On May 10th I saw this article in the Star Advertiser.
The article says Hawaii has one of the lowest cases of COVID and yet we're among those that worry the most of all the states.
I wonder if a lot has to do with our worry that tourists can bring more infections to the islands and that it's thus lurking in every corner of the islands without us knowing.
Andrea Harvey, Safewise's (a company that conducts research and testing on home security products.) Outreach Director said,
"I live in Utah. Utah had one of the lowest levels of concern and one of the highest case rates, " Harvey said. "It seems that a lot of people here either they think that it's kind of a hoax or it's not something to worry about or it's being overdramatized in the news. Meanwhile, they keep going out without masks, and it just keeps spreading because they aren't really concerned about it. Being concerned means that you are going to be more cautious."
We also have a lot of senior citizens. Oh oops! I'm a senior citizen.
Anyway... despite the CDC's new recommendations, we're not letting our guards down yet. CDC hasn't proven to be very consistent or reliable. (I'm trying hard not to use the word trustworthy.)
They screwed up the virus testing at the beginning. They initially said only symptomatic travelers from China or people in close contact with them needed to be tested. They didn't want to use any COVID testing available at the time saying that they wanted to create their own first which gave the virus time to spread. They goofed up a bunch of tests sent to Hawaii that were defective. They said masks were not helpful even though people around the world started to wear them. Then they did an about face and said we needed to wear them. Now they say we don't have to wear them if we're vaccinated. AND YET... you KNOW there are then people who aren't vaccinated who will take this opportunity not to wear one. But you forget there are people who can't take the vaccine for some legitimate reason or other and other people who are extremely vulnerable. And there are the children who can't get the vaccine who are younger than 12 (my grandchildren).
And how do we know when the vaccines will lose their efficacy? Mom and Art got their shots in January. They're saying the vaccines are probably effective for 6+ months, but we don't exactly know how long. When will boosters be available?
So yes, we might be an island full of worrywarts.
But I'm still keeping my mask on in crowds or stores.
We worry and are very cautious. It's looking a lot more promising though.
ReplyDeleteI got my first shot in January and the second one in February. But the Red Cross contacted me yesterday to say they had tested my blood from May's blood donation and found it was positive. They asked me a lot of questions about symptoms, but I had none. I figure the reason I tested positive was because I had developed antibodies from the vaccinations. It's a mystery to me.
ReplyDeleteI recently got an antibody test and asked whether it was any use since I’d get a positive reading since I’d gotten the vaccination. She said antibodies you get from vaccination and from the actual virus after being infected are different.
DeleteJust keep right on worrying. It will keep you safe. The hoards of 20 year old's here do not wear masks, and they really worry me.
ReplyDeleteMost Missouri folks are anti-maskers, and I still intend to wear my mask when I go shopping because of that, even though I'm vaccinated. We are in a rural county, and I have stopped wearing a mask to church long ago. It's a very small church, not a lot of people and easy to socially distance.
ReplyDeleteit's been a pain, not knowing what to do or who to believe but we are returning to normalcy now. Don't have to wear masks in stores, at church, etc. It almost feels like normal but yet it isn't!
ReplyDeleteIowa is much like Utah evidently. There is very little worry here and partly because, who desires a vacation in Iowa?
ReplyDeleteAs polite as I can be, I think you are focused on the small picture while the CDC is focused on the big picture. The CDC didn't implement rigid testing protocols in the beginning not because they didn't think it was the right thing to do but because it would have created mass hysteria among people clamoring for limited testing supplies for any suspected contact with someone from China. I think they realized at that point, it was inevitable and their guidance was merely to slow down the spread and not prevent it. Likewise with the masks. The CDC never once said they didn't work but they did council the public not to wear them to save them for emergency responders who really needed them. Once supplies for them were assured, they did council us to start wearing masks but they still have asked us to leave the N95 ones for healthcare workers. Had the CDC said in the initial get go that N95 masks needed to be worn by everyone immediately, again, it would have just created mass hysteria and all doctors without masks would have just stayed home and driven death tolls much higher due to lack of healthcare. Many clinics have gone nearly bankrupt having to buy N95 masks on the open market competing against those who are only concerned with themselves and not others.
I think the CDC has done a remarkable job all through this pandemic of balancing our health needs without creating more panic and hysteria than already is. They have been looking at the big picture the entire time while most of us have been quite short sighted and self serving in this pandemic.
I forgot to add, I think the CDC has been quite clear all along that cloth masks really don't protect you from getting Covid, they protect others from you unknowingly spreading it without showing symptoms. Thus with the latest research showing that there is little chance of someone who is vaccinated from getting or spreading Covid, masks aren't doing the vaccinated any good and thus can be eliminated. Those who sneak into places unvaccinated and unmasked are only hurting themselves if they come into contact with another unmasked, unvaccinated person with Covid. Us wearing masks or not isn't going to stop that. There might be a case to be made for still wearing masks in the future as vaccine efficacy falls and vaccinated people start getting Covid but for now, we don't have to worry about that.
ReplyDeleteThank you for being polite, Ed. I still don’t agree though.
DeleteI think Ed makes some very good sense. At this point I am kind of a middle roader. I wear masks where required, in stores and in mixed gatherings. I took my mask off when I was in my seat in the stadium, sitting with other vaccinated soccer fans. I wore it on the light rail, as required. While wearing a mask might make me feel safer, it doesn't really protect me, and since I am vaccinated, I am not infecting other people. I wear my mask to comply with the rules and to send a message to those who might still be spreaders that they better mask up, and for goodness sake, get vaccinated!
