COVID-19/corona virus mega thread/prepping thread

[Ben]

The Army is "inviting back" soldiers that they kicked out for refusing vaccination. I'm guessing most of those soldiers have moved on by now. Though at least it appears that they can get "dishonorables" removed.

https://twitchy.com/amy-curtis/2023/11/17/win-for-the-good-guys-army-to-change-discharge-reason-and-invite-back-unvaccinated-troops-n2389908

[MechAg94]

The Army is "inviting back" soldiers that they kicked out for refusing vaccination. I'm guessing most of those soldiers have moved on by now. Though at least it appears that they can get "dishonorables" removed.

https://twitchy.com/amy-curtis/2023/11/17/win-for-the-good-guys-army-to-change-discharge-reason-and-invite-back-unvaccinated-troops-n2389908

I figure there might be some that were close to getting pension, etc.  They might be interested in getting back in.  I am curious if they could get at least some credit for the time in between but I doubt it. 

[MechAg94]

Some awesome trolling by Elon. 

https://twitter.com/i/status/1706676593261785178

I am glad that gets posted though.  Seems like there are people that want to say 100% protection was never claimed.  It absolutely was.

[dogmush]

The Army is "inviting back" soldiers that they kicked out for refusing vaccination. I'm guessing most of those soldiers have moved on by now. Though at least it appears that they can get "dishonorables" removed.

https://twitchy.com/amy-curtis/2023/11/17/win-for-the-good-guys-army-to-change-discharge-reason-and-invite-back-unvaccinated-troops-n2389908

Nobody got a Dishonorable Discharge for just refusing a vaccine.  It was "General Discharge under Honorable Circumstances " unless you did something else to violate UCMJ.

But from what I've heard from USAREC very few troops have come back.  Like under 100.

[WLJ]

Biden saving us AGAIN!

Every family is entitled to FREE Covid tests ahead of Thanksgiving gettogethers as part of $600million Biden project to prevent wave of cases
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12771065/free-covid-tests-biden-winter-wave.html

[BobR]

Nobody got a Dishonorable Discharge for just refusing a vaccine.  It was "General Discharge under Honorable Circumstances " unless you did something else to violate UCMJ.

But from what I've heard from USAREC very few troops have come back.  Like under 100.

I was under the impression that most, if not all, of them were given an RE-4 reenlistment code, not eligible for re-enlistment. Even if they wanted to go back in then the first step would be getting their records corrected and that is not an overnight process. I think TPTB that think those people who were separated for refusing the vaccine, which I am sure included people seeking religious exemption, will be beating down the door to rejoin are pissing in the wind.

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2023/11/20/us-army-soldiers-recruitment/



bob

[dogmush]

So it varied widely based on the branch of service, and I only got to look at the hard numbers for the Army Reserve, although I have it on decent authority that the Regular Army was similar.

USAR didn't disapprove any correctly applied for religious exemptions.  There was a memo that came out with instructions on how to request one, and if you followed those instructions, they were either approved, or no action taken (you got to stay as pending a decision) until the mandate was lifted.  Medical exemtipons were a little different, but the TLDR was if your doc agreed with you, you got the exemption.  I know a couple folks that Twitter told them they should get an exemption for whatever ailment they thought they had, but the doctor's didn't agree, and it was denied.  Interestingly enough, at least in the USAR (where we tend to be a little older and more broke) the process of going to the military doc and claiming all your woes to try and get a medal exemption often triggered a medical fitness board that resulted in medical discharge.

The soldiers that actually got discharged (rather than medically separated or retired) were the ones that just said "No, You can't make me", and refused to follow any of the processes to request an exemption.  Partially because that was quicker, and partially because they can, in fact, make you those soldiers actually got processed out on General Discharges before the policy was paused, and later reversed.  All of those that I saw were article 92 violations (Failure to obey a lawful General Order), and yes they normally included a bar to reenlistment.  You are also correct that the process to remove that bar takes a little time, but not a ton.  Think weeks not months in most cases.

You are also correct that the vast majority of those soldiers have no intention of coming back.  They are done. There are perhaps some Regular Army folks that were close enough to retirement that coming back for a year or two makes sense, but like I said in the post you quoted, USAREC is saying very few are coming back.

Rumor mill is that the USMC and Navy were much more dickish about the whole thing, and more of them might have gotten shafted.

[WLJ]

Meanwhile panic in China

Alarming footage shows mask-wearing crowds inside a Chinese hospital amid fears over a mystery pneumonia sweeping the country.

Beijing insists a new virus is not to blame for scenes of chaos, which have prompted officials to encourage residents to don coverings, socially distance and stay home if unwell.

Instead, health chiefs have pinned the rise on flu and other routine bugs, with China now battling its first full winter without a Covid-induced lockdown.

Local media has reported health facilities as being 'overwhelmed with sick children'.

However, China's health ministry claims it can cope with the spike in sickness, which sparked global panic last week when news of the situation emerged.

Footage shows mask-wearing crowds piling into an 'overwhelmed' Beijing hospital amid fears over mystery pneumonia sweeping country - but China insists flu and usual winter bugs are to blame, NOT a new virus
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12794953/China-says-FLU-known-viruses-blame-mystery-wave-pneumonia-overwhelming-hospitals.html

[RocketMan]

Interesting turn of phrase in the story:  "...with China now battling its first full winter without a Covid-induced lockdown."  Why is there being no covid lockdown a "battle"?

