Highly contagious Delta variant on path to become dominant strain in the US - PBS NewsHour

[Rhiannon12866]

The U.S. is in a far better place this summer than many other countries witnessing new COVID cases. But the Delta variant of the virus — now expected to become the dominant strain in the U.S. — is posing serious dangers in areas with low vaccination rates. Its spread in many countries worldwide is triggering shutdowns and fears of more deaths. William Brangham reports.




Dr. Fauci on Delta variant, booster shots and masks for the vaccinated - PBS NewsHour

To understand more about the threat to Americans from the Delta variant of the novel coronavirus, including the need for vaccinated individuals to wear masks or require booster vaccines, Judy Woodruff turns to Dr. Anthony Fauci. Fauci is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, and the president's chief medical advisor.

[littlemissmartypants]

1. Nearly all of the current deaths and hospitalizations are of those who are not vaccinated. Word!

Here's my post from June 21st just as a 'fun fact' review:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215547442

In a nutshell the report confirms...

Delta variant,

new data says that this variant is so contagious it can be caught in mere seconds through

"fleeting contact"

therefore mask wearing while in shared spaces is highly recommended to aid in preventing transmission. Even if you are already vaccinated.

Thanks for sharing this, Rhiannon12866!

❤ pants

[Rhiannon12866]

3. Thanks so much!

I not only recced that, but I bookmarked it - these are important facts that we all need to know! And it's scary as hell, including those who still don't take it seriously! What does it take??!!

[littlemissmartypants]

5. I wish I knew. We're headed for a world of hurt I'm afraid. ❤

[Rhiannon12866]

6. I'm in New York and even though there are now vaccination sites all over the region

My county is still at only 63% and counties to the north and west have even lower rates. In the beginning, the closest sites were at opposite ends of the state - now, pharmacies, pharmacies in grocery stores, Walmart, and a very large nearby state run site in the old Sears store at the local mall are all offering vaccinations - many of them accepting walk-ins. What does it take?! We are so lucky now in this country that we have access to this life saving vaccine while many countries all over the world do not!

See How Vaccinations Are Going in Your County and State
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/covid-19-vaccine-doses.html

[littlemissmartypants]

7. For me it's

All residents: 32%
12 y o and up: 38%
18 y o and up: 41%
65 and up: 69%

Humans can be such a disappointment. I remember when duty to community was universal, what Dr. Fauci calls communal responsibility. But I also remember community hootenannys*, love beads and very, wide bell bottoms.

❤




* A hootenanny is an informal gathering where folk music is played in a party-like atmosphere.

[Rhiannon12866]

8. Wow. Well, that's what I mean

As I said to my reluctant brother, we've gotten vaccinations to protect us from deadly diseases for our entire lives, this is just another one. When they opened up the closest state run site to walk-ins, I took him to get his shots back in May. It's not that hard to avoid hospitalization and death, not to mention infecting others. What does it take??

And I'm old enough to remember Hootenanny, wasn't it a TV show??

[littlemissmartypants]

9. They were get togethers we had in the neighborhood.

We used to sit on blankets outside with a picnic and sing songs like "if I had a hammer" and other things.

I never heard of the TV show. Sounds fun though.

[Rhiannon12866]

11. I guess I don't remember it very well, it apparently had folk singers

I know that my parents had some of their albums, The Chad Mitchell Trio sounds familiar. And I saw Judy Collins in concert myself the first year I was allowed to go to a local concert with my summer camp friends. I still remember the dress she wore - and the concert was a double bill with Arlo Guthrie!

Hootenanny was a musical variety television show broadcast in the United States on ABC from April 1963 to September 1964. The program was hosted by Jack Linkletter. It primarily featured pop-oriented folk music acts, including The Limeliters, the Chad Mitchell Trio, The New Christy Minstrels, The Brothers Four, Ian & Sylvia, Hoyt Axton, Judy Collins, Johnny Cash, The Carter Family, Flatt & Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys, The Tarriers, Bud & Travis, and the Smothers Brothers. Although both popular and influential, the program is primarily remembered today for the controversy created when the producers blacklisted certain folk music acts, which then led to a boycott by others.

[wnylib]

15. I remember Hootenany very well.

Judy Collins and Arlo Guthrie are still among my favorite singers.

