[escapedmoose]

> The other side are the number of people going to the hospital in a panic because they have a cough and think they're going to die out of panic.

Extremely high test positivity rates show that this isn't the case.

And yes, flu outbreaks can and do periodically overwhelm health systems, but not to this extent: where entire healthcare systems (not just hospitals) are cancelling lucrative elective procedures, broadly restricting/removing visitation, employing federal disaster relief, etc.

That's at least the case in my state; I can't speak for yours of course. AFAIK we also don't know much about the prevalence of "long COVID" from Omicron. Anecdotally, of the dozen or so people (mid-30s, all but 1 vaccinated) I personally know who got COVID over the holidays (so presumably Omicron), 2 were hospitalized and 5 were completely floored by COVID for at least a month. My vaccinated sister still doesn't have her sense of taste/smell back two months later. I think in a month or so we vaccinated folks can probably start acting normal again, like we did last summer. But at the moment it doesn't seem like the best time to take the gamble.

[oarsinsync]

> where entire healthcare systems (not just hospitals) are cancelling lucrative elective procedures

It’s worth noting that in the context of the UK hospital system, elective surgeries are not elective in the sense that the person has made a choice to have surgery, but rather it’s simply the opposite of emergency surgery. It’s usually vital life saving surgery, but the scheduling of the surgery is elective.

For example, you could have heart attacks, find out you have blocked arteries and be told you need to have a triple bypass. If the need is not immediate right this very second or you’re going to die, that’s elective surgery.

It is not things like a boob job.

[tracker1]

A positive test for COVID is not equivalent to a need to be in the ER. MOST people with COVID don't need to go to the hospital at all.

As to your assessment, if you choose to stay inside that is fine... that doesn't mean that EVERYONE should be forced to do so.

I just got over COVID, I'm un-vaccinated because of high medical risks to vaccines, everyone else in my household is vaccinated. We went through COVID the past few weeks... I got through it in just over a week, my fiance, fully vaccinated and boosted had worse symptoms than I did that started and lasted longer. My 19yo daughter didn't even have any symptoms.