A few years ago, there was a saying “You need to check yourself before you wreck yourself.” Usually said between frenemies, it was a not so subtle way to warn someone that they needed to be very careful what they said next. I’m not talking about that kind of checking however.
It’s been a year since the Pandemic shut the world down. In those first few months, country after country slammed their borders closed and instituted almost draconian measures to try to stop the spread of the virus. People all over the world shuddered at the incredible numbers of cases and deaths that were attributed to the virus.
The medical and scientific communities leaped into action and by working far beyond overtime, managed to create vaccines that are quite effective against the virus. As cases numbers declined, some countries, including the US, started to relax the restrictions. People were getting fatigued with the efforts being asked of them. They just wanted to get back to normal.
India, and Brazil are currently experiencing Coronavirus spikes. India’s numbers have reached staggering numbers and the effects are spreading to neighboring countries. The same can be said of Brazil. In the case of India, at least, the spikes are due to relaxed restrictions and new variants.
All of this brings me back to my original question, is it time to check yourself? Are you still doing all the protective and preventative measures that were first put into place a year ago? When you go shopping, do you still wear a mask? Do you make an honest attempt to maintain some distance between yourself and the person in line in front of you? Do you take the time to wipe off the hard surfaces of items you are bringing into your home?
More importantly, if you are eligible in your area, have you been vaccinated? I don’t mean just getting one shot if the brand requires 2 shots. Have you gotten both of them? While yes, just one dose of either Pfizer or Moderna is 80% effective against the virus, it also allows for more breakout cases to occur. Getting that second shot is important.
So take a minute to do a quick check. Are you still doing everything you can to keep YOUR family from being infected??
Time to Reconsider…
It’s been a few months since I first posted this and I find myself asking the same question. Is it time to check yourself? At this point in time, the Delta variant is running rampant around the world. What are you doing to keep from getting the virus?
By now, everyone over the age of 12 in the US is eligible for the vaccination. The Pfizer vaccine has full approval. Still the numbers keep rising. Just a few months ago in Florida, the positivity rate was below 5%. Now it’s back up to just under 25%. That’s unbelievable.
Saddest of all are the reports from the hospitals telling us that over 90% of new cases are in people who didn’t get vaccinated. A recent story on the internet told the tale of a young couple who put off getting their vaccinations.
They planned to get them, but just hadn’t made the time yet. They both contracted the virus. The wife was sick enough to be hospitalized, the husband had a mild case and stayed home to recover. When the wife was released from the hospital, she made her way home.
Imagine her feelings when she discovered her husband dead in the bedroom, their dogs showing signs of not having had food or water for a few days. What’s worse, her husband had already started to decompose.
I’m not trying to scare you, I’m trying to make you aware of the risks you take everyday that you put off getting vaccinated. Yes, there are a certain percentage of vaccinated people who are still getting sick, but their illness is much less severe. You aren’t just risking your own life, you are putting your family, friends and neighbors in jeopard!
Book Reviews by the Reluctant Retiree 