Local Medical Crisis

[denimini]

Yes, the problem has finally hit outback Australia too, serious because if someone gets seriously ill here they have to be flown 750kms, which would be a problem if a lot of people were so affected.
My little town was OK until there was a funeral where someone attended who was COVID positive. There are big extended families living in the same houses so at present there are 69 people infected out of a population of about 600.
I didn't rush in to be vaccinated while the state was generally COVID free but now I have had 2 shots of Pfizer, thanks to the RFDS (Royal Flying Doctor Service), have been tested with negative results and am avoiding it like the plague.
Pfizer has been available here for months because of the problem of isolation but many people have not been vaccinated because of what they read on facebook.The only time I leave my crumbling empire is when I work at the local newpaper, now alone, to ensure that people get reliable information. Proof reading is done by email, then I wipe everything down before I leave and the someone else comes in to print. It is a non-profit organisation and is even more so now that we are supplying free copies to go out with food hampers because people can not get around to buy them.

One must be adaptable to change. One upshot is that I don't need to do a 400km round trip to do shopping. I can order online and the army delivers it to my front gate 4 days later. Just don't order icecream

Darwin's evolution may be a consequence for the conspiracy theorists but unfortunately the virus works on the same principles and can evolve in those unvaccinated.

[Coder]

If the virus was hemorrhagic - think ebola - with blood leaking out of people's eyes, pores - we'd be in a far better state because sickness would be so visible. Instead, we're stuck with a respiratory disease that leaves you feeling - maybe - at most a little 'meh' while you blissfully spread it.

[Freedomforall]

Twice in the last week I have dined 'out' inside in restaurant/pubs and not only do they demand your EU Vaccs Cert, but also your driver's licence as your accompanying ID. Then they have the addresses of everyone on the premises.

In my case, and it may be one of the few benefits of living in a small hamlet in Massachusetts, the folks at my local take me at my word that I have been vaccinated (I have offered to produce proof), and most of 'em know where I live, so that's not an issue.

But, yes, these are important tools -- and I'll stick to my opinion that we (as societies) need to "make stupid hurt". Not vaccinated? Back of the queue for care. Infect someone else due to your stupidity or obstinance, foot the health-care bill for those you injured.

I have thought this for years. Are you over weight? Then you should pay a higher premium for health insurance than someone who maintains a healthy lifestyle! Do you drink alcohol or smoke? By goodness then you too should pay a much hgher premium than someone who exercises regularly and maintains themeselves becasuse you are putting not only yourself at risk but others. Before anyone says, "but they are only harming themselves." Not so! What happens when your poor health choices cause you to have a stroke or heart attack while you are in control of a motor vehicle and you wreck injuring or killing someone else?!

[rode_kater]

In my case, and it may be one of the few benefits of living in a small hamlet in Massachusetts, the folks at my local take me at my word that I have been vaccinated (I have offered to produce proof), and most of 'em know where I live, so that's not an issue.

The problem of course is tourism. Both that people want to tourists, and that some people's livelihoods depend on other being tourists. There are little hamlets here, but of course most people don't live there. Staying out of the city centre will have to be enough.

[Gusto10]

While reading though the comments I noted some things which might need some clarification.
First, indeed the younger persons are more prone to contract the Delta variant, as they have been left out of the first vaccination round just for reason of their age. When you see e.g. the figures in Israel, especcially with the older people the contraction of the Delta version ending up in hospital is about 50/50 vaccinated/unvaccinated.
Do note that the obligation mentioned concerning vaccination for France is contra legem with the resolution 2361 of the European Parlement January last.
The regulations in France: You either show you have been vaccinated, or have recoverd from being ill due to covid or you get a test which will be valid for 72 hours. It's mandatory for caregivers, including police and firemen. It's interesting to see at covidtracker.fr that after August 15th, (end of their holyday season) the number of positive tests in France have decreased seriously. You can see also that the main group that contracted the virus were between 20 and 30, followed by their parents and younger sibblings.
Recent reports amongst others the British Medical Journal indicated that the contraction of Delta is 50/50 for those over 50 asto vaccinated/unvaccinated whereby those who have had only 1 jab of vaccin other than J&J are including with the non vaccinated.
Now the Mu variant is coming from South America, it's signaled in South Africa also and the first indication is that it will not be bothered by vaccins.

As to the remark of excluding the persons who have declined, most health systems are based on solidarity. If you want to exclude those who have not taken the vaccin either for reason they don't trust it, they have been ill and thus have antibodies, or have an immune reaction to it, you will have to exclude all who have jeopardised their own health for example by smoking, drinking, participating in sports, participating in traffic, climbing mountains, executing daily tasks like cutting wood and most serious by being alive.

[6ft3Aussie]

State leaders here are starting to admit that we will have to end up living with covid, we just cannot stay locked down long term.
We are starting to see negative effects on school kids, and they're in some cases falling behind, there has been a big increase in homelessness and suicides, and around here massive pressures as the cost of living skyrockets as rents increase in some cases 20% in the last year and house prices up about 25%.

As far as the covid goes, they're saying that once we get to to 70 to 80% of the population vaccinated that restrictions will end.
I am beginning to think that the best potential for beating this is achieve the highest possible vaccination rate and then let it loose so we can catch it with very mild or no symptoms, so that the body can gain artificial immunity through vaccination, and then when the body fights the real thing, it knows what to do and further builds immunity naturally with no/minimum symptoms.

In saying that, I could be completely wrong as I am not medically trained and have only studied biology to last year in high school (which does touch on viruses).

We just need to receive the correct information with regards to vaccines and not believe the BS that is circulating on social media, while respecting other's choices as to whether to get the vax or not.

[Kirbstone]

Too right, 75"A, Social media entries on the subject are far from authoritative and are best ignored.

To their credit NZ had a very good shot at eliminating it, aided by their geographic position, but international travel will prevail and they are now having trouble keeping new numbers down.

Historically a raft of diseases were all but eliminated World-wide by mass immunisation, c.f. childhood diseases which are routinely immunised against.

The same must hold for Covid, which isn't going to go away anytime soon and mass immunisation is humanity's only defense against it. Auto-immunisation through infection & survival is the other route.

[crfriend]

The same must hold for Covid, which isn't going to go away anytime soon and mass immunisation is humanity's only defense against it. Auto-immunisation through infection & survival is the other route.

Right. But what society is going to tolerate the deaths resulting from that stance. I don't think any humane society wants to go that route. Inhumane ones, well maybe.

We -- as a species -- had an amazing chance to stop this one cold, and we blew it, mainly thanks to distribution problems in the less-well-off nations and anti-vaxxers, conspiracy-theorists, and "hesitant" individuals in the well-off nations who don't understand what's going on -- and the socially-responsible ones are now paying the price for the careless and those who don't believe the problem is real.

Colour this guy not amused.

[Big and Bashful]

In Scotland we are doing well with vaccinations, however, relaxing the Covid precautions might just have something to do with Covid rates climbing very fast, very very fast. We have just had an email from the Commodore putting all precautions back fully, 2 metre spacing, no multiple occupancy in vehicles etc. Back to single manning in our small offices etc. This suits me fine because I prefer to work from home.

[Gusto10]

In Scotland we are doing well with vaccinations, however, relaxing the Covid precautions might just have something to do with Covid rates climbing very fast, very very fast. We have just had an email from the Commodore putting all precautions back fully, 2 metre spacing, no multiple occupancy in vehicles etc. Back to single manning in our small offices etc. This suits me fine because I prefer to work from home.

As was indicated already by the NHS, vaccins alone will not do the trick, all measures including those previously used will help to battle the resurge.

[Gusto10]

In my case, and it may be one of the few benefits of living in a small hamlet in Massachusetts, the folks at my local take me at my word that I have been vaccinated (I have offered to produce proof), and most of 'em know where I live, so that's not an issue.

The problem of course is tourism. Both that people want to tourists, and that some people's livelihoods depend on other being tourists. There are little hamlets here, but of course most people don't live there. Staying out of the city centre will have to be enough.

one could add, stay far from large gatherings.

[rode_kater]

State leaders here are starting to admit that we will have to end up living with covid, we just cannot stay locked down long term.
We are starting to see negative effects on school kids, and they're in some cases falling behind, there has been a big increase in homelessness and suicides, and around here massive pressures as the cost of living skyrockets as rents increase in some cases 20% in the last year and house prices up about 25%.

Welcome to what we had in Europe last year, except you're lucky, because there's actually a vaccine now and that was not at all clear last year.

Though it does feel weird reading you locking down a state for a dozen cases and we're at 2,500 per day and consider it normal.

[Gusto10]

State leaders here are starting to admit that we will have to end up living with covid, we just cannot stay locked down long term.
We are starting to see negative effects on school kids, and they're in some cases falling behind, there has been a big increase in homelessness and suicides, and around here massive pressures as the cost of living skyrockets as rents increase in some cases 20% in the last year and house prices up about 25%.

As far as the covid goes, they're saying that once we get to to 70 to 80% of the population vaccinated that restrictions will end.
I am beginning to think that the best potential for beating this is achieve the highest possible vaccination rate and then let it loose so we can catch it with very mild or no symptoms, so that the body can gain artificial immunity through vaccination, and then when the body fights the real thing, it knows what to do and further builds immunity naturally with no/minimum symptoms.

In saying that, I could be completely wrong as I am not medically trained and have only studied biology to last year in high school (which does touch on viruses).

We just need to receive the correct information with regards to vaccines and not believe the BS that is circulating on social media, while respecting other's choices as to whether to get the vax or not.

Not only Australia, but a number of countries which persued in first instance the zoero covid line have now accepted the fact that covid will be with us to stay.