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Seven Bay Area counties announced Monday that residents will be required to wear masks in nearly all indoor settings, marking the first major step in reversing a statewide rollback of public health restrictions in June.
The mask mandate, which begins on Tuesday, comes as COVID-19 cases spike across the Bay Area, with some of the highest case rates since February of this year. Public health officials said at a Monday press conference that the delta variant of the virus is far more contagious and now accounts for the vast majority of new cases in the region, requiring protective measures to keep infection rates and COVID-19 hospitalizations under control.
“The delta variant is now the dominant variant in our area,” said Dr. George Han, Santa Clara County’s deputy public health officer. “And because it’s more contagious, we need more protection, and that comes in the form of masks as the easiest and best tools that we have.”
‘Residents are strongly discouraged from dining indoors and are asked to mask up in crowded outdoor areas.’
Health officials, seven Bay Area counties
All of the county public health orders are nearly identical, requiring vaccinated and unvaccinated residents alike to wear face coverings when indoors with people who aren’t part of their households. In Santa Clara County, the regulations include a short list of exceptions including work in closed rooms or offices; indoor dining while patrons are actively eating or drinking; and swimming and showering at the gym. Residents are strongly discouraged from dining indoors and are asked to mask up in crowded outdoor areas.
The mandate will be simultaneously rolled out in the counties of Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, Alameda, Marin, Contra Costa and Sonoma. These public health orders do not have a sunset date, and come just days after the California Department of Public Health recommended universal masking in public indoor settings statewide.
In Santa Clara County, there is now an average of 202 new cases per day over the last week, the highest rates since late February, according to county data. That’s almost 10 times higher than the low point in June, despite a countywide vaccination rate of 78% among residents age 12 and older. San Mateo County saw a similar large spike to 87 cases per day during the week of July 15.
Sonoma County Health Officer Sundari Mase said the COVID-19 vaccine remains one of the strongest protections against the virus, and that the infection rate among the unvaccinated is six times higher than those who are vaccinated — a stark difference, given that unvaccinated residents make up just a small minority of the county population. But she said the vaccine alone is not enough to combat the delta variant, which is much more widespread and aggressive opponent.
The California Department of Public Health reported that the delta variant accounts for 84.4% of COVID cases this month, a rapid increase from just 53.1% in June and 5.9% in May. In Sonoma, it accounts for 95% of all new cases.
“It’s not the same virus that we were combating last year, or even a few months ago,” Mase said.
‘It’s not the same virus that we were combating last year, or even a few months ago.’
Sundari Mase, Sonoma County health official
Fully vaccinated residents are included in the mask mandate because they, too, can get infected with so-called breakthrough cases, and Los Angeles County health officials reported last week that 20% of all new cases were among those who were vaccinated. Though people who are vaccinated are far less likely to suffer severe illness or end up in the hospital, they may spread the virus in public settings like grocery stores and restaurants.
In a statement following the press conference, Scott Morrow, San Mateo County’s health officer, described the mask mandate as a less disruptive public health requirement that can reduce community transmission while still allowing higher-risk activities to take place.
“As San Mateo County joins its neighbors in issuing these orders, the goal is to avoid disrupting businesses and residents’ everyday activities,” Morrow said. “We want our communities to stay open while being as safe as possible.”
Like past mask mandates, Han said he recommends people wear a surgical or medical-grade mask and, barring that, a well-fitted cloth mask. Enforcement will largely fall to individual businesses, many of whom made face coverings optional for vaccinated individuals less than two months ago.
Though the new public health orders are even-handed with residents regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status, public health officers were emphatic in encouraging people to get vaccinated. Broad nationwide trends show that 97% of people ending up in the hospital with severe symptoms are unvaccinated, and local hospital admissions for people with COVID-19 are surging. In Contra Costa County, the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients doubled in just the past 10 days, and are up 400% in the month of July.
In Sonoma, 100% of the ICU patients with COVID-19 were unvaccinated and could have protected themselves from the virus.
“This is really tragic given the widespread availability of vaccines in the area,” Mase said. “It’s needed now more than ever.”
Kevin Forestieri writes for the Mountain View Voice, a sister publication of PaloAltoOnline.com.
Kevin Forestieri writes for the Mountain View Voice, a sister publication of PaloAltoOnline.com.
Kevin Forestieri writes for the Mountain View Voice, a sister publication of PaloAltoOnline.com.
Kevin Forestieri writes for the Mountain View Voice, a sister publication of PaloAltoOnline.com.
I knew it; kept the mask on the car floor & handlebars ’cause I knew they weren’t done taking our freedom…
It must be the RECALL NEWSOM VARIANT!
“It’s not the same virus that we were combating last year, or even a few months ago,” Mase said.
Yes it is. A variant is still the same virus. Otherwise the vaccines wouldn’t be effective.
This kind of scare-tactics language is irresponsible coming from our local health officials.
Note that they didn’t talk about absolute hospitalization numbers. Sounds like they’re hiding the fact that hospitals are not even close to being overwhelmed, which is what they’re trying to imply.
So now they are advising against dining indoors – again. Hopefully this will mean that Cal Ave and University will remain closed to traffic.
1. Newsom will not be recalled and what does this have to do with Newsom? Your ilk wanted him to “reopen” so badly and he did. Of course anyone that isn’t simple pretty much new cases would skyrocket especially among the unvaccinated once restrictions were removed.
2. It is and it isn’t the same virus. The Delta variant is 60% more transmissible than the original strain of virus and the CDC found it is somewhat vaccine resistant and vaccinated people can transmit it to others. The fact that it is more transmissible means a larger amount of people can become infected in a shorter amount of time and potentially overrun the health care system like what is currently happening in Florida. Fortunately, it hasn’t become more deadly and the vaccines are still highly effective against it. So you are only partially correct.
3. Hospitalization data is widely available on county health data dashboards. Health officials aren’t trying to “scare anyone.” I think Morrow said it best that masking is the least restrictive mitigation and will allow businesses to stay open. Im hopeful we won’t have a tremendous spike in hospitalizations in the Bay Area due to the tremendous vaccine uptake here.
4. Equating masking with a loss of freedom and/or conflating a public health issue with issues of individual freedom is for the simple. Other people also have “the freedom” to not become infected. Mask up.
5. With all of the constant news of Delta and it’s transmissibility, and the stats about how 97% of hospitalized people are unvaccinated, you would have to be absolutely crazy at this point to walk around unvaccinated in my opinion.
6. “The virus doesn’t care what type of indoor space you’re in,” said Dr. Han, deputy health officer in SC. “There is a risk that you could get in contact with the virus that causes COVID.”
But wait! You all stood on stage together and made a grand proclamation about schools being safe last month. That’s indoors! Which is it? Will kids be safe?
Most of us knew this was coming. It’s frustrating, but I have quite the mask collection. Unbelievable.
SFGATE quotes SCC deputy health officer George Han as saying “The vaccines have proven that they can effectively prevent severe illness and death, and they are continuing to do so. However, because the Delta variant is transmitted alarmingly easily, including by people who are vaccinated, we need the added protection of masks back into our lives until everyone is able to be vaccinated, especially children.”
https://www.sfgate.com/bay-area-politics/article/Bay-Area-mask-mandate-COVID-delta-how-long-when-16358268.php
SFGate adds “The latest estimate for when approval [of vaccines for children ages 12 and younger] might happen is ‘early to midwinter,’ NBC News reported,”
Will this ever end?
“Bear Week” in Provincetown bills itself as the largest gathering of “bears” in the world. This year it was the second week of July, and the weather was especially bad. This forced the teeming crowds inside to clubs and dance halls for prolonged periods (hours and days) at very, very close quarters. Some of the vaccinated ones got Covid, but mostly with very mild symptoms. The CDC cited the P’Town outbreak as one of its reasons for recommending wearing masks again. FWIW: P’Town Covid case numbers dropped several weeks after Bear Week.
https://ptowntourism.com/events/bear-week/
Some folks are having a difficult time accepting that everyday life will never be the same.
9/11-related security measures and Covid-19 public health mandates were unimaginable at one time.
I am fully vaccinated (though I have second thoughts about its overall effectiveness over the long haul) and will (1) continue to wear a face mask when/where required, (2) refrain from frivolous public gatherings (both public and private), and (3) shop only as needed.
And for the social butterflies who cannot accept or adapt to the situation (for what it is at present)…consider taking up a new hobby.
It won’t kill you to do so.
Civil War is not too far behind!
BTW, anyone that proclaims they are THE VOICE OF PALO ALTO, that tells you right there this person is………..puffs
Let them try to shut things down again and you will see a great divide in this country, way bigger and more dangerous than any racial divide!
