I do not want this to become a blog on a monkeypox pan- or epi-demic, but it actually is easier right now to find news about it than covid. The CDC is calling monkeypox "an emerging issue." There are now around 75 cases in 11 countries, including Australia. To make this short, a UCLA epidemiologist notes, "This is the most important outbreak in the history of monkeypox in the Western Hemisphere." When I reported the computer simulations that had monkeypox at the top of possible new pandemics, little did I know...
Around 190,000 new cases of covid were confirmed yesterday, meaning that there were actually around one million new cases. Cases are rising in almost every state. Hospitalizations are rising in all but five states and territories; they are still below peak levels, though. One-third of all Americans now live in areas of medium to high levels of virus transmission. Have any been told to wear masks? Not that I know of, but masks have been recommended by some civic leaders.
The CDC has given its approval to vaccine boosters for children aged five through 11. I do wonder what percent of children will get them. Since parents will determine which children get boosters, I wonder if the children of vaccinated-but-not-boosted parents will also be vaccinated-but-not-boosted.
An article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal reports that one in nine hospitalized covid patients dies or get readmitted within 30 days of going home. These outcomes, though, are consistent with admissions for other medical diagnoses such as influenza, diabetes, or pneumonia. Deaths following covid are higher among men, older people, people with comorbidities, and people with a history of prior hospitalization stays. Almost half of covid patients returning to hospital are returning due to lung problems.
I had lunch--outdoors--downtown with a friend and her father today. Walking from parking to the diner, I noticed very few people wearing masks. (I was wearing one.) It made me wonder about the motivation of those still masked. Are they protecting themselves, others, or both? Early on in the pandemic I would have said I was trying to protect both, but I admit that now it is to protect myself. Those not wearing masks aren't interested in protecting me or themselves for that matter. If my wearing a mask helps them, I'll feel good about it. Beyond that, they're on their own.
2 comments:
These days I wear the mask for myself. As with you, if others are protected (from anything I might have), so much the better. I rarely wear one outdoors, though.
I have never worn a mask outdoors, not at any stage of the pandemic. I can't see the risk there in the open air.
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