CDC Officials Say Vaccinated Can End Social Distancing and Mask Use — Good Idea?
CDC officials made changes to their COVID-19 safety guidelines as they held a press conference earlier today. Fully vaccinated people can now end social distancing practices. They can also stop wearing masks indoors.
News officials on mainstream media rejoiced as they reported the news. CNN's Alisyn Camerota held back tears as she said, "I feel like this is over."
The CDC director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, cited COVID cases dropping by one third, the increasing availability of the vaccine, and the fact that the vaccine is now recommend for children 12 and older.
It is important to keep in mind these new guidelines apply to fully vaccinated people only.
Some medical experts are agreeing with this decision, while others are not so quick to sing the CDC's praises. Some medical experts were shocked to hear about the new guidelines. They thought today's announcement was going to deal with outdoor mask use. Dr. Leana Wen was "befuddled" with the CDC's decision that has gone from one extreme to another.
Victor Blackwell, Alisyn Camerota's co-host is also not so quick to fully endorse the CDC's decision. He urges caution when going forward and says politicians are now going to have to weigh in to try and facilitate these new changes.
For the record, I am not a medical expert. I have had absolutely no medical training whatsoever, unless you count dating a handful of women who work in the medical field, but I happen to agree with Dr. Wen wholeheartedly. This announcement has come way, way too early.
It doesn't take a medical degree to know there is a large majority of people in this country (most of them Trump supporting neo-Republicans) who have been against wearing masks and social distancing from the beginning.
Recent polls show approximately 15 percent of people polled will "absolutely not" be vaccinated. About 30 percent of Evangelical Christians and the same percentage of Republicans will not get the vaccine.
What's stopping these people from just saying they're vaccinated and just peeling off those masks? There is no legal framework in place to require people to provide proof of vaccination.
Will people be required to sew a blue cross on their clothing to identify vaccinated people? That doesn't sound like a good idea at all.
How will private companies and retail establishments react? There are already hundreds of videos on YouTube of people who refuse to wear masks. Now these people will feel empowered to push back against their local grocery store should they continue to enforce mask wearing.
This also opens the door for the vaccinated to point out and ridicule the unvaccinated who are still wearing masks which might prompt them to simply remove the mask and lie about being vaccinated.
It is too soon to do this.
This announcement comes on the heels of a statement from the New York Yankees saying seven members of their coaching and support staff — seven fully vaccinated members of their staff — tested positive for the Coronavirus.
It is too soon to do this.
I am an open book. My friends know they can ask me anything and I'll answer them honestly and openly. If you're one of those people who find personal stories as "Too Much Information," I suggest you stop reading the article.
There are still people getting infected with the Coronavirus. There are still people dying as a result of being infected with the Coronavirus. People see numbers on a computer screen about the number of infections and deaths, and some of them might say, "Oh, that's sad," or "Oh, that's unfortunate," but the simple fact is those aren't numbers. Those are flesh and blood people. Those are mother's, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters.
And I'm one of them.
About 5 days before I was scheduled to get the vaccine, I tested positive for COVID. I ended up in the hospital with what medical professionals have called an aggressive strain of the virus. I was on oxygen. I thought it was all over. Literally frightened to death, I begged God to have mercy on my soul.
Through the grace of God, and thanks to the doctors, nurses, and medical staff, I was able to fight through it.
I am now in a rehab facility. The variant of COVID that affected me has severely impacted my motor skills. I can't walk without the assistance of a walker, and I get unbelievably fatigued. J have made advances in my recovery, but recovery has been slow.
I've had to learn to take things one day at a time and be happy with the small advances I've made.
It isn't easy.
Frustration and sadness are orders of the day. I am mortified I will never be able to walk up the steps to my house, despite my therapists saying I'm advancing well and my nurses and doctors saying they're confident I will recover. I break down daily worried this virus has forever broken me.
I am very fortunate to have a string support system. From my wonderful mother, friends, therapists, nurses, and nurse assistants, I am well taken care of. The biggest battle I have to fight is the one in my head.
Why did I just tell you that story? I know the small handful of readers I have might not know me personally, while others might simply not care, and that's perfectly fine. I shared my story to illustrate one point — I am not a number.
Neither are the thousands of others around the country whose stories are similar to mine. Neither are the thousands of others around the country whose stories are worse than mine. This virus isn't happening in a vacuum. It's happening to us.
One of my best friends lost another one of his best friends and fishing buddies. Across the country, places at the dinner table sit empty. Across the country parents have had to bury their children.
I know we've made advances by leaps and bounds, but we're not out of the woods yet.
Politicians keep clamoring for children to return to school. The vaccines have yet to be approved for children under the age of 12. Children don't know how to social distance. They are not the most hygienic of age groups.
It is too soon for these guidelines. It is too soon to be taking a victory lap. If people are still getting infected and dying, we haven't won anything.
The President of the United States just addressed the nation saying better days are ahead. They very well may be, and I hope they are.
However, we're not there yet.
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