– “Civil War is not too far behind!”
To free us from enslavement due to the coronavirus?
I believe eventually people are just going to get sick of the fear mongering etc…being told what to do……especially when you have illegals flooding over the border and being released without covid testing etc..it just seems like eventually people will get sick of being penalized even though they do the right thing.
BTW how can hospitals and our medical infrastructure not be prepared after what country went through last year? Makes you wonder…..
I had a buddy who went on a cross country trip and he said complete different thinking and world in midwest/southern part of USA. I just need to remind myself not to buy into the fear mongering west coast media….FEAR SELLS!!!
I encourage everyone to research the real numbers of Covid deaths, yes, even now. In Santa Clara County, there were zero Covid deaths on August 1st, etc. So how does the lack of Covid deaths in Santa Clara County support this new mandate order? All this does is again, tell the anti-vaxxers they were right, it’s not really very effective, you still need to mask, You win!
By the way, Mr. Observer, this site does not allow criticism of the individual you reference…
Mask mandates should not be the new normal no matter how many times you are told this, 24/7. This is ignoble forced conformity by the most fearful and conservative who actively advocate Draconian theft of civil liberties. They just love to make decisions for you. Of course, these same people would advocate another lock-down at the drop of a hat and yes, they imperil the ability of Newsom to defeat the recall effort.
The 90-day window for the full investigation that President Biden authorized to get to the source of the coronavirus may not be enough because the PRC is reluctant to disclose all of the key facts and details pertaining to its experimental Covid lab in Wuhan.
And Dr. Fauci authorized the NIH grant to China for these experiments though he says that he had no way of knowing what they were up to.
America is always giving away money and it’s high time to reign this practice in.
Mask up people. Shelter in place is next to come.
Show long-term data on the efficacy and safety of the vaccine on adults and children.
Ruh-Roh, things are looking bad for Newsom but good for the recall.
“The fact that it is more transmissible means a larger amount of people can become infected in a shorter amount of time and potentially overrun the health care system like what is currently happening in Florida. “
No it’s not. Cases are up in Florida, but hospitals are nowhere close to being overwhelmed. This is propaganda.
“And Dr. Fauci authorized the NIH grant to China for these experiments though he says that he had no way of knowing what they were up to.”
Wrong all the way. The US had a team of scientists in the NIV. Trump’s people yanked them out and blinded us.
There are no civil liberties/Constitutional rights issues involved in reasonable regulations to protect public health. Nothing in the Constitution prohibits reasonable regulations for public health, safety, and welfare. I so wish people would recognize this when it comes to wearing masks! The “Spanish flu” seemed to be ebbing, so people threw away their masks–and guess what? It came back with a vengeance, causing more deaths–and more mask mandates.
Yes, it is uncomfortable to wear masks in the heat; yes, one can wish one didn’t have to. But my (fully vaccinated) choice is to run the risk of transmitting the virus to others or getting COVID19 myself. Get over yourselves and help us all by wearing masks unless you have serious COPD, etc.
The mask mandate is for all of the Bay Area and not just SCC. So generally your post is based on a false premise. Understand a pandemic effects all people and the virus doesn’t respect county borders so that is also why the mandate is across the board to all Bay Area counties.
Right from the article it states:
“In Santa Clara County, there is now an average of 202 new cases per day over the last week, the highest rates since late February, according to county data. That’s almost 10 times higher than the low point in June, despite a countywide vaccination rate of 78% among residents age 12 and older.”
This is why a mask mandate has been reimplemented. In my previous comment I also discussed how vaccinated people can transmit the Delta to others.
Finally, your ongoing premise about masking being a “Draconian Theft of Civil Liberties” is false and you are wrong.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newsweek.com/fact-check-mask-mandate-unconstitutional-1542465%3famp=1
Key Excerpts:
As for a mask mandate violating someone’s personal liberty, there’s a 115-year-old precedent. In 1905, a citizen argued in the Jacobson v. Massachusetts case that a smallpox inoculation mandate infringed on his rights, but the Supreme Court upheld the Cambridge Board of Health’s authority to require the vaccine under the 10th Amendment./The Constitution gives states the ability to protect the welfare, safety and health of the public, and in the face of a global pandemic, courts have found that mask mandates are a justified measure. Since the mandates also don’t prohibit a person from gathering or sharing their opinions except if the person refuses to wear a mask, it’s not a free-speech issue, and Jacobsen provides a long-standing precedent that the right to liberty is not without restriction.
