No, you can't tell anyone who's had a shot than one who hasn't. Especially in states with lower infection rates (like Maine, where I am) and NH-but there are places here where the numbers are going up, again-alas.
Because we're only 68% vaccinated in this state, and nearly all of the elders are.
But we have tourists from other states like Florida who might just be not vaccinated, or they're carrying the virus and I can't tell. I dread tourist season every year.
What I've noticed is that within the last 2 weeks is that I've been selling a shit ton of the home Covid testing kits and sometimes in multiple lots; my employer just mandated all employees must wear masks when on duty or be written up, and I'm pretty sure they're going to be requiring vaccinations by everyone in the company as well very shortly.
I was once told that wouldn't happen, but things change and shit happens.
As for long term, I think it will not ever be suppressed completely, because we still have a lot of stupid people in this country. We'll have to live with getting pneumonia, flu and Covid shots every single year because that's the only way we can survive with so many people who demand their 'freedom' from masks.
Oh, masks will be required once fall sets in-indoor settings. Don't be surprised if the government, private companies, airlines and other transportation companies will require masks and proof of vaccinations every time you travel anywhere-permanently. This is almost a given, now.
Next time the vote comes around, vote out all the Republicans available on the ballot-if it weren't for them, we'd not be in this dire situation. Every level, every job. They're the death cult now for sure.
We only got rid of the chief death monger-Trump. Now we have to take the rest of the trash out.
I don’t hear a lot of people talking about the lack of vaccines throughout the world. My gut tells me that until good quality vaccines are available to EVERYONE in EVERY Country in the Entire World, this virus is going to keep circulating and mutating. The fact that EVERYONE in our country has the opportunity to get a good quality vaccine but some refuse to do so, is absolutely SHAMEFUL!
To state the obvious, the insanity begins with Trump. Arguably, thousands of lives could have been saved if he simply told his lemmings to get vaccinated. By the way, we all know that the cause of the recent surge is attributed to illegal immigrants. Wow. The sociopath has not boundaries.
This outcome--that there would be variants of COVID19 forever--was well known. We will be getting yearly shots for COVID-19 variants just like the seasonal flu shots forever. In about 3 years or so, medical science will have a clear, definitive way to treat covid-19 patients. So, the risk level will go down. But, it is with us forever.
Fwiw, I was impressed by this NPR story about how the Provincetown outbreak was recognized and tracked so fast that it led to a rapid revision of What We Know about Covid-19 (esp. Delta) and CDC recommendations. The gay community (which learned in the 1980s to take epidemics and public health very, very seriously) kicked into high gear and made a difference. This is what responsibility looks like. I hope the concept goes viral! https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/08/06/1025553638/how-a-gay-community-helped-the-cdc-spot-a-covid-outbreak-and-learn-more-about-de
Thank you for sharing. I somehow doubt that this response of responsibility will be at play in Sturgis where an anticipated 700,000 bikers are gathering now. I shudder to think about the outcome of that gathering.
No kidding. I still remember a map I saw after last year's Sturgis rally, of where participants went when they left South Dakota. Answer? All over the country. If you were looking for guidance on how to spread a contagious disease, that's what the map looked like. (P.S. Supposedly I'm very distantly related to Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis, for whom this and several other towns are named. His main claim to fame is that "but for a simple twist of fate" he, as commander of the 7th Cavalry, might have led the expedition to the Little Big Horn. One of his sons was killed there. Probably TMI but I keep getting asked about the Sturgis thing.)
When I noticed your name, I felt a certain reluctance to reply - but I'm so glad I did! I didn't see that map, but when I heard of the HUGE number of participants anticipated this year, I was shocked. You're right - they're bikers and they bike everywhere! What is seldom mentioned about their gatherings is that it's not so much the actual outdoor biking that's the problem, it's the shoulder to shoulder bar events and other social gatherings where those sweaty bodies are packed together like a bunch of tatted sardines.
Climate change will be bringing worse things along—ticks as vectors, yellow fever (not new to the southern states but once eliminated by DDT); Zika, west Nile are already lurking (and killing)… I like reader remark about Pandora’s Box.
