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The Pandemic Isn’t Close to Being Over

My self-quarantine began on Mar. 11, 2020. At first, I expected the quarantine to be over approximately three months later. It wasn’t. In fact, without a vaccine, we’ll probably have to wear masks, socially distance, stay home and have Zoom visits with our friends and family for at least the next two years.

Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, optimistically predicted that a vaccine will be developed in 12–18 months. The all-time record for developing a new vaccine is four years. Currently, there are at least 254 therapies and 95 vaccines being explored for COVID-19, and yet less than 10% of drugs that undergo clinical trials are ever approved by the FDA. With academic research, pre-clinical investigations, clinical trials, building factories, manufacturing, approval process and distribution ahead of us, we may realistically expect to get a vaccine into the hands of the public by May 2036—16 years from now. 

Most of us in self-quarantine are already experiencing pandemic fatigue and want to reclaim our freedom to come and go as we like. The economy can’t wait, we social beings can’t wait, and our mental health can’t wait to live our lives without the continuing fear of COVID infection. So no doubt we will gradually increase our personal level of risk to the point of no longer being aware of the life-or-death decisions we are making during this ongoing pandemic. If this happens, the infection rate will soar, along with ICU admissions and, of course, death rates.

Because of people like my son in Charleston, SC, who think the pandemic is a hoax and therefore take no steps to prevent infection (despite compromised lungs in his case), COVID is spreading at near-record levels. In South Carolina, for example, cases have increased from about 200 cases a day on June 1 to 800 cases a day by June 17.

Statistics for Georgia are harder to come by than almost every other state simply because official state and county infection and death rates are unreliable. In fact, Gov. Kemp’s office has deliberately manipulated the data to suggest much better outcomes than are verifiable.

According to CovidActNow’s analysis (covidactnow.org) of all 50 states, Georgia is listed as an “active or imminent outbreak” state. Clarke County is listed as a “medium risk” county. Oconee, Morgan, Oglethorpe and many other Georgia counties have “unknown” risks due to lack of data.

We all make our own decisions about how to live our lives during a global pandemic with no end in sight. Stay informed, start a hobby, read books, wear a mask, observe social distancing and stay healthy.

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