There's been a scary surge of COVID-19 infections in Hawaii. Hawaii has had a huge influx of tourists coming here thinking it's very safe. Unfortunately, it's not.
Sadly, only 60% of our residents are fully vaccinated. Yes, we have anti-vaxxers here too, sorry to say. Our Lt. Governor, Dr. Green is suggesting residents hunker down for 2 weeks. The delta variant which is twice as contagious is here also. And I’d venture to say most seniors have some underlying conditions. Like the rest of the country, most of our seniors are vaccinated. The people ending up in hospitals now are not seniors.
I looked online to see what the policy was and saw this explanation.
I had to look up what JBPHH was. It's Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
Art says the military is independent of the state mandates.
For instance, Hawaii now has a ban against businesses giving out plastic bags or utensils. At the commissary, they still provide all the plastic bags you want. We were bringing our own reusable bags until the military forbade its use at the commissaries due to COVID.
Whatever the case, it's making me a little nervous about going there now with this awful surge we're seeing as people have started to relax their guard thinking everything is fine and dandy.
It's not.
POSTSCRIPT: I wrote this post several days ago. Since that time, things have gotten even scarier. We had to go to the commissary yesterday and this time there were only a small handful of people not wearing masks.
We're not done yet. And the great problem is people still refusing to get vaccinated. They're the sort who say they'd gladly die for their country, but getting a needle for their country is unthinkable.
ReplyDeleteThat’s awful Kay, so scary.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure why my comments came through 3 times. I only pushed the button once.
ReplyDeleteThis happened to me once on someone else’s blog. It was the weirdest thing.
DeleteIt's sheer ignorance that people don't want to get vaccinated! Would they rather die?? Because during a pandemic, that's the option.
ReplyDeleteDear Kay and Friends, if a younger person's health isn't good prior to covid... It's almost amazing, looking around at people in their 30s and 40s who are in and out of doctor's offices, and on various prescriptions. Getting vaxed could mean getting sick. You see, not everyone can afford sick days. Oh, the lack of common empathy among boomers is truely amazing.
ReplyDeleteMost of us felt a bit off the day after the second vaccine, but it was over quickly, unlike an actual case of COVID. Baby Boomers are very empathetic, and willing to do all we can to keep this horrible virus from spreading and killing more people. WE are the ones continuing to wear our masks so as to keep children who cannot get the vaccine yet, safe. Getting the vaccine will not make you sick.
DeleteI hate this internet trend of blasting boomers and blaming us for ALL boomers action. When was it ever okay to blame an entire gen, race, nationality for a few idiots? Whatever your gen is should I hold ALL of your vendor the acts of a few. That's when you open the door to the other ignorant, fear based categories like racism, sexist, mysognist, homophobic, etc. And maybe we do what we do cuz we have SEEN a bit more than other gens and know consequences like the Spanish flu. BB
DeleteThe virus is not going away on it's own. I continue to wear a mask and avoid crowds because I really don't know who might be a spreader.
ReplyDeleteHi Kay: we are experiencing the same problems in NC. Rising infections, hospitalizations and the aftermath. As a whole, the state was doing well just before the 4th. Seems each time we starting getting some control of the issues, a holiday comes along and everyone drops their common sense and throws caution to the wind. Parents are at odds about masking and distancing as traditional schools are due to open soon.
ReplyDeleteI go to the grocery early. Patrons and 1/2 the store workers are usually masked (I mask). I noticed the vender/stockers just stare at me like I am an aberration. Tomorrow morning should be interesting.
As for a vaccination "could mean getting sick"? Think of the alternative(s).
M in NC
same here. we are not as bad as other states but the number continue to rise. i don't go anywhere with large crowds but and we haven't worn masks in months but i am going to start wearing them again when i do go out.
ReplyDeleteWhile it is no more dangerous now for you than it was earlier this year, it certainly is much more dangerous for those who are unvaccinated and terrible for the healthcare professionals that have to try and save them.
ReplyDeleteWhat pleases me is that several entities around me are now requiring vaccines and I've heard Biden is going to issue a vaccine mandate for all government employees later this week. I hope this becomes more common so we can squash this pandemic for good.
Vaccinated people should be aware that even though they are fully vaccinated, this new Delta strain can infect them. We all need to start wearing our masks again. I have friends that were vaccinated and just recently became sick with bronchitis like illness and severe eye drainage, and fever and aches and pains. They were not sick enough to go to the hospital, but they were very sick. I'm in Missouri and I read another Missourian's blog that said they had been infected after being vaccinated too. Missouri has had a very serious amount of the Delta variant discovered in the sewer treatment water studied by scientists, which means there are a lot of people in Missouri with the Delta variant. Not only are the people who have refused to be vaccinated highly likely to get this Delta version of Covid, they are going to be spreading it to people who are vaccinated.
