07/27/2021
I tell my patients all the time that one cannot expect a change without an intervention. I think that’s a more tactful way of paraphrasing the quote, “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”
We are living in insane times, however, since COVID rates are growing exponentially for the 3rd time in the last 13 months. Houston’s percent positivity 4 weeks ago was 2.2% and now it’s greater than 10%. At this rate we could be at 20% positivity rate in the next 14 days with school right around the corner and mask mandates illegal in this state, according to Premier Abbott.
There’s only one way to stop the insanity, and it’s by getting a vaccine. People still blaming China and screaming about lab leak or vilifying Dr. Fauci are avoiding the real problem. Politicians blaming Biden for low vaccine rates and saying his agenda is “harming people,” are simply fragile people trying to hold on to power ie clinging to human constructs instead of protecting their human constituents.
I looked forward to the day COVID-19 would be a vaccine preventable illness, but I didn’t take into account people’s gullibility and the sad reality that Americans simply have no grasp of public health, seeing as though guns have been a public health emergency for years, but inaction is the norm from leaders.
We are all going to get COVID-19 eventually, but let’s allow kids of all ages to be vaccinated before that happens since adults are not doing their part. Anti-vaxxers will quote low death rates as a reason kids don’t need inoculation, but there are kids with clots needing amputations, kids with brain fog, kids with MISC and kids who can’t exercise anymore because of heart or lung problems. One bad outcome is too many, and there have been more than one child who has died. Also, this delta variant is more transmissible and we are about to send kids back to large indoor spaces, which is where we get each other sick.
Continue to practice mitigation strategies, and if you live with unvaccinated people consider stopping the indoor dining at restaurants. Avoid indoor maskless activities around unvaccinated people and when mixing with many households, and get a test if you do not feel well (even if vaccinated).
Expect the CDC to put out some updated guidelines soon because we are experiencing exponential spread again and that’s hard to stop.
