By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
AUG. 10, 2021 | While the United States is seeing more new Covid-19 virus cases in the last few days, there are some good indications we are in better shape today than this time last year, if you take the time to think about it.
Consider these points:
- Google tells us that 57 percent of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated against Covid. That’s 189.9 million people! In Georgia, 46 percent have at least one vaccine dose, while Gwinnett has 51 percent with one dose.
- Around 600,000 people are getting their first Covid shots each day now.
- The pace of Covid-19 vaccinations in the U.S. has risen steadily over the past three weeks, particularly in several Southern states with poor vaccination rates and strong hesitancy against the shot.
- Catching the coronavirus after being fully vaccinated is unlikely, though it happens.
So, are we in better shape today than a year ago?
The short answer is a resounding “Yes.”
There are numerous reasons why we are finally making serious progress in the Covid War, even in the face of the new Delta variant.
Last August, we had no vaccine to fight the virus. In fact, we didn’t start vaccines until December, and that was on a limited basis. President Biden’s desire to see 70 percent of Americans vaccinated is being approached.
Let’s pause here and give credit where it is due: perhaps the biggest accomplishment of President Donald Trump’s administration. His Operation Warp Speed to find a vaccine against this virus heavily contributed to its eventual development. It was a $10 billion program to support the companies in the vaccine development, manufacturing and distribution, scheduled to be initially ready by January, 2021. And it came about a month earlier!
Hats off to former President Trump for this backing.
Let’s list some other reasons that the United States is better off now than a year ago.
- With more and more people now vaccinated, fewer are being hospitalized.
- Almost all deaths (99.5 percent) from Covid now are from people who have not been vaccinated.
- If hospitalized from Covid, there are protocols now which were first being developed and tested this time last year. We know better how to treat people with Covid.
- We have learned how to be productive at work and have more protocols about safety at the same time, as businesses have found a new way to operate.
- Even the gross national product has bounced back and more people are productive, either at home or at work.
While these are good indications of how we are now in better shape, there is still work to be done.
We must continue to take Covid seriously. It still lingers here, now with the Delta virus, which apparently is much more contagious than the initial virus. What steps do we as individuals take to still take Covid seriously?
- Keep masks on when you go out, or around people.
- Maximize your social distance from others.
- If you haven’t been vaccinated, please do, for your own sake if not ours.
- Get the 5-11 year olds vaccinated as soon as this is available to them. While this group does not get Covid as seriously, protect these little ones. Happily, young children are seldom seriously seen with Covid in hospitals.
- Aim at the 20-40 year olds, to convince them to get vaccinated. This is our most vulnerable group today.
All this is not rocket science. Convince those who are not yet vaccinated. Science has shown that it is no longer a partisan issue. Encourage this group, and anyone you come into contact with, to get the Covid virus shots.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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