College students crowded the beaches of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on March 11.
Reading the latest CDC guidelines, as well as recognizing some states’ loosening, one would hope, think, we are moving in the right direction. Its something at least. Right?
But, given the UK B1.1.7 variant (already dominating the U.S.), the So. African B1.351, and the P.1, both here ashore as well, albeit expected, I wonder if this loosening up is fueled more by politics, especially state and local, than science. No matter the Democratic President or the appointed CDC head.
Factor in the dumbfounded recent decisions in Florida, Texas, Mississippi, all now wide open states, who gather and travel amok, plus the 50%-80% higher transmission rate of the new variants, plus the increase in severity levels, plus the still open question of transmitting the virus even if vaccinated and/or asymptomatic, and I’m not sure how to relax at all outside of the tightest, most trustworthy bubble of a single household, or maybe two, that are almost clones of each other’s controlled activity patterns.
People gather for spring break on the beach in Port Aransas, Texas on, Friday, March 12, 2021.
Politics aside, which is already barely possible to remove from the current guidance, the new guidance right now, today, is positive. BUT, when the guidance is merged, as it must be, with aggregated human behavior right now, today, it becomes a different calculation. One with a bold asterisk.
A look back at the past year, and already questionable current activity, is enough to see how thoughtless, selfish, ultimately clueless human behaviors can always upset any positive outcome of scientific trajectory. No matter how promising it might sound in the beginning.
States like Florida, Texas, Mississippi, and all the other usual actors defying common sense, are already playing the same losing hands as recklessly as they did last Summer of 2020. We know what then followed in this country.
I wish I could fully embrace the new CDC guidelines, including the state where I live, but I just can’t. I honestly don’t even know why anyone could.
>MB
Related News:
CORONAVIRUS IN CONNECTICUT
Experts concerned that rolling back restrictions will cause a COVID surge in CT
Connecticut Post
March 9, 2021
Gov. Ned Lamont’s decision to loosen COVID-19 restrictions has experts concerned about an increase in coronavirus cases and possibly deaths.
“I am concerned that we, yet again, have lulled ourselves into a false belief that we have gotten SARS-CoV-2 under control,” said immunologist Kristian G. Andersen on Twitter. “We’re getting close — much closer, in fact — but we’re not there. Yet.”
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky, told National Public Radio Wednesday that although cases are dropping, the pandemic is not over yet.
“I think the next two or three months could go in one of two directions,” Walensky said on NPR following the Texas governor’s decsion to recind that state’s mask mandate. “If things open up, if we’re not really cautious, we could end up with a post-spring break surge the way we saw a post-Christmas surge. We could see much more disease. We could see much more death. In an alternative vision, I see we really hunker down for a couple of more months, we get so many people vaccinated and we get to a really great place by summer.”
Lamont announced Thursday that capacity limits will be lifted for restaurants and other businesses, though social-distancing rules and mask mandates will still be in effect.
Under the new rules, social and recreational gatherings will be limited to 25 people indoors and 100 people outdoors. Sports teams will be allowed to practice and compete again, and venues will be allowed to include 100 people indoors and 200 outdoors.
The loosened restrictions take effect on March 19, 2021.