Sometimes I wish that folk music would make a comeback as an expression of social issues and also as lighthearted silliness. For silliness, remember My Mother Said Not to Put Beans in My Ears?

[Rhiannon12866]

17. I must have been fairly young when it was on, but I do remember most of the singers

My parents had a lot of albums. And when I was a little older, I was able to go to concerts at SPAC (Saratoga Performing Arts Center) with my friends from summer camp. That first summer we saw Blood, Sweat and Tears, José Feliciano and then the big one - Arlo Guthrie followed by Judy Collins! That last one was pretty exciting, I thought she was so beautiful and, like I said, I still remember her long dress - white with pink embroidery.

I don't remember the Beans song - but another favorite of mine was Peter, Paul and Mary. Back in their heyday, my mother was an usher at their concert at Convention Hall in Saratoga. I think that historic building (Teddy Roosevelt appeared there in 1910) burned in 1965, a year that saw 6 major fires in the city. But I finally did see them when they came to SPAC as part of their reunion tour in the '80s.

[wnylib]

19. I didn't see Collins or Guthrie in person.

I am envious.

I was about 10 or 11 when Peter, Paul, and Mary recorded Blowin' in the Wind, followed by If I Had a Hammer, and Puff the Magic Dragon. I was in my early teens when Hootenany was on TV.

We did not get many star concerts in Erie. Usually had to go to Buffalo or Cleveland. I still have old recordings, from vinyl LPs to cassettes to CDs.

[Rhiannon12866]

23. We played all the Peter, Paul & Mary records when I was at summer camp

Which was when I was in my early teens and that's when I became a fan. I learned later that my mother, as part of some local women's group, had been an usher at one of their early concerts. I consider myself lucky that I was able to see them on their reunion tour.

Interesting note, I went to boarding school in Massachusetts (high school) and just after my time there Paul Stookey's wife served as chaplain there for several years - so they lived there and there were performances! *sigh*

As for other concerts, I haven't been to SPAC in years. I used to go fairly often back in the day (The Beach Boys with my brother and Bonnie Raitt stand out), but these days I'm not familiar with most of the scheduled acts.

[wnylib]

24. You're in the Saratoga area?

I used to work for Empire State College. Went to Saratoga some years ago for a 2 day seminar. Beautiful country there.

[Rhiannon12866]

25. I grew up in Saratoga

Now I'm just a bit north, just south of Lake George. And I remember Empire State College, my mother used to take continuing education courses there. She actually graduated from Syracuse, but she and her former classmates from there used to take those courses together.

[wnylib]

26. Small world, eh?

[Rhiannon12866]

27. I don't know how far West you are

But I'm a graduate of Hamilton College, Clinton, New York - kinda near Utica.

[wnylib]

28. Much farther west. Near Buffalo.

By "small world" I just meant that your mother took classes from a system that I was part of.

[Rhiannon12866]

29. Ah!

One of my mother's former Syracuse classmates was from Buffalo. My parents used to travel a lot, that was my Dad's "hobby," LOL. And after my Dad passed away, my mother used to travel with her college friend and I got to know her well, too. When they were away, she'd leave her dog with me.

[wnylib]

30. I'm from Erie, PA originally.

My mother was born in Buffalo so we went there often to visit relatives. My husband was from western NY. I met him when he was a grad student at an Erie university. His work took us to Ohio and then western NY. So I've known this area most of my life, before I ever moved here

[Rhiannon12866]

31. Well, I moved a lot growing up - my father's job.

I was born in Albany - where my father grew up - lived in Ticonderoga (Essex County, up north), Saratoga, then here just north of Glens Falls. I also went to summer camp for six years on Lake Champlain in Vermont and graduated from high school in Western Massachusetts. You'd think that now that I have the choice, I'd choose to finally live somewhere without as much snow!

[wnylib]

32. Regarding snow, I went from bad to worse

when I got to the Buffalo area.

But when my brother retired to Florida and tried to persuade me to move there, I preferred the snow to hurricanes and red state politics.

So glad now, with covid, that I stayed here.

[Rhiannon12866]

33. That's an excellent point!

And I have been feeling the same way! We may have our share of anti mask jerks here in the North Country, but it's not the majority, and when I took my brother to get vaccinated at the nearby state-run site back in May, I was impressed with how busy it was, even saw quite a few teens!

