We're watching a slow creep of COVID infections with a roughly 50/50 split between those who are vaccinated and those who are not. Most of the vaccinated are showing less severe symptoms and fewer hospitalizations. The same cannot be said for those unvaccinated. I cannot figure out where the local media are on this. They seem to be waiting for the floodgates of social activities to burst open, which seems to be where things are headed, judging by the traffic I've seen lately. They seem also to be discounting how temporary our situation really is.
I know we aren't likely to see the same kind of severe spike we saw last year but that doesn't mean COVID is essentially under control. As immunity wears off and resistance to COVID declines the numbers will rise and continue to do so. We are in a pause in the pandemic, not the end phase of it. Unless there is another round or 2 of vaccinations we'll see more people getting sick and sicker no matter their previous level of immunity. The resistance we presently have is fragile and fading.
A full bore, wide open spring and summer could lead to wider spread and a quite serious level of recurrence.
I've had COVID once, after I had been vaccinated 2x. I do NOT want it to go through that again. I do not have any reason to think a second bout would be any less severe than the first one was.
An important feature of COVID which makes it so much different from anything we've had up till now is that it attacks ANY part of the body it can get to and does this at the same time. It is not like the Flu which has a sequenced progression and decline. Once bitten by it you have no idea where or when it will move beyond your throat or nose and no clue how much of your body will be involved at the same time.
I had Mono in the fall of my freshman year in college. I was in exceptional condition before it hit me. I was an active athlete with very good respiration and endurance. I got sick about 1/2 way through the semester and had to go home. I had mono for just about 2 months. When I tried to return to school for the next semester I could barely make it across the quad from my dorm to the cafeteria.
As exhausting as Mono was, for me COVID was worse by far.
We are taking our eye off the ball here, folks. The CDC is being far too optimistic IMO. If Britain is an example of what to expect we still have a long way to go in the cycles of COVID infection and in public response to this larger change in our environment.
We need to exercise the same degree of awareness to COVID spread and evolution as the Chinese and British are using or we will be right back where we were months ago, or possibly worse..... AND we need to have public recognition that the immunity we have achieved so far is temporary.
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