What are the criteria for a return to normalcy? And if someone gets vaccinated is he or she or whatever free to unmask and get as close as desired? And can businesses bar customers who cannot prove they were vaccinated?
I got a text response from the ID specialist I mentioned to you earlier...hopefully, I convey it effectively...any mistake is mine...
1) Criteria for Normalcy...this will basically depend on the num er of infected in a given community and the %positive tests. If the number gets so low that public health resources can trace everyone and have excellent quality testing, then most can go back to normal...however, no one has yet given a clear indication of what those criteria are going to be...but it will be awhile - like a long time...probably not until another year from now.
2) If someone is vaccinated they can still get it at least 10% of the time, if we can believe the Pfizer data. Therefore, it's not likely from a Public Heath standpoint that specific individuals will be able to go without a mask. (now that sucks for sure, so be prepared for substantial "blowback")...I'm probably missing something here, so keep asking the question, while being prep'd for a less-than-satisfactory response.
3) Due to HIPAA rules it is unlikely that businesses will be able demand personal health data.
Hope this helps...let me know your thoughts
Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose. Janis Joplin.
the very definition of a "Free Spirit", no?...as for COVID-19, you might say that our government - and all those around this 'Big Blue Marble' - are trying to learn how to dance to its tune. Fortunately, the vaccine news is better than expected, but we'll need a lot of testing and contact tracing to avoid unnecessary flare-ups and loss of confidence.
As for 'government control', we're now talking politics and not medicine, but nonetheless relevant. The amount of GC in our system is constantly varying, depending on the perceived needs of our "community"...right now we're under attack by a serious disease which threatens our very HC system...we need the highest level of assistance available. After we've returned to a 'new normal', it's appropriate to question what level of GC is necessary...we're not there yet.
- Why should someone who already had this have to wear masks and social distance?
- The evidence from 14 RCTs is overwhelming that surgical and cloth masks don't prevent viral transmission. But we do know wearing N95 respirator masks combined with face shield/goggles is almost 100% protection against GETTING the virus. Why isn't this the advice for the vulnerable?
- Observational data, as noted by Dr. Harvey Risch and Dr. George Fareed, is overwhelming that hydroxychloroquine/zinc/azithromycin, if given early, is almost like a cure. Yet, Dr. Fauci's personal medical philosophy of refusing to accept observational data is at odds with the medical community's philosophy on this, and is also at odds with his own NIH website. Why is his opinion the only one that seems to matter on this?
- Speaking of the Great Fauchino, he claimed no epidemiologist seriously considers the concept of herd immunity. Yet, the Great Barrington Declaration, authored by three epidemiologists from Harvard, Stanford and Oxford, says just that. Is the Great Fauchino really that clueless?
To answer part of your question, Ticketmaster is planning to require proof of vaccination or a negative test in order to purchase tickets. I can see that in other aspects. And I believe mask-wearing might be permanent for riding on a plane.
As I mentioned to Curly in an earlier post, we have two MDs in our extended family with one being an ID specialist on the faculty of a med school and the other being a Critical Care/Pulmonary (ICU) Doc...the following are my interpretations, not their words (caveat delivered)...
>As regards masks...the kind they use (N95) are very carefully 'fitted' in order deliver a high level of protection...this is very unlikely to be the case w/in the general public...not to say they shouldn't be used if available. The operative word for mask use should be "mitigation" rather than "prevention", so surgical masks - or cloth masks, if other options aren't available - should be employed to reduce the viral load expelled by the wearers. 'Viral Load' is not fully understood, but enough so to warrant the use of masks.
>w/r/t the "Hydroxy" question...that topic has been well discussed and to the best of my knowledge it is not part of the recommended protocol in ICUs...don't believe President Trump received it at Walter Reed either.
>Regarding the Barrington Declaration, I've included a link with responses to it. Beyond that, my earlier response to Curly addressed that issue (Herd Immunity)...you can do a quick search of my posts (I'm a newbie, so not too onerous). Given the sharply rising COVID case loads in nearly all states, this gives my MD friends the most anxiety (i.e total overload of the HC system).
>Finally, as regards requiring proof of immunization, HIPAA rules would get in the way.
Hope this helps...and again, thanks for going 'above and beyond' with the vaccine trial.
Link: https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-barrington-declaration-an-open-letter-arguing-against-lockdown-policies-and-for-focused-protection/
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