Coronavirus in Massachusetts (Springfield, New Bedford, Fall River: credit, home, restaurant)

[charolastra00]

I'm not so worried about New England, where we have a really high level of vaccination. I suspect we will see more people whip out masks in person in the winter, too. I definitely appreciated a cough-free winter last year and will use a mask to try to repeat! The top 5 states by percentage vaccinated are all in New England, with only NH bringing up the rear at 7%.



I'm more worried about places like my home state of Georgia where vaccination has petered out at 31%, or Mississippi where it's a measly 27%. Those numbers may increase, but they're unlikely to see the 70% that New England will unless the fall and winter push them in that direction.

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by charolastra00

I'm not so worried about New England, where we have a really high level of vaccination. I suspect we will see more people whip out masks in person in the winter, too. I definitely appreciated a cough-free winter last year and will use a mask to try to repeat! The top 5 states by percentage vaccinated are all in New England, with only NH bringing up the rear at 7%.



I'm more worried about places like my home state of Georgia where vaccination has petered out at 31%, or Mississippi where it's a measly 27%. Those numbers may increase, but they're unlikely to see the 70% that New England will unless the fall and winter push them in that direction.

IMO we missed a golden opportunity to make the March stimulus payments contingent on getting vaccinated. You would have seen the numbers in those regions go through the roof.

[mdovell]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

I just cannot see this upcoming fall/winter being anywhere close to what it was last year...especially in MA. We'll be at 70+% fully vaccinated, easily.

For example, there is a lot of hullaballoo in the UK right now about the B.1.617 (India) variant spreading rapidly. Yet, you look at their stats and they are averaging <10 deaths/day since May 1. Absolutely stellar performance. Under those circumstances, I just can't see the vaccinated having much to fear.

https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/deaths

I tend to agree. I'm not trying to be ignorant to anyone having a hard time but to be frank being vaccinated really wasn't that hard. It's not like it cost me anything and yeah the second shot felt a bit odd the day after but that's just one day. I think we're going to see a big push with some PSA's online and tv and radio over the summer. We should be able to get 70% plus by labor day if not the 4th of July. I'm more concerned about other countries at this point. I don't feel bad at all if we export vaccines to the world.

This weekend I went to a few places. CVS no mask, big y no mask, a liquor store - mask required with a huge note that it is because the staff hasn't been vaccinated yet, I respect that so I put it on.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by charolastra00

I'm not so worried about New England, where we have a really high level of vaccination. I suspect we will see more people whip out masks in person in the winter, too. I definitely appreciated a cough-free winter last year and will use a mask to try to repeat! The top 5 states by percentage vaccinated are all in New England, with only NH bringing up the rear at 7%.

The failed cities don’t have those vaccination rates. Springfield is at 41% with at least one jab. Lawrence. New Bedford. Fall River. All below 50%.

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by massnative71

With that said, Covid vaccines aren't as effective as the pill at preventing what they were intended to. Latest data I saw shows they reduce spread by 90%, and probably less with some of the newer variants. Suppose a healthy woman has a 30% chance of getting pregnant...with a comparable level of effectiveness she would still have a 3% chance with no other form of protection. How many fewer would take that chance? Probably a good number.

The "pill + condom" analogy is not a great one. You judge a risk by it's likelihood and its severity. Unintended pregnancy with and without birth control has vastly different likelihoods but exactly the same severity. That is not true for COVID with and without a vaccine. The COVID vaccine is really good, as vaccines go, at preventing transmission. The COVID vaccines are absolutely amazing at preventing serious illness.

[robr2]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

Well...I did an experiment of sorts at Market Basket in Burlington. For the first time since March 13, 2020 I stepped inside a grocery store unmasked (exactly 2 months since Moderna #2). I'd kept a blue surgical mask in my pocket in case I started to get dirty looks, but that never happened. I did see a masked shopper (or two) rush past me, or avoid going down my aisle altogether, but by and large it didn't feel as weird as I'd expected.

For what it's worth, I'd estimate 30% unmasked.

I'm not surprised at the high number masked there. The Burlington store draws heavily from Lexington that has a high level of college educated.

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

IMO we missed a golden opportunity to make the March stimulus payments contingent on getting vaccinated. You would have seen the numbers in those regions go through the roof.

Of course MA wouldn't do that. We have people here wanting to release prisoners and rapists from prison, you think we have the powers that be who want to encourage people to go back to work?

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by msRB311

Of course MA wouldn't do that. We have people here wanting to release prisoners and rapists from prison, you think we have the powers that be who want to encourage people to go back to work?

MA couldn't do that. You do know it was a Federal stimulus not a state one, right?

[mdovell]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

The failed cities don’t have those vaccination rates. Springfield is at 41% with at least one jab. Lawrence. New Bedford. Fall River. All below 50%.

About a month ago it might have been 30% so obviously they're going up. Constantly saying failed cities doesn't add any validity towards your argument. I'm sorry you got laid off but taking it out on minorities isn't going to make you any better

[rach5]

Originally Posted by mdovell

About a month ago it might have been 30% so obviously they're going up. Constantly saying failed cities doesn't add any validity towards your argument. I'm sorry you got laid off but taking it out on minorities isn't going to make you any better

I think the point is that even states like us have pockets where a majority of residents are still unvaccinated. In the case of RI, the groups are very slowly increasing. Not sure how high we'll get. These are the same groups that suffered so much during the pandemic so far, so I hope we can do right by them (removing masks and distancing before they were safer was not the right think to do - the state wouldn't have done it if Newton et al were mostly unvaccinated instead!)