Delta, Gamma, Theta...is it Sorority Rush Time?
Happy Tuesday, I hope everyone if surviving the dog days of summer. Admittedly, it's a weird one. School finished later than usual as a result of Covid, yet plans are in place to resume school on a normal schedule, making this summer a short one for teachers and students. On top of the shortened season, the city is so busy with tourists, and the influx of people moving to Charleston continues.
For my practice, we have thankfully been busy this summer, likely due to a number of factors. I think in part we are still playing catch up after the lockdowns, but the unending Zoom calls also incentivized people to consider facial plastic surgery. And of course, recovery from procedures was made easier because of the work from home policies and the mask mandates.
We are also serving a larger community as our population grows.
As far as those mask mandates...it looks like Covid refuses to go away. As I have maintained previously, we are going to need to learn to live with Covid, and this is proving more and more true every day.
Despite the high case numbers over the last year and the successful vaccinations, new cases are arising, in large part due to the Delta variant. There is a lot of confusion as to whether the vaccines are effective against this delta variant and what the spread of delta variant really means for us, especially as cities like Los Angeles have reinstituted mask mandates. The stock market yesterday did not seem to like the new of this spreading variant...uugh.
Here is my take on the variants...Vaccinations and natural immunity have been effective in reducing infections and mortality and have allowed us to resume many of our normal activities. The delta variant appears to be very contagious, and can be contracted even with prior immunity or a vaccine.
However, despite this gloomy information, the hospitalizations and mortality from Covid are not rising in step with the cases. Additionally, we have a much better understanding on how to treat Covid.
For perspective, think about the flu vaccine. The flu vaccine is developed every year without any guarantee as to what strain of flu will dominate or emerge. This is the reason why people can and do get sick when they have received the flu shot, but we have been told for years to do so in order to reduce the degree of illness in the event we contract influenza. The flu vaccine does not guarantee we will not get sick, but helps prevent hospitalization and death from the flu.
Since Covid has been so politicized and the messages have been so confusing, I think we are losing sight of the big picture. In my opinion, long term lock downs caused more harm than good (in instances, short term, isolated lockdowns may make sense), and I certainly hope we don't return to them. Around the world, lockdowns are returning. Certain Governors are starting to speak up, including ours, that we will not go there, but I think we should all be prepared for continued mask requirements. Times like these make me glad to live in SC.
These variants are going to keep emerging...will the next one be Gamma? Theta? This is not a sorority or fraternity we want to join, lol!
OK, it's time for me to get ready to head to the office. It's business as usual, which unfortunately means continued mask wearing, as required for medical offices by DHEC and other governing bodies.
The good news is that Leah can get your brows and lashes looking great with tinting or microblading, since our eyes are on display more now than ever! Also, just a reminder about the Neutrogena sunscreen recall last week. In response to this recall, we are offering a special on our sunscreens for the rest of the month.
I hope everyone has a great day and week. May it a great one! Heres a song suggestion for your drive to work, or wherever!
Lyrics for "Beautiful Day" by U2
The heart is a bloom Shoots up through the stony ground There's no room No space to rent in this town You're out of luck And the reason that you had to care The traffic is stuck And you're not moving anywhere You thought you'd found a friend To take you out of this place Someone you could lend a hand In return for grace It's a beautiful day Sky falls, you feel like It's a beautiful day Don't let it get away You're on the road But you've got no destination You're in the mud In the maze of her imagination You love this town Even if that doesn't ring true You've been all over And it's been all over you It's a beautiful day Don't let it get away It's a beautiful day (Oooh, ooh) Touch me Take me to that other place Teach me love I know I'm not a hopeless case See the world in green and blue See China right in front of you See the canyons broken by cloud See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out See the Bedouin fires at night See the oil fields at first light And see the bird with a leaf in her mouth After the flood all the colors came out Day, Day Day, Day It was a beautiful day Don't let it get away Beautiful day Touch me Take me to that other place Reach me I know I'm not a hopeless case What you don't have, you don't need it now What you don't know, you can feel it somehow What you don't have, you don't need it now Don't need it now Was a beautiful day