COVID-19 Cases Continue to Rise Significantly Among Unvaccinated Residents

I fully support your right to go unvaccinated and gamble with the Delta variant. I've been vaxxed and also had the alpha variant, so I like my chances. 7 come 11, baby needs a new pair of shoes!

You understand how science works, yes? Or maybe not? The experts use what they know from prior studies and other viruses to predict what this one will do. They make recommendations. They collect data as the virus spreads and mutates. They analyze the data, and adjust recommendations accordingly.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Oh, and from 7/23/21, Public Health Website:
"CORRECTION: The individual was 18 - 29 years of age and did not have underlying medical conditions. The death was not associated with a congregate care site."

Great piece. Thank you.

VOICE - Again, this is why I no longer call you "VOR," you've repeatedly lost the right to have the word, "Reason" in your name.

No, I am not "the problem." I am trying to encourage people to take the tiny steps to help protect themselves, their families and their community. What are you doing? Likely nothing.

No, I do not believe "zero risk is attainable." Where did I ever say/imply that? Again, no "reasoning" there, just knee jerk all or nothing thinking by a simple mind. I just think if there is a risk of something that can kill my daughter (asthma), or my brother in law I see almost daily going through cancer treatment who has no immunity despite vaccination, I will do the slightest, easiest thing to avoid increasing that risk - wear a mask indoors, wash my hands, encourage vaccination and be cognizant of the risk to help prevent the spread, even though I'm fully vaxxed.

It's about civic responsibility and being a parent. Shameful you have such a problem with that.

VOR, how many more dead Americans in excess of normal death rates are you willing to live with? Was 3000 a week in January too many? Is the current average of 200-300 too many? Not to mention the stress on our nurses and doctors and the long term effects on many of the survivors. And you have a driver's license and pay taxes, right? I'm surprised you let the US government infringe on your freedoms like that.

VOR, I'm a bit confused. Can you explain?
1. What closely held values have I thrown out the window? I care for the health of others.
2. I am vaccinated, but my youngest child is not eligible yet, so I don't have a full toolset in the fight, to be frank.
3. Delta is more transmissible than the prior variants. I am unsure if we really knew quantitatively how much vaccinated people were likely to pass around the prior variants - I haven't researched that, and I wonder if vaccination rates were too low to really know that. In any event, unlike prior variants, the viral load present in breakthrough infections of people with Delta is the SAME for vaccinated and unvaccinated people. (So, thus, it's more transmissible than prior variants.) In any event, I already know several vaccinated people who are sick/ have been sick with the Delta variant (locally), and who picked it up from other vaccinated people. That was not the case a month or two ago.

4. "Stop worrying about others". I am discussing getting on a plane to visit (and stay with), elderly parents and in-laws. Three in their late 70's, one in their early 80s, and one a cancer patient going through active treatment. I can't NOT worry about them. One of my nieces ALREADY lost a grandparent to COVID in late 2020. Lordy, I'd hate to be the person to kill another one of her grandparents. I'd never forgive myself. (ALL of the grandparents are fully vaccinated now, but they are still at risk.)

No, the problem is people like you and their mistaken belief that zero risk is somehow an realistically attainable goal and one we should strive for at the expense of all other concerns and risks. With vaccinations, particularly in the higher risk population, covid is no longer the deadly threat it once was, and no longer one the we need to turn the country upside down to try and prevent every last infection.

VOICE - the only "data" that should be relevant or of concern is that there is still a risk of infection and transmission, even if fully vaccinated. Wear a mask indoors, be smart and safe and get vaxxed if you're not. Nothing else to analyze, research or complain about. Just be aware and smart. Problem is, so many people are so caught up in "fighting" the science and facts that they're forgetting to just be smart and safe. This is all super easy. Mask indoors, get vaxxed, be safe. Done.

New data has yet to show Delta is a "whole new ballgame" and that vaccinated get and spread delta more so than prior variants. So far, the only data the CDC has released showing the increased transmission potential of Delta after vaccination is from a foreign country, based solely on lab tests from cultures (vs. real world data), while using a vaccine that isn't one of the 3 approved in the US. Get vaccinated, get back to normal, and stop worrying about others. You have the tools to keep you and your loved ones safe independent from other peoples decisions. It is disgusting how easily many threw what were closely held values and beliefs right out the window the second they perceived a threat to themselves.