ReplyDeleteThis Delta version has been hitting the younger, healthy population hard and children are more likely to get this Delta version, too. If a person possibly can, I believe they should get vaccinated to protect the children, if for no other reason: and if you can't stand the idea of the vaccination at least wear a mask, if not for yourself, for children who are too young to be vaccinated and for people who can't take the vaccine due to cancer or other health problems.
I will be wearing a mask indoors again. NH numbers are lower than most but still taken precautions is the best option. We are exposing ourselves to a cold germ. Both granddaughters caught a cold somewhere maybe at swim lessons. They are here today while Emily's at work. Both coughing and sniffling. Washing hands is all I can do at present.
ReplyDeleteAs Susie said, it's scary in Missouri right now. The St. Louis area imposed a mask mandate, which the county council voted to rescind last night. The whole thing will end up in the courts.
ReplyDelete"Getting vaxed could mean getting sick"? And the spreading of disinformation continues...
ReplyDeleteWe are just at 60% but doing well enough.
ReplyDeleteIt is scary and the info isn't always coordinated. On the news it said those who were vaccinated still had to wear masks but they aren't...also that we may have to get a booster shot but it may not be effective. Who to believe is up for grabs!
ReplyDeleteI've never stopped wearing an N95 in public. I don't let anyone into my apartment except my vaccinated son and his wife. I required the one maintenance guy to wear a mask when he was in my apartment for a quick repair.
ReplyDeleteI guess people will never understand the science: covid is aerosolized, not just spittle flying around. It hangs in the air for 3 hours. So, if an infected person walks down the hall, or in a room, and you walk down the same hall, or enter the same room within 3 hours, you could catch it.
Per Medscape.com, which is a WebMD site for healthcare folks, the Delta variant is worse in every way. The first covid could typically infect 2-3 other people. The Delta variant can infect 7-8 other people. Younger people are catching it quicker, getting very ill quicker, and dying sooner. Any typical reaction from the vaccine is usually less troublesome than dying!
It's very sad about the ridiculous excuses folks have for not getting vaccinated nor wearing a mask. I pray for all the kids under 12 who will die because of the adults' stupidity. I've heard of some smart parents actually lying about their kids' age, who are only 11 1/2, in order to get them vaccinated as if they were 12. I'd probably consider the same tactic.
Funeral homes and cemeteries are so busy. One distant relative died of cancer in rural Oklahoma. The grown kids had to seal the cremation urn themselves, and dug the hole themselves to place the urn in the ground. Then handed off the provided shovels to another family!
Survival of the smartest. Make America Smart Again. We've got at least another year or more of protecting ourselves, maybe longer if we can't get folks vaccinated to reach herd immunity. Linda in Kansas
I have never stopped wearing a mask inside publicly. I am high risk and Arkansas seems to care less. We are 35% fully vaccinated for the state and are in the bottom 3 in the nation. My county is only 22% so it will be masking for quite a while yet.
ReplyDeleteIt's embarrassing that people still refuse to be vaccinated
ReplyDeleteIt is horrifying the misinformation that people believe about the vaccines, and the disease that those lies are allowing to spread and mutate. I am angered by it and them. I would like to get past this and thought we might be able to with the vaccines, but apparently not. I've never stopped wearing my mask in public places--a KN95, but I'm upping it to an N95. It is discouraging. I'm sorry to hear about Hawaii; I'm sure it's the same everywhere. It's why we are so careful and don't take my 14 month old grandson around anyone unvaccinated.
ReplyDelete60% is not bad compared to Idaho say. A blogger said it was in the twenties range there.
ReplyDeleteIt's higher than that statewide, although low at 37% fully vaccinated.
DeleteIf the goal of the USA is to get people vaccinated, then they should give a tax credit of at least $1000 when filing for 2021. Showing proof would be a copy of their vaccination card attached to their tax return.
ReplyDeleteThat is a good idea, Aunty. I love that!
DeleteOn the news tonight, it said that cases in the US have jumped by 400% in the last 5 weeks. Lucky that so many believe that it is a hoax. Otherwise, we might have to look at this as a problem instead of simply ignoring it.
ReplyDeletePercentages are deceiving though. The 7 day new case average is only at 50k per day compared to 250k per day at the peak back in January, or in percentages, it was 500% worse back then than it is now. Certainly nothing to scoff at but you really only have a 0.002% chance of getting it on a daily basis assuming a population of 350 million.
DeleteSoon we vaccinated will be banning the anti vaxxers. It can go both ways, you know.
ReplyDeleteI can only be responsible for myself, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteI do think we are going to have to get tougher about vax resisters, and work harder to enlighten the vax ignorant.
I never would have believed that we would become a country filled with so many lies and falsehoods. I thought we were better than this. It's truly scary, Kay.
ReplyDeleteThere is still concern about Covid, and rightly so, we must all do our bit to keep us and others as safe as possible.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan