Coronavirus, First Edition, 2021

Coronavirus, First Edition, 2021

It has been two weeks since my last update. 

First things first

To achieve immunity from the vaccine requires two dose’s, taken a month apart.  Immunity should set in 7 days after the second shot.

So the first people vaccinated* in the USA have not yet achieved immunity, and will not until Jan 20^th.

I have reported this before, but since then, I had a phone conversation with someone I know who had been getting and reading my missives, but still missed it.  Apparently this piece of information is not being promoted in normal news circles very much. 

One dose provides a very, very small amount of protection, but how little has not been estimated.  But it is closer to zero than not.  Do not assume one shot is “good enough”.

Only about 30 or so of you come to the this blog, so I am relying on you to spread the word. 

The Boiler Plate

My estimated number of active cases peaked on Christmas Eve at 5,173,000.  After that, the number has slowly declined to 4,800,000 by years end.  The Christmas gathering infections are now hitting the stats and the estimated number is over 5,000,000 again. On Jan 6 we had a record high of new cases at 260,000, this was broken a day later at 279,000. 

The number of deaths has hit new records as well, breaking 4,100 on Jan 6, and that record broken again on Jan 7 at over 4,200.  We are tracking for over 400,000 dead before the first vaccinated person* is protected.

Other News

There have been a number of studies verifying reduced cognitive abilities of anyone that catches Covid, including asymptomatics.  The harder the case, the worse the cognitive reduction.  How long these will last has yet to be determined.   This also includes a break down in brain cells believed to be a precursor of Alzheimer’s. 

We have a better number on the vaccine induced serious allergic reactions no fatalities.  21 out of 2 million.  This is about 10 times higher than a flu shot. 

Another study I saw has a conclusion that half of all infections have been transmitted via an asymptomatic person.

The vaccine roll out has fallen behind all expectations.  This was to be expected considering the scale of the operation.  As of yesterday, only about 1/3 of the existing vaccine has been used.  The reasons are myriad.  But mainly, it has to do with the vaccine being given to the states, and each state has to set up its own program for distribution.  Some states are doing this OK, others not.  In the case of Florida, the state has devolved the vaccine distribution down to the counties, each with their own plans.  And you can apply a bell curve to that as well with the high end being, at best, OK.

My opinion is this.  You are on your own to find out what your priority or “Tier”, is, and it is up to you to make the arrangements to get the vaccine.  A nurse is not going to show up at the door with a jab for you. 

I came to this conclusion this morning, and so I have not yet begun to do my own research.  I am 63, reasonably good health, and so I “figure” I am in tier 3 at best, so it I know I am not a priority patient.  But I will find out and write up my experience.  Those of you in Pennsylvania will get direct references; others may get clues as to how your state may be running their programs.

 

*I know the very first person vaccinated, a nurse in New York, has since come down with C-19, which validates the point that both doses and time are required, and not a sign that the vaccine does not work.