Ginger, your comments about the greater likelihood of the unvaccinated spreading this are what the vast majority of people know to be true. Where your pronouncements overstate what is actually known with surety is on the topic of just how much the vaccinated can likely spread this as well. You and some of your colleagues may believe the leaked study is seriously flawed, but the CDC certainly thinks this study may be indicative of some important areas of concern. Future less flawed studies may well corroborate these fears, you don't know at this point.

Actually, I am a researcher and scientist, but I am far from being a "leading authority." No one is. I accept that some of the data gathering is flawed and there's a lot of issues not perfectly clear. Humble enough?

That "leaked study" is seriously flawed and peer review has cited that. But a virus is a virus and this one is behaving exactly as science would expect. You know this is not the first pandemic to affect humans, right? It is undeniably correct that globally, after 4 billion shots in the arms of 2.4 billion people, 99.997% of vaccinated people do not die. It is also true that a similar number have had no adverse effects. The vaccine is a friggin' miracle and the only way out of this, other than allowing millions more people to be infected and die. Masks, as we use them, wont hardly make a dent in the long term.

It is highly unlikely that vaccinated people without active disease, which is somewhere above 95% of them, perhaps 99%, can spread the virus. Unlikely, not impossible, not proved either way. But remember: it takes only one vaccinated person with a reasonable, if only temporary virus load in their nose, even if it is only for the day until their immune system cancels the virus, to infect up to 10 other *unvaccinated* people. How much does that contribute to the pandemic? A drop in the pool. It is absolutely correct that it is the unvaccinated population that is spreading the disease. And being hospitalized. And dying. As I wrote, one death is one too many because it is preventable. Be more concerned about those who are unable to get vaccinated because they are under age 12, immunocompromised, disadvantaged due to their color, socioeconomic situation, difficulty managing transportation, child care, stuff like that.

It is everyone else's responsibility to get the shot to protect them. Or wear a properly fitted, properly handled N95 mask 100% of the time you around anyone. I did that at the airport and on the airplane. I'm very confident I'm vaccine- protected. I did it to protect others who may not be.

Ginger, You are so sure of yourself. Much more sure than the actual researchers and scientists. You make pronouncements as if you are a leading authority. People with far more expertise than you are pretty convinced that the vaccinated can and are spreading the virus. There is no consensus yet, because this virus is full of surprises. NO ONE knows much that is certain about this virus at this time. So maybe you should be a little more humble and re- read the info about the leaked CDC docs, and just read more about the research in general from a variety of sources.

7:18 pm - That's not science. Science listens to the data. Your mind must not be so open as to resemble an open garbage pail.

You don’t want to hasrass people by doing that.

Zero deaths is an impossible goal.
Zero covid is an impossible goal.
Attempting either will result, actually, has resulted in, a worse overall outcome.

In the county. Florida is a mess right now. How do you think all of those hospitalized help the economy?

Yes! Probably 6-7 billion too many…

If the vaccine doesn’t build or help build immunity or herd immunity then they are delivering a drug that we will all be dependent upon forever?

The deaths that are occurring are still people with multiple underlying health issues, vax & unvax.
Who’s to say that the unvax would have survived.
Thus far there has been a lot of guesswork by the “experts”
Now this latest, “oh by the way, even though you’re vaxed you can still get sick a d you can carry the disease asymptotically & infect other vaxed & unvaxed people.

Hi Chem, yes, I never thought the issue had anything to do with being anti-vax, as you indicate you are not. But whether widely accepted or not, these studies definitely point to troubling possibilities that need to be further investigated. I personally think that even if there are potential vaccine limitations that require more study, everyone who medically can get the vaccine needs to. When this info came out I too was thinking the timing and connection with your comments was interesting. I wouldn't expect much agreement however, as so many people are deeply invested in believing the vaccine has made them super powered and completely invulnerable to spreading it or getting even a light case. Even though "the experts" knowledge of this virus is only nascent and ever changing, there are those who have closed their minds to any new information or ideas that do not back up what they think they know already. They want so much to believe that they can do anything they want now, without mask, hygiene, or distancing.