Masking and a potential lockdown has nothing to do with the recall election. That’s just a variant of “The Big Lie.”
Don’t be weird and creepy Observer. Don’t be salty John.
lots of “post removed” typical of Palo Alto Online.. free speech , yeah only if you agree with the liberal wing… Can’t wait till this post gets removed….
The Stasi has arrived… look it up you young editors….
can you please site exactly which “terms of use” I violated. thank you
Why do you keep censoring Me 2? Sorry, Me 2, I sympathize so much…
What seems to be most popular on here is people saying ‘I make this choice, so I’m going to insult you now if you don’t let me make the choice for YOU too.’ But what should it matter, if you are masking (since masks are so great, and you are so great to wear them, aren’t you already protected?-).
Why does Mr. Vopa get to cite case numbers without ever mentioning how few Covid-related deaths there have been in Santa Clara County lately? Me 2 is right. The hospitals and ventilators in Santa Clara County are not in danger of shortage and no beds. That’s an exaggeration stretched uncomfortably to support Mr. Vopa’s argument to curtail civil liberties by demand of the loudest and fattest. See, ‘if they can make us all panic, they can start martial law.’ ded prez said that. Very amusing then that Mr. Vopa blandly generalizes that the courts since 1905 support his right to curtain freedoms as he sees fit. The Courts have made some stupid decisions since 1905, and many get overturned and so forth. Note, although Mr. Vopa refers to me, when I try to answer him, I am censored.
So does this mean that all indoor theatre and music rehearsals and performances have to cease immediately if performers can’t mask? All indoor sports? Or do these fall under the category of activities “that cannot be done while wearing a face covering.”? The order does not clearly or comprehensively list all such exempted activities, but gives a few examples and implies that the rest can somehow be deduced:
“Regardless of vaccination status, all persons must wear face coverings at all times when indoors except:
1. in their own residence or working in a closed room or office alone or with members of their household;
2. when they are actively performing an activity that cannot be done while wearing a face covering (e.g., actively eating or drinking, swimming or showering in a fitness facility, or obtaining a medical or cosmetic service requiring removal of a face covering);
3. as specifically exempted from use of face coverings under the guidance of CDPH at https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/guidance-for-face-coverings.aspx (e.g., to communicate with someone who is hearing impaired or where a face covering poses a safety risk).”
Announcing this with less than one day’s notice, the County really needs to clarify what activities are allowed to continue, or else arts and sports and other activities will just shut down for fear of being cited by the County.
https://covid19.sccgov.org/order-health-officer-08-02-2021-requiring-all-to-use-face-covering-indoors
@JBS Deaths are a lagging indicator, because it takes weeks for people to die of COVID. Hospitalizations happen sooner, and symptomatic infections even sooner than that. That’s why public health officials look at the level of (symptomatic) infections to predict what will happen with hospitalizations and deaths in the weeks to come.
By the way, the new order says you can’t wear a bandana or scarf as a “face covering.” I know some locations such as airports had restrictions like that before, but I don’t recall it generally being part of previous mask mandates.
“A face covering does not include a scarf, ski mask, balaclava, bandana, turtleneck, collar, or single layer of fabric or any mask that has an unfiltered one-way exhaust valve.”
https://covid19.sccgov.org/order-health-officer-08-02-2021-requiring-all-to-use-face-covering-indoors
Pure hygiene theater without supporting data. Makes people feel like they are Doing Something, as well as wearing their political flag on their face.
Immunizations (and natural immunity) are the only things that actually work and even so, covid will remain endemic just like chickenpox, measles, etc. AND it doesn’t even make most people very sick, unlike all those other viruses that WE DID NOT FREAK OUT ABOUT.
Someday we will stop overreacting to this one thing and remember that we have to live with all sorts of risks. Covid barely registers among all of life’s risks.
1. A mask is not a political statement and masks do work. Stop being weird.
2. COVID actually does make most people sick and you know, causes death. That’s just misinformation. Take a look past PA and look at where the world is. It was the #1 cause of death in the U.S. before vaccinations became available so your premise is false.
3. Measles and chickenpox are endemic but we aren’t there yet with Covid. Not even close. We are still, 18 months later, in the outbreak phase. So, false, Covid hasn’t reached the “life’s daily risks” phase yet. Cases and hospitalizations have accelerated at an alarming rate due to Delta and breakthrough cases are being reported. You can actually argue the opposite, that we are now in pandemic 2.0.
