Contagion: Vaccines, a New Strain, and Hope.

 

Washington Post

While we are experiencing surges in Covid-19 infection rates, hospitalizations, and deaths, there has been some glimmers of hope.  There are two vaccines approved for use in the US.  Less scientifically, people are looking forward to the end of this year and the start of the new.  In the latter case, it is like people believe in a jinxed year more than viral biology. 

I certainly have been one of the hopeful, for both reasons stated.  I am hoping that the vaccines help put this all behind us with zero to minimal side-effects.  I also am amongst those that look forward to the start of our next trip around the sun to be a much better year.  Heck, I was pretty hopeful and excited about that start of 2020:  The Dawn of a New Year and Decade. 

Yesterday, we all read or heard some news that makes our hope for the 2021, well, less hopeful.  It seems that in the United Kingdom, that the virus this Covid-19 morphed, mutated, transformed, or simply evolved into a strain that is more contagious.  This is horrible news.  One report stated that this new strain spreads 70% faster than the strain that killed millions and wreaked havoc on our work and lives this year.  According to a December 19^th article in the Wall Street Journal:

The early conclusion, according to British scientists, is that the virus has mutated to change the so-called spike protein on the surface of the virus, increasing the protein’s ability to cling onto and enter human cells. These changes allow the mutation, known as N501Y, to spread 70% faster than earlier versions of the virus, early analysis suggests.

This new strain is responsible for the majority of new cases in the UK.  As a result, there is a severe lock down there from December 24 to January 4.  The goal is to minimize Christmas gatherings that would accelerate the spread of the virus.  Several countries in Europe and around the world have banned air travel to and from the UK.

While this new strain is more contagious, preliminary evidence does shows it is not more fatal than the variant we have been fighting for the past year.  Thankfully, scientists believe the current vaccines will still be effective against this strain. 

Viruses mutate faster than we can react.  As the CDC and other medicos have advised, it will not get us out of this alone.  We still have to observe the precautions we have come to know:  avoid large gatherings, wear masks in public, and wash our hands often.  It requires the cooperation of all of us to make these little sacrifices to beat this thing.

Back on May 1, it was a spring day where my hopes were high.  There was a beautiful rainbow that day which bolstered the hope even more.  I wrote a post, Contagion: Promise of Utopia?, which basically expressed a hope that this pandemic may foster an era of greater cooperation and understanding amongst all of humankind.  In retrospect, I was even more naïve than I admitted in that post.  On May 25^th, George Floyd was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis and protests erupted all over the country.  There were people who took advantage of it and looted businesses.  At the same time, people protested the lockdowns, defied wearing masks, and demanded a return to normalcy.   It was nothing close to the better world I had envisioned.  But, perhaps that is the problem with Utopias; they are conceptual and can never be realized.

On December 7^th, my cousin Christopher Merian posted the following on FB:

I have been wearing a mask every time I am out in public. I’m not sure why being considerate to others for the common good is now being mocked by some who are calling it “living in fear”, but it needs to stop. When I wear a mask over my nose and mouth in public and in the stores/Supermarkets/Pharmacies/Offices - I want you to know the following:

-  No, I don't "live in fear" of the virus; I just want to be part of the solution, not the problem.

-  I'm educated enough to know that I could be asymptomatic and still give you the virus.

-  I don't feel like the "government controls me". I feel like I'm an adult contributing to the security in our society and I want to teach others the same.

-  If we could all live with the consideration of others in mind, the whole world would be a much better place.

- Wearing a mask doesn't make me weak, scared, stupid or even "controlled". It makes me caring and responsible.

- When you think about your appearance, discomfort, or other people's opinion of you, imagine a loved one -- a child, father, mother, grandparent, aunt, uncle or even a stranger -- placed on a ventilator, alone without you or any family member allowed at their bedside.....Ask yourself if you could have helped them a little by wearing a mask.

I am inviting you all to copy this and post it on your wall as your post if you agree with me, as I did.

I certainly agree with Chris.  I do believe we can all follow his very simple and pragmatic suggestions for the greater good.  The would be Utopian enough for now.  It is also crucial as the pandemic is surging, and, after all,  it is season of good will toward men and peace on Earth. 

At least this is my hope…