I’m sorry but the end of the pandemic is not in sight, and no measure of wishful thinking can change that.
Look, I know. No one wants to read or talk about Covid anymore. It’s been too long. But this is my personal blog after all. I write about things that concern me. And right now, traveling concerns me less than this “other thing,” although I can’t not hope it’ll change soon.
I’m fully vaccinated and ready to start traveling again. My last trip before the virus was to Brazil, so I thought it would be great to make it my first stop after I start going places again. I’m booked for June, but I have my doubts, which I’ll explain in my next post.
But for the time being please bear with me.
My family did pretty well in the first year of the pandemic. Then 2021 kicked in.
In just four months Covid has caught up with us. Most of my family and relatives got it.
Most everyone has recovered by now, but there is now a death in my extended family.
You can be super careful. Masks, social distancing, the works. But all it takes is just one unfortunate event. A quiet lunch in a half-empty restaurant, a close family indoor gathering, an unrelated hospital visit.
This is not a public service announcement or some kind of a hypothetical exercise. It actually happened in a course of only four months to a dozen of my unvaccinated relatives.
Drop everything and schedule that jab!
We will never see the end of the pandemic unless the overwhelming majority of the population has gotten their shots.
I know I’m preaching to the choir, mostly. But for those who’re still hesitant for whatever reason, don’t be. Get that shot. Stop listening to crackpots or trying to calculate the odds. Your life is not a sportsbook.
I know it might not be easy. The vaccine availability may vary widely depending on where you live. You need to keep refreshing those clunky websites (that’s how I snatched that elusive appointment for my daughter, but she tested positive the day before her shot).
You might have to drive farther than you’d like and wait in line, but it would be worth it even if they charged a thousand bucks per shot. You’ll put yourself in a position where you can save lives, including, quite possibly, your own.
Consider this. I didn’t get sick (even asymptomatically) after staying in a very close contact with my wife and daughter for two weeks without any separations or precautions! And neither did my mother (who I visit nearly every day) or my other vaccinated relatives. Do you really need to know more?
OK, here goes.
Anti-vaxxers are full of shit!
Every time I hear yet another unbearably stupid lie about Covid vaccines I remember Al Franken’s Lies & the Lying Liars Who Tell Them. If you haven’t read — highly recommended!
Most of the “original” anti-vaccination ideas come from just three disinformation sources: Russia, China and Iran. Now, it’s easy to understand why Russia and China are hastily spreading lies about the safety of Pfizer, Moderna and other vaccines. Both have their own products to sell. Iran doesn’t seem to have a dog in this particular fight, so I have no idea why they’re chipping in. Maybe just for the badness of it.
Look, I’m not an expert on lunacy, so I don’t know what else to say. Anyone walking around with a microchip innerspacing in your bloodstream? Please report your experience.
One shot or two?
Two!
Don’t wait until the restart of the J&J vaccination program.
No, I’m personally not сoncerned about the fact that some people have developed blood clots after getting a J&J shot. Six cases reported in the U.S. after seven million shots administered are not statistical data – it’s less than a statistical blip.
No, my issue with J&J is that it’s an inferior product compared to the competitors. Why settle for 66% protection when you can get almost 95% for the same grand sum of zero? Even the first shot of Moderna or Pfizer gets you 80% protection after 2-3 weeks. Although you still need to take both shots for full and long-lasting protection.
If you’re not vaccinated yet, avoid hospitals
This is not medical advice! In case of a medical emergency, disregard and do what your doctor tells you.
Look, I know how it sounds, but unless you suspect a life-threatening situation, you might want to try something else. Like private doctors, walk-in clinics, diagnostic centers, anything. If you’re visiting someone at the hospital – don’t! If you absolutely must, buy a bunch of genuine N-95 masks (you know, the expensive kind approved by both FDA and NIOSH) and learn how to wear them properly. Forget regular masks! There are not many places better “suited” for an uncontrollable Covid spread than hospitals nowadays.
In case you catch it, see if you’re eligible for the Monoclonal Antibody Covid-19 Infusion
This groundbreaking procedure that brought back Trump last fall is a one-hour IV drip treatment. My mother-in-law got it and recovered in a matter of days. Eligibility includes people older than 65 and those with certain medical conditions. I tried to sign up my wife for it when she got sick, but it was a no-go – she was not “too” old, fat, or sick. Surprisingly, not all medical professionals even know that this treatment is currently available for mere mortals – so ask, research, insist!
More information is here.
The end of the pandemic? Not anytime soon, but…
One day we’ll see the end of the pandemic, but in the meantime we can take a break in the pandemic. They say, the vaccine works for at least six months. So cut yourself a break. Schedule your shots. And keep staying safe and extra-vigilant until you do.
