From the looks of things, we are almost back to normal. Mask mandates have been lifted, and people in Clark County are increasingly eschewing the face coverings that have been ubiquitous for the past two years.
But looks can be deceiving.
The COVID-19 pandemic is still with us, and infection rates remain daunting. According to a March 24 release from Clark County Public Health, 734 confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections had been reported in the previous seven days. Infections have declined since the peak of the omicron variant, but they remain high compared with many periods throughout the pandemic.
Because of that, recent approval for a second booster vaccine for certain populations warrants consideration.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week announced: “Data continue to show the importance of vaccination and booster doses to protect individuals both from infection and severe outcomes of COVID-19. … During the recent Omicron surge, those who were boosted were 21 times less likely to die from COVID-19 compared to those who were unvaccinated, and seven times less likely to be hospitalized.”
The federal government has approved a second booster of the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines (the fourth shot overall) for people who are over 50 or immunocompromised, so long as their most recent dose was at least four months ago.
“The older you are, the bigger the benefit,” Dr. Peter Chin-Hong of the University of California-San Francisco told NPR. “There’s a clear association with age and mortality with COVID. It’s really, really striking and it starts at age 50.”
According to Bloomberg, more than 11 billion doses of vaccines have been distributed worldwide, including 560 million in the United States. The vaccines have proven to be safe and effective, playing a significant role in reducing the spread of coronavirus.
Vaccines are imperfect; breakthrough cases do occur. But data show that those cases are much less likely to result in hospitalization or death. In the United States, about 978,000 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19, including more than 12,000 in Washington.
Clark County is well-prepared for the recommendation of an additional booster shot. The public health department reports that plenty of doses are available, and they remain free for recipients.
Vaccine programs have been the largest public health initiative in global history. Launched under then-President Donald Trump, the public-private partnership known as Operation Warp Speed quickly developed, produced and began distributing vaccines. It is part of a federal response that thus far has cost $3.6 trillion — including stimulus payments, support for businesses, etc. Those expenses have slