Lamont COVID case shows need for caution

Gov. Ned Lamont on Thursday announced he had tested positive for the coronavirus, and the reaction from the rest of the state says a lot about where we are two years into the pandemic. There's concern, of course, but also an understanding that such occurrences are probably inevitable. For people living lives in public — and few people are more public than the head of state government — exposure is all but guaranteed. It's how we handle those risks that matters.

Lamont had only a week earlier publicized his second vaccine booster shot, which has now been approved for anyone over 50 (the governor is 68). That he came down with COVID anyway should not, however, be taken as a sign of the vaccine's ineffectiveness. Instead, the governor said on Thursday he was not feeling symptoms, and was self-isolating out of an abundance of caution. He'll avoid in-person meetings for five days, he said.

The numbers clearly show that vaccines and boosters reduce death rates for COVID-19. People might still catch the virus, but they are far less likely to see the worst effects, including hospitalization and death. There is no question the vaccines work and that boosters are helpful.

As life has mostly returned to normal following two years of COVID-era changes, it's worth reflecting again just how much has been lost. The death toll in this country is approaching one million people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a number that would have been unthinkable at the pandemic's outset. That includes more than 10,000 deaths in Connecticut.

Thanks in part to Lamont's leadership, Connecticut has fared better than much of the rest of the country in dealing with COVID. Though we were hit hard at the outset — mostly due to our proximity to New York City, one of the main points of entry for international travelers — Connecticut has kept numbers lower than the national average since the introduction of vaccines.

According to the CDC, some 94.8 percent of the state's eligible population has received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine. That's laudable, but not enough. Only 78 percent has received two shots, and an even lower number has been boosted. Those numbers need to increase. Two shots was for a long time considered fully vaccinated, but some public health experts have urged a change so that boosters would be required to be considered fully protected.

Still, life goes on. Schools have thankfully been fully open in nearly every district for the entire academic year, and many businesses are back in in the office, too. Masks are not generally required in public places, and a majority of once-remote events are now taking place in person.

But no one should be under the impression that this is over. Even now, case counts are again creeping up in Connecticut, and those most at risk, including older people, need to be aware. The danger has not gone away.

That's why it's important to follow the governor's example. Get vaccinated, if you haven't already. Get a booster shot, or a second one if it's available. Even as you live your life, a little caution never hurt anyone.

Get vaccinated, if you haven’t already. Get a booster shot, or a second one if it’s available. Even as you live your life, a little caution never hurt anyone.