Uruguay to close schools as paediatric care nears 'collapse'

[Mij]

Breaking: Uruguay is closing schools and colleges to avoid the possible collapse of paediatric emergency care as authorities say "many children are in ICU" with respiratory illnessess

https://ko-fi.com/Post/Uruguay-to-close-schools-as-paediatric-care-nears-Q5Q0MR31K

 

[Trish]

As we saw in the west, the lie of immunity debt – the idea that lack of contact with viruses has weakened immune systems - is being pushed as an explanation for the situation in South America. Medical experts say there is no such thing. Yet it remains the most comforting explanation for many. The alternative – covid is doing irreparable harm to our bodies and we’re never going to be well again – is too frightening. The myth retains its coddling power despite there having been no lockdowns, no social distancing, no restrictions on mixing and no masks for almost two years in most places.

My bolding.

And in the UK teachers sickness absence levels are very high, due to being in classrooms all day with sick kids.

 

[Mij]

Some media outlets in Canada are still referring to it as a 'mystery illness'.

 

[rvallee]

One of the most monstrous aspects of herd immunity moderated by vaccination is the fact that much of the world never had access to vaccines. It's such a mindlessly egocentric perspective, one that clearly says "I and my family will be fine, and that is all I really care about".

Double monstrosity that it comes from people whose job it is to think about this, from infectious disease doctors and public health officers. And so much of what ID specialists have to think about is exactly that, how poorer countries have to deal with much higher risk factors, a lot of their usual work is about exactly that and concentrated in the tropics, and they just threw it all out the window for plastic smiles and brunches.

And wow will it bite everyone in the ass when what little immunity those vaccines conferred will be gone with the combination of waning efficacy and variants moving too far away from what the vaccines can protect against. It's made so much worse by how it's common knowledge that a vaccine for the flu is so difficult precisely because it has to target the main variant going around at the peak of the season.

We really are a species expert at kicking ourselves in the balls.