Sadly, we’ve seen this Covid movie before

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Good afternoon,

It wasn’t supposed to be this way.

With ample vaccine available, Covid-19 should have been on the run. But, instead, we are in a scene out of the movie Ground Hog Day where our days remain on a continuous loop.

The Delta variant had other ideas and feasted on postponed vaccinations or those latching on to the latest sketchy study promoted on social media or cable talk shows.

People are paying attention.

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A weekend story about Delaware hitting the “high risk” zone for Covid-19 will probably be our most widely post in August.  (Newsletter readers can check out the link below).

Now, hospitals are restricting visitors, and masks are required in school, a policy that is drawing fire from a small, angry group that has recently disrupted school board meetings.

A few of our readers may see Covid coverage as fear-mongering. Still, the soaring numbers that include the number of individuals in critical condition increasing severalfold in recent weeks can’t be disputed.

Granted, Delaware’s vaccination rate is keeping the number of cases below the scary levels seen in Florida, Texas, and other states in the deep south.

This week could mark a tipping point. If cases plateau, we could enter the Labor Day weekend in better shape.

Should numbers spike or outbreaks make their way into schools, a return to indoor mask mandates in public places is likely.

Business capacity restrictions or proof of vaccinations at restaurants is more than likely off the table.

Scattered signs that the uptick in cases is beginning to hit the economy can be seen in the form of more airline cancellations. In addition, travel begins to trail off with the start of school, but a big fall travel boom may be less of a possibility. (Expect to see northern New England states with low Covid rates become more popular destinations).

The one bright spot in Delaware is a marked increase in vaccinations.

Today, there is one less excuse for not getting a with the FDA taking the emergency designation off of Pfizer/BioNTech. That designation will also more employers to require vaccinations.

Let’s hope enough data is in place to allow for similar designations for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines soon.

Finally, one quick suggestion for public health and hospital officials in Delaware – offer easier-to-digest information on hospitalizations, cases hitting children, and most importantly, the number of people on ventilators.

One can dive into the comprehensive  My Healthy Community site, get lost in the data, and perhaps come to wrong or misleading conclusions.

In the meantime, while it’s admittedly a little outside “our lane,” Covid reporting will continue online and in this newsletter. 

Sadly, the cliche of the economy not getting fully healthy as long as the virus runs rampant still applies. – Doug Rainey, chief content officer.

 

 

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