Wait. You haven't been right about anything yet.

You have a point, SB. I'm sure you read the info revealed by the Washington Post about leaked CDC documents? And the KEYT story today? Yep, the unvaccinated, albeit in small numbers, are getting sick enough to go to hospital also, and can have a full viral load in their snouts to spread around on other vaccinated people, some of whom will get significantly sick.

SBLETSGETALONG .... Those dying of Covid are 99% the unvaccinated.... Do you need other statistics? I think that would do it for you.

Serious question here.
Vaccinated people are still getting Covid and spreading Covid. The true number is unknown because most are asymptomatic or they think they have a cold.
A person who had Covid has natural immunity and passes along a weakened Covid to people do those people’s natural immunity can build.

How does vaccinations help herd immunity if the Vaccinated are Passie g along a full viral load of Covid?

Daily case rate SB County, updates daily: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/030e625c69a04378b2756de161f82ef6

Are you a researcher? How do you know that the vaccinated with high viral loads are not also setting up a breeding ground for new variants? Maybe if the vaccinated ALSO followed full mask and hygiene protocol we might get somewhere. I am vaccinated and I still am just as careful as I was before.

General tree - Covid 19 will become endemic…it is here to stay. That is the scientific (and logical) consensus. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t vaccinate, quite the opposite actually, but this is here to stay. Thinking it can and will be eradicated shows a profound misunderstanding of what we are actually up against. So yes, please encourage all to get vaccinated, but everyone does need to realize this probably isn’t ever going away…

Hmmm.... could actually be eradicated with enough vaccinations. Waiting too long will let the variants run wild But ok - go on with your false narrative.

"Polio will be with us forever"

"Leprosy will be with us forever"

There are those that will mask forever… which is a choice they get to make! Considering Covid is here to stay… it’s a choice they’ll get to make forever…

“ "breakthrough cases" have been getting media attention”

The numbers DO NOT account for asymptomatic cases in the vaccinated or those who did not get tested.
NBC notes that the total number of breakthrough cases is likely higher since nine states did not have any information while 11 states, like Florida, did not While "breakthrough cases" have been getting media attention, the low numbers show that the pandemic is mostly a threat for the unvaccinated population.

The numbers do not account for asymptomatic cases in the vaccinated or those who did not get tested. The CDC only tracks cases of those hospitalized or deaths.
NBC notes that the total number of breakthrough cases is likely higher since nine states did not have any information while 11 states, like Florida, did not provide death and hospitalization totals.”

The true number per a CDC stmt was that only 1-10% percent of breakthrough cases have been reported.
You know the guessing game the CDC has been playing fir the last 18 months.

“ Of the 164 million vaccinated Americans, around 125,000 people have tested positive for breakthrough infections ”.
Which means there are hundreds of thousands that are break thru cases that are not aware they have Covid.
Also vaccinated people have been spreading the disease.

So if a vaccinated person still gets sick, still passes on the disease then how do we achieve herd immunity?

A person who had Covid has natural immunity & might pass along a weakened version enabling others to gain natural immunity.

Can someone explain the difference & why the CDC doesn’t discuss natural immunity?

Nasan: politics, more specifically, the enormous influence certain special interest groups have over politicians in many states. Children don't donate to political campaigns and there are no special interest groups lobbying for what is in their best interest, just parents, who have little to no say in our state.

Why did they close schools if they knew this disease didn’t kill kids & has a 99% survival rate?

99% of those dying from Covid, including the variant, are the unvaccinated.

The July 4 date was aspirational.

1554 they did say exactly that. Remember, you can gather on July 4 if you get vaccinated then telling us we could remove our masks? Sounds like throwing caution to the wind now that they are completely reversing that.

A person cannot distance on a plane b/c somehow they got passes through all of this no requirements for spacing [they did it on their own but no more]. So are they issuing travel advisories? No. They keep saying you'll be fine if you are vaccinated. I hope that is the case now.

Nobody said to throw caution to the wind. You should still mask and distance, especially with vulnerable individuals, but if you are vaccinated the danger is hugely reduced. The FUDsters here are just trying to scare people away from vaccination. Don't abet them.