Joe Biden, the President of the United States made some public comments Tuesday afternoon about COVID-19’s omicron-spiking variant. This was not pretty.
It was particularly interesting to see the president insisting on continuing calling it a “pandemic among the unvaccinated”, a phrase that was foolish in July and untrued by December. This was at a moment when the positive rate in a country with 62 percent vaccinations just hit an all time high.
“Those who are fully vaccinated, especially those with the booster shots…you can still get COVID, but it’s highly unlikely, it’s very unlikely that you’ll become seriously ill,” Biden said, accurately. Then again, “This is still a pandemic among the unvaccinated.”
If this pandemic does not apply to me and my family (about half have developed COVID in the past month), then there are a few follow-up questions. The most COVID-vulnerable age group is still children, according to all indications. Children who have had their vaccines regularly are even less vulnerable. We are protecting who exactly with the masking of vaccine requirements for 100 percent vaccinated populations.
President Obama urged everyone, not just those fully vaccinated/boosted to use their masks when in public. He also reminded the many people who had been exposed to the virus as part of the omicron wave. If it is a pandemic, and my city has 73 percent of adult vaccine recipients, and 27 percent who have not had the chance to receive the vaccine, how can I protect myself and others from the virus?
Colorado Governor. Jared Polis made the statement in December. He’s correct, at least for adults. The logic behind “pandemics among the unvaccinated” should allow us to choose how we live, and not abide by government recommendations or orders. We can decide for ourselves whether the disease is not serious enough to be considered fatal.
COVID-related restrictions were not a popular choice for some people. They reacted to my earlier objections about the “pandemic among the unvaccinated,” phrase, accusing me of splitting hairs. Is it not true that the President is generally right if those who aren’t vaccinated have a disproportionately greater chance of infection?
If we are concerned about the definitions of words, it is not. PandemicMerriam-Webster defines an outbreak as “an epidemic of a disease that affects large areas (such multiple countries, continents or other places)” Not“The most severe side effects occur in the minority of those who are infected.” If those who are vaccinated have more restrictions than the ones not, Joe, that’s our pandemic.
Biden does indeed want to promote more vaccination. However, he is pointing out vaccines can prevent serious illnesses. The way that you do this is not saying anything that’s neither technical nor helpful, but by making it clear that vaccines are preventable.