4/5 wrote:Hopefully the next 4 weeks or so will prove that it's become endemic and move us to the next phase of all of this.
What do you think the next phase looks like?
Well, I'm saying *hopefully* because it could obviously go a lot of different ways. But I think the endemic phase is when the dream of Zero Covid or never getting it goes away once and for all. And the virus continues to evolve into less severe variants and we're able to settle into a new equilibrium where each person makes their own decisions about the level of risk and personal mitigation strategies that they are comfortable with. But it stops being the thing that we relentlessly focus on and funnel all decision making through. And ideally, but much less likely, we start respecting the decisions that other people make in this regard.
*This being the "next phase" is predicated on the hope that while this variant is highly transmissible that it will be much more mild and we'll see decreases in hospitalization and death rates, and that people believe that covid is not something to be feared.
Ah, yes. I was hoping that's where you were going with it. I'm starting to see that already. It would be a great way to ring in the new year.
Do you think, short-term, measures like business closures and plan rearrangements are useful to get here? Or is that just treading water and delaying the inevitable?
dimejinky99 wrote:I could destroy any ai chatbot you put in front of me. Easily.
macphisto wrote:But a mask requirement would make the difference for you? You’re still allowed to wear one (or more!) even if they’re not required.
We were leaning towards not going, even if there was a requirement. Of course masks aren't a perfect solution. Really just looking to avoid large crowds in general before visiting dad.
Last edited by Monkey_Driven on Mon December 20, 2021 3:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
Monkey_Driven wrote:I would prefer not to go to a potential super spreader event a week before visiting my father, who has permanent lung damage.
I don't think this is a ridiculous stance, even with the early data on the Omicron variant. It's not "being scared", it's minimizing risk.
Completely reasonable actually. Hilarious that anyone in the "let people gauge the risk and make their own decisions" crowd would take issue with your stance
Anders wrote:I do not have a «neoliberal assessment of geopolitics», so please stop writing that I do.
washing machine wrote:Do you think, short-term, measures like business closures and plan rearrangements are useful to get here? Or is that just treading water and delaying the inevitable?
I claim no expertise on this. I'm just offering my hope that this variation will actually be mild and that there's light at the end of the tunnel. And if it is I think that should signal a major shift in how we calculate the risks. But since we don't know if that will actually be the case or not then people should obviously take the precautions that they believe will be helpful. I'm not blindly calling for herd immunity or something like that. It just seems based off of the data we have that there's legitimate hope that this variant may be milder. Of course people who are immunocompromised, obese, or elderly should exercise additional caution, and people who are more worried than I happen to be should also take the precautions that will help them feel comfortable. If it's as transmissible as is currently suggested, I'm not sure how much it will matter, but people and business owners should certainly be free to be as cautious as they wish.
"I want to see the whole picture--as nearly as I can. I don't want to put on the blinders of 'good and bad,' and limit my vision."-- In Dubious Battle
