Fight the COVID pandemic vaccines and masks: Follow expert medical advice!
Echo opinion: Our View- Get your shots and mask up:
Some businesses around our community have signs up requiring patrons to wear a mask to enter. Some encourage wearing a mask, or even “strongly” encourage a mask. But a few only suggest a mask for unvaccinated people.
That is no longer enough, not in this evolving COVID-19 pandemic. Not with the omicron variant of the coronavirus spreading like wildfire across the country.
New infections are primarily hitting the unvaccinated, but increasingly we are seeing breakthrough infections among those fully vaccinated.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, who has been fully vaccinated and received a booster, announced that he has tested positive for the virus, but that he was feeling well. Scientists note that most of those who have been vaccinated are not coming down with serious illness. But the danger is that they are still able to spread the virus to others.
This is the time to renew our efforts against the virus. And wearing a mask while in a public, indoor settings is second only to the vaccine for preventing an infection.
Looking at the surging numbers of hospitalizations in Frederick County is enough to scare anyone. Last week, they prompted County Executive Jan Gardner to advise everyone — regardless of vaccination status — to wear a mask while in stores and other indoor spaces.
That is absolutely the correct guidance.
Gardner’s office also urged churches and businesses to “strongly consider” requiring their visitors to mask up during the holiday season.
“Everyone needs to do their part to protect our loved ones and vulnerable people in our community,” Gardner said in a news release. “The winter surge is preventable if everyone would get vaccinated, tested, and follow health advisories.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci — the nation’s leading infectious disease expert — told CNN on Sunday that omicron is very likely to overtake the delta variant, the COVID mutation that is causing most infections in the country right now.
Scientists estimate that cases of the new variant double about every two to four days nationwide. Last week, the percentage of people in New York City testing positive for COVID-19 doubled in three days.
A cyberattack kicked the Maryland Health Department’s website offline two weekends ago but it was back running and on Tuesday reported 6,218 new cases in the previous 24 hours. The state has said hospitalization numbers paint a grim picture, with 1,392 people being treated.
More people are hospitalized now due to the virus in Frederick County than have been since the last huge surge last winter.
Published in The Frederick Maryland News-Post editorial:
That is no longer enough, not in this evolving COVID-19 pandemic. Not with the omicron variant of the coronavirus spreading like wildfire across the country.
New infections are primarily hitting the unvaccinated, but increasingly we are seeing breakthrough infections among those fully vaccinated.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, who has been fully vaccinated and received a booster, announced that he has tested positive for the virus, but that he was feeling well. Scientists note that most of those who have been vaccinated are not coming down with serious illness. But the danger is that they are still able to spread the virus to others.
This is the time to renew our efforts against the virus. And wearing a mask while in a public, indoor settings is second only to the vaccine for preventing an infection.
Looking at the surging numbers of hospitalizations in Frederick County is enough to scare anyone. Last week, they prompted County Executive Jan Gardner to advise everyone — regardless of vaccination status — to wear a mask while in stores and other indoor spaces.
That is absolutely the correct guidance.
Gardner’s office also urged churches and businesses to “strongly consider” requiring their visitors to mask up during the holiday season.
“Everyone needs to do their part to protect our loved ones and vulnerable people in our community,” Gardner said in a news release. “The winter surge is preventable if everyone would get vaccinated, tested, and follow health advisories.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci — the nation’s leading infectious disease expert — told CNN on Sunday that omicron is very likely to overtake the delta variant, the COVID mutation that is causing most infections in the country right now.
Scientists estimate that cases of the new variant double about every two to four days nationwide. Last week, the percentage of people in New York City testing positive for COVID-19 doubled in three days.
A cyberattack kicked the Maryland Health Department’s website offline two weekends ago but it was back running and on Tuesday reported 6,218 new cases in the previous 24 hours. The state has said hospitalization numbers paint a grim picture, with 1,392 people being treated.
More people are hospitalized now due to the virus in Frederick County than have been since the last huge surge last winter.
Moreover, the number of patients being treated in the intensive care unit has also skyrocketed.
Frederick Health, the county’s largest health care system, was caring for 67 COVID-19 inpatients Monday, with 11 in the intensive care unit. Of the total inpatients, only 11 were vaccinated, according to the health system’s COVID-19 data dashboard.
To Frederick Health CEO and President Tom Kleinhanzl, the latest surge in hospitalizations was “entirely preventable.”
In a joint statement issued by Frederick (Maryland) Health and the county health department last week, officials warned that the real danger is that the hospital would be overwhelmed with patients.
Cheryl Cioffi, chief operating officer at the health system, said the best way for the community to assist hospital staff is to get vaccinated, get their booster shot, continue masking up indoors and exercise good judgment during the holiday season.
County Health Officer Dr. Barbara Brookmyer said: “We want our friends and family who need medical care to get the level of care they require without delay.”
The best way you can show appreciations to our health care workers for their tireless efforts to take care of this community is not to bring baked goods or candy to the hospital. Instead, get your shots and wear your mask, and keep yourself, your family and your friends out of the hospital.
Frederick Health, the county’s largest health care system, was caring for 67 COVID-19 inpatients Monday, with 11 in the intensive care unit. Of the total inpatients, only 11 were vaccinated, according to the health system’s COVID-19 data dashboard.
To Frederick Health CEO and President Tom Kleinhanzl, the latest surge in hospitalizations was “entirely preventable.”
In a joint statement issued by Frederick (Maryland) Health and the county health department last week, officials warned that the real danger is that the hospital would be overwhelmed with patients.
Cheryl Cioffi, chief operating officer at the health system, said the best way for the community to assist hospital staff is to get vaccinated, get their booster shot, continue masking up indoors and exercise good judgment during the holiday season.
County Health Officer Dr. Barbara Brookmyer said: “We want our friends and family who need medical care to get the level of care they require without delay.”
The best way you can show appreciations to our health care workers for their tireless efforts to take care of this community is not to bring baked goods or candy to the hospital. Instead, get your shots and wear your mask, and keep yourself, your family and your friends out of the hospital.
Labels: CDC, Maryland, pandemic, The Frederick News-Post
posted by Juliana L'Heureux | 1:58 PM
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