What will it look like in the winter months?

[kentuck]

If we are having a surge in Covid cases in July, what can we expect in December and January?

Common sense would tell us that if we do not get many more people vaccinated, it could be very, very serious.

Masks will likely be mandated, at least inside?

Fully-vaccinated folks may be asked to take a booster shot?

Schools may be closed again, as will many businesses.

We will need to come to grips with this pandemic, as a nation, and not as a political Party of one or the other.

From a July perspective, it does not look bright for the months ahead.

[Wounded Bear]

1. Yep! nt

[leftstreet]

2. We'd have to know if vaccinations are actually increasing

I know they are in my area, and I find news of upticks in other cities and states

The media feed us the constant us/them red/blue outrage coverage, so it's difficult to know if the Delta fear is driving vax rates up across the board

[Ms. Toad]

10. Not around here.

We've been 49.XX% in my county for weeks. (We're finally at 49.95% as of yesterday)

[bearsfootball516]

3. Probably not as bad as this last winter, but it'll get ugly in red/unvaccinated areas.

[Ferrets are Cool]

4. And the inevitable economic downturn will have one cause

the idiots who refused to vaccinate. Then they can blame our President....the ones that are still alive.

[Hugin]

5. It'll be bad.

I'm currently trying to reduce the number of qualifiers I was using. The new normal?

The COVID-19 pandemic will continue to be a finger trap until the majority of people realize that it is a global pandemic caused by a highly mutagenic virus. Also, that the crazy lifestyle pursued by so many previous to the pandemic and so many long to return to for financial and other reasons contributes to the rapid uncontrollable spread of this and many other diseases.

In other words, COVID-19 is a very real indicator that the global community had reached it's tipping point with how things were done and until things change significantly, having a raging pandemic in the background is the new normal.

[captain queeg]

6. I think more people are finally getting vaccinated

But so far it doesn’t seem like a huge surge in folks stepping up. The vaccine hesitators goes hand in hand with the climate deniers, both groups (many people are in both groups) will continue to live in a fantasy world. I’ve gotten to the point I don’t care if they die, but they are affecting all our lives. It doesn’t bode well for humanity’s future.

[stopdiggin]

7. schools fully re-opened

with at least one variant (perhaps more) that is estimated to be several orders more infectious than the original ...

[MyOwnPeace]

8. But, but.....

Donnie said when summer comes it will be ALL GONE!!!!!! (oh, wait, that was supposed to be LAST summer.........)

[ancianita]

9. Looks like that will depend on the number of stupids who get vaccinated by August or September.

They should especially be doing it for the children. Even stupid people want healthy children.

So far you're right, it doesn't look good.

[RainCaster]

16. The stupid people worry about their kids getting the Bill Gates chip

They won't get the Vax for themselves or their kids.

[ancianita]

18. Now that you mention it... I guess that's another stereotype smashed.

I hope their kids will be okay. What a horrible thing, to lose your child over fear of Bill Gates.

[YoshidaYui]

11. It just means a lot more stupid people will die

And that’s unfortunate. The solution is so simple but they have to make it so fucking Complicated -just take the damn shot!

[bucolic_frolic]

12. Early vaxxers may need a booster

Red states vaxxing now may have better protection than early vaxxers by December.

[Warpy]

13. It looks grisly for people with families

who will be expected to travel to see Mom or Grandma "it might be her last year, you know" and have to confront Uncle Asshole who knows everything and refuses to get that commie Democrat vaccine.

Oh, no, thanks, you can see how people got suckered last year, spikes 2 weeks after Thanksgiving and a bigger one 2 weeks after Xmas.

The vaccine will keep you from getting sick enough for a hospital or sick enough to die from it, but it won't keep you from getting sick. There have been quite a few breakthrough cases, enough to know they're a definite possibility.

And it it's Mom or Grandma's last year, you can bet it's because Uncle Asshole infected them.

[BlueWavePsych]

14. Red states ...

[Loge23]

15. ...and then comes the next variant

These variants keep getting worse.
It's folly to not think that post-Delta variant won't arise before long if it hasn't already.
We're in for a rocky road ahead, I fear.

[Laffy Kat]

17. And because so many people have stopped masking...

We will also be hit with influenza at the same time. We were spared the flu last year due to all the mask-wearing and hand washing. It's gonna be bad, I fear.

[Delmette2.0]

20. Can someone help me remember...

The next explosive mutation (alright varient) is the one from Brazil. Since we can't use a location it's official name begins with a G. What is the word?

I cannot remember and this has bugged me for days.

[appalachiablue]

23. Gamma

BBC, July 21, 21
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-55659820

[Delmette2.0]

25. Oh, Thank you.

[Ford_Prefect]

21. It will be far worse as several have observed above...AND it will be longer...And it will damage

economics, culture, communities, and critical supplies of ALL kinds.

The inescapable conclusion will be that 2, or 3, or 4 more dangerous variants will be formed from overlapping infections. The subsequent waves of more virulent strains will affect those who presently have resistance due to the first rounds of inoculation requiring continued and more effective masking along with more fervently enforced social isolation practices including work from home, distance schooling and more personal isolation leading to depression. Obviously we will require stepped up development and delivery of updated vaccines. We will also see unimaginable pressure on medical, public health, and mortuary services.

Greater population movement as people attempt in vain to outrun the disease will lead to other problems of rising housing costs and chain distribution problems in areas like Montana which appear to have become false "safe havens" in the minds of those living in more concentrated population centers.

Most critically we will we will see either a rise in leadership to meet the crisis or we will see incredible collapse due to those who so fervently believe in a assigning blame to anyone else rather than creating functional answers. The criminals who generated this disaster will do anything to avoid responsibility for it by rewriting the history of who did what in government and media, including blaming those who earnestly strive to fix it.

These observations are based on recent history and predictions made by responsible professionals. I do not say we can do nothing but submit. I think that those with the authority to act desperately need to get real about this and stop pretending it will all be normal if we all just behave responsibly. That ship sailed in 2016. We need a national footing and decision-making as if this was a world war. If we are to survive this and have a world left in which we can still breathe very serious changes will need to be made which will not look like they lead to a return of the comfort of the illusory golden past.

[Delmette2.0]

26. I think you are right.

Montana is part of the "fly over country" so I am not surprised that the "city folks" think that we have the same roads, hospitals, grocery supermarkets,ect. We do but only in 5 or 6 major cities. Travel 50 miles, sometimes less and convinces change. That can mean life or death.

[Ford_Prefect]

31. We also have a state government in denial if not worse, committed to the sacrifice of those not

wealthy enough to own their own governor and legislature. I doubt anyone who voted for Gianforte and the other MAGATS realizes how much things have changed since last November. They certainly have unrealistic and childlike expectations regarding "free-dumb" to scoff at healthcare and public health experts.

They will be the death of all of us if Federal leadership and the Democratic party cannot grasp how much initiative is required to get enough of a handle on this. This needs a response on the scale of the great New Deal programs with a willingness to go were convention says is not polite practice.

Without doubt we haven't time for Neo-Liberal spoilers who cannot deal with the impact on their corporate and Ideological benefactors. The life boat only saves us if everyone realizes it is time for everyone to row together as hard as we all can. There is no time for bitching and whining about who has gotten the best seats and who doesn't deserve one. If we don't all row we all sink and we need every hand to pull on the oars.

IF we arrive at the other side of this that will be a time when qualitative arguments can be discussed. If we don't arrive it won't matter.

[Hugin]

29. Well put.

You've expressed what is jangling around in my mind and I haven't been able to get into text.

Thanks.

[appalachiablue]

30. Impt. points, I share your concerns, this

would make an excellent separate post, essay for thought and discussion. We are engaged in a 'world war,' against the rapid spread of a lethal virus. If you don't want to repost it, I can put it up and credit you. Thanks much.

[Traildogbob]

24. A delay in effectiveness

Moderna and Pfizer are two shots taken approximately 30 days apart. The full effect is a week or more after the 2nd shot. I think even J and J has a period after Vax for the effectiveness to kick in. So with Delta blowing up now, with death and illness exploding, how much will it help those that may even think, damn I may need to forget what Carlson, MTG and Hannity are saying and get the shots. May be too late, and those idiots that die shortly After shot one will give Fox the ammo they need to say, the shots don’t work. We are in for a long long devastating fuck. GQP are murderers, Period, they are killing Vietnam numbers times 15. As Patriots do. God be Blessin MurKKKa. The likes no one has ever seen. That I can tell you. Trump loves big numbers. Well these are “his” numbers.

[BadGimp]

27. Oh Yeah!

[roamer65]

28. Mass graves.

Like 1918-19.

https://www.history.com/news/spanish-flu-pandemic-dead

[scarletlib]

32. I think it will be dependent on what new COVID virus varieties are in play.

Also the vaccination rate.

Delta is so highly contagious it just rips through communities. The worst of it is already over in India.

I have read and heard a number of Doctors say this current surge will peak in October.

So be safe. Mask up.