Time to Move On

 

COVID-19

Since pivoting from the strategy of “slowing the spread” to attempting to stop all infections, the Federal public health “one size fits all” approach from the CDC to the NIAID has been an abject failure. Guidance and mitigation efforts have been haphazard and have concentrated far too much on vaccinations to control the pandemic. The use of therapeutics has been largely dismissed as an effective treatment option by Federal public health officials. Current vaccinations are proving ineffective in slowing the infection rate and transmission of the new Omicron variant and the infection numbers have skyrocketed. Thankfully, the hospitalization and death rates are not following suit and continue to decrease in relation to the infection rate.

Federal public health policy has, unfortunately put all their eggs into one basket, and our nation has suffered great losses to our economic system, adversely affected our children’s learning and emotional development, led to an increase in mental health disorders, drug overdoses, suicides and criminality. Far too many of our fellow citizens have suffered and died as the result of what should be considered medical malfeasance by our Federal public health officials.

The dominant variant of COVID-19 is the Omicron, causing more than 90% of all infections worldwide. A recent study from South Africa indicates that this variant is extremely contagious, but the vast majority of those infected suffer mild or no symptoms with a low rate of hospitalizations. This variant follows the normal trajectory of viruses as they mutate. Higher rate of transmission with a lower rate of severe symptoms and lethality.

Pfizer will not have an effective vaccine to combat the Omicron variant until March. If the course of the disease mirrors what has occurred in South Africa, the need for that vaccine will likely have passed.

It is time that we strongly consider the fact that the pandemic phase of this disease is ending and that public health, at the local and State level, pivot to acknowledging the reality that we are entering the endemic phase of this disease. We need to concentrate on manufacturing and distributing effective therapeutics to manage symptomatic individuals and to continue to develop vaccines that are effective in mitigating symptoms of any new variants. Dr. Fauci stated on Wednesday, that we will never eradicate COVID-19. We also need to acknowledge that reality.

The published study of Omicron in South Africa; The wave increased at a faster rate than previous waves, completely displacing the Delta variant within weeks and began its decline in both cases and hospital admissions in the fifth week following its commencement.

There are clear signs that case and admission rates in South-Africa may decline further over the next few weeks. If this pattern continues and is repeated globally, we are likely to see a complete decoupling of case and death rates suggesting that Omicron may be a harbinger of the end of the epidemic phase of the Covid pandemic ushering in its endemic phase.

CDC Director Walensky testified before Congress, when compared to delta, infections with omicron were associated with a 53% reduction in adjusted risk of symptomatic hospitalization, displayed in the first panel; a 74% reduction in adjusted risk of ICU admission, displayed in the middle panel; and a 91% reduction in adjusted risk of mortality, displayed on the third panel.

No patients with omicron required mechanical ventilation. Additionally, this study found that those infected with omicron who were hospitalized had a shorter duration of hospital stay compared to those with delta. The duration of hospital stays was approximately 70% shorter, with the median of stays being 1.5 days for omicron compared to about 5 days for delta.

Looking at all hospital admissions for omicron, 90% of patients were expected to be discharged from the hospital in three days or less.

Sorry about all of you that are totally immersed in relying upon the government to keep you safe. The…...Pandemic…….is……..over!!!!!