A Tale of Two Cities (or Three or Four), Covid Times
As I was sitting outside on this glorious Sunday, I was reflecting on how great it was to watch the Kentucky Derby. Not only was it wonderful to see all of those lovely hats being adorned, but more importantly, to see the faces that belonged to the hats!
The attendance was high, and many of those at the Derby were maskless. While the official stances of the CDC and the President maintain the need to wear masks in large outdoor gatherings, it seems like those in Louisville last weekend received a different memo! And thankfully, South Carolina can now boast that over 40% of its citizens have received at least 1 vaccine shot.
So herd immunity, here we come!
The light is shining at the end of this Covid tunnel. Normalcy appears to be returning!
And then there's LA...By comparison, if you want to go for a hike by yourself in California, you need to wear a mask. Cities in Oregon are reinstituting harsh lockdowns. And a patient this week informed me that he had intended to visit the museums in Washington D.C. last weekend, but was informed that they were closed. Curious about this, I checked myself. Indeed, all Smithsonian Museums and the National Zoo remain closed, but are due to start slowly reopening this week.
Obviously, those in DC see things differently than Louisville! The National Zoo is outdoors, btw!
So what's my take on Covid at this point? And please remember, this is just my opinion. I do believe that the vaccines work, and I also believe that due to high case counts that a large number of Americans are carrying natural immunity.
This is not to say that an individual cannot contract Covid again if vaccinated, but it does mean that the likelihood of contracting a severe case of the virus, requiring hospitalization or causing death is markedly reduced in those vaccinated or who previously contracted Covid.
Additionally, let's remember that this time last year we worried about asymptomatic carriers passing the virus along to the elderly and weak, but as a country we have done an excellent job vaccinated the elderly and those in nursing homes; many of those at high risk, whether because of age or preexisting medical conditions, have now been vaccinated.
Vaccines are widely available, and in fact, the FDA may expand the vaccines to those aged 12 and above this week. A large portion of those not yet vaccinated in the high risk categories have chosen not to get vaccinated as their personal choice. So it comes down to the following...do you think we should be mandated to remain in masks to protect those who intentionally do not want to get vaccinated to prevent them from contracting a potentially severe case of Covid? I'll leave you to ponder that one!
Changing topics, I am sure many of you are making plans for Mother's Day, which is this weekend. As opposed to last year, I hope everyone is able to see their mothers in person! For those looking for some Mother's Day gifts, here are some suggestions...Alle (the rewards program from Allergan) is offering discounted gift cards for today only! In that spirit, we are offering a one day flash sale on Botox for $11.50 a unit. When you combine the two gift cards, you will be able to get Botox for under $10/unit, which is a great deal!
I hope everyone has a great day...Stay cool...it's going to be a warm one!