Glad, Sad and Mad About COVID

I considered writing about COVID almost a month ago.  At that time, I noticed a slight uptick in cases, and more chatter about the Delta variant.  I held off because:

• I wasn’t sure if this was a temporary “don’t worry about it” thing or a new crisis developing, and
• No one would change their behavior, no matter what I or anyone else said.

Well, for certain, it’s a thing.  Cases are skyrocketing, and it’s so serious that even Wall Street noticed, and Hannity changed his tune a little.  Just a little.

But the second reason remains.

Sure, some places might reinstate mandatory mask requirements.  It’s still in force at local clinics and hospitals, but c’mon – what do medical professionals know about viruses, anyway?

Yes, that’s sarcasm.  This is the real reason I debated so long about saying anything about COVID.  My mood changes constantly.  I am conflicted.  Let me explain.

We’re vaccinated.  It’s clear to us that, whatever else you can say about the virus, the vaccines are doing what they’re supposed to do.  Not eliminate the risk, but reduce the risk of both catching the virus, and suffering from it.  I’ve oft said that Americans are horrible about calculating risk (this is good for those of us who play poker – more money!).  For whatever reason, people got it into their heads that the vaccines would totally eliminate the risk.  Not so.  Never was like that.  But I think people think that it does because people think that it SHOULD.  They make the same mistake about masks – masks help reduce the risk, not eliminate it.

For the last two months, death from COVID is almost exclusively a “non-vaxxed” event.  More than 99% of hospitalizations and deaths occurred in non-vaccinated patients.  For those who complain that the vaccines were never “tested,” I say – here’s your test result. 

And while I can’t put a finger on statistics, it’s evident that non-vaxxed areas (read: conservative and voted for Trump) are getting hit harder with COVID cases now than those areas where vaccination rates are higher.

Yes, some vaccinated people are testing positive.  That was to be expected.  Again, one vaccinated to REDUCE risk, not eliminate it.  Just don’t expect them to be hospitalized, though again, there is a slight risk of that, and of death.  But far, far, far, far less risk than no being vaccinated.  Of course, there are other steps that one can take to reduce the risk – wear a mask, stay socially distanced, etc., etc., etc.

Fat chance of that shit now.  Everyone is opening up.  Crowds are back at games, concerts, you-name-it.  No one wants mask mandates again.  It seems reasonable that the answer now is the answer we had way back when the former guy was President – vaccinate!

Remember when they touted the virus and Operation Warp Speed – get it to the people, STAT!  Lok what they were saying back then:
“I’ve been a big proponent of releasing it early. I think that we’ve had enough safety and effectiveness data.”   Another person encouraged by the rapid production of the vaccines praised the “brilliant” way in which Project Warp Speed had made vaccines available so quickly.

The first speaker?  Senator Ron Johnson.  The second?  Senator Rand Paul.

They ain’t singing that tune now.  What happened?

Joe Biden became President.

C’mon, we’ve seen this before.

When Bush was in office and tanked the economy near the end of his term, few Americans gave the administration good marks for the effort, and those few were largely Republicans.  When Obama took over and things got better, some perceived the economy as doing better…but not Republicans.  Oh, no…things didn’t turn around at all until 2017 WHEN THEIR GUY WAS BACK IN OFFICE, AND OMG JUST LOOK AT THE ECONOMY NOW (except nothing had changed except who was President).  And you know damn well they’ll do it again now that Biden is in charge (inflation, gas prices, the deficit, etc., etc., etc).  We know they will because…they did it when Clinton took over for Bush Sr. and reversed their silly asses again when Dubya took over for Clinton.

So when Trump says it would be different if he was President, he has a point, though not the one he was trying to make.  I do not doubt that more Republicans would get the jab if he was still there (typing that was hard; gave me the creeps).  But it’s still the same vaccine – and if you want to give him whatever credit for its development, fine (I don’t), but…what’s changed with the vaccine?  We know its effectiveness.  It’s now readily available (which wasn’t the case when you-know-who was running the place). So…what’s the prob?

As I said, I am conflicted.

This has gone on for so long now that folks are frustrated.  I get that.  Many who are vaxxed have taken the “fine, let ‘em die” position, and I fall into that camp, mostly.  Sometimes my anger boils over into sarcasm, making fun of those who willingly refuse to take a potentially life-saving drug (or wear a mask or take other precautions).  You brought it on yourself, asshole!

But then, I worry, because the fact is that the longer this shit continues, the more likely there will be new and different strains and variants of COVID, some that may be more contagious and/or deadly than what we have now.

That makes me sad, and mad.

But I honestly don’t know what to do about it, except talk about it. 

But it seems no one is listening.

Thanks for listening.