After life-saving vaccines arrived, the tide began to shift in the battle against the 18-month-old pandemic. COVID-19 cases shriveled. Hospitalizations dipped. Fatalities became a rarity instead of a Bataan-like march. But the rise of the Delta variant poses a new threat to ending the pandemic.
The highly contagious new variant is spreading like a California wildfire. Cases, hospitalizations and deaths are ticking upward at an alarming rate. Complicating the effort to tamp down the outbreak is the failure of vaccination campaigns to convince nearly half of Americans to get the shots.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports 49% of Americans are fully vaccinated. The agency's figures show an estimated 68% of individuals have received at least a single dose of one of the three vaccines. Research indicates two doses are required for maximum protection against the Delta variant.
A clarification about the 68% national figure is in order. It is unintentionally misleading. With a little digging, CDC figures reveal nearly two-thirds of the 3,143 counties in the U.S. have less than 40% of residents who have been fully vaccinated.
States with high vaccine rates are skewing the national data. States with low vaccination rates are breeding grounds for the spread of the Delta variant.
This is a sobering dose of reality for the Biden Administration, which pledged to blunt the virus and administer at least one vaccine dose to 70% of all Americans by July 4. Once President Trump delivered the vaccines in Warp Speed fashion, the job fell to President Biden to ramp up vaccinations.
Even the White House's pandemic response coordinator Jeff Zients admitted at a recent press briefing that the recent surge in COVID cases and deaths represents a lack of success for the administration.
"The sad reality is that despite our progress, we're still losing people to the virus. Which is especially tragic given that, at this point, it is unnecessary and preventable. Virtually all COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths in the United States are now among unvaccinated individuals."
Data confirms Zients' assessment. Preliminary figures suggest 99.5% of the deaths in the last few months are in unvaccinated people, according to CDC Director Rochelle Walensky. Unvaccinated Americans are also more likely to require hospitalization, if they are infected with the Delta variant.
Research reveals the novel strain travels faster than the original alpha version of COVID-19. CDC analysis of genetic sequencing from positive tests discovered the Delta variant accounts for 83% of the new COVID cases. The good news is that vaccines are potent weapons against the variant.
The Pfizer vaccine is 88% effective against symptomatic cases and 96% effective against hospitalization from the Delta variant in studies, reports Yale Medicine. Moderna's vaccine has proven equally effective against the Delta variant, although the data for both studies have not been peer reviewed.
In an era when "following the science" is a recurring slogan, why are so many Americans, including large numbers of health workers, refusing to roll up their sleeves for a shot? Vaccines are readily available in every part of the country. What's the excuse?
A Kaiser Family Foundation research survey conducted in January sheds light on the reluctance to take the jab. The study learned that 51% of Americans would "definitely not get the vaccine." Another 16% reported they would only get the vaccine if "it was required."
The foundation fielded another study of the same individuals in June and found little movement in attitudes. According to the findings, 24% of individuals in the original two groups softened their opposition. That leaves 76% of the two groups (51% and 16%) who haven't budged.
Some demographic groups are embracing vaccines faster than the population at large. Kaiser reported higher vaccine rates in older adults (79.6%), those with serious health problems, college graduates and Democrats. The data shows 42% of Americans aged 30-49 have not been vaccinated.
Among demographic groups adopting a "wait and see" attitude are large numbers of African-Americans and Hispanics, the survey found. What is causing this hesitation?
Two-thirds of adults (and a large majority of the unvaccinated) are concerned about the safety of the vaccines. Although medical professionals, celebrities, politicians and health officials have tried to assure the public the vaccines are safe, many view full FDA approval of the vaccines as a proxy for safety.
Why hasn't the Federal Drug Administration fully approved the vaccines after the administration of 338 million doses? That question always prompts the government to defer to established protocols for final approval. How much more evidence is needed? Approval is bogged down in the bureaucracy.
