DIRTY HARRY Loc: Hartland, Michigan

Over 850,000 Americans have died from the COVID virus and more than 80% of the people occupieing hospital beds are with COVID and are unvaccinated. Just how many people do you think have died from the vaccine? The longer this virus is allowed to run wild the more variants ther are going to be and possibly develop into one we can not defeat. If you want a sure thing buy a burial plot. Even the Trump family and the FAUX "NEWS" staff has been vaccinated

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Yes, those blue towels make good filters.

MikeG Loc: Northern Wisconsin

In the time it took you to post your comment you could have easily found the data you're asking about.

old poet

Statistics, epidemiologists, physicians, nurses in the trenches. And, yes. Undertakers don't lie. My wife and I are 80,. We've been valedictorian and boosted. We masks and follow CDC guidelines. Neither of us have had COVID or variants. I am a biologist. It's real. It's dangerous. 800,000 dead. We all know someone who has died in this pandemic.

MikeG Loc: Northern Wisconsin

I agree completely. Here in the northern part of Wisconsin I overhear some of the dumbest, most happily uninformed comments imaginable (regarding Covid/vaccinations). In fairness I should add that the waiting room at the small clinic where I received both original shots and a booster shot was, on those 3 occasions, at least 50% occupied.

DIRTY HARRY Loc: Hartland, Michigan

As I said, my entire family has been put at physical and financial risk by one selfish unvacinated individual. They made their choice and should ride it out at home.

paulrph1 Loc: Washington, Utah

I believe you are 100% correct. And anyone that says otherwise if part of the mass hysteria. People have such a fear of the term Covid that you do not need to mention death associated with it. It is an automatic assumption. But in my neck of the woods the media is still pushing the mass hysteria, every night, all night long I see nothing but Covid and when they do mention it, you are bound to die
And I am curious as to why they have never ever done a comparison of the flu with Covid.

paulrph1 Loc: Washington, Utah

News flash you can get 50 n95 masks for about $10 on Amazon. Maybe I got mine on Ebay.

DIRTY HARRY Loc: Hartland, Michigan

A friend of mine made me a 2 layer cloth mask with a pocket for the blue paper shop towels and i got a roll of the towels for under $3.00. I still have half a roll of towels.

bamfordr Loc: Campbell CA

We hear positivity rate (% of test showing infection). Key numbers are hospitalizations and - as you point out - deaths. Hospitalizations seem to be climbing. Deaths appear to be at a lower rate (4% vs Delta’s 20%), but the much higher infection rate makes those percentages a bit misleading (smaller percent, but a larger population).

I don’t see continued exercise of precautions in the face of the unknown as mass hysteria for two reasons. Hospitalizations - even if they don’t result in death - lock up and stress medical resources. Elective surgery? Accident victims? “Normal” serious illness? But even more important in my opinion, is the fact that each infection is an opportunity for mutation. And the virus seems to mutate much more readily than even the flu, perhaps just because it is so widespread and infectious.

One last thought is that Delta and Omicron are both present and doctors who must select the appropriate therapy have no way to differentiate in time for the therapy to be effective.

I hate masks. I hate isolation. I hate worrying. But it is my responsibility to my family, neighbors, and society to persevere.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

There is no mass hysteria and no panic. Some people realize that they can get Covid if they don't take precautions; others think it's a hoax. It's the hoax crowd that is spreading it and keeping it going this long. It doesn't take a genius to figure out how to avoid getting a contagious disease.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

A friend recently fell and broke her hip. She spent two hours on a gurney waiting to be treated at the hospital. In normal times, there would be wait at all.

old poet

Dang auto correct... vaccinated. Wish I had been valedictorian!😁😂🤣

paulrph1 Loc: Washington, Utah

A MASK IS NOT A MASK is not a mask. A Gaitor worn as mask is not a mask against Covid. A bandana worn as a mask is not effective against Covid. The holes are too large. Spend the $10 to save your life. You will have no regrets. Your answer shows part of the problems.

DIRTY HARRY Loc: Hartland, Michigan

The system I use is as good as a KN-95 mask. It's reusuable. I can replace the paper shop towel liner whenever I need to and wash the mask daily. My family is fully vaccinated and boosted plus the flu vaccine. This is NOT a Gaitor, it's NOT a bandana and has been approved by national doctors. My only problem now is those who will not vaccinate or use any kind of mask.