South Africa saw its first Omicron cases in mid November. The cases peaked in mid December aat around 35,000 cases a day and started declining and cases are now around 8,000 cases today. Both hospitalizations and deaths remain minimal and, in fact deaths declined during the Omicron wave. South Africa has lifted its 12 midnight curfew for the first time since February, 2020, and is hoping life can return back to normal.
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Here, in The Bahamas, there ar at least two challenges that makes the Omnicron wave different, even though it appears that it will peak in mid-January. Firstly, there is still a lot of travel and interaction between the US residents and Bahamians. This includes cruise ship and hotel guests. It also includes Bahamians who travel to The US to shop and for other reasons. The Delta variant is still rampant in the US and, data suggests that this prolongs the Omicron wave. And persons who are infected with Delta are the ones who become more sick and require hospitalization.
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Secondly the process of vaccinating people who have caught Omicron and recovered or giving booster shots to persons already vaccinated and recovered from Omnicron. This virus treats the vaccines as vaccines as viral infections and attacks them. So it may reinfect these per, at some point, if not already. It may create a stronger variant that may cause more severe symptoms and require more hospitalizations.

How much of the Omnicron hype is fear mongering and vaccines drive?

omicron is sweeping the entire planet! And whilst its symptoms continue to present ‘mild’ and non life threatening compared to the DELTA and previous strains, it appears. (From the data) that more infections are occurring amongst the most vaccinated and re-vaccinated (booster shots) populations. In the lesser vaccinated populations, the omicron variants appear to come in, sweep across the population, peak and decline. But in vaccinated populations, omnicron appears to treat the vaccines and the booster shots like a viral infection, a foreign substance in the body. It then attacks the vaccines, binds them and renders them ineffective. Omicron then establishes its own immunity in the host. So if this is, indeed, true can you see the potential problem that is being created by persons who go and get vaccinated or take booster shots AFTER experiencing the Omicron variants and recovering? Check the data for ya self.

Glad to see some businesses are increasing their safety protocols. Some restaurants and retail stores are only offering pickup and curbside service. Customers are not allowed inside. And experts are advising people who take Covid tests and they have symptoms, treat it as being positive even if the results come back negative. Especially if it is a rapid test. And persons who can work from home are encouraged to do so. It appears that everyone will eventually get infected by Omicron.

ONE in every FIVE Covid tests in the US is positive! Obviously the results here are similar , if not even greater positivity. AS the Omicron strains sweep across the planet, being no respector of man, woman, child, vaccines or booster shot. And authorities rub their hands and scratch their heads in anxious anticipation as they try to figure out what to do next in defense of this strange but determined virus. Some say more, vaccines, more booster shots, wear masks, wear two masks, ok just the N95. Cancel your parties and New Year’s celebrations they say, the Omicron is a crowd pleaser. For rapid spread and transmission that is. Some call for lockdowns and curfews and others say stay off cruise ships at every cost. And ships return to port as many are infected. And some are even left to quarantine at sea. But wait check the stats. Hospitalizations are declining and deaths also even as Omicron sets new unbelievable daily records. This will all be over in a few weeks as cases peak and start to decline. Let’s listen to Fauci and hear what he has to say. Something strange, let’s bet, for the fiftieth time. ‘Well the virus could peak in a few days, or even a few weeks,’ he says, ‘Or maybe not, cases may continue to climb.’ ‘Wear your masks, no take them off’. He says’. ‘Let’s vaccinate the children, even under the age of five yes under five this time’. The New Year has cone, yes Happy New Year. Hopefully it will be fill with glad tidings and good cheer. And Fauci and Omicron will be gone and so will the Vaccines and the entire Covid affair.

here we go: cdc now telling Americans to ‘avoid cruise ships at any costs’. Regardless of vaccination status. And advising passengers returning from cruises to quarantine for at least five days. but admitting that despite the surges in persons testing positive for Covid, hospitalizations remain relatively low and symptoms of Omicron remain relatively mild.

Too much of the information coming from the US is severely steeped in politics and/or vaccines bsales pitches. They start with the shock and scare that America recorded its highest number of cases ever since the pandemic began. Then they say that most hospitals and health care facilities remain empty or, at least to pre-omicron levels. They tell you children being admitted to hospitals have increased by 400%, but they don’t tell you it is normal for this time of the year as it is cold and flu season. And they don’t say that most of the cases are not Covid related. But are still urging parents to vaccinate their children.

Do you know know that there is a study that concludes that the Omicron variants actually protect against the Delta variant? And some experts are stopping short of saying it is actually beneficial to get Omicron? Just apply common sense to the two questions you raised: Firstly wearing of masks is one of the most stable staple since the pandemic begun. Countries or populations that wore masks consistently had better results than those that didn’t. And even now with the great Ouse for vaccinations and booster shots, there is still a call to wear masks in public places. Secondly: it is the cold and flu season in the US, so obviously there would be increases in persons, children included getting infected with colds and flu. But how much is it just a cold or flu and not omicron? Data shows that most people (and there is not a staggering amount) who end up in hospital with Omicron usually are admitted for other ailments and omicron is discovered coincidentally. So are there a huge amount of children being rushed to emergency rooms suffering from omicron? What is the increase in the number of children being admitted this year with ( omicron) compared to those being admitted last year with colds and flu? Most of it is an attempt to fight vaccine hesitancy.

news flash!!! The Omicron wave of Covid-19 will ( if not already done so) PEAK in The BaHAMAS in a few weeks. THere will be NO mass hospitalizations or deaths from this variant. Omicron affects vaccinated people, unvaccinated people and people who have taken booster shots the same. It does not attack the upper respiratory system so patients DO NOT require supplemental oxygen, they ate RV (room ventilated). Patients who are admitted to hospital have already passed the most critical stage of the infection and will normally be treated with steroids to help them recover. The average stay for a patient recovering from Omnicron is 2 days, compared to patients who have the Delta strain. The has been very few deaths from patients suffering from Omnicron. The latest being an 80 year old male. Most patients are admitted hospital with other ailments and then discovered to have Omicron as the symptoms remain very mild. So far cases continue to decline in Sou Africa.

I guess you are saying you are a matchstick or Domonioes ( not pizza). Lockdowns work in the short term when there is a high concentration of infected people who are getting seriously sick , being hospitalized or dying from the virus. In the case of Omicron, hospitalizations and deaths are declining while the number of infections is increasing! Draw your own conclusions.