(Jan 18, 2022 06:17 PM)confused2 Wrote: Main point of the OP is viruses evolve randomly rather than to become less virulent.
Since no one has claimed otherwise, the OP is attacking a straw man. Some diseases do become less virulent, sometimes in tandem with becoming more transmissible. Now, plenty of people have said that our greatest hope is that COVID becomes less virulent, and just endemic, like the flu. But no one denies that the flu still kills tens of thousands of people, in the US alone, every year. The flu found it's niche in which to survive.
Considering the lack of vaccine efficacy for Omicron, it's even possible that it evolved to evade previous vaccines. That would be a win for vaccine proponents (except they are no longer effective) and a win for those hoping it to become less virulent (which should be everyone).
Quote:Omicron being more/less virulent doesn't prove or disprove the proposition - it is a red herring.
Omicron, becoming the dominate variant (and if it's as minimally virulent as all evidence currently suggests), could definitely indicate the direction in which the virus is evolving...randomly, without any predetermined direction toward less virulence.
An Omicron oddity: The number of cases doesn’t predict the number of deaths
Looking at daily death rates in the U.K. from May 15 — essentially from the point at which the Delta wave began — to Sept. 15, there is a highly statistically significant relationship between daily new cases and deaths. In short, case rates accurately predict death rates.
But beginning the analysis on Sept. 15, coinciding with flattening of the Delta curve and the onset of Omicron, shows no statistical relationship between Covid-19 case rates and deaths.
In earlier waves, rising death rates would follow an increase in cases; the impact of rising cases on death rates could be seen visually and validated statistically. Deaths would follow cases upward, and peak roughly two to three weeks after new cases began trending downward. With Omicron, however, we not only don’t see the rise in death rates that were associated with the first waves, but we actually see a continuing decline in death rates, despite a radical increase in cases.
https://www.statnews.com/2021/12/22/omic...ct-deaths/
People shouldn't mistake wishful thinking for definitive scientific claims, like the OP seems to be doing.
Quote:Syne Wrote:And let's not forget the anti-vax sentiments for the same vaccine developed under Trump, that they now laud.
Apparently some people now in favour of vaccination were suspicious of anything involving Trump.
Yes, many Democrats were skeptical and fearmongering of any vaccine developed under Trump. The exact same vaccines they demand people take..or else.
Quote:Edit:I've added 'Personality'
Let's list some of Trump's qualities:
1/ Educated
2/ Sane
3/ Personality
4/ Intelligent
5/ Integrity
Yes, let's.
1. Regardless of any formal education, Trump has a lifetime of proven ability, even if only as a consummate flimflam man.
2. Has narcissism been defined as insanity? If so, Obama was no better.
3. He seemed like a funny and affable guy with an ability to lead and inspire others...if you're not a pearl-clutching pussy.
4. IQ obviously isn't the sole measure of success.
5. Well, he's been to only president in recent history to make good on so many of his campaign promises.
Quote:I have no opinion but anyone with any doubts about Trump's ESPII score would probably tend to avoid a vaccine developed under him. Syne's opinion of other people's opinion of Trump's ESPII score looks like a red herring to me.
Compared to Joe Biden, who is obviously suffering from mental deterioration. So we have to either believe that people were put at ease by someone who's obviously senile, most those people haven't paid enough attention to even be aware of Joe's mental state, or they've just been duped this whole time by Democrats playing politics.
Quote:Creationists probably think 'others' have a fail in the ESPII department and vice versa. Possibly a herring but I'm not sure what colour it would be.
We've got very good at keeping people with covid alive so the argument that it would evolve to be non-fatal doesn't apply at this stage - even if were a valid argument in the first place. Another red herring.
Now you're just being an ignorant troll. I've cited plenty of legit info for you to know better, if you could be bothered.