Coronavirus (Covid-19) Update October 5

It's been a long time since I updated our COVID-19 status, and a lot has transpired.

After Governor Abbott opened everything up in Texas, the "Delta variant" of the virus hit Bell County with a vengeance. Although most of the serious cases were in unvaccinated people, fully-vaccinated people have also been at risk from this variant. Hospitals once again were reaching capacity, and deaths climbed. 

In August some of our own family, namely Chirs, Kelsey, Clara and Robert, were sufferers of COVID-19. Chris came down with it first, and had it the worst; he was given a monoclonal antibody infusion, for which we were grateful. Kelsey and Robert were next, and, finally, Clara. Sadly, Clara had to miss the first week or so of the new school year as she recovered. We are blessed that everyone has recovered, and none were hospitalized, but Chris did take quite a long time to regain his strength.

Primarily because Dan has been dealing with a "mean" and lingering infection recently (not COVID-related), and will be having a minor day-surgery tomorrow, we have chosen to avoid contact with crowds once again. We have returned to live-streamed church services for the time being. Hopefully, after Dan's procedure tomorrow, we can think about getting out more. 

Things are improving, locally, and today's newspaper reports that local hospitalizations due to COVID-19 have continued to fall, dropping to 12.84% of hospital beds taken up by COVID patients.

COVID has not only caused sickness and death, but is at the center of a lot of public contention. On one extreme are those who feel that everyone should be required by the government to be vaccinated; on the other extreme are the so-called "anti-vaxxers" who believe the vaccine is dangerous and possibly even a government conspiracy scheme. In the middle are those who believe the decision should be left to the individual. Here is a Mallard Fillmore cartoon that was in today's (October 5, 2021) local newspaper, The Temple Daily Telegram. (I tend to be in the Mallard Fillmore camp on this issue.)

For those who took the first two-dose series of Pfizer vaccine, and who are 65 years and older, a booster shot is now available and is being recommended, six months following one's second vaccination. Dan and I have not yet gotten that, although we have recently passed that six-month date. I will be seeing our doctor, in about a month, for a previously scheduled appointment, and will ask her what she recommends.