4. Although it may actually become true, stating “the virus will be endemic” is falling for the Government propaganda that “we all must learn to live with this virus.” We have vaccines available that could eradicate the virus like smallpox. There has been no coordinated global effort to eradicate it. The vaccines are presented as a “silver bullet” out of the pandemic. Everything is about the economy, and profit over human lives instead.
5. You talk tough about Covid here, but were very scared AND FREAKED OUT ABOUT taking a little shot. You don’t fool me Jane!
6. I’m just thankful we now have a real President to help handle this emergency caused at least on a secondary level by “The Former Guy.” In fact, arguably the great President Biden already has done his part by taking the empty shell of OWS and in a few short months delivered enough vaccine to every American citizen that wanted it. It’s not Biden’s fault that the “plague enthusiasts” may have mental disorders and wouldn’t take the shot. I’m sure if “The Former Guy” was re-elected he would be on the golf course while we all would either still be waiting for our shots or sick in bed with COVID. Finally, I’m sorry about your mental disorder also.
Tough questions need to be asked. When will this mandate be lifted? Will it be when 90% of us are vaccinated, 95%? Will it be when 5 – 11 year olds can be vaccinated? Will it be when there is less than a 1% risk of transmission? 0% risk of transmission. Will it be “to flatten the curve”? Will it be as soon as the recall election is over? Is there actually a criteria for removing this mandate is it just at the whim of the SCC health officers?
Without having any idea of how long or what criteria removes the mandate, we get the impression that this just might be an indefinite or never ending mandate, and I for one do not think that is the way to go forward.
Thanks for persuasive opinion, Bystander. Agree 100%.
Mandatory vaccinations are the only way to lessen the current restrictive public health mandates.
Along with civil lawsuits against the unvaccinated whose recalcitrance against face masks and Covid-19 innoculations endanger the lives of others.
COVID is spreading at a faster rate now than it did late last year when politicians made it a major election issue. My issue isn’t with any sort of ordinances for public health and safety. Rather, it is the lack of clarity and transparency when it comes to the “long haul.”
Less than two months ago, Biden was proclaiming a celebration of “America’s back together again.” This obviously isn’t happening (and rightfully so). However, it remains to be seen if there will be political ramifications from declaring “mission accomplished” too soon.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/02/us/politics/biden-coronavirus.html
I would urge more clarity about any sort of timeline or set of standards before we can return to normalcy. Most people were aware that a variant was coming and that it would be both more transmittable and deadly than the original strain of COVID-19.
Back when we were under Code Purple lockdown, the issue was the danger to our hospital bed capacity. Now, we aren’t even told that capacity (although I am quite certain that this concern is still drivingly valid). Why can’t we have clear parameters regarding where we need to get to begin the transition to normalcy?
This is indefinite. I’ve come to terms with it.
Similarly the City of Palo Alto moved a 3-part concert series I produced from Art Center indoors –100 capacity – -to Mitchell Park Bowl — outdoors, expected attendence 200 people per show.
@ Bystander
Agree 100 percent.
Instituting yet another mask mandate in an area with as high a vaccination rate as ours in SCC, a knee jerk CDC reaction to an outbreak in a tiny tourist town across the country with no science to support (per UCSF Dr. Vinay Prasad), it is just politics. Enjoy your masks. I’m vaccinated, and have moved on and am following guidance of actual renown public health professionals at UCSF (like Dr. Monica Gandhi and her entire UCSF staff) along with Johns Hopkins Public Health Dept. Dr. Makary. Not fear mongering Health Directors like SCC Cody. Anyone who truly understands public health knows this mask mandate is actually counterproductive.
“Opinion: Los Angeles’s masking guidance is not only excessive. It undermines vaccination efforts.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/07/01/la-mask-guidance-excessive/
Quote from article: “One factor driving the fearmongering is that public health officials are staring at case numbers on their computers, oblivious to our new over-testing problem that is inflating case numbers. Specifically, the United States and Britain are routinely testing vaccinated people who are asymptomatic. This is ignoring CDC guidelines that say fully vaccinated people who have no symptoms do not need to get tested. This is based on the recognition that immune people who are asymptomatic might have a detectable virus particle in their nose, but it does not represent a transmission risk and does not cause illness. This is especially true for the delta variant. “ Marty Makary is a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Bloomberg School of Public Health and Carey Business School. He is editor in chief of Medpage Today and author of “The Price We Pay: What Broke American Health Care — and How to Fix It.”
