Coming

Herd Immunity

This may be a bit of wishful thinking on my part, but a guy can dream, right?

As growing numbers of Americans get vaccinated against COVID-19, we could be moving closer toward “herd immunity.”

Herd or community immunity occurs when a large part of the population becomes immune to a specific disease, in this case COVID-19. It can happen naturally when a majority of people have been infected by a virus and developed antibodies or through vaccination. Herd immunity makes the spread of disease from person to person unlikely, and as a result, the whole community becomes protected—not just those who are immune.

How close are we? At press time, data from the CDC show that 49.9 percent of the US population has received one or more COVID-19 shot, and 40 percent are fully vaccinated. We are getting there.

Do your part. Encourage staffers and patients to get vaccinated and take time to explain the benefits and the science and dispel the myths to those who are on the fence.

Going

Masks

The CDC has spoken. Will you listen?

On May 13, 2021, the nation’s health protection agency stated that fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or social distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance. (Fully vaccinated means that it’s been two weeks since the second dose in a two-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine.)

After more than a year of wearing masks and social distancing, this may be easier said than done. We have all gotten used to our “new normal,” and wearing masks has become second nature for many of us. It’s even sired a cottage industry of fashionable and trendy face coverings.

Going maskless may cause anxiety and uncertainty due to the fear that unvaccinated people will shed their masks and create a surge of new cases. The good news is that COVID-19 cases have continued to decline at the same rate as during the month before the CDC’s bold announcement.

Take your time, do what feels most comfortable for you, and encourage your staff, patients, and loved ones to do same.