[SheltieLover]

2. Ty, Rhiannon

[Budi]

4. Definately Bookmarking this thread.

Thank you, for posting this news, Rhiannon

This is so threatening .
Sheltie & everyone, if you read any updates, please post them.

[AKwannabe]

10. In a headline today...

Modern vax said to be able to combat Delta variant.
My shot in the arm!
Word!

[Rhiannon12866]

12. Yes, that's what Dr. Fauci said!

I got mine the first chance, had to drive a little way, but that was fine with me. I got the Moderna back in March. Since then around here, every pharmacy, pharmacy in a grocery store, Walmart, are offering the vaccine, many taking walk-ins. And we now have a large state run site in the old Sears store at the local mall - and there are neon signs directing people there so there is no excuse!

[TexasTowelie]

13. Neon signs?

What about strobe lights, lasers, and mirrored disco balls?

[Rhiannon12866]

14. LOL! I mean out near the road by the mall, they say vaccination site, there are arrows

And it now says that walk-ins are welcome. The two times I too my brother there, they were doing a brisk business, there were lines unlike anything I saw when I got vaccinated at CVS in March. It's impossible to drive by without seeing those neon signs and lighted arrows - so nobody has any excuse for not knowing where to get vaccinated!

This must be an old sign, they're much bigger now:

[wnylib]

16. Near the center of my city, at one of

the busiest intersections in town, Rite Aid has a huge sign for covid vaccinations. They are still doing appointments.

Across the street from them is a CVS. When they had vaccines set up in the store for their employees, they took walk ins, too. But they are no longer doing vaccines at that location. However, some doctors' offices have vaccines.

I talked with a CVS employee the other day. Their employees have stopped wearing masks, but one had a mask on her chin. I joked about it and found that she wore it because she only had one Moderna shot. But it was so hot that day that she pushed the mask down.

I told her about Delta and to get her second shot or wear the mask on her face. She didn't get the second shot because she heard so much about people getting sick from it. I said my symptoms from the shot were mild and the disease would be much worse. I advised her to get the second shot BEFORE Delta gets worse. Hope I convinced her.

[Rhiannon12866]

18. Oh boy. I do not understand why some people get only one shot!

Dr. Fauci said they're only about 30% protected. I went to CVS (in Saratoga) because that was the first appointment I could get. CVS had Moderna and I know several people who got the Pfizer when they started offering it at Walgreens.

Good for you, explaining to that CVS employee. Yes, there were side effects after I got that second Moderna shot, but I knew to expect it - and everyone does react differently. I had bad chills later that night and the next day and I didn't want to get up because I felt so lightheaded and dizzy. But that was over by the day after - and it was sure worth it to avoid hospitalization and possible death! I really don't get it...

[wnylib]

20. My reaction to the second shot

was so mild that I fear that I did not produce enough antibodies. It is true that seniors do not produce as many antibodies as younger people. That is why seniors are more vulnerable to breakthrough infections. I had no side effects the first day, except one that I have not heard or read about anywhere. I had a burst of energy and stamina like the Energizer Bunny.

Second day I woke up with mild achiness in my back. I lost my appetite for half of the second day, and had the achiness behind my eyes that happens when my temp goes up so I checked. It was only up a couple tenths of a degree. Since it is normally around 97.7, it didn't even get up to 98.6. Some very mild nausea and some tenderness at the back of the throat. That was it. By the third day, no side effects at all except a very sore arm.

But about 5 days after the shot I had a mild allergic reaction - a flat, very pink circle on my arm about the size of a tennis ball just below the injection site. It was a perfectly shaped circle, as if stamped on the skin with a round, inked object.

[Rhiannon12866]

21. I have only heard about people having reactions to the Moderna (which I received)

Most of the people I know got the Pfizer and the worst reactions I've heard were just a sore arm. I expected some reaction after Moderna shot #2, but like Dr. Fauci said, get whichever vaccine is available to you first, so that's what I did. And I was kinda tickled to learn that Dr. Fauci got the Moderna as well...

[wnylib]

22. Moderna was my first option, too.

Wasn't about to turn it down. I was glad to get it