The View from the Hermitage, Day 428

Another take on the fully-vaccinated-then-no-mask deal at the family level. If all members of the family or household are fully vaccinated, you "can comfortably resume pre-pandemic activities." There are certain situations, however, in which you should still wear a mask. Almost vaccinated means that there is at least one person who is not yet fully vaccinated. In this case, masks should be worn indoors or in close conversation. Discretionary trips to indoor spaces should be avoided. For families with children young enough not to be eligible yet, it's a risk assessment situation. If you feel you have had no exposure that could be transmitted to the unvaccinated, a mask may not be needed. Finally, the great unwashed, er, unvaccinated can be divided into the 15 percent who say they need more info before being vaccinated, the 6 percent who say they will get vaccinated only if required to do so by a job or other entity, and the 13 percent who say they will never get vaccinated no way no how. Those people make up 34 percent of the 40 percent currently unvaccinated. 

It appears that people who wish to remain masked are becoming targets of public ire similar to the negative reception that some unmasked people got during the past year. Some mask-wearers plan to continue wearing masks for the next year or even longer. They've come to be called perma-maskers, and many say that having had covid or seen a family member or friend with covid makes them feel vulnerable when un-masked. Apart from infection, some women say they enjoy not having to wear makeup that would be hidden by a mask, praising how masks have simplified their lives.  

All but one of the 36 Indian states have imposed coronavirus restrictions. Experts advise a 10- to 15-day "pause" in activities, something the central government is resisting. There is actually some question about the whereabouts of the Indian central government, though. The General Secretary of India's national student union has filed a missing person's complaint against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In line with this, Outlook magazine's cover announces "Missing. Name: Government of India. Age: 7 Years."

National surges in Southeast Asia continue. Taiwan has begun limiting the size of gatherings in Taipei. In 2020, with a national population of 24 million people, Taiwan reported under 1,000 cases, zero leaks from quarantine, and a death toll of 12. They passed 253 days without one single local case. Now is a different story. Local case numbers for the last four days went from 29 on Friday to 180 on Saturday to 206 on Sunday to 333 on Monday. Part of the surge came about due to flight crews from China Airlines staying in an airport hotel offering both quarantining and Taiwanese flight enthusiasts there as part of a promotion. Three recent mass travel events also contributed to the surge: Mother's Day, a weekend of high school entrance exams, and university students moving home when remote learning replaced in-person learning. Malaysia just reported its highest daily death toll, 45. They have the third highest number of infections in Southeast Asia after Indonesia and the Philippines. Finally, Singapore is cancelling the "bubble" they were about to make with Hong Kong as of May 26. The bubble was originally set to begin in November 2020 but was suspended then due to a surge in Hong Kong. 

POTUS has announced that the US will send 20 million doses of vaccine to "countries struggling against the pandemic." These doses of Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson will be in addition to the 60 million doses of AstraZeneca that will be donated once that vaccine is cleared by the FDA. In a throwback to the America First XPot days, POTUS said that the 80 million doses from the US would be the most from any country, by five times. America First lives on!

In terms of the racial disparities in covid identification and treatment, Dr, Fauci, speaking virtually at Emory University's graduation, noted that "Covid-19 has shone a bright light on our society's failings." He continued, "...the undeniable effects of racism" have worsened the pandemic for minorities. Correcting these societal wrongs will not come easy but will likely take decades.

And going back to Asia, the percentage of Japanese opposed to hosting the Olympics is up to 80, less than 10 weeks before the Games are scheduled to start. I'm having trouble wrapping my head around the idea that the Japanese government really wants the Games to go on.