[K Frame]

Why? Because China is communist.

And communism requires continuous battling, striving, and revolution

[Perd Hapley]

China is assuring us there's no new virus. Sounds familiar...

[MechAg94]

China is assuring us there's no new virus. Sounds familiar...

To be honest, I think I might prefer the US Govt to "assure us" there is no new virus also.  The alternative is trying to push for lock downs, mandate masks, and anything else that is oppressive, but doesn't help with the virus. 

[WLJ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G12kp2bslqk

[Perd Hapley]

To be honest, I think I might prefer the US Govt to "assure us" there is no new virus also.  The alternative is trying to push for lock downs, mandate masks, and anything else that is oppressive, but doesn't help with the virus.

What I mean is that 4 years ago they refused to say anything about their new virus until after it went, ya know, viral.

[WLJ]

Cue the panic

An 'extremely high' number of children are being diagnosed with pneumonia in Ohio — which is now the first US state to report an outbreak like the one in China.

Health officials in Warren County, 30 miles north of Cincinnati, said there have been 142 pediatric cases of the condition — dubbed 'white lung syndrome' — since August.

'Not only is this above the county average, it also meets the Ohio Department of Health definition of an outbreak,' the county's health department said Wednesday.

The spread of cases has raised fears that an American outbreak of the infection that has overwhelmed hospitals China could hit this winter. Several European countries are battling similar crises

.

Or not

But a source at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that,  nationally, 'nothing is out of the ordinary'.

An 'ongoing investigation' is underway in Ohio into what is triggering the wave of illness, but officials do not think it is a new respiratory disease — and instead blame a mixture of several common infections all hitting at once.

Mystery wave of pneumonia hits AMERICA: Ohio county records 142 child cases of 'white lung syndrome' which it says 'meets the definition of an outbreak' -  as China and Europe grapple with crises
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12809869/us-child-pneumonia-outbreak-extremely-high-cases.html

[charby]

A little snooping around and it looks like it may be from mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria, usually causes walking pneumonia but this outbreak looks pretty aggressive in young people. IIRC some strains of mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria is fairly resistant to many common antibiotics.

I guess wait for more news if it starts aggressively spreading around the world.

[WLJ]

But wait, there's more

Now MASSACHUSETTS says it's being hit by wave of 'white lung' pneumonia in children as Ohio county issues similar warning - after China and Europe saw surge in cases and hospitalizations
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12809869/us-child-pneumonia-outbreak-extremely-high-cases.html

Is this going to be our election virus?

[WLJ]

And this just in

    People who followed COVID recommendations more likely to have mental health issues now https://t.co/ClBgM33qFU
    — The Messenger (@TheMessenger) November 29, 2023

This is my shocked face

You Don't Say: Study Shows Increased Mental Health Issues In People Who Obeyed COVID Measures
https://twitchy.com/grateful-calvin/2023/11/30/you-dont-say-study-shows-increased-mental-health-issues-in-people-who-obeyed-covid-measures-n2390329

[Bogie]

I've seen a few people wearing masks lately.
 
Predominantly folks who watch too much television. Poor, minority, do what the man says...
 
Virtue signaling - college students. Greatest percentage appears to be Chinese, second are hipsters who get upset when I don't have the part to their 2023 OddballMobile... .
 
Warrants, or avoidance of same. The folks who chunked a piece of pavement through the store's front door the other night were wearing masks. They did several other businesses the same night.

[MillCreek]

Masking returns to some western Washington healthcare systems:

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/some-wa-hospitals-bring-back-indoor-masking-with-flu-rsv-on-the-rise/

Not due to COVID, however.  Flu and RSV is on the rise.

[WLJ]

Greatest percentage appears to be Chinese,

Wearing masks has long been common in many East Asian countries. In Japan it's quite common for a sick person to be the one wearing a mask.

[Ben]

Wearing masks has long been common in many East Asian countries. In Japan it's quite common for a sick person to be the one wearing a mask.

I always thought this was a good idea, including in the pre-covid times. At least in enclosed areas, which, if you're that sick, the only enclosed public area you should be visiting is the doctor. I get incredibly irritated going to the doctor for the annual checkup or some non-illness thing, and being surrounded by sneezing, coughing germ factories.

Don't even get me started on the idiots that (with fed.gov sick leave and work from home opportunities) always came into work sick as dogs because they thought they were that invaluable.

[dogmush]

Or come into work with the plague so they can save their sick time/because they used their sick time on Mondays they were hung over or had Anal Glaucoma.

[Ben]

Or come into work with the plague so they can save their sick time/because they used their sick time on Mondays

Heh. I had a girlfriend who was a General Counsel attorney in DC, and she thought calling in sick every Monday was part of her job. 

[WLJ]

I always thought this was a good idea, including in the pre-covid times. At least in enclosed areas, which, if you're that sick, the only enclosed public area you should be visiting is the doctor. I get incredibly irritated going to the doctor for the annual checkup or some non-illness thing, and being surrounded by sneezing, coughing germ factories.

Yeah, go sit in your doctor's office waiting room for 2 hours waiting for a checkup surrounded by coughing wheezing people then come back a few days later coughing and wheezing with who knows what.