I get it. We are all tired of coronavirus.
Over Covid and all the social distancing precautions that come with it. But with that said, we have to stay the course. Keep fighting the fight.
We have let our guards down. It’s clear everywhere.
My TV station, Fox 13, did a story about the rising Covid cases in Florida. We are seeing numbers not seen since the summer.
Hillsborough County’s positivity rate is 8.4 percent. Pinellas County is at 6.1 percent. It is likely to get worse if things don’t change.
USF researchers have been looking at the numbers and how relaxing restrictions has impacted transmission of the virus.
Edwin Michael is a professor of epidemiology and infectious disease modeler at the University of South Florida. He says, “The models are saying that for Tampa, the next wave, if the current social measures are maintained, the next wave will peak towards the end of January. We have now let our guard down on the social measures and as soon as you do that — bingo! It’s inevitable. You’ll get the surge, the spike.”
The news comes just in time for Thanksgiving. Kids are coming home from college. NPR has a story about how families want their kids home for the holidays. They just don’t want them bringing Covid with them. Remember when you used to just worry about college kids and their dirty laundry?
As I write this, Pfizer says its Coronavirus vaccine is 95 percent effective. Moderna is saying the same thing.
That’s good news. It’s also good to hear is public confidence in a vaccine. Gallup is reporting that 58 percent of us are willing to take a vaccine. That’s up from 50 percent in September. We need more than that. A lot more for herd immunity.
And under the heading of national treasures… Dolly Parton. Turns out she gave a million dollars to Coronavirus research at Vanderbilt University. That money helped in the development of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine. Dolly’s name even appears on the preliminary report on the vaccine.
On the Today Show, Dolly said, “I felt like this was the time for me to open my heart and my hand and try to help.”
In unrelated Dolly Parton news, TMZ is reporting a deal is in the works for Dolly to appear on the cover of Playboy for her 75th birthday. Like I said, a national treasure. And well preserved.