Michael Hobbes: The bad news is that we seem to be entering the summer COVID wave. The good news is that hospitalizations and deaths remain lower than they were last year.

The bad news is that we seem to be entering the summer COVID wave. The good news is that hospitalizations and deaths remain lower than they were last year.

Excess deaths were still 4% above the 2015-2019 baseline in April. Bad! But an improvement over the 14% excess during the winter COVID wave. ourworldindata.org/grapher/exce...

Be hella careful attending Pride events this weekend, especially if you're on the west coast! bsky.app/profile/nsla...

The worse news is the more people have covid the greater the risk of spread and further mutations and every infections risks long covid.

If you have not gotten your booster go get that shit! bsky.app/profile/kent...

Almost as if vaccines work. Imagine that! They’re not always perfect protection - except when they are.

I can’t be the only person who has no idea if I’ve gotten the most recent booster I’m entitled to. I got mine at the same time as my flu shot so… probably?

Yep, last fall was the most recent update!

And older adults (over 65) could get a second shot of that: www.cdc.gov/media/releas...

Coronavirus Disease 2019www.cdc.gov CDC provides credible COVID-19 health information to the U.S.

but check anyway! Us olds were invited to take a second shot of the fall one, this spring, in California-have no idea of the age or geographical extent of this.

ok cool. I hope they keep them around that time of year. getting it with flu will make it easier to remember

65 yrs + were recommended in spring to get a second dose of last fall’s vaccine. New vaccine expected Aug/Sept. www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcn...

As Covid cases rise, CDC panel recommends updated vaccine for fallwww.nbcnews.com The updated Covid vaccines should become available for Americans age 6 months and older in August and September.

same, i have no clue what number i'm on now either 🙃

And please wear a mask! People see cases or hospitalizations down, they go out quickly, cases and hospitalizations rise. Repeat. Mask up. It's easy and not an inconvenience

💯💯💯💯💯💯💯

Vaccines are amazing, but also please mask, stay home when sick, test, and advocate for improved indoor air quality in public spaces (especially schools)

Get your booster! I keep getting COVID at exactly 6months after my last booster, they make a difference!

I was just about to ask how we know about death and hospitalization rates when the hospitals no longer have to test or report but is this the answer? The excess death rates?

Hospitals still report COVID deaths! And yep, excess deaths count all deaths for any cause so if tons of people were dying but their deaths were misclassified, that's where they would show up.

I thought it was all voluntary now? Is there an exception for deaths due to Covid? Because that would be a huge relief. www.cdc.gov/nhsn/covid19...

COVID-19 Hospital Data Reporting | NHSN | CDCMinusSASstatswww.cdc.gov CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network is the nation’s most widely used healthcare-associated infection tracking system.

Even if reporting covid deaths was purely optional it wouldn't matter because we would still see excess mortality. Given that there is no excess mortality we can definitively say there isn't a wave of unreported covid deaths.

AFAIK from the CDC guidelines, Covid deaths still have to be reported. They don't need to report hospital supplies etc.

It says upthread that there’s still a 4% excess mortality rate.

People easily forget Omicron it seems. It was so deadly, the hospital in town had a freezer truck because the morgue was so full.

Almost as if vaccines work. Imagine that! They’re not always perfect protection - except when they are.

A vaccine first, vaccine only policy is one of failure.

the good news is i still have an elastomeric respirator

Post