There is concern in India about a resurgence of covid given that 103.4 million people have failed to get a second dose of vaccine. Such "vaccine truancy" will greatly impact India's goal of vaccinating all adults by December 31. Explains a health worker, "We have seen this complacency with Tuberculosis patients. They start taking the drugs and after a few weeks, they feel better so they stop even though they have to take them for six months. It's a similar mentality with the vaccine. I'm sure they feel one dose is enough because no one is falling ill." Nationally, 77 percent of India's 944 million adults have gotten at least one dose of vaccine; 34 percent have gotten both.
In the continuing saga of Russia's outbreak, they continue to set the sort of records they shouldn't want to set. In 24 hours, they recorded 40,096 new cases and 1,159 deaths. Japan is offering boosters to anyone who has already received two doses. The UK's chief scientific advisor warns of "a pretty difficult winter" due to the high case numbers. The Ukranian Health Ministry set the goal of vaccinating as many people as possible in Morshyn, a town with a population of 6,000. Over a period of two months, they managed to vaccinate fully 72 percent of the residents. Right now, as covid surges elsewhere in Ukraine, no one is hospitalized in Morshyn, and 15 of the 19 current cases were in people who were not vaccinated.
Looking at covid cases by state here in the US, only five states are showing any increases at all, and then only small ones: Maine, California, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. Three states are showing declines greater than 15 percent: New Hampshire, Kentucky, and Alaska. Per capita, Alaska tops the list followed by Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, and Idaho. Nationally, we're averaging 70,000 new cases daily, a 20 percent drop over the past two weeks. Deaths fell 15 percent in the same period. Are we there yet, Mom? No, and stop asking, I'm trying to drive here.
A second In-N-Out restaurant has been closed in California for failing to verify the vaccination status or negative covid test result for those wishing to dine inside. Several other In-N-Outs have been issued warnings and fines. A statement from corporate headquarters justifies their practice as "we refuse to become the vaccination police for the government. It is unreasonable, invasive, and unsafe to force our restaurant associates to segregate customers into those who may be served and those who may not." The chain is owned by conservative Christians, and several of its executives donated to the Republican party and XPot's campaign.
In a Kaiser Family Foundation survey, only 27 percent of parents say they will get their child(ren) vaccinated as soon as vaccines are available. In other words, lots of kids will remain unvaccinated. In the survey, 43 percent of Americans said that they have more or less returned to normal pre-pandemic practices. I've been wondering just what that means. Going out to eat or drink indoors? Going to theaters? Shaking hands and/or hugging? Not wearing a mask unless masks are a legal requirement and then wearing them only under protest? Some of these seem more dangerous than others. Unfortunately, the danger is not limited to the person performing the behavior; other people will likely share at least a little of it.
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