The pandemic hasn’t ended, but too many of us are acting like it has
It’s abundantly clear that many people would rather ignore the serious health threat still posed by COVID-19. Yes, the nation is recording far fewer deaths than at the worst periods of this two-year pandemic — that’s great news! — but infections are again surging and the risk, especially to the most vulnerable, continues.
That’s an important consideration as the summer travel season kicks off. Officials should be stressing, loudly, the importance of vaccines and boosters, of testing and of wearing masks in crowded areas to ensure people, their families and their communities are protected.
Warning about the continued danger of COVID-19 feels like shouting into a hurricane. Most Americans are done with the pandemic and government seems eager to follow. Restrictions have been jettisoned, mandates have ended and people are ready to return to normal.
Trouble is, the coronavirus does not care. It has evolved and adapted over the two years since the first outbreak. It feeds primarily on the unvaccinated, but the mutated virus infects with increasing frequency those who have received the vaccine and boosters.
Don’t misunderstand that. New data from the winter omicron wave, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, confirms that the best defenses against COVID are the vaccines, which remain overwhelmingly effective in preventing death.
But their effectiveness wanes over time, which is why boosters are so important. The new data suggest that the decline in effectiveness is more pronounced in seniors, which is why the CDC now recommends people 50 and older receive a second booster.
In autumn, the unvaccinated were far and away more likely to die than others, but the numbers have shifted. The unvaccinated remain at highest risk, but older Americans, those 75 and up, comprise two-thirds of omicron deaths; 42% of fatalities in January and February were vaccinated.
The numbers are significant. People are still getting infected and becoming severely ill with COVID. For some, the virus persists for months, in what’s come to be called “long COVID.” And despite the easy availability of vaccines and boosters, hundreds of Americans are dying each week.
That could get worse in the coming months, as summer travel season begins and Americans travel with greater frequency. The United States is still recording about 100,000 new cases per day, though few people are acting as if the virus is still a serious threat.
It is, though it may be hard to tell due to the decline in testing and the resulting lack of community data. It is increasingly hard to tell which areas are at high risk and which are safer, though such information is vital for travelers.
While preventive measures such as testing and masking may no longer be required, they remain sound practice. Tests are more readily available than ever before and it’s smart to wear a mask in high-risk locations, particularly in crowded, indoor spaces with poor ventilation.
Recently, the White House announced that every American household can receive eight additional at-home tests for free by requesting them at covid. gov/tests. That follows free tests distributed by mail in January and March.
Even as we cheer the sharp decline in mortality from COVID, infections can be very dangerous. The effects can persist and cause long-term health complications. And there are still people, due to health complications and other issues, who cannot safely receive the vaccine and others, such as very young children, who are not yet eligible for vaccination.
While Americans want to resume their lives as before, to travel and spend time with family and friends without reservation, the virus continues to circulate and will use every opportunity to spread. So everyone must remain vigilant and, absent requirements, take precautions voluntarily to help protect their communities.
We want to be done with COVID, but COVID is not done with us. Get vaccinated, get boosted, test when symptoms present and wear a mask when needed. The threat persists. Please do your part.