I decided, after much cajoling, to start looking at comments again. Although I am happy to answer questions via emails and Facebook messenger, I was told that there are still questions which pop up on facebook and I don’t want anyone to think I am ignoring them. I’m a big boy and “Sticks and stones…”. I was also told my blogs and posts are too long. I will endeavor to shorten them. If you don’t want to read them, you don’t have to. I’ll keep posting longer ones on my website with a link on Facebook for real estate purposes. But since this is the first one of the new year and old habits take time to change, here you go…
I hope everyone was able to enjoy the holidays. I certainly loved having all my kids around and we had a great Christmas and NY. My kids are amazing and I am grateful that they even want to hang out with their parents. Speaking of parents, I certainly miss mine, who are up in Toronto, Canada and I have not seen them physically since LAST Thanksgiving more than a year ago, but I am grateful that they are also doing well. My mom just completed online classes and passed her testing for her real estate licence and my dad continues to play tennis, outdoors, despite the cold and snow, 2-3 times a week with someone 30 years his junior. My kids and my parents are my role models.
Welcome to 2021. A New Year. New Hope but unfortunately, many of the same issues predominate. Covid. Politics. Social issues. Environment…. there is no magic wand and we need to buckle down and continue to keep everyone safe, work on ourselves and our world. If 2020 has taught us anything it’s that 1) the way humanity has been living, often not thinking beyond their 2 foot radius, is not sustainable and 2) that nothing is certain in the future, bad and good.
On the plus side, the worldwide scientific community rallied together and numerous vaccines were developed in record time. However, the numbers of deaths, serious illness and hospitalization in general continue to rise with almost daily records which are likely to continue for at least another week or two, mostly a result of holiday travel. Travel itself is not the issue. The behavior at your destination is however. As I have mentioned before, 90% of the cases of Covid in, at least our local, hospital workers came from outside, not caring for or being around sick patients.
As far as vaccines are concerned, I am almost 2 weeks out from my shot and feeling well, other than post-holiday bloat!!! Even vegans can overdo it. I have my follow up Vaccine shot scheduled for next week and will let you know how it goes. I know of no one who has had any side effects. By the way, my pre-holiday bloodwork showed that my autoimmune diabetes seems to be reversing. It’s there, just getting better. No drugs. My endocrinologist doesn’t know what to do with me. GO PLANTS!
Because of issues with slow vaccination rates, there is some discussion about stretching out the second dose for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines however this will probably not take effect anytime soon, if at all. The issue is less of a production and availability of vaccines but more implementation and infrastructure to dispense it. No State to State consistency with policy is also frustrating the system. This is even being considered because the estimates are that there is about a 50% protection rate after the first dose with 95% protection after the second booster. 50% protection of more people is much better than 95% of many fewer.
What does the protection percentage mean?
Well it does NOT mean you can stop wearing a mask. Vaccination results in your body developing cells and antibodies which will recognize the microbe you are vaccinating against earlier than if you don’t have those antibodies or cells. You are just as likely to get infected, but the degree to which the microbe multiplies and takes hold in your body is lower. There is a race between the bug and your immune system. Vaccination gives your immune system a leg up, but it is not bulletproof. AND, you are still infectious while the virus is alive in your upper respiratory tract. Again, no magic wand.
There are additional vaccines on the horizon, which is great news. Some with single doses and less stringent storage requirements. Presently, they are being implemented in other parts of the world.
Also, death rate seems to be decreasing a bit, probably a result of better and earlier treatment protocols but it’s all in the numbers. If the hospitals are overwhelmed, people will get retreated later or may have to be triaged and those rates will start to climb again.
The new, more infectious variant is now in the US, along with most countries. Although apparently not leading to worse disease, it is much more contagious and impacts on kids more since it binds to the ACE2 receptors to a greater degree. More infections means more illness, more hospitalizations, and more death. The vaccine MAY provide protection but we still just don’t know how much. This is a perfect example of why we need to deal with this pandemic aggressively as early on as possible. The longer the virus is around, the more opportunity it has to mutate into something worse. It could mutate into something more benign, but do we really want to take that chance?
It’s still going to be a long haul. I suspect at least a year of careful behavior, including wearing masks and distancing to some degree. However, we should be able to get most people in the US vaccinated by the summer, hopefully.
Resolutions vs Transformations.
I don’t know who first said it but “Change is inevitable but transformation is intentional”. Studies show that 50% of New Year’s resolutions fail by January 17th and 80% by the end of January and 90% by the end of February. When you “resolve” to make a change, failure is inevitable. It’s too rigid. When you endeavor to “transform”, changing at multiple levels, allowing for error and missteps, you are more capable of sustained change. Slow progress in the right direction is better than stagnation or going backwards.
The notion that we can go back to whatever version of “normal” was before Covid is a pipe dream. There will be more viruses and pandemics. Climate change marches on. The rainforests keep shrinking. Species extinction continues at an unprecedented pace. We will be forced to change one way or another. We already have been forced to change. Our way of life is not sustainable. But if we accept what is actually going on around us and “intend” to transform, we will repair the planetary and interpersonal damage before it’s too late.
I know it sounds a little philosophical, but what the hell.
In the meantime, for the first time in 2021, I will again reiterate the important points:
MASK UP. Wear a good one, properly. Stop touching it.
DISTANCE. Connect with people but do so safely, for everyone’s sake.
WASH YOUR HANDS and SANITIZE when necessary.
DON’T TOUCH YOUR FACE.
PROTECT YOUR EYES when necessary.
VENTILATE.
VACCINATE (as an aside, between a 50% increase in flu vaccinations and Covid restrictions, this year’s flu season so far has been negligible!)
GET HEALTHY!!!!!!!
STAY HYDRATED.
Stay safe and be well.
AC ❤️🌱