I haven't done mainstream social media in years, other than having work accounts where I have to log in and create API keys for things I need to work on. But I'm thinking that a lot of those feeds can be blocked with ad blockers. You can essentially right-click an item, choose "Block element..." (if using uBlock Origin), then adjust the sliders until the offending block is eliminated. I have an easy time of it because I know what to look for with the sliders, or selecting from the list of code to block, but I've easily blocked many annoying things that aren't exactly ads.
I'm a bit..divided?.. about the way the current situation is being discussed in the media as I feel they're addicted to alarm .....
Addicted to it indeed. They must feel that working us into a panic keeps us hungry for more news, to keep
us addicted. And they know many readers will take their own opinions, for or against, and plaster them on social media. Which makes things even worse.
And that's not to say we may have an alarmist or two in high places in the government, adding fuel to the fire.
Cases are going up because its getting warmer, and people are getting lax.
That and the college kids all partying for St. Patrick's Day. I just read an article yesterday how we're now about the right time away from March 17th (nearly two weeks) and shows pictures of them partying (without a mask in sight) that has caused a surge here. The 20-29 age group is the largest one with current infections. And I can even circle back around to the, um, polarization--the counties to the north of us (in the "thumb") who, let's say, voted a certain way are the counties that are seeing big spikes in cases. (The news site mlive.com was the source.) I don't feel that is a coincidence--the virus doesn't care which way a person leans on the political spectrum. But the split is between those who take precautions vs. those who would rather take their chances of catching this "flu" and throw caution to the wind.
"The briefing note outlines that the variants are associated with a more than 60 per cent increased risk of hospitalization, a doubled risk of admission to intensive care, and a 56 per cent increased risk of death."
I know our death rates are dropping for now. However, what I fear a little are variants. Not the variants we have now, but any virus will mutate over time, and COVID has lived up to that expectation already. What's to say something far more deadly doesn't mutate out of the variants circulating right now? That is why it is even more important to take precautions now, limited exposure and get vaccinated. The more cases out there, the more chances this thing has to mutate. So while the death rate is dropping, just having more people get infected increases that risk of new mutations.
But I'm not losing sleep over it.
We'll definitely need boosters, and I'm OK with that. I'll have a booster every year or two and feel funny for 24 hours if it keeps me out of the hospital or the pine box. Everyone in my close circles is getting vaccinated and taking precautions, so things are definitely looking more positive now.