Finally, the good news that we’ve been waiting for! Pandemics do run their course, as viruses become endemic, and it looks as if this pandemic may be winding down in the U.S. There seem to be no new variants (that we know of) on the horizon. The number of cases seems to be dropping significantly (although we must keep in mind that many home test results are not being reported). Reported cases are down more than 75% nationwide since the mid-January peak, and hospitalizations have decreased by more than 40%. Our total death rate from COVID in Vermont, at 91 deaths per 100,000 people, is the second lowest in the country after Hawaii (for comparison, Texas’s death rate is 294 per 100,000; Florida’s is 315 per 100,000 people).
Vermont’s vaccination rate is the highest in the country, at 80% of the entire population. What is sobering is that, according to data from the last six weeks, those 18 years of age and older who are not fully vaccinated are nearly eight times more likely to be hospitalized from COVID-19, compared to those who are fully vaccinated and boosted. Those 18 and over who are not fully vaccinated are nine times more likely to die from COVID-19, compared to those fully vaccinated and boosted. If you haven’t yet been vaccinated, please think about these statistics. The question for those who have not been vaccinated is not “Will you become infected with COVID?” but, rather, “When will you get COVID and how sick will you be when you do?” There’s an easy and simple way to improve your odds of being hospitalized and/or dying. If there were a vaccination and booster against all forms of cancer, would you hesitate to get it?
So where do we go from here? How do we navigate the uncharted waters of coming out of a two-year pandemic? To mask or not to mask? To continue to socially distance, or go back to the way we lived life prior to March, 2020? The answer to these questions depends upon your age; the strength and health of your immune system; where you live and who you’re around; whether you’ve been vaccinated and boosted or not; and who you come into contact with (the elderly, the immune-compromised). There is no right or wrong answer to the question of how each of us protect ourselves and those we love; it all depends on the level of risk that you are willing to take.
Springtime is just around the corner, and we’ll be spending more time outdoors, which should reduce the spread of the virus even further. But no matter how cautious we are, COVID-19 will never be eradicated in the way that smallpox and polio were; it will be with us in the same way that colds, noroviruses, and the flu are transmitted. So how do we learn to live with this virus?
Again, we all have a different idea about what an acceptable level of risk is, depending upon our circumstances. As I watched the Superbowl on Sunday, I thought about how far we’ve come. I’m sure you noticed, as I did, how many people were crammed together in the stadium and how few were wearing masks (although, apparently, N95s were issued to every spectator and Los Angeles County still has a mask mandate for “mega” events). This illustrated to me, more than anything else I’ve witnessed, that many Americans are fed up and done with COVID-19. Frustration has apparently overcome fear, at least at the 56th Superbowl. It will become clear, within about a week, whether COVID-19 is done with us; if it isn’t, then the Superbowl may be re-named Superspreader.
Here at Grace Cottage, we will continue to mandate wearing masks and encourage physical distancing, at least for now. If you’re coming to visit a patient here at Grace Cottage, please check our website for the most up-to-date visitation policy.
And, if you have tested positive for COVID-19 at home, please report this to your state Department of Health so that it can be added to the statistical database, and also to your primary care provider, so that it can be entered into your medical record.
If you’re looking for entertainment and an easy, fun way to support our rural hospital’s Emergency Department, click here! This one click will lead you to the opportunity to bid on over 170 unique, useful, and maybe-can’t-live-without items that have been donated by generous individuals and businesses to Grace Cottage’s annual Cabin Fever Online Auction. There are lots of gift certificates, works of art (such as the print of downtown Brattleboro by Tim Wood, at right), gift baskets, jewelry, trips (Antigua, above), and so much more. Even if you don’t bid, it’s fascinating to browse through the auction items to see what’s been donated – including 10 pairs of new Ray Ban and Carrera sunglasses, donated by a Brattleboro optometrist who recently retired. And for those who prefer instant gratification, there are plenty of “Buy Now” options. The Auction went live yesterday, and ends on February 27th. All proceeds from the Cabin Fever Auction will be used for renovations to enhance patient privacy and to improve efficiency and security in Grace Cottage’s Emergency Department.
It’s been a roller coaster winter here in Vermont this year. Who knew that 35 degrees would feel balmy?! And 55 degrees on Thursday? That truly seems like a “heat wave”, at this point!
Doug DiVello, President & CEO
Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital
