"Viruses are constantly changing, including the virus that causes Covid-19," the CDC said in a statement.

"The level of protection offered by vaccination and surviving a previous infection changed during the study period. Vaccination remains the safest strategy for protecting against Covid-19," it added.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/na...edgdhp&pc=U531

Placebo effect the true cause of many reported COVID-19 vaccine side effects: Study;

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/med...edgdhp&pc=U531

Virus Expert Just Issued This "Much Worse" Warning.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/med...edgdhp&pc=U531

"Protection against infection and hospitalization with the omicron variant is highest for those who are up to date with their vaccination, meaning those who are boosted when they are eligible," said CDC director Dr Rochelle Walensky during a White House Covid Task Force briefing Friday.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...cron-rcna13038

Fauci expects most states to reach peak omicron by February. Close to half already have.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/all/fau...tates-n1287935

Virus Expert Just Gave This "Essential" Omicron Update.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/med...c=U531#image=1

Americans are understandably frustrated. When the vaccines became available, we were told we could reach “herd immunity” if 60 or 70 percent of Americans got vaccinated, meaning that most of the population would become immune, leaving fewer people to infect. Then that number started to climb. Soon, the discussion of herd immunity quieted.

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinio...ip-ncna1288194

Pfizer vaccine for kids under 5 could be available by end of February.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...uary-rcna14347

FDA grants full approval to Moderna's Covid vaccine.
The vaccine, called Spikevax, is the second to receive full FDA approval in the United States, joining Pfizer's vaccine.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...cine-rcna14237

As of January 8, more than 188 out of 100,000 unvaccinated people in LA were hospitalized with COVID-19, compared with 35 out of 100,000 vaccinated people without boosters and eight out of 100,000 vaccinated people with boosters. A January CDC study found that boosters reduced the risk of hospitalization from Omicron by around 90%.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/med...edgdhp&pc=U531

Wouldn't it be easier for them just to look at the status of those hospitalized specifically for covid-related issues?

Virus Expert Says Here's What Your "New Normal" Will Look Like
CBS just reported that, according to a recent poll, "70% of Americans polled agreed… 'It is time we accept COVID is here to stay and we just need to get on with our lives'." But how do we "get on" with life when there is a potentially life-threatening virus at large? "We are not anywhere near the end of the pandemic," said Dr. Ashish Jha, Dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, on CBS Mornings today—but he did say what the future may look like, and how you can stay safe.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/med...edgdhp&pc=U531

Cdc
 

Though Covid cases and hospitalizations are falling fast in the U.S., two key metrics are still too high to ditch mask recommendations.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...ovid-rcna14587

With many governors lifting mask mandates in schools, and COVID cases going down after the worst of the Omicron surge (in some states, not all yet), it's undeniably tempting to think the pandemic is over and we can all "move on." Not so fast, says Former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb. You're not fully safe right at this moment. Why not, and how can you protect yourself? Read on to hear the 5 thoughts he shared yesterday with Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation—and to ensure your health and the health of others.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/med...c=U531#image=1

If we split the governors into covid deniers and those who've treated covid as a serious threat, I'm pretty sure NJ is the only 'covid-serious" governor relaxing the mask policy in schools. The NJ policy does not take effect for another 4-5 weeks(?). So they are not saying the threat is over today, only that it looks like we can relax in a month or so. Let's hope they're right!

Many NH schools have been mask optional all year, barring skyrocketed cases.

MA DESE rumor is masks going away 2/28.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

It will NEVER be over.... It will never go away! Anybody who thinks it will go away is a fool. We will just have to accept the "new normal" that is Endemic Covid. It seems, given the level of 'Covid Burnout"... America is rapidly approaching the new normal.

Woodsy

Not really.
People that are only listening to the news don't realize how bad it is getting.
Certain things that will need to die, just have not.

As they go through the labor issues... we will see it happen.

Virus Expert Just Warned of Possible New Surge. Virus Expert Warns Not Enough People are Vaccinated.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/med...n=true#image=1

Way TOO EARLY
 

States are beginning to lift mask mandates. CDC data suggests it's too early.
High transmission and test rates mean that more than 99 percent of U.S. counties should keep masking up.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...ts-it-n1288792

MA DESE announced today that the school mask mandate will drop on 2/28.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

"Amid the confusion, USA TODAY asked a dozen public health and infectious disease experts whether it makes sense for people to continue to wear masks and under what conditions.

The answer, they say, depends on how much someone wants to avoid infection, the rate of COVID-19 where they live and who else is around them".