DeleteWanted to add Kay that I still wear my mask in crowded venues which for me is mostly Church these days. I do it mainly because I enjoyed the year free of colds, flus and other ailments that I always seem to get and am not keen to start getting them again.
DeleteThink the worry and extra care have paid off. I have no problems with extra caution. Was curious when I went to Walmart this past week. We have the mask mandate removed for the vaccinated. The only ones in Walmart wearing masks had gray hair and you knew they were vaccinated and could have been barefaced. I have a feeling we will pay for all this freedom soon. Hum,I sound more Hawaiian every day.
ReplyDeleteIf worry leads people to safer behaviors during a pandemic it is not such a bad thing.
ReplyDeletePlease keep worrying in Hawaii! When the surviving smart folks come to visit, it will be safer for all. The "honor system" isn't going to work, so I still wear a mask in public places. If I KNOW a person isn't vaccinated, I don't meet up with them under any circumstances. I still require maintenance folks to wear a mask inside my apartment.
ReplyDeleteCan't recall if it was CDC's initial info, but the better social distancing amount was initially determined to be 13 feet, not just 6 feet, but they knew people wouldn't cooperate. The virus is aerosolized, meaning it hangs in the air for up to 3 hours! These "covid cooties" are smaller and lighter than water vaper droplets. But CDC couldn't get people to believe such and stopped hawking out the info. (DJT didn't help support the CDC and blatantly muzzled them: my niece works there: her head feels like the possessed Linda Blair's head in the Exorcist dealing with the previous administration.)
I like what I read recently about the folks refusing the covid vaccine: with the 60% not vaccinated, and the variants running around the world, "THE COVID WILL FIND YOU!"
The nursing research determined that 3 layers of cloth / filters with cloth masks was around 60-80% effective, although an N95 mask (not a KN95 mask,) was best. The N95s are far less effective after 3 uses.) Stretchy neck gaiters, loose paper masks, and stretchy fabric were far less effective.
IF the longer term vaccine effectiveness lasts only 6 months, yes, they may start boosters which are to include defense against some of the variants too.
Good site: Medscape.com for sane information. Linda in Kansas
Thank you, Linda. So far, Hawaii has been sort of OK with the variants, but for how long with tourists often not wearing masks is a question. I know masks will not keep 100% of the virus out, but even if it's 20%, I figure it's worth it.
DeleteI don't know enough to make a good judgment about the CDC; but we should remember that this was/is something new and therefore by definition unpredictable. Perhaps they did the best they could under the circumstances. What I do know is that the miracle in all this is the vaccine; so in effect the much-criticized American medical system saved us from ourselves.
ReplyDeleteyes!
DeleteI love being vaccinated but I'm still concerned about the number of anti-vaxxers and the potential issues with variants that they will allow to flourish. So, for now, I don't mask outside unless there are crowds, nor if I'm with other vaccinated people. If I'm in public, I feel safest in a mask. And wearing one is REALLY NO BIG DEAL. I've never understood why people are up in arms about it. They make a difference according to every reputable study I've seen. Even if they only made a marginal impact, why not keep each other as safe as possible? (my opinion)
ReplyDeleteWe're still being careful here. This weekend we had "wine tourists" in town and many more unmasked people than usual. Being old and with, you know, underlying blah, blah, I wear my masks. I'm also curious, so I asked people who were unmasked in the store or picking up food if they were visitors and 7 out of 8 were. Did not inquire about vax status. Worrisome since this place is a wine destination and we are still listed as high risk. My other "like" for the mask is we had almost no flu in our town this year. My masks are all double cloth with a filter and have a wire insert across the nose. Comfy and helps with my seasonal allergies. So keep it up Hawaii.
ReplyDeleteGood idea on keeping the masks on Kay.
ReplyDeleteI still wear a mask when inside public places, whether they require it or not. I don't think it is really possible to be too cautious about a virus we know so little about in the long term. I actually prefer wearing a mask in public, and I didn't have my usual cold this past winter.
ReplyDeleteWearing my mask, too. It hold my vaccination in.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to be worried. I anticipate going masked for sometime.
ReplyDeleteMy province is getting things together, but it doesn't help that we have a moron for a premier, a man who seems stopped paying attention in school in grade five
When I got my shot they said it was guaranteed for 6 mos. After that they weren't sure how much good it would be. I'm worried that I will be needing another shot before the bimbos get their first shot.
ReplyDeleteAnd we’re coming up to that 6 month mark very soon!!!
DeleteIt is a good idea to be careful. I got my first shot. Waiting for the second one. I think, even after the second shot, we should keep the mask on
ReplyDeleteI just got word tonight that an old classmate is in the hospital with covid and he was vaccinated so how do we know what to do? I am not getting the vaccination because of a compromised immune system, plus who knows what that vaccine will do down the road! As far as I am concerned, it was not tested enough. It was rushed and put out for the public too soon. Do I believe a lot of this was political? Absolutely! I have travelled through 5 states several times since this all started and have been in the hospital with other things and still have not gotten the covid. We are very cautious and were some of the first to start wearing masks. People looked at us like we were nuts, but so far, so good. All I can say if that God is watching out for us! We even moved to another state for healthcare! Most of our travel was for healthcare. We started out in March of 2020 staying at home. I think each person has to do what they think is right.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the long post!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely no need to apologize for a long comment. I truly appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts and very happy that you have been able to stay healthy.
DeleteFascinating. Yes, we live on an island and understand connections between us all in a way folks on the continent do not understand.
ReplyDelete