COLUMN: The next COVID-19 wave is here

Unfortunately, alienation and divisiveness… which have increased substantially over the past four years… have had serious health consequences for Georgians and Americans in general. Ignore the local, state and national politicians, like Donald Trump, who tell you that COVID-19 is under control and you shouldn’t worry because the vaccine is on the way.

On the first point, no matter how many times mistakenly Trump says it, COVID-19 is not under control. It’s getting worse. Let’s take Bibb County.

Recent Bibb County COVID-19 stats (Georgia Department of Public Health, 12-2) showed 7462 county residents have gotten the virus. The current 7-day moving average was 34 per day. And the 14-day confirmed case rate of 252 per 100,000 residents (https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report). This case rate is considered by DPH to be in the “high” category. The test positivity rate was 11.9%. Per the national standard, the rate must be under 5% for the virus to be considered under control.

For comparison purposes, only two months ago (10-14), Bibb had 6,136 total cases with a 7 day average of 14 cases per day, less than half the current rate. And a positivity rate of only 6.6%, almost half of the current rate.

In other words, we have not “turned the corner” at all. In fact, within two months Bibb has gone from bad to much worse. And these figures are before the Thanksgiving Holiday pandemic spread has really taken hold, which all experts believe will cause a rapid uptick in cases over the next month.

Let’s take the second point, a vaccine. Developing and distributing an effective vaccine is something all Georgia and American citizens want to see happen ASAP. Getting vaccinated is the patriotic thing to do, helping all Americans, including our friends and loved ones. But Americans (other than medical personnel and long-term care residents) will not have the opportunity to be vaccinated until sometime next year. The vaccine dispensing system will be stressed beyond capacity all year long.

In the meantime, vaccinations and wearing a mask should not be politicized by anyone. But vaccinations have become a political football because of extremists on both the left and the right. And not wearing masks has become a hallmark of Trump rallies and gatherings.

On the right, there are those who just don’t believe in science. Climate change is a hoax, according to some; so is a possible COVID-19 vaccine and vaccines in general. They are skeptical of scientists, believing instead that they are all controlled either by self-interested politicians, the “deep state” or greedy Big Pharma. These skeptics choose not to study or understand the process through which a new drug and vaccine is approved by the FDA and its experts.

And then there are the Libertarians. “Just leave me alone. I don’t need government.” Some libertarians that I have known were very wealthy and just didn’t care about anyone except themselves. Still others deluded themselves into believing that they were “self-made men.” Most of these people went to schools run by the government, driving on roads paved by the government, with law enforcement officers paid by the government monitoring road safety.

In their skewed opinion, the federal government wants to force independent minded Americans to wear masks and take shots. So, they resist on principle alone. Less than half, only 43 percent, of Republicans say they would get the shots, even though their hero, President Trump, has been pushing a vaccine as the ultimate solution. (Source: Morningconsult.)

On the left, there are many who have no faith in anything coming out of this Administration. They worry that the vaccine will be rushed without adequate testing because of the President’s need to have accomplished something before he leaves office. They fear (42 percent) the vaccine will actually give them COVID-19; (Source: apnorc.org). Only 25 percent of African Americans and only 37 percent of Latins say that they would get vaccinated. Yet 71 percent of Democrats agree that they would get the vaccinations (Morningconsult).

There’s also an age component to compliance. Death rates are much higher for those over 60. Some 67 percent of seniors say that they would get vaccinated, but only 40 percent of those under 60. Does that mean that younger people in our society just doesn’t care about our elders? Our nation is the most religious democracy in the world. Where does the Bible say to only care about yourself and not your parents or grandparents?

In the meantime, while social media is full of libertarian types making fun of masks, COVID is once again spreading like wildfire. This County isn’t the only county out-of-control; similar increases are happening all over our state. How can our Governor persist in leaving bars, gyms and restaurants open with this happening? How can he still say masks are voluntary?

It’s past time for our political and moral leaders to speak up, both Democrats and Republicans. Americans of all stripes must be united in fighting COVID-19…. or we all lose.