So, I'm just going to be sure I have this straight.

Back in 2019-2020, when #covid19 first burst onto the scene, nobody had any idea what we were dealing with. Out of an abundance of caution people were urged to stay at home, and keep away from other people.

In the almost-four years since then, we have learned exactly what we are dealing with - a disease never dealt with before on this level, that attacks and destroys multiple systems of the body, leaves many people disabled/bedridden, or with any of a huge number of chronic conditions.

It attacks the heart and brains of everyone infected (to varying degrees), and confers no long lasting immunity against future infections (which tend to get worse each time).

But with all that knowledge, we've now dropped any semblance of protection, and actively discourage masking, isolation and cleaning the air.

... Do I have this right?

@Juicyfranck

To be fair, you do seem to be missing the whole vaccine, booster etc.

Here in Santa Clara County (part of the San Francisco Bay Area), 88% have both shots and 33% have the booster.

Surely most cities in Canada are similar?

(I have a total of four covid shots.)

We can't maintain lockdown forever....at some point you have to admit it's reasonably well contained. 😀

@neutrino78x if only the vaccines provided significant protection from Long Covid, or helped prevent spread 🤷🏼‍♂️.

And with the majority of people more than 6 months past their last shot (and many ppl not eligible or interested in getting another booster), it doesn't even make a dent anymore.

Masks, clean air AND FAR-UV are the best options we have if we expect to make it out of this.

@Juicyfranck

"if only the vaccines provided significant protection from Long Covid, or helped prevent spread"

But Juicy, look at the graph. Spread is VERY, VERY LOW.

It's not 100% eradicated but at this point it's just another virus going around.

I feel like you're being really paranoid 😮

@neutrino78x ha ha... I know right?

Oh how I wish...

@Juicyfranck

"Oh how I wish..."

What do you mean, you wish? Look at the data.

Objectively. The emergency is over.

@neutrino78x btw, when did the WHO declare the pandemic over? (answer - they didn't). And when did C19 suddenly become a disease that *hasn't* killed tens of millions and disabled hundreds of millions? And still continues to?

@Juicyfranck

"nd when did C19 suddenly become a disease that *hasn't* killed tens of millions "

It didn't, but that's in the past. It's no longer killing millions of people in the G7, and we both live in the G7.

@neutrino78x just because MSM doesn't cover it like before, there's ton of actual evidence. I've spent my life reading and writing scientific reports, and it's all overwhelmingly clear.

If it makes you sleep easier at night, hey, keep on believing.

Good luck and I wish you the best.

@Juicyfranck Just look at the data, it's not a matter of belief. Just relax, it's technically still a pandemic but the emergency is over.

@neutrino78x @Juicyfranck Telling ppl to relax is fucked up. Our so-called leaders, from public school administrators up to President Ice Cream all told us to relax when schools reopened for in-person instruction, falsely claiming it was "safe." The reality is that they reopened, and then lots of students, staff and families got sick. Several died in our district. My spouse is disabled by long covid after twice getting infected by sick students in their classroom. Relax? FU

@neutrino78x @Juicyfranck As for data… The school district that employed my spouse and I was less than transparent about positive cases among students and staff. They had an online dashboard showing new cases in a 14-day rolling window, but they never published cumulative numbers. I had to get that info using public records requests. During the 2021-22 school yr, the district recorded more than 5,000 cases, an undercount since testing wasn't required. There's your damn data

@pixplz @neutrino78x @Juicyfranck You won’t convince people that haven’t personally experienced long term effects or have immediate family or friends impacted.

I’ve had family die and others chronically injured with permanent vascular issues, friends with lingering issues who are in their 30s and 40s. It’s not even close to “over” and data shows repeat infections cause more severe illness and ultimately disability.

We need immunization and aren’t even close to having it but ignorance is bliss.

@pixplz @neutrino78x @Juicyfranck My family member was infected by someone traveling who caught it in an airport. They were admitted to a hospital, given antivirals, and discharged. A few days later they were re-admitted and died with a tube down their throat choking on fluid.

This was in late summer 2022, well into the period the poster defined as it being “like any other virus”. My ass.

Another family member developed spontaneous afib and clotting after their second infection. Permanently.

@moirearty @neutrino78x @Juicyfranck Damn, I'm so sorry

@pixplz @neutrino78x @Juicyfranck I say this not out of wanting sympathy or to argue but to illustrate real-world examples that drove me to do research and review actual medical data to better understand what is really happening.

It is going to catch up with almost everyone eventually one way or the other, and the true path to “back to normal” involves immunization, not meager vaccination.

We have to have that or a double-digit percentage of our society is going to be disabled within a decade.

@moirearty @pixplz @Juicyfranck

"and the true path to “back to normal” involves immunization, not meager vaccination."

We are already like 90% vaccinated in the G7. Not sure what more anyone can reasonably expect. Key word reasonably.