26 Jul 21
1 edit
@no1marauder saidNot necessarily in a post-vaccine world. Or at least the relationship is greatly decreased.
As you should know by now, weekend reports are always lower; in fact, most States and localities don't even report on Sundays.
As sure as night follows day, an increase in cases leads to more deaths in the weeks following.
https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-coronavirus-vaccines-have-weakened-link-between-infections-death-says-2021-06-27/
@sh76 saidYou must have worn your mask over your eyes:
Be careful about assuming cause and effects.
COVID comes in waves. It did last summer in Texas as well.
Texas had been living normally at least since late winter (and arguably since last Spring). COVID fell this Spring with substantially similar COVID rules (or lack thereof).
I have seen no evidence that mask mandates are correlated to better COVID outcomes.
"Numerous studies have analyzed the role played by masks during the COVID-19 pandemic [2–6]: masks have been associated with a reduction in the infection rate among health care workers in a large hospital network [7], mask mandates have helped reduce the number of cases in the United States and in Germany [8–10], and simulations have shown that wearing a mask can protect against droplet infection by preventing the spread of viral particles [11–16]"
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0252315
Mandating masks was associated with a decrease in daily COVID-19 case and death growth rates within 20 days of implementation.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7010e3.htm
26 Jul 21
@vivify saidFreedom?
Even if we were to callously accept that eleven deaths in one day is "far from concerning", there's still the issue of a huge spike in people suffering in hospitals.
You're also missing the point: the Republican governor recently banned government buildings and schools from requiring masks and banned businesses from requiring proof of vaccination.
And look at the results.
26 Jul 21
@sh76 saidYes, Texas has always had fewer COVID restrictions; but the Texas COVID spikes are sudden; they didn't increase gradually.
Be careful about assuming cause and effects.
COVID comes in waves. It did last summer in Texas as well.
Texas had been living normally at least since late winter (and arguably since last Spring). COVID fell this Spring with substantially similar COVID rules (or lack thereof).
I have seen no evidence that mask mandates are correlated to better COVID outcomes.
It doesn't seem like a mere coincidence that this spike occurred just two months after Abbot banned masked requirements from schools and government buildings, *and* banned businesses from requiring proof of vaccinations just last month.
Three sweeping bans on COVID restrictions in just two months, followed a by a large and sudden spike in COVID hospitalizations. I think there's quite a case for a correlation.
26 Jul 21
@sh76 saidApples and oranges.
Not necessarily in a post-vaccine world. Or at least the relationship is greatly decreased.
https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-coronavirus-vaccines-have-weakened-link-between-infections-death-says-2021-06-27/
The UK has had 90% of adults with one dose and 70% fully vaccinated. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-55274833
Texas hasn't reached anywhere near those levels. https://usafacts.org/visualizations/covid-vaccine-tracker-states/state/texas
26 Jul 21
@vivify saidTexas had a similar spike last summer. Look at last July.
Yes, Texas has always had fewer COVID restrictions; but the Texas COVID spikes are sudden; they didn't increase gradually.
It doesn't seem like a mere coincidence that this spike occurred just two months after Abbot banned masked requirements from schools and government buildings, *and* banned businesses from requiring proof of vaccinations just last month.
Three swe ...[text shortened]... a large and sudden spike in COVID hospitalizations. I think there's quite a case for a correlation.
https://www.google.com/search?q=texas+covid+cases
Seasonality is a big factor in COVID, a plain fact which many people for some reason don't like. In hot climates, when people all go inside to escape the heat wherein a/c is blowing germs all over the place, COVID spreads easier. In the north, COVID fades in the Spring and rebounds as you get several weeks beyond the solstice. Also, in both places, the emergence of the more contagious Delta variant is causing increases.
Texas and Abbott have been taking steps against COVID restrictions for over a year. Any time Texas cases increase, you could always point to something they did or said as causation.
New Mexico, Arizona and Louisiana have seen similar COVID increases in the last number of weeks. Is that also due to Abbott's mask policy?
26 Jul 21
@no1marauder saidApples and smaller apples, perhaps. Texas will have less of a decoupling, I'll grant. But the relationship won't be the same as it was last year. Also, you have to factor in the natural immunity built up over the winter to at least some extent and add that to the vax percentage.
Apples and oranges.
The UK has had 90% of adults with one dose and 70% fully vaccinated. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-55274833
Texas hasn't reached anywhere near those levels. https://usafacts.org/visualizations/covid-vaccine-tracker-states/state/texas
26 Jul 21
@sh76 saidTexas has the second highest COVID spike in the nation:
Texas had a similar spike last summer. Look at last July.
https://www.google.com/search?q=texas+covid+cases
Seasonality is a big factor in COVID, a plain fact which many people for some reason don't like. In hot climates, when people all go inside to escape the heat wherein a/c is blowing germs all over the place, COVID spreads easier. In the north, COVID fades in the Spri ...[text shortened]... seen similar COVID increases in the last number of weeks. Is that also due to Abbott's mask policy?
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/here-are-the-states-where-covid-19-is-increasing-2
26 Jul 21
@sh76
Have you read Steven Hatfill's letter to us all yet?
https://drstevenhatfill.com/open-letter-to-america/
You do know who he is, right? He is the victim of the Anthrax Investigation. It was a Robert Mueller witch hunt. Hatfill sued and won because he was innocent.
@sh76 saidSorry to pop that bubble, but Texas had about twice as many COVID deaths in January as it did in July. Daily new cases and total active cases tell the same story. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/usa/texas/
Texas had a similar spike last summer. Look at last July.
https://www.google.com/search?q=texas+covid+cases
Seasonality is a big factor in COVID, a plain fact which many people for some reason don't like. In hot climates, when people all go inside to escape the heat wherein a/c is blowing germs all over the place, COVID spreads easier. In the north, COVID fades in the Spri ...[text shortened]... seen similar COVID increases in the last number of weeks. Is that also due to Abbott's mask policy?
@vivify saidThat is by raw numbers ("Texas is second with 21,884 new cases this past week, about 9,000 more than the previous week." )
Texas has the second highest COVID spike in the nation:
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/here-are-the-states-where-covid-19-is-increasing-2
By coincidence, Taxes is also the second most populated state in the country.
According to the same article:
"Rhode Island had the highest increase, with a 181 percent jump to 242 cases. That was followed by Nebraska with a 156 percent hike to 988 cases and Maine with a 152 percent jump to 255 cases."
Percentage increase is a fairer metric than raw number increase.
@no1marauder saidYou're not popping any bubble. The spike is worse in winter everywhere, like all flu-like diseases.
Sorry to pop that bubble, but Texas had about twice as many COVID deaths in January as it did in July. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/usa/texas/
But hot states also tend to get hit starting in late June, whereas the rebounds in the north wait until late summer/early Fall. Of course, the Delta variant is playing with that a little bit.