In addition the CDC has been less than forthcoming in explaining to Americans the so-called "adverse incidents" that have occurred. Most Americans have read or heard of about deaths, blood clots and severe but rare allergic reactions following vaccinations. Why not discuss those publicly to arrest fears?
Instead, the CDC prefers to circulate details on a limited basis to medical professionals. When the CDC doesn't air these adverse outcomes and explain why they are extremely rare, Americans draw their own conclusions. It fuels fear and anxiety. The CDC should come clean for the good of the public.
On the CDC website, there is a reference to 6,207 deaths that have been recorded after individuals received the vaccine. Deaths have been reported online and in the media without an ounce of perspective. Seldom is it made clear there is no evidence the fatalities were caused by the vaccines.
In fact, the CDC website adds explanatory language advising that the FDA requires healthcare providers to report any death after a COVID vaccination, "even if it's unclear whether the vaccine was the cause." Reports of deaths "do not necessarily mean that a vaccine caused the health problem," it cautions.
The CDC includes this disclaimer: "A review of available clinical information, including death certificates, autopsy and medical records has not established a causal link to COVID-19 vaccines." The agency also notes there have been rare cases of blood clots and anaphylaxis.
There have been 39 reports of people who suffered blood clots and about 60 Americans who had a rare allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis. These CDC figures may frighten some, but put in perspective, it means your chances of an adverse incident are extremely unlikely.
In fact, it is more life-threatening to live in Chicago, drive your car or suffer complications from influenza than it is to receive one of the three available vaccines: Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson and Johnson. The CDC and the administration must take the initiative to launch an extensive media and ad blitz.
No discussion of vaccine hesitancy could be fair and balanced without singling out the politicization of the development process. When unity was required, the Washington political class dished out division and scare mongering, which fostered an unhealthy environment for wide vaccine adoption.
Recently, President Biden blamed social media companies, such as Facebook, for spreading misinformation about the vaccines. "They're killing people," Biden vented in response to a reporter's question. This is a red herring. Facebook's censors ban any anti-vaccine posts.
Your writer knows this first hand. He posted a humorous picture of a skeleton with the caption: "I can assure everyone the vaccine is completely safe." With lightning speed, Facebook's dictatorial, ham-fisted censors put a large banner over the post, directing readers to a CDC website.
More photo opts of celebrities getting vaccinated are a waste. Those play into the hands of publicity hungry Hollywood dolts. What is needed an honest intensive campaign to fully inform Americans, pulling no punches about adverse side effects. And the FDA must fully approve the vaccines...now.
There is little sense of urgency in the administration and FDA, despite White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki's assurances that "getting the pandemic under control (and) protecting Americans from the spread of the virus" is the president's "number one priority."
That is a curious statement in light of the Biden Administration's decision not to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for the White House staff. Does that set a good example for Americans? Remember when an unmasked Trump was viewed by the media as a sign of his not taking the virus seriously?
Now high profile professional athletes and coaches are defying league rules on vaccinations. A couple of assistant coaches have been fired. A handful of healthcare workers have been forced to resign for refusing to take the shots, The anti-vaccine undercurrent is stronger than many acknowledge.
In the wake of the Delta outbreak, Dr. Anthony Fauci is raising the prospect of new mask mandates for the vaccinated. If implemented, this will punish those who have been vaccinated to protect the unvaccinated. There will be a backlash the likes of which this country has not witnessed since the pandemic began.
One way to address this conundrum is the voluntary adoption of a policy for retail businesses, department stores, restaurants, bars and sporting events: Only those who have been vaccinated will be allowed on the premises. All others will be denied entrance.
No question this is extreme, and admittedly unenforceable, but the message will be crystal clear. The unvaccinated have given up their rights to be treated equally with those of us who have been vaccinated. The message may anger some, but dire circumstances call for drastic measures,
As long as a majority of individuals remain unprotected from the Delta variant, the pandemic will remain a health threat, inflicting economic harm on hard-working Americans and psychological damage on the country's young people.
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