A bit of catch-up ...and a plea for understanding. Not.

 Let's start with the good news today: the new book has a cover:

If you click on the picture, you can probably read the blurb on the back cover, and yes, that is me in the lower left-hand corner. But there it is in all its glory. Now, the work of designing the interior begins. Have two other books out there, I can tell you that getting the format right ain't easy. Talk about constantly moving parts! There's a glossary in the back, a cast of characters, and a definite need for at least one line map of the Mediterranean basin. My designer tells me not to worry, it's all doable, but this is like sending your baby to kindergarten: you know you hafta, but it's hard to let go. Really hard. Meanwhile, there are two other books awaiting my attention on my desk, and if the truth be known, I am anxious to get cracking on one of those. It's time. I simply have to stop obsessing about this book. With any luck, it will be published in October. 

I hope. 

Meanwhile, back on the planet, Delta Force is taking over, infecting people willy-nilly regardless of age, race, religion, nationality, gender, language, musical preferences, or tolerance for pain. The only thing that seems to get in its way is THE VACCINE. Seems that if you're vaccinated and get a break-through hit of COVID, your illness is significantly less severe, you probably won't end up in a hospital, much less an ICU, and you'll recover more quickly. According to a variety of news sources. As per CNN on August 2, 2021

The CDC reported 6,587 Covid-19 breakthrough cases as of July 26, including 6,239 hospitalizations and 1,263 deaths. At that time, more than 163 million people in the United States were fully vaccinated against Covid-19. 

Divide those severe breakthrough cases by the total fully vaccinated population for the result: less than 0.004% of fully vaccinated people had a breakthrough case that led to hospitalization and less than 0.001% of fully vaccinated people died from a breakthrough Covid-19 case.

Folks, those are some interesting stats. IF you are fully vaccinated AND you test positive for COVID-19, very, very few people land in the hospital...as the article states, less than 0.001% of fully vaccinated people. That does not mean, however, that you cannot carry the disease even if you are completely asymptomatic. You can. And you can still infect others. 

As we approach the new school year, vaccinations are still not available for the under-12 set, so there is a large population who is not vaccinated, nor can they be. Yet. They may not be as susceptible to the disease, but they can still carry the virus. Which means they can pass their little viral friend to the next person. Logic demands that we be especially aware of this possibility and be supportive/respectful of families with younger-than-12 kids. 

On the other hand, families who refuse to vaccinate over the age of 12 also need special consideration. When dealing with a family or individuals who refuse to vaccinate, respect their rather misguided wishes and socially distance at least 300 feet from them. To be perfectly blunt, they should be protected from all family gatherings. You must respect their desire to remain COVID-free by providing them with a zone of anti-contagion. While you are safest wearing a mask in public, you MUST wear a mask around them to prevent them from getting the disease. Schools, malls, public gathering places such as houses of worship or ball parks would be best requiring the unvaccinated to either sit in their own outside section from the vaccine crowd, or not to come at all...for their own protection. They are vulnerable and can easily pick up the infection.

While hospitals cannot turn away the unvaccinated, an unvaccinated person entering a hospital zone should automatically be directed to an area separated from the rest of the ER or lobby. Again, this will lessen their chance of picking up the virus from an unsuspecting vaccinated person. 

What actually worries me the most about the recent uptick in infection and hospitalization is not knowing the unvaccinated are the ones bearing the brunt of this outbreak, it's what comes next. I talked to my cousin Dr. Tom tonight about a number of pandemic issues...and for the record, he agreed with BBBruce who said hospitals cannot just turn away unvaccinated people (my idea for triage.) But Dr. Tom did talk about something that's been niggling at the back of my mind: what comes next. 

Viruses mutate. That's what they do. Delta is but one mutation. There will be more. They will all do something ever so slightly different. Are we nimble enough, scientifically, to match that mutation? Or are we looking down the road to worsening contagion as the new mutations develop? There is so much "we" don't know, that the most reasonable way to prepare for the next wave is to pay attention. To mask when we are advised to do so. To be agile enough to have teams working on vaccine boosters and variants. Every year, the flu shots are tweaked for the latest version of that disease. Perhaps that's what will happen fo COVID: each year, a new booster ups the game against the latest mutant. By the way, that's what science does. It's what they're supposed to do. Scientists are supposed to investigate problems and find new solutions. 

If you are not vaccinated, that's your choice. I can respect that. In turn, you should respect your need for separation and stay away from those of us who have vaccinated, both in public and private settings. We are safe unto ourselves, but we can still infect you. This is for your own protection as much as ours. I would hate to learn I inadvertently infected, sickened, or worst case, killed you because I was an unknowing carrier and I was physically close enough to pass the virus to someone with no defense. And wouldn't that just be a shame. 

Just get the damn shot and save your world. 

The Wifely Person's Tip o'the Week

Next time you find yourself at a cemetery, take a walk until you find the old graves,

the ones from the mid-20th century and before. Notice all the baby and children's headstones. 

Then walk back to the modern section and notice how few baby and children's headstones 

can be found amongst the more recent graves. Sure there are some, but very few.

This is because of advances in medications and vaccinations.

Almost no one dies of pertussis, measles, or polio in this country, do they?

From Chesed Shel Emes Cemtery