[armada651]

I don't see what the big deal is with getting a booster shot? I got the first two shots, call me a sheep but I'd happily take a third.

> Use your heads, this isn't supposed to end.

That's a self-fulfilling prophecy, the lower the vaccination rate the longer the pandemic will last.

[amrcnimgrnt]

The pandemic will never end, no matter how many ppl we vaccinate in the West.

We'll never vaccinate Central Asia and Africa. Even if we could, COVID bifurcates quicker than we can vaccinate the world. Ergo COVID will never go extinct.

[armada651]

I think most experts have already said they expect it to be endemic going forward. But we can definitely use vaccines to get it to levels where it no longer qualifies as a pandemic.

[amrcnimgrnt]

Fair enough, but then you have to tell me at what level is the "pandemic over" for all practical purposes.

We're at a seven day avg. of 300deaths/day right now. Car fatalities are 100deaths/day [2] . Smoking is >1000 death/day [3]. So we're near the geometric mean between smokes and cars.

[1] https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_deathsinlast... [2] https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/motor-vehicle-safety/index.ht... [3] https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/heal...

[lamontcg]

One metric I follow is that we need to not be having headlines like this one:

"13 hospitals in Mississippi have no ICU beds available due to COVID-19 Delta variant spike"

https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/local/13-hospitals-mississ...

At some point we transition to an endemic virus with a background rate of disease which is similar to influenza or colds, but we aren't there yet when its filling up the ICUs. And if everyone would get vaccinated, then we'd be there today.

[armada651]

For practical purposes most people will consider the pandemic over when the local epidemic is over. Which is when COVID infections reach a stable baseline and we're not experiencing multiple major outbreaks simultaneously.

In other words, it's over when this map is mostly blue and yellow: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_community

[amrcnimgrnt]

Thank you for giving me an objective metric, but I don't think the objective standard follows from your first sentence: most people consider the pandemic over in their local area.

[armada651]

I didn't say local area. A pandemic is an epidemic in multiple countries. So when I say "local epidemic" I mean the epidemic in their country.

I expect that some countries will reach herd immunity and have no major outbreaks anymore while there are still outbreaks across other parts of the world.

[13years]

How about a monthly dose? https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-9775925/Can-long-...

The more times you take it, you are increasing your risk of an adverse reaction.

Yes, nothing to worry about here. 2 Weeks to flatten the curve didn't expand into anything else.

[armada651]

That monthly dose has nothing to do with preventing covid infections. It's an attempt at curing the long-term side effects of a covid infection.

[13years]

I know, it is about the never ending saga that evolves into ever more unexpected needs/requirements that truly begin to look absurd.

We are all playing a game of Simon Says.

[armada651]

I don't find the slippery slope argument to be a very convincing one. Given the delta variant the suggestion that we may need a booster shot is not absurd nor unexpected.

There's been talk of a booster shot since the development of the vaccine started.

[13years]

It is the totality of it all. Every bit of advice is usually contradicted within 3-6 months.

This is a coronavirus that mutates easily. As many have suggested, it is likely here to stay. Are we going live in fear forever? Wearing masks, social distancing or whatever else they want us to do? In Australia, they are now saying you can't talk to people.

[armada651]

> Every bit of advice is usually contradicted within 3-6 months.

> This is a coronavirus that mutates easily.

I think you have your answer right there for the contradictions. Though I think the CDC should be more open and honest about how they reach their advice.

> Are we going live in fear forever? Wearing masks, social distancing or whatever else they want us to do?

The vaccine has made me significantly less fearful and social distancing is not required when vaccinated. Wearing a mask indoors is only required while transmission levels are high and is only a minor inconvenience. You wouldn't tell me I'm living in fear of the rain for carrying an umbrella during wet season.