's still quiet in the south Okanagan; will the smoke keep enough of DILIGAFS home or are we about to be part.of the fourth wave too?
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