Well, we all know that covid is still around. Hell, one of my relatives caught it again this month.

But try to find news, let alone accurate news? Nope.

I have come to rant and vent.

So back in 2023, I took a Royal Caribbean cruise to New Zealand. My partner and myself were vax'd, took masks, testing kits and hand sanitizer. When I got on the cruise, I used the in room TV to look up what they had for bio sec.
New ventilation system to refresh the air in rooms every 12 min, and every 20 min in main areas.
Hand washing stations before dining room.
If you had any flu symptoms you had to report to the sick bay or risk dis-embarkment.
Then day 1, I see 2 couples with obvious symptoms (which staff and crew saw. walked past and did nothing), and the hand washing station staff leaving their post often, and passengers would be rushing in because I guess washing your hands is just too much of a hassle.
Day 3 we reach Freemantle and on our return bus trip, the sick couple sat behind us and coughed all over us.
It was Omicron for sure.
I was down by day 5. I tested myself and yep, covid. My partner lasted 2 more days. Then the whole ship went down. That couple had plagued us all. Corridors filled with dirty dishes as most of the staff were sick.
Anyway, when I got home, and rang for a refund only for the 6 days I was sick, not even for the whole cruise. I explained my reason was that they had failed to keep their Biosecurity protocols, and thus I was due a refund.
They of course refused.

So, why do I cruise. Well back in 2014, I missed my flu vax due to a death in the family. I was distracted and did not think missing one year would matter. And then an a-hole brought the flu to work. I got sick and then developed CFS. I am now TPD (total permanent disability)
I liked to cruise as I could rest when needed to reduce the fatigue from my CFS.

NOW the reason for my rant.
I wanted to take a repositioning cruise to LA from Sydney. Cunard Line on the Queen Anne.
Afternoon tea every day with scones and little sandwiches!
So I ring Cunard line, tell them my story and ask about their Biosec.
To which I was informed "We are no longer in the covid era, and it is not seen as a threat. We just treat it like the flu, we offer no refunds. We no longer have any anti covid procedures."

Just treat it like the flu, you know, a dangerous virus that inflicted me with CFS.
Fecking shite. Gawd I wish that every damn person that downplays covid and the flu could face the true reality of its impact. Maybe CFS or Long Covid would help change their opinion on them as just being a little flu.

Vent over.

"What is the respiratory virus going around right now? Is it COVID, the flu, or something else?"
My school has had around 50% of the students out sick for the last week, and I know multiple schools were on outbreak status. My mother's hospital unit is on a breakout status due to a respiratory illness as well. They wouldn't be specific as to what it was - just respiratory. I'm curious if anyone knows what it is that seems to be spreading through the city?

Seems normal and sustainable.

From Your Local Epidemiologist’s newsletter this week:

•Influenza-like illnesses—coughs, fevers, and sore throats—are on the rise across the country, with particularly high levels in New York, New Jersey, Colorado, and Louisiana. Soon, much of the map will be lit up in red/purple with very high rates. This increase is mostly driven by the flu, which is already making the rounds. Unfortunately, two more pediatric flu deaths were reported this week.

•Covid-19 levels are still relatively low nationwide but are slowly creeping up, especially in the Northeast and Midwest. Based on patterns from the past five years, Covid usually peaks in the first week of January. This year, the wave may arrive a bit later than usual.

•RSV is also rising, but the season appears to be milder than in previous years. According to the Center for Forecasting Analytics (CFA), hospitalizations from flu, Covid-19, and RSV combined are expected to be roughly the same as last year. The new flu variant may make this season feel heavier, but the mild RSV season and low Covid levels are good news.

•What this means for you: There are a lot of sick people peppered throughout the nation. Travel and indoor gatherings will accelerate the spread of all viruses.

Since this is a vent thread I just need to get this off my chest. Some family friends lost their adult son recently. I'm sad for them because they are basically sweet people, but it's hard to have sympathy because they are RFK Jr. lovers and I'm sure have fallen for horrible misinformation.

From what I heard he died of "sepsis" and had been on a ventilator before he passed away. Looked up whether covid-19 leads to sepsis, and of course it does. So my assumption is that he got covid-19 and they just didn't want to admit that. This was shortly after Thanksgiving which would have been a prime time to come down with it. I don't know for sure but I don't know what else to think.

Dude probably didn't need to die if he and those around him just took public health a little more seriously. I'm tired man.