Covid-19 Rages on In Spite of Other HUGE US Crises
Were it not for this pandemic either of two major news stories could be dominating the news. Louisiana and the Gulf Coast were hit by Hurricane Ida two days ago leaving over a million people, including residents of New Orleans, without electricity. Significant sections of Louisiana are still without electricity, drinkable water, and cell phone connectivity. A second current event is that the twenty (20) year history of the American military involvement in Afghanistan came to an end yesterday. Both of these monumental events are pertinent to our battle against Covid-19. The latter will see 117,000 refugeed citizens of Afghanistan, which has a fully vaccinated rate of 1.1%, spread out across the world after many were crammed into crowded cargo planes and intermediate transit facilities. Closer to home, the hurricane’s ground-zero was Louisiana, a state which was already overwhelmed by hospitalizations and full ICUs due to the Delta variant. We must worry about the magnitude of the surge of Covid-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, that will result from storm victims being pressed into rescue vehicles and shelters. Not to mention their suffering in conditions without drinking water and refrigeration for food, the impracticality of masking, and of course eliminating the vaccination deficiency cannot be a priority. There are reports of hospital emergency generators failing which resulted in brave healthcare providers manually ventilating very ill Covid-19 patients. Our country’s already stressed medical reserve system is being diverted from Covid-19 care to attending to the crisis that is Hurricane Ida.
The people who staff our medical system are becoming burnt out because too many Americans have shunned safe and effective Covid-19 vaccinations. Even though the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was granted full FDA approval on August 23, 2021, there has not been a huge rush of people to get vaccinated. Despite 63.5% of US adults over 18 being fully vaccinated and 74.2% have received one dose, there still remains too many unvaccinated adults who allow this virus to be a threat to our children. Ohio reported 5,395 cases one day last week, the highest number in seven (7) months. Children now account for 25% of the new Covid-19 cases across the state compared to 20% last week. The trend with the Delta variant is that the children who are infected are sicker and more require hospitalization.
Childhood infections are on the rise because the vaccines are not approved for children under 12 and kids are going back to school where they are exposed to the third of the eligible population that remains unvaccinated. Even though masking works, as discussed in this space recently, so many school administrations and local governments are bowing to the political pressure from a loud minority. Once the inevitable outbreaks in schools begin, then the authorities revert to masking as a defense after the students return from a temporary shutdown. This scenario is playing out in Lebanon City Schools which are closing for the three school days before, and including, the Labor Day weekend. This is due to 16% of the children being in quarantine because of close contact to other infected students and staff. It is much more than conjecture that unvaccinated teachers can spread infection to unvaccinatable students. The CDC’s publication MMWR on Aug. 27 documented a 50% attack rate in an elementary classroom depending upon the proximity of the seating from an infected unvaccinated teacher. The publication reiterates that preventive strategies such as vaccination, universal masking indoors, proper spacing, and staying home when you are sick, are essential to protect children too young to be vaccinated.
In order to keep their students and staff safe colleges are beginning to implement vaccine mandates. The University of Cincinnati announced a vaccine mandate today. This occurred along with Miami U. (OH), and Ohio University yesterday and Ohio State and Xavier (Cin) last week. They are finally implementing policy that puts the value of in classroom instruction ahead of unscientific criticism of a small boisterous few.
As long as this virus rages out of control and our daily lives are affected, it cannot be said enough. Please get vaccinated. WEAR a mask when indoors even if you are vaccinated. Maintain social distancing when possible. Get your flu shot when it is available.
