> Omicron is likely a much more effective inoculation against covid than the vaccines
That is my supposition too, based more on hope than facts.
> Omicron itself might be the biggest help we have.
I have come to that conclusion as well.
> Vaccines aren't helping. Masks and social distancing aren't helping.
This I don't agree with. Vaccines reduce the severity of an infection, and so the risk of hospitalisation, whether you are vulnerable or not. I'm confident that wearing a mask reduces the risk of transmitting the virus. And keeping your distance really can't hurt - the closer you get to someone who's transmitting, the more likely you are to catch it. That seems obvious. Maskless wonders going into supermarkets with clear signage on the door saying "MASKS MUST BE WORN" piss me off.
I agree about the vaccines. I misstated. I should have said "vaccines don't stop (or apparently slow) the spread of the omicron strain".
Vaccines do help reduce the severity of symptoms, though.
I guess my issue is that a lot of public policy was created when we thought we could eliminate the virus. Then it switched to "everyone is going to get it (once?) We just need to slow the spread."
Barring some technological breakthrough, we're going to get it. Then get it again, and again. It is a new influenza. That's our reality. Let's base our public policy on that.
That is my supposition too, based more on hope than facts.
> Omicron itself might be the biggest help we have.
I have come to that conclusion as well.
> Vaccines aren't helping. Masks and social distancing aren't helping.
This I don't agree with. Vaccines reduce the severity of an infection, and so the risk of hospitalisation, whether you are vulnerable or not. I'm confident that wearing a mask reduces the risk of transmitting the virus. And keeping your distance really can't hurt - the closer you get to someone who's transmitting, the more likely you are to catch it. That seems obvious. Maskless wonders going into supermarkets with clear signage on the door saying "MASKS MUST BE WORN" piss me off.