ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA

I'm out in the wild (not really, just wildlife preserves and parks) often but should I continue? Should you?
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/11/10/1054224204/how-sars-cov-2-in-american-deer-could-alter-the-course-of-the-global-pandemic

pego101

Lol

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Maybe they should have called it Andromeda.

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

OMG, Covid infected deer. We need to immediately get them masked . I have two lists. Things to worry about--it has no entries. Things to accomplish--get a good night's sleep.

pego101

Mail in ballots for midterms

srg

I'm sure we have enough gun loving Bambi haters on this site to stop this problem dead in its tracks. We should all get together and do a massive "harvesting" Put me on the list as I am a Lyme Disease hater also.

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

The virus has spread to a number of different wild animals species, and that is in line with how it spread from animals to humans in the first place (as in there was no need for it to have been engineered in a lab, btw). That it is widespread in deer is concerning, of course, especially since it could also jump to livestock and so into our main food supply. I have no idea if that will be dangerous or not.
As for risks from being out in nature where there are deer -- it should be safe so long as you don't pet the wildlife. I don't know about hunting or eating them.
We will probably never be rid of this damn thing, but that would be the case even if it never jumped back to animals from humans. As this virus changes, it is reasonable to hope that it evolves to become more and more benign. There is a tendency for natural selection in viruses to work in that direction because it is of the greatest benefit for the virus. But this will take time.

ELNikkor

There needs to be a new mandate from Washington: "All deer hunters must shoot 10 deer with vaccine darts..."

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Bambi haters?????

Do you eat pork? Hate pigs?
Do you eat burgers or steaks? Hate cows?
Do you eat veal? Hate lamb?
Do you eat founder, haddock, or trout? Hate fish?

I love Bambi.

Any more double standards?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Zoo animals and wild animals have come up with Covid and similar things, it happens and often spread animal to animal.
You cannot avoid contact with all living things. So be reasonable, take normal precautions and remember unless you have close contact the open outdoors is the hardest place for any illness or disease to spread. (Hint=Sun Light is a great virus/germ killer.) Not even the packed football stadiums have produced any outbreaks like the alarmists predicted, at least not yet. (Go away Mr Murphy, nothing of interest here.)

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

In many areas the deer are over populated and that makes the spread of disease easier. Also more malnutrition, getting hit by cars etc.
One case I read of a large park that had about 3 times the carrying capacity of deer due to a few years of really good food supply and the lack of predators. The park people wanted to have a special hunt to thin the herd by at least 50% but the Nature Extremists brought political pressure and killed the idea. Then the cycle of abundant food years ended and over a three year period malnutrition, starvation and more than one disease killed over 90% of the deer in the park. And their deaths were a hell of a lot worse than being shot and becoming food. Plus many of the remaining deer actually had to be trapped and euthanized by wildlife department veterinarians since they were now disease carriers and in poor health to the point of suffering. Over the last year or so I keep seeing "trail cam" photos of diseased deer in many places around the country on the net - it is happening again and in more places.

In re natural selection in virus mutations - a lot of experts believe that the literally hundreds of viruses that cause the common cold around the world were all like Covid and its relatives at some point in history.
Hey Folks, History Teacher Here - History is more than your memory or even your school history book! It goes back millions/billions of years and even for humans and our near relatives it is over a million. Not just to your birthday.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Who wants to star in a bad futuristic movie?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Crab, scallops, oysters, chicken, .......


Carrot killer?
Poor asparagus.
Yea, yea, you don't kill it, the farmers and butchers do.

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

Interesting coincidence? My fully vaccinated cousin texted yesterday that he was sick for three days after eating a venison stew.