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ma...edgdhp&pc=U531

"booster shots lose much of their potency after about four months"
 

Today is February 12, 2022 so it's been 5-months since I got my third Pfizer vaccination shot on September 12, 2021 at the CVS in Plymouth, NH. In the last month I was unable to get a fourth shot at either the walk-in, no appointment needed, State of NH sponsored vaccination facility at the former state liquor store in Ashland. The CVS on-line scheduling process was a no-go as well, and I got all three of my vaccinations at CVS in Plymouth, NH where the procedure was totally excellent with the Plymouth CVS people. Recently, the on-line CVS appointment process said NO to me when I tried to schedule a fourth.

Today's February 12, 2022 NY Times has a report "New C.D.C. data adds to evidence that boosters' protection against severe Covid plunges after four months." It is 11 paragraphs in length.

1st paragraph: "Covid booster shots lose much of their potency after about four months, raising the possibility that some Americans - specifically those at high risk of complications or death - may need a fourth dose, data published on Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest."

9th paragraph: "Protection against emergency department and urgent care visits declined from 69 percent within two months of the second dose to 37 percent after five months or more. Booster shots restores those levels to 87 percent."

So, I'm going back to the walk-in clinic in Ashland today, to try again for a fourth shot, and plan to give them a photocopy of this NY Times report. Will also try again with the CVS on-line appointment.

As you probably know, your CDC vaccination card has a fourth line for recording your fourth numbers and date.

Wish me good luck with this, my effort to get a fourth shot of the Pfizer! ...... :patriot::banana:
...................

Maybe I'm incorrect but this Feb 12, 2022 New York Times report is probably free to read without a paid subscription.

It could be time for a 4th dose. https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/...001838077.html

Call me "Pin cushion"...

Come on folks let’s stop obsessing about infinite booster shots and start living again. If you are fully vaccinated ( 3 shots ) let it go.

You get a flu shot every year... covid will more than likely end up like that.

With the very high GDP and very high inflation due to demand... I would state that people have been ''living''.

"As we get out of the full-blown pandemic phase of COVID-19, which we are certainly heading out of, these decisions will increasingly be made on a local level rather than centrally decided or mandated," Fauci told The Financial Times. "There will also be more people making their own decisions on how they want to deal with the virus."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/fu...edgdhp&pc=U531

Virus Expert Just Said This Makes You 97 Times More Likely to Die
The coronavirus continues to rage across America, even as cases peak or fall in certain areas. We are seeing more than 2,000 deaths a day. How can you stay safe? And who is most likely to be one of those dead? Dr. Michael Osterholm, an American epidemiologist, Regents Professor, and Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, spoke on Chad Hartman's radio show the other day to tell you.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/med...edgdhp&pc=U531

Babies get Covid protection from mothers vaccinated during pregnancy, CDC says.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...says-rcna16306

Virus Expert Just Issued This "Important" Warning.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/med...edgdhp&pc=U531

Dude, Covid's over.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reviewing its mask guidance, shifting its focus to Covid hospitalizations as a key measure of the severity of the outbreak and future guide for determining whether health safety protocols need to be tightened, according to CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/mark...edgdhp&pc=U531

just because mandates are ending, does not mean that those that want to still live using masks, and limiting their exposure cannot, I do not understand the big disconnect here

if masks work, and vaccinations work, those that want to follow these, still can and do not need laws to do so or not do so

Virus Expert Just Issued This "Deadly" Warning
This week, COVID-19 cases in the U.S. continued to decline. New daily cases are now down nearly 70% from two weeks ago. But the daily average of deaths is near the pandemic's all-time high. At the same time, the overall number of people who've died from the coronavirus surpassed 925,000, pointed out Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, who analyzed the impact of the Omicron wave—including the impression that it was "milder"—and issued a warning for how we should react to future variants.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/med...n=true#image=1

The WHO has long been cautioning countries against approaching the pandemic at a domestic level instead of a global one. Officials warned that highly-vaccinated countries will have a false sense of security if other countries have low vaccination rates because the virus rapidly spreading anywhere will lead to new variants that may be more deadly or evade therapeutics and vaccines.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...edgdhp&pc=U531

That happens a lot.
For small pox the US continued to vaccinate almost the entire population until roughly 20 years after the last case in the US.
It took a long time to rid the rest of the world of it.

FDA Eyes Second Covid-19 Booster Shot.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/oth...edgdhp&pc=U531

Virus Expert Just Issued This Pleading Warning.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/med...n=true#image=1

Covid-19 case counts are falling in the United States and many parts of the country are starting to relax.

Cities like Washington, DC, and New York are lifting vaccine mandates for many public indoor spaces. National public health officials are easing up, too. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now advises that communities with low levels of transmission can forgo universal masking.

As spring draws near, is it finally time to feel hopeful? Is it possible the worst of the pandemic is behind us?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news...edgdhp&pc=U531