My trial limbo living begins this week when I descend to the bowels of southern KY for a caving/ camping trip. No visits to southern fried home cooking restaurants, a drop in to Renfro Valley or a small town business. Always enjoyed enriching the local economies, and gaining insight into the social attitudes of these sometimes hardscrabble areas. No more. Our governor daily tried to hammer into the hard heads of much of our population that we could beat this if we all worked together following reasonable precautions and vaxxing when it became available. I'm astonished at the ignorant resistance of too many in our state.
Lucian, Alwayhs intelligent, well-informed, a column I rely on for the truth. Thank you. When I had the ethics column, which was once a mont, I used to come away from it exhausted.
It's keeping up with this COVID shit that's exhausting. The story changes nearly every day, which is great for getting columns out of it, but I've got to pay close attention to a whole bunch of boring data to do it. Also, pay attention to a bunch of contemptible fools, which is even less fun.
Impressive writing and research. We are screwed. For a while. Perhaps a year or several years will be needed. I am just accepting that as a fact. These Covid Germs are not going away soon. That is medically impossible until we get "The Herd" we keep hearing about - assuming that will work....
I live in a rural area in Pennsylvania where the vaccination rate is low, as is the infection rate. Locals like to claim that their natural immune systems are stronger but from my point of view the large Amish population is protected by relative isolation and at risk for biweekly meetings to become superspreader events if one of the men who "work away" gets infected. Those of us who have jobs in the larger boroughs tend to be vaccinated either because our employers are beginning to require it or because it was convenient. And the university just re-instituted a requirement for masking indoors (of course the people with private offices are permitted to unmask behind closed doors.)
I expect there to be an outbreak but it's unpredictable.
No, you can't tell anyone who's had a shot than one who hasn't. Especially in states with lower infection rates (like Maine, where I am) and NH-but there are places here where the numbers are going up, again-alas.
Because we're only 68% vaccinated in this state, and nearly all of the elders are.
But we have tourists from other states like Florida who might just be not vaccinated, or they're carrying the virus and I can't tell. I dread tourist season every year.
What I've noticed is that within the last 2 weeks is that I've been selling a shit ton of the home Covid testing kits and sometimes in multiple lots; my employer just mandated all employees must wear masks when on duty or be written up, and I'm pretty sure they're going to be requiring vaccinations by everyone in the company as well very shortly.
I was once told that wouldn't happen, but things change and shit happens.
As for long term, I think it will not ever be suppressed completely, because we still have a lot of stupid people in this country. We'll have to live with getting pneumonia, flu and Covid shots every single year because that's the only way we can survive with so many people who demand their 'freedom' from masks.
Oh, masks will be required once fall sets in-indoor settings. Don't be surprised if the government, private companies, airlines and other transportation companies will require masks and proof of vaccinations every time you travel anywhere-permanently. This is almost a given, now.
Next time the vote comes around, vote out all the Republicans available on the ballot-if it weren't for them, we'd not be in this dire situation. Every level, every job. They're the death cult now for sure.
We only got rid of the chief death monger-Trump. Now we have to take the rest of the trash out.
I don’t hear a lot of people talking about the lack of vaccines throughout the world. My gut tells me that until good quality vaccines are available to EVERYONE in EVERY Country in the Entire World, this virus is going to keep circulating and mutating. The fact that EVERYONE in our country has the opportunity to get a good quality vaccine but some refuse to do so, is absolutely SHAMEFUL!
To state the obvious, the insanity begins with Trump. Arguably, thousands of lives could have been saved if he simply told his lemmings to get vaccinated. By the way, we all know that the cause of the recent surge is attributed to illegal immigrants. Wow. The sociopath has not boundaries.
This outcome--that there would be variants of COVID19 forever--was well known. We will be getting yearly shots for COVID-19 variants just like the seasonal flu shots forever. In about 3 years or so, medical science will have a clear, definitive way to treat covid-19 patients. So, the risk level will go down. But, it is with us forever.
Exactly.
