Putting this here:

The #Walgreens / #AegisSciences #covid data tracker is great.

https://www.walgreens.com/healthcare-solutions/covid-19-index

Consistent real world data. I'd trust the positivity rate on their site before the #CDC, which has been tampered with in a number of ways throughout the #pandemic so far.

> 20,000 tests given every week is a pretty good sized n set. If 33%+ getting tested are positive, I think it's pretty safe for me to "presume" that a good indication of what's going on with "people that show symptoms, even if they have "Not Covid".

I do not trust the CDC data post July 4 2022 at all. I think the Walgreens data is a good indicator of what's going on IMO. In conjunction with the CDC hospitalization numbers - which will be hard to tamper with - I think one can assess one's risk situation between the two.

Furthermore, in my armchair epidemiologist opinion, it confirms my pet theory that we now have two peak periods (in the U.S.):

Post July 4;
Post Christmas holidays.

Going forward into the Pretend World that will be codified by the POTUS on May 11, my thinking will be:

Mid December to February, July 4 until the end of August, is "#CovidSeason".

Between more than double the number of people apparently looking for tests at Walgreens, and the "official" CDC numbers, + hospitalization numbers, it's obvious it's a super risky time to being sharing air supplies.

ON THE OTHER HAND....

The Walgreens chart shows something interesting that the CDC numbers do not.

The positivity is steadily increasing.

I noticed anecdotally last week that I had a few days during my online #guitarlessons where basically *every student* I had was showing up onscreen holding tissue.

It was flabbergasting. I think it was last wednesday; my first two logged on blowing their nose... then the 3rd.. the 4th... on and on.

These are people who have Not Covid. They're not testing at all; if I said conservatively 33% actually had covid, and it appears that "almost everyone" was sick last week, is this a trend that we're headed to: an event whereby suddenly 50%+ of the population may be infected all at once?

I think we might be on the brink of the sociopath Virtual Herd Event. If the rate is actually closer to half the population - or when/if that occurs - maybe between the remnant marginal gains of the #vaccines and residual TEMPORARY - fleeting and probably <15% - "Pseudo Immunity" might combine to actually bring about a true lull in the rate?

I don't know. I wouldn't expect it to last. The Mythical Sociopath Herd Immunity Solution can only happen if EVERYBODY is immune all at the same time. Which I think variants may actually mutate into happening at some point, due to timing offset and infectivity duration/etc..

But it's not happening now, and that's a horrible thing to look at with a positive light.

Regardless, I implore people reading this to check out the link to Walgreen's site. I hate to send people to a corporate entity, but in this case I think it's a great thing we still have left.

https://www.walgreens.com/healthcare-solutions/covid-19-index