Back to Where We Started

A new report about the Delta variant from the CDC demonstrates how dangerous it is. My key takeaways from this summary:

1. 

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   "One chart shows that it could be as contagious as chicken pox — which is one of the more transmissible viruses out there. It spreads more easily than the common cold, the 1918 flu and small pox."
2. "It also says that in addition to being more contagious, the delta variant likely increases the risk of severe disease and hospitalization, compared to the original strain."
3. "Vaccinated people are just as contagious as unvaccinated people when it comes to the delta variant. With previous strains, vaccinated people who became infected with the coronavirus had much lower levels of virus, meaning they were less contagious."

So basically, thanks to people who didn't want to get the vaccine (or follow any of the other guidelines that could have slowed the spread of this thing), it's out of control again and we're back where we started last year 🙄

Some cities and even the federal government are about to mandate that employees either get vaccinated or submit to regular testing. Of course, antivaxxers interpret this as "get vaccinated or lose your job." In the comments of a Facebook connection's post, somebody wrote, "They are forcing people to get vaccinated or they will no longer have a job. For example, if you don't get the vaccine, you will need to do a weekly COVID test proving you're negative in order to work." ...Where in that did it say they would lose their job? 

Stories and interviews keep coming out with people who have gotten really badly sick and suddenly regretted not getting vaccinated, but it was too late. I just watched this one yesterday, where the woman is wearing oxygen and urging everyone to get vaccinated now ... It's just too bad that this is on CNN, and not one of the networks watched by the people who really need to hear this message. (Also, she said she didn't get the vaccine because it hasn't been around for that long. You know what hasn't been around much longer? COVID.)

We've made plans for a short, 2-night trip in a few weeks. Besides our hotel room, we will be outdoors only - we're even planning on getting takeout food and eating outside or worst case in our room. If you'd asked me about it a month ago I would have felt really confident about going, but now I'm already thinking we might have to cancel it 😕

Deja Vu

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We're in a weird space right now where reopening activities are still moving forward, but infections are going back up and some things are actually shutting back down or re-imposing restrictions. The CDC apparently is about to recommend that vaccinated people go back to wearing masks indoors (we've never stopped - though I'm pretty comfortable with being maskless outdoors right now). 

It kind of feels like it did last March, when places individually made the decision on whether to modify or close their operations. Except this time we know more what to expect, because we've already been through it once... My office was planning to reopen in a few weeks, pending the local metrics on vaccinations, infections, etc. Right now, we're not on track to meet those goals, so all the reopening plans are out the window, or at least on hold.

A lot of the daily newsletters and things I subscribed to "ramped down" or ended their service .. I wonder if they're going to bring them back...

It's Not Over

For the last few weeks, things have been almost back to normal. Most places are back to full capacity, no masks or distancing required. Concerts and sporting events have been held. Even though I'm still wearing a mask indoors, I am pretty comfortable being maskless with others outdoors and have attended a couple brief and small get-togethers. But we keep hearing that COVID is still spreading through unvaccinated populations .. and then of course they can spread it to that small percentage of vaccinated people who can also contract the disease. Something like 99% of people in hospitals are unvaccinated. Areas with low vaccination rates are opening up their hospital COVID wards again. 

Today I got a notification that Covid Act Now had downgraded my county from low risk back to medium risk. I'm not sure why or what changed, as our area has a pretty high vaccination rate and I just read that our state was one of only 11 last week where cases decreased.

It's also kind of upsetting to see that people are no longer enforcing mask wearing for kids. The rule is still that if you're not vaccinated, you need to wear a mask, and with children it's very obvious because no vaccine is approved for kids under 12 yet in the US. But many parents seem to be acting like if they don't have to wear a mask, neither do their kids..? There's a local TV personality here who famously adopted a child a few years ago, and they just announced that the child is sick with COVID .. I believe after spending a holiday or summer vacation with a bunch of family members. Maybe as this story is publicized, people will reconsider allowing their kids to go maskless..?