A frustrated President Joe Biden was beyond his normally calm self Tuesday as he said America is still in a pandemic with COVID-19 and says everyone must be vaccinated.
He’s not alone. A top expert at the famed Mayo Clinic says every America who is not protected will get the “delta variant” of the virus that has killed so many Americans.
“There is no question that we are going to see a surge,” says Gregory Poland at Mayo. “This virus will find everyone who is not immune.”
We see that in Virginia, where daily infections were hovering just above or below 100 daily for weeks, but now are surging into 700 or more in recent reports. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports at 70% rise in cases and s 36% increase in hospitalizations/
In nearby, bordering Patrick County, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, thousands have gathered for five days of FloydFest.
Dr. Poland, who is fully vaccinated, says he stills wears a mask when he goes out.
“Don’t be deceived that I got this far and am OK,” he told a television station in Minnesota, Tuesday. “This is a very different variant. It will find you.”
Ironically, the Virginia Department of Health, says 666 new cases of COVID-19 in its report for Thursday. Isn’t 666 the mythological number for the anti-Christ? CDC reports more than 625,000 have died from the virus so far, and the World Health Association puts the worldwide death toll at 4.1 million, and climbing at a rate of more than 3,000 a day.
In Virginia, the death count is 11,493 with 687,550 total cases since the pandemic began a year and a half ago.
Like many others in the area, I had been going out without a mask. We are fully vaccinated in our house, but the rising numbers have us putting out masks back on when we leave home.
Floyd County added another new case in Thursday’s report.
Are we trying to return “to normal” too quickly? A growing number of medical experts, including our national COVID-19 authority, Dr. Anthony Fauci, say yes.
Fauci says we might want to start wearing masks again as a routine.
“If you want to go the extra mile of safety even though you’re vaccinated when you’re indoors, particularly in crowded places, you might want to consider wearing a mask,” he told CNBC news channel on Wednesday.
Viruses don’t mutate unless you allow them to replicate and spread in the community, you give them ample time and ample opportunity to mutate, and you got a new variant. The easiest and best and most effective way that we can prevent the emergence of a new variant and crush the already existing delta variant is to get everyone vaccinated.
–Dr. Anthony Fauci
Good advice. Our masks are back on.
Are yours?