Sixty-three weeks into the pandemic, it's shaping up to be something of a mask-less Memorial Day weekend. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. Medical types say that people who are fully vaccinated and basically healthy should feel protected, even without a mask. Those who have not yet been vaccinated including children are still at risk and should not yet doff their masks. The current seven-day average number of cases is 21,627, a 22 percent decrease from last week and inching toward the 10,000 Dr. Fauci said was needed to roll back restrictions. For some holiday healthy fun, New Jersey will be holding Shots at the Shore at various beach sites. Adults can choose between Moderna, Pfizer, or Johnson & Johnson vaccines, while 12- to 15-year-olds can have Pfizer.
To the south, the mayor of Miami Beach, Florida is offering a touch of reality to the holiday weekend, noting, "We're one of the few places open, but we're also a very attractive destination. So simply, too many people are coming ... The virus is still here. The volume of people that have been coming here is very unprecedented, and some who are coming are looking to sort of act out." He said that there will be lots of police at the beaches.
Also concerning Florida, hurricane season begins on Tuesday. People who make predictions are predicting 13 to 20 named storms, and we've already had one, Ana, which stayed out to sea. Six to 10 of the named storms could develop into hurricanes.
While vaccination incentives are increasing vaccination rates, the lottery incentives are cause for concern to some problem gamblers. Said one, "I am appreciative that the government is trying to do something promoting people getting vaccinated. At the same time, the are putting people in an awkward position ... One thing leads to another, and the next thing I know, I am in Atlantic City." Winning is not the incentive, but the feeling of taking a chance. Being entered unwillingly into a lottery has the potential of activating the same parts of the brain that respond to overt gambling. Some states have lists through which problem gamblers can make themselves ineligible to get lottery winnings; in most cases, the people on these lists are excluded from vaccination lotteries. Those not on such lists can usually get themselves removed from vaccination lotteries, but it might take some time to make a few phone calls. Recognizing the issue, Ohio requires that vaccinated people opt into the lotteries.
Some, perhaps all, of us have made various changes to our shopping during the pandemic. I'm buying more, a lot more, online not to mention buying different things such as in trying new brands. I have not though, been part of the spike in gun sales during the pandemic. (Disclaimer: I do own several guns but only shoot at pieces of paper tacked to sticks, and it's been several years since I've done even that.) The spike started early in the pandemic. In March 2020, federal background checks topped one million in a week for the first time since tracking started 23 years ago. In spring 2021, the number was up to 1.2 million. A fifth of the Americans who have bought guns during the pandemic are first-time buyers. They are also less likely to be white males. Half of the new buyers are women, while a fifth are Black and a fifth Hispanic. Gun owners in general are 63 percent male, 73 percent White, 10 percent Black, and 12 percent Hispanic. Right now, 39 percent of American households own guns, up from 32 percent in 2016. Think about the fact that the early days of the pandemic saw panic buying of guns, disinfectant, and toilet paper.
Elsewhere, Italy recorded 44 deaths Sunday down from 83 on Saturday. Looking back further, the 44 on May 30 came after 72 on May 23, 93 on May 16, and 139 on May 9. The 44 is the lowest number of deaths since mid-October. Egypt is lifting restrictions while South Africa is starting new lockdown measures on Monday as a new surge starts there.
Records are dropping on Mt. Everest. A 75-year-old retired lawyer from Chicago has become the oldest American to summit. A 45-year-old former teacher from Hong Kong has become the fastest woman to summit, going from base camp to the summit in 25 hours, 50 minutes with only two brief stops. The previous record was 39 hours, 6 minutes. Most climbers spend several days in different camps on their way up. Finally, a 46-year-old Chinese man has become Asia's first and the world's third blind man to summit from Nepal. Call me an underachiever, but I really don't see the point of setting such records. Does it really benefit anyone? Couldn't the time and money be better used in some different undertaking?
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