If you have been even slightly exposed to the news recently, you know that the Delta variant of Covid-19 is causing tens of thousands of new infections across the United States and that the media is responding to these new infections as if the world is ending again. But it’s not.
Covid-19 is a serious illness. It has killed untold numbers of people, including over 300 Lakewood residents. It’s not a joke and elderly and immunocompromised people should absolutely take every step they can to avoid becoming infected. And yes, they should get vaccinated as well.
But here is the thing: the vaccines are proving effective, despite the Delta variant. Even as infections rise, the number of people who are dying from the illness is still near pandemic lows. Unlike the early days of Covid-19, when a massive number of new infections inevitably meant we would be hearing of a lot more deaths in the coming days and weeks, new infections now, for the most part, simply mean that the individual needs to rest and take it easy for a few days, similarly to the seasonal flu.
Even Governor Murphy, who has been one of the strictest governors in the nation regarding Covid-19, noted on Monday when he imposed a vaccine mandate on health care workers that hospitalizations among vaccinated individuals is well below 1% and that deaths among the vaccinated are at 0.001%. In other words, extremely rare.
The media and White House’s obsession with the number of infections is counterproductive for two reasons: One, it implies to Americans that the vaccines don’t work. If they’re freaking out over new infections, even among the vaccinated, then what’s the point of getting the vaccine? By treating “breakthrough” cases like regular infections, they are only disincentivizing people from getting a vaccine. And two, the number of infections is pointless now. The numbers that matter are those of hospitalizations and deaths.
If the media and Biden administration wanted to show that they truly care about beating back Covid-19, they would lay off the focus on new infections, which is irrelevant, and focus on what matters. This, and only this, can reignite Americans’ trust in the federal government and science community.
Every time I get exposed to the news I get burned.
Chill!
I am a medical provider and just spoke with a physician who I trust, and he noted that this policy of “covid +” in ppl who are not sick ie no symptoms is totally absurd
The psychological impact is huge already, and we’re going to pay for it for many years, let’s not endorse unnecessary hysteria
Can’t believe that after 3 waves we still haven’t learned that hospitalizations and deaths lag a few weeks after infections?! Just look at the number of serious cases in E”Y…
All they’re saying is be careful, even if vaccinated, so you protect others who are not vaccinated from contracting it. What’s so hard to understand? Have we become that desensitized to the value of life??
looks like we found the second sensible person reading the scoop [I’m the first ????]
Thank you
Florida, who is rapidly becoming an epicenter, had 8,900 hospital patients as of Thursday, just shy of last year’s record. They have young people in their 20’s on ventilators. They went from 0 deaths in the beginning of July to 183 per day at the end of the month.
Aaron Neuman – Why do you spread lies and say the numbers don’t matter?? You will be held accountable if anyone suffers needlessly because of your reckless lies.
People need to take responsibility for their own welfare. Almost all of those hospitalized in Florida were not vaccinated. All the writer is saying is that the way to avoid hospitalizations and deaths from the virus is to get vaccinated. Not suppressing the positivity rate. What he is saying is factual.
Some people need classes in logic here.
The article says that there is no reason to focus on the positivity numbers because – One: the vaccine works – Two: The positivity numbers are meaningless. It’s the hospitalization rate that counts.
His logic is skewed because – One: the positivity numbers should encourage more people to vaccinate – Two: The positivity numbers go hand in hand with hospitalizations and deaths as seen in Florida.
If we follow the logic that we shouldn’t try and protect unvaccinated people because they deserve what they get, then Hatzolah should stop responding to speeding accidents, No more Pidyon Shvuyim campaigns, Doctors should stop treating obese people etc.
People do what they want they want with their lives, but it’s our job to protect and save others to the best of our abilities.
It never did, that was just the media and democrats way of sowing panic to further their interests.
Know the facts. Your hysterical. Take a chill. You want the vax take it and leave the rest alone.
Very few vaccinated are getting sick.
Take a deep breath.
I’m not taking sides on this matter till I do some more research, nevertheless, I couldn’t resist the corny pun of, “Know your vax.”
Sorry for the sighs and ughhhhs.
Did anyone see the lab alert on the CDC website, cdc.gov/csels/dis/2021/07-21-2021-lab-alert-changes_CDC_RT-PCR_SARS-Cov-2_Testing_1.html
saying that they are removing the authorization for the pcr test and recommending that labs find a test that can differentiate between the flu and COVID? wake up, positive pcr test dont show that there is ant COVID, it may be just the flu. COVID is over, and that is why there are so few deaths BH. did we always mask up and vaccinate for the flu?
Looks like that CDC link was removed
The number of infections doesn’t matter? How about the number of deaths? 688 people died yesterday of Covid. You obviously are not reading the data. Just making stuff up. Who knows if the vaccine is protecting people from death. That 99% is an old statistic referring to the vaccine’s performance over the last 5 months. A lot of the people getting the Delta variant right now are vaccinated. On July 30th the CDC reported that in an outbreak in Maine 74% of the people who got the Delta variant were vaccinated.
Yes the vaccines have a much lower efficacy rate against the Delta Variant. HOWEVER they prevent severe infection. The number of people HOSPITALIZED with Covid-19 who have been vaccinated is somewhere between 3 and 5 %
The Lanewood scoop like many other frum magazines likes to create artificial controversy, it’s good for business.It gets people to talk about issues passionately, and to keep coming back to the source of controversy,so more traffic,leads to more ad revenue.
That’s why you constantly see letters printed in frum magazines after another poorly researched article, which is claiming dubious and flimsy statistics,and in the the letter section there are always two sides equally supporting and disputing the conspiracy theory of the hour.An equal amount that is outraged that the trash was printed,but an equal amount that supports the article.
This serves two purposes.It shows that there is two legitimate sides to the issue,and it fuels further debate,further engaging the vast majority that are furious at the protrayel of these ideas as legitimate.
The magazine never tells yiu what percentage of it’s readership or letter writers agreed to each position. So when they print one or two letters from each side,it appears that 50 percent back each position. In reality,that isn’t the case.The magazine takes representation from the small minority,and never reveals that the overwhelming majority disagreed.All the reader sees is an equal representation of both sides.Is this intellectual honesty? True reporting? Or is it giving a platform to every conspiracy group out there,no matter how small? I am not advocating silencing anyone.I am asking for honest reporting of the size of the group,and a proportional representation of the two sides of the issue.For example if many thousands of Doctors worldwide strongly advocate for vaccination,and there are a few that feel its not clear of it’s benefits,it is dishonest to represent this as an equal debate.