26 thoughts on “C-19 Chat Post – August 17 2021”

  1. If I understand correctly, boosters will be required for everyone regardless of age or health status, within at least 8 months of shot #2.

    1. Not required. There is no nationwide vaccine mandate. And even where there are mandates – many hospital systems – I don’t think boosters will be mandatory. But they will be strongly recommended. And once again, states will be prioritizing by age and risk. Let’s hope they stick to this prioritization and really try to reach everyone at risk, before moving down the ladder.

  2. With schools reopening already in many states, and about to in others (like Massachusetts), I do understand the worry that many 12-18 year olds aren’t vaccinated.

    But, I think the greater concern in the U.S. is that so many over 65 and at risk groups haven’t been vaccinated. In some states as many as 25% of the >65 have not been fully vaccinated. That’s a bigger problem. Also, among other, younger at-risk groups the percentages in many states are even higher than 25%. I realize it’s paternalistic to make those who are at risk take a vaccine that hasn’t gotten regular approval yet. But, I do think we should be pushing even harder to do so, especially in places like Everett, Mattapan, East Boston, Fall River, Lawrence, Springfield, just to name a few locales with comparatively low vaccination rates.

    1. I couldn’t agree more Joshua. Clearly the chickens have come home to roost regarding our societal avoidance of tackling the ever rising, conspiracy based anti-vax movement that grew pretty much unbridled for decades now.

      I only pop on here sporadically so this is belated but I just saw you are a fellow PPE’er! (Politics, Philosophy, Economics) What an awesome coincidence as PPE as a major in the US is so rare – I recall hearing that it started as essentially the prelaw major at Oxford. This is likely very different now – but in 1998 I believe I heard there were only two colleges or universities in the US who offered the major – my little college (Pomona College in Claremont CA) and one of the Ivy’s – maybe Yale or Harvard – I don’t recall. Anyhow I’m so glad I went interdisciplinary.

    2. LA Raiders first NFL team requiring all fans to be vaccinated with proof . You can also get the shot there . This is going to be the Norm folks & that ID will go wherever you go or no entry !!

  3. Joshua, of course I always meant that boosters will be “recommended” as opposed to “required”.

    I do wonder, however, if at some point, the term “fully” vaccinated could include booster shot #3.

    For example, an potential employee gets interviewed by a company that requires full vaccination, and that candidate had recently received the first two shots, but on condition of continuing employment, must receive booster within a certain number of months, or will be released.

    What do you think Joshua? Could the term “fully vaccinated” have a different meaning a year from now for some companies? A health care facility as an example?

    2. I know for families working or living abroad, there has always been a requirement for some vaccines. Have businesses ever required vaccines as a condition of employment?

  4. I worry about children under 12. I understand why some parents are hesitant for over 12. I know there are unknowns. I also understand why many have chosen to have their children vaccinated.

    Schools in states that opened early are facing delta outbreaks. That’s to be expected since we saw the delta numbers in camps. Yet, for a second year, most are not preparing for remote even though students in quarantine will need to have access to school.

  5. Vicki, I know that some businesses – universities and government departments, for example – require a multitude of vaccines and boosters. I had to submit a full medical history, including vaccines and boosters (2 of which I had to get prior to being employed at Harvard) at Tufts, Harvard, Penn, and the Dept of VA. Included were also mandatory tests, such as the TB (Mantoux) test. I did NOT consider any of this an infringement on my rights or freedom.

    1. That was my bad. I left out the word private. Sorry. I do know that state and public have often had requirements. Schools surely do and have as long as I can recall.

      I’m not in any way saying this would be right or wrong. I’m just wondering. I do know that hospitals …especially those that treat extreme illness such as cancer…..have required flu shots for health care workers in the past.

      1. Speaking of flu shots, I’ll be getting my soon. I think this year will be especially bad. A make-up year, if you will.

        1. I will also. There has been some discussion at SC meetings about lack of flu being one of the benefits of masking in general. As you know, folks in other countries wore masks when I’ll well before covid to protect others. But then that goes back to the discussion of water in Japan

          If flu is bad, it will create a whole other level of problems for schools. If the desire is to keep schools open, logic dictates masks in school for all.

        2. It’s mandatory at the Hospital & not because of covid as it was mandated years ago . But no one has a problem with that & same rule = no shot – no job

    2. Joshua, since both are mRNA, do tests for pfeizer also apply to moderna? I hear/read some comments that moderna’s efficacy is higher. I believe that is from departments in this country or moderna itself, so I have not really trusted the message

  8. TX Governor Abbott has covid. I do not wish this on anyone no matter who. I do hope he has covid. I hope he can help by changing his message

    1. Yes, indeed. I don’t wish it upon anyone, even if it’s a mild breakthrough case. Though, I don’t know in Abbott’s case.

      Vicki, I’ve also read that Moderna’s efficacy is better. But, I’ll reserve judgment until I’ve seen more evidence.

      Amy, that CDC vaccine card is a joke. Right now, it’s my entry pass to the U.K. and Canada. Without it, I couldn’t have gone to London. I’d like to visit Quebec at some point, and so will use my card to do so.

  9. UK numbers are discouraging. That plateau I mentioned several times is firmly in place, at around 27,000 cases/day; still relatively high test positivity. Today 170 deaths were reported, most since February. Hospitalizations also increased quite a bit, including ICU usage. Though the link between cases and hospitalizations/deaths is weakened it’s not severed.

    US case numbers are probably peaking this week at extremely high levels. Today’s number will likely approach 160,000, with continued rising hospitalizations as they edge towards 90k by the end of the week, and deaths today are approaching 1,000 when all the states have been tallied.

    Globally, you can also see the Delta wave in terms of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths curves. They probably won’t reach the heights of January but we’re getting there, which I did not expect.

    Please, no new variants that evade vaccines even more. Of course, that’s in the hands of the virus gods at this point. I think that people’s mobility now compared to 1918-1920 explains why we’re having more waves than we did then.

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