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| The last time I was part of the team.... |
We all have been in a holding pattern, as far as life goes in general, since this all began almost ten months ago now. The hopes were that by some point we'd get a vaccine, as that was (really) the only way this thing was going to be neutralized and allow for some semblance of what we knew as 'normal life styles' to continue, as they were in 2019 and before.
This is really the only way events can happen with any assurance that a promoter or organization is not being irresponsible, since with vaccination cards, one could assess if participants were going to be 'spreaders' or not. Without a vaccine, well, we just cannot say that events can happen in a responsible way without severe protocols and adjustments to formatting of events, as we've seen already.
But you all know that vaccines are being rolled out, and so.....what? We can just roll onward now? Hold on, not so fast buckaroo! This roll-out of vaccinations is not a slam dunk affair. We've already seen how it isn't happening at a pace we once thought it might happen at. Essential medical personnel, those at highest risk in the population, and those who work with those high-risk people are the first to be getting the vaccinations, as it should be. Of course, I am not in any of those categories.
My health provider's email had this quote, "We expect COVID-19 vaccines to be widely available to the general public later in 2021." "Later" in the year? Well, I would assume by the Fall then, maybe? If that's the case, I'm stuck in the same situation that I've been in for months. Again from the health provider's email, "In the meantime, we encourage you to wear a face covering, social distance and wash your hands frequently in order to help reduce your risk of COVID-19."
So, here we are. Yes, things may change for the better, but who knows? All I know is that to sign up for anything where the promoters think all will be roses is not a high percentage decision on my part if I am thinking these events will actually happen in a responsible manner before Fall, and maybe not even then. Optimism is fine, and we'd like to think we'll be okay to have these events in 2021 like we had them in 2019. But I think it's a foggy future, and I'm not banking on it happening right at the moment.
Convince me I'm wrong.......
8 comments:
I'm with you, but I feel we are in the minority.
From what I read about the vaccine, it doesn't stop the spread of the virus, rather neutralizes symptoms in the inoculated individual. That is to say that someone who had the vaccine could still acquire and transmit the virus, but they would not need a hospital bed, ventilator, etc...
You are right to be cautious and people should not be gathering until its safe to do so, but I don't think you should assume that "later this year" means fall or after. Dr. Faucci said this morning that he expects (which is not a certainty, I understand) the general public to start getting the vaccine in April, that 75-85% might have it by later summer, and that things might be back to "normal" by fall.
https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/01/07/954324536/december-was-pandemics-deadliest-month-vaccine-process-has-been-slow
@rth009 - Dr Fauci can speculate all he wants, but my health provider is telling me something very different, and I've seen another system's e-mail which claims a very similar tale to what I received.
I wouldn't place any bets on anyone like myself getting vaccinated before mid-Summer. My guess would be late Summer for me and then you must be considering that this is a two-shot deal which means you aren't fully vaccinated for a two week period, or a little more. By the time you are good to go, it's Fall.
I'm signing up for Gravel World's which is held the third week of August. There is an outside chance I'll be able to go, but if I am not vaccinated by mid-August I'll consider my entry fee a donation. It's going to be close, and I'm thinking I'll be more in the donation window than the riding one.
I sure hope you're able to make it to Gravel Worlds, Brother!! As always, mi casa es su casa… You're always welcome here!
@MG - Thanks Brother! I am signing up, so if it can happen, it will.
GT, I know it is not the norm at this point, but I already know people that do not have patient facing jobs that have received the vaccine, i.e. people that work in the business office of healthcare facilities. I also know that my wife's hospital has now begun to vaccinate staff that are not patient facing employees. Granted, these people are still loosely connected to healthcare. However, I think there is hope for the general population before Fall of 2021. Let's see if the new administration can do a better job with distribution in the coming weeks and months.
@Anon: I'm not going to hold my breath for that..... YMMV.
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