Fwiw, I was impressed by this NPR story about how the Provincetown outbreak was recognized and tracked so fast that it led to a rapid revision of What We Know about Covid-19 (esp. Delta) and CDC recommendations. The gay community (which learned in the 1980s to take epidemics and public health very, very seriously) kicked into high gear and made a difference. This is what responsibility looks like. I hope the concept goes viral! https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/08/06/1025553638/how-a-gay-community-helped-the-cdc-spot-a-covid-outbreak-and-learn-more-about-de
Excellent article. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for sharing. I somehow doubt that this response of responsibility will be at play in Sturgis where an anticipated 700,000 bikers are gathering now. I shudder to think about the outcome of that gathering.
No kidding. I still remember a map I saw after last year's Sturgis rally, of where participants went when they left South Dakota. Answer? All over the country. If you were looking for guidance on how to spread a contagious disease, that's what the map looked like. (P.S. Supposedly I'm very distantly related to Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis, for whom this and several other towns are named. His main claim to fame is that "but for a simple twist of fate" he, as commander of the 7th Cavalry, might have led the expedition to the Little Big Horn. One of his sons was killed there. Probably TMI but I keep getting asked about the Sturgis thing.)
When I noticed your name, I felt a certain reluctance to reply - but I'm so glad I did! I didn't see that map, but when I heard of the HUGE number of participants anticipated this year, I was shocked. You're right - they're bikers and they bike everywhere! What is seldom mentioned about their gatherings is that it's not so much the actual outdoor biking that's the problem, it's the shoulder to shoulder bar events and other social gatherings where those sweaty bodies are packed together like a bunch of tatted sardines.
Which is exactly why the Provincetown 4th of July cluster happened -- with a lot fewer people.
Climate change will be bringing worse things along—ticks as vectors, yellow fever (not new to the southern states but once eliminated by DDT); Zika, west Nile are already lurking (and killing)… I like reader remark about Pandora’s Box.
My trial limbo living begins this week when I descend to the bowels of southern KY for a caving/ camping trip. No visits to southern fried home cooking restaurants, a drop in to Renfro Valley or a small town business. Always enjoyed enriching the local economies, and gaining insight into the social attitudes of these sometimes hardscrabble areas. No more. Our governor daily tried to hammer into the hard heads of much of our population that we could beat this if we all worked together following reasonable precautions and vaxxing when it became available. I'm astonished at the ignorant resistance of too many in our state.
Mitch McConnell, Paul Rand…I’m sorry for not being “astonished at the ignorant resistance.”
Should have said "continually" astonished. It's tough being blue in a red state.
On the strength of science, individual accountability will be our lifeline. That’s why the glass is half empty.
Better here in DeSantistan than Sturgis!
Can you imagine the explosion from there?
Lucian: Izzy Stone would be proud of you. Your pieces are passionate,informative, elegantly written…and essential.
Nice touch on uncertainty.
Lucian, Alwayhs intelligent, well-informed, a column I rely on for the truth. Thank you. When I had the ethics column, which was once a mont, I used to come away from it exhausted.
It's keeping up with this COVID shit that's exhausting. The story changes nearly every day, which is great for getting columns out of it, but I've got to pay close attention to a whole bunch of boring data to do it. Also, pay attention to a bunch of contemptible fools, which is even less fun.
Impressive writing and research. We are screwed. For a while. Perhaps a year or several years will be needed. I am just accepting that as a fact. These Covid Germs are not going away soon. That is medically impossible until we get "The Herd" we keep hearing about - assuming that will work....
I live in a rural area in Pennsylvania where the vaccination rate is low, as is the infection rate. Locals like to claim that their natural immune systems are stronger but from my point of view the large Amish population is protected by relative isolation and at risk for biweekly meetings to become superspreader events if one of the men who "work away" gets infected. Those of us who have jobs in the larger boroughs tend to be vaccinated either because our employers are beginning to require it or because it was convenient. And the university just re-instituted a requirement for masking indoors (of course the people with private offices are permitted to unmask behind closed doors.)
I expect there to be an outbreak but it's unpredictable.
and its just beginning - mother nature wins…and shes brutal
remember andromeda strain!? now that freaked me out as a kid! ‘60’s ?
its here…. more or less, yet we have #republicanskillingamericans S T I L L
We have had the Pandemic Box opened.