UCSF Doctor, Professor, expert in Public Health research Vinay Prasad reaction to CDC latest flip flopped guidance on masks. States zero science support:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WTDX3BXxDk
March 2020 – “measures are being taken for a couple of weeks to flatten the curve” – and you are still believing them?
Thanks Forever Name, thanks Sophie, thanks Nayeli. Jennifer please don’t settle for coming to terms with such inconsistent, pseudo-science.
John B. Salis — I don’t accept it but I’ve come to terms with it for my own mental well-being. There’s a difference. I’ve been in excellent health all my life, but the mental well-being of all of us during the pandemic has really been affected, and I’m choosing to remain calm, cool and collective from this point on.
I hope you really enjoyed your vacation. It sounded like fun!
Some people look better with a face mask on…just saying.
“like Dr. Monica Gandhi/ Not fear mongering Health Directors like SCC Cody”
Gandhi, is only one health professional with their opinion. She is in no way, shape, or form the definitive voice on COVID because Gandhi sides with your opinion about “Open The Schools!” or generally shares your thought process about COVID. Ghandi also advocated for unmasking children last Spring so I personally do not and would not trust her word on anything.
Second, you accidentally illustrated partially why we can’t get out of this COVID cycle. You don’t get to “pick and choose” which public health professionals you want to listen to and abide by the ones you want to. You abide by the health professionals mandating the things that directly effects your community. They know more than you and it’s all not just about you and your silly opinions.
Third, the mask mandate is not counterproductive. Masks do work and slow the spread. It seems as if you just “don’t personally want to wear a mask anymore” so you opined that masking/mask mandates are “counterproductive.” If anything, provide evidence that mask mandates are “counterproductive” not just state “this is so because…if you know anything about public health.” What? Come on. The CDC dropped the mask mandate in May and now we are having severe increase in cases and hospitalizations. If you can’t link the CDC dropping masking as a direct cause, there is likely at least some sort of even indirect correlation.
Fourth, I would never listen to one thing from a person that uses the term “fear mongering.” To me, it illustrates a low IQ. Just because you personally maybe haven’t been directly effected by COVID, doesn’t mean world wide suffering isn’t taking place.
Finally, I’m glad the simpletons here have all found each other. Maybe you can all meet up face to face without masks! Good luck.
TVPA is hoping to close the schools again so teachers can absolve themselves of another year of teaching.
Just a reminder folks – it takes people who are getting medical care something like 4-6 weeks on average to die of COVID. The fatality numbers over the past couple weeks represent what conditions were like mid to late June, when we had almost no cases. If we wait until the deaths start to spike to act, a lot more people will die than necessary.
Being out and about today and talking with people, there seems to be a jubilant or celebratory attitude by some that “at last we have a mask mandate again”. I am shocked by this.
I think it is terrible that in an area where over 82% of the population over 12 are vaccinated that we are in fact having an increase in cases and an increase in hospitalization. This is nothing to celebrate. We are told that these numbers are rising due to unvaccinated people and the Delta virus. We had been heading towards a steady downward trend to the extent that the State was reopened in June. Instead of the trend continuing with less cases, the numbers have in fact been increasing.
We should really be very concerned rather than celebrating the return of mask mandates. We should be concerned that there is a need for this extra layer of caution. If less than 20% of the population is unvaccinated and if they are the ones at risk and if they are the ones who are bringing these numbers of cases and hospitalizations they should be very scared. Not those of us who are vaccinated and have been obeying the rules.
Why are they not scared? Why are they not flocking the vaccination centers? Don’t tell me its politics because that makes little sense. Don’t tell me its because of fear of death from the vaccine, or infertility fears. Don’t tell me its because of ignorance or complacency because that makes little sense also. I want to know answers. I want to know who these cases and who the hospitalized people are. I have questions and I want answers. And, I certainly won’t be celebrating the return of the mask mandates.
Some people are extremely risk adverse, and are happy to impose their fears and conservatism on others.
A wise man, Jonathan Richman said:
When we refuse to suffer, when we refuse to feel
Your life becomes a bore, and you’re suffering even more.
When we refuse to suffer, when we refuse to feel
It’s like air-conditioning when we should be out in the summertime.
When we refuse to suffer, when we refuse to feel,
that’s when the prozac wins and your body and feelings lose.