Where we’re at with Covid
Most of our media have something Monday on where we’re at with Covid. In short, most of us have some immunity, by vaccination and/or by catching it and recovering, but Covid is not going anywhere, and remains a risk for older people and those with immune deficiencies.
A new spike in infection is expected soon. A regular reader sent me a link to this informative thread on X.
Meantime, Montreal tourism is back to pre-pandemic levels and Quebecers are back to travelling abroad as much as ever.
MarcG 13:38 on 2023-08-14 Permalink
I don’t have the time or energy to pull up all the references but:
1) Most have *some* immunity, but it’s a question of how much and to what (infection, hospitalization/death, or Long Covid). Immunity to infection is poor from both vaccination and infection (~30%). Immunity to hospitalization/death is better but not the sure-shot we behave like it is (60-80%). Immunity to Long Covid from vaccination is non-existent and infection increases your chances.
2) It is not just a risk for the elderly and immunocompromised. 30% of hospitalizations since the beginning of the pandemic are under 60. This talking point is dangerous in that it gives a false sense of security to the young and healthy, but also becaue it implies that those people’s lives are less valuable and/or they don’t deserve to participate in normal society (e.g. “If you’re at risk then just stay home, it’s unfair to ask the majority to make sacrifices”). If you look at the Canadian government’s definition of who is at risk of severe disease or outcomes, it includes everyone over 60 (27.4% of the population) and people with chronic medical conditions (44% of adults over 20 years old) – so this is not the minority we think of when they say “it’s only the oldies and already medically fucked who are in danger and who cares about them anyhow?”.
MarcG 14:50 on 2023-08-14 Permalink
When I said “Immunity to Long Covid from vaccination is non-existent” I just meant that the numbers in that study are pretty consistent with others (10-20% of infections lead to Long Covid) not that everyone who gets infected gets Long Covid (although that may be shown to be true sometime in the future).
Ian 15:02 on 2023-08-14 Permalink
In support of this I’d like to note that one of my friends came down with her first bout of covid this week and was hospitalized as she has uncomplicated asthma – and it got complicated fast. Just regular old asthma, nothing super debilitating. You can be very marginally at risk and still have very serious consequences.
Kevin 16:03 on 2023-08-14 Permalink
Spotted outside a church in Prescott Ontario: The real virus is communism; Covid-19 is how it spreads.
Kate 16:13 on 2023-08-14 Permalink
We really are going to have to get used to saying Prime Minister Poilievre, aren’t we.
But wait, if that’s the case, Kevin, wouldn’t a Covid vaccination protect people from communism?