The View from the Hermitage, Day 475

Son #2 just texted that they're 50 minutes out, so let's see if I can get a short post up for today. 

I think that I mentioned a couple of days ago that the White House wants to counter coronavirus surges with "response teams." I wondered at the time just how those teams would respond. The Delta variant is more prevalent in Missouri than any other state; in the last two weeks, the daily number of cases has more than doubled, and hospitalizations are up 20 percent. The state has requested one of those surge response teams. Some team members will be federal staff who will help local health departments with testing and vaccinations. Other members will be CDC personnel who will help with data analysis and field investigations. There will also be focus on monoclonal antibody treatments and expanded media campaigns to encourage vaccination. Right now, only 39 percent of the population in Missouri is fully vaccinated. Public health experts are advising that in Missouri and elsewhere answering outbreaks with vaccines is not as helpful as testing and contact tracing. Vaccinations take from two to six weeks to be maximally effective. 

Up to 15 millions doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine from the Baltimore plant with manufacturing difficulties have been okayed for packaging and release. Johnson & Johnson had the goal of delivering 100 million doses by the end of June which they clearly did not meet. They're missing delivery targets in Europe, too. The new batch of 15 million doses will likely be exported; the US has more than enough vaccine already.

Despite low numbers of cases, the Delta variant is gaining ground in New York City. Most of the new cases are young adults who have not been vaccinated. Only 51 percent of adults in New York City are fully vaccinated, leaving lots of unvaccinated or partially vaccinated targets for Delta. Delta accounts for one third of new cases in France. They're debating making vaccinations mandatory for health workers. The US secretary of veterans affairs is also considering requiring workers at VA hospitals to be vaccinated. Low staff vaccination rates endanger veterans who may be more vulnerable due to age and type of illness or injury. 

POTUS is encouraging Americans to celebrate July 4 with gusto, while saying that next year will be even better. Travel rates are about where they were in 2019. At the same time, though, public health experts worry about those July 4 crowds when less than half the country is fully vaccinated. A former CDC director and other experts are afraid that if Delta continues to circulate, it could mutate into a form that could get through the wall of immunity full vaccination offers. I'm no expert, at least when it comes to coronaviruses, but I share their concern. The race really is on, and I'm not feeling too optimistic that vaccines will win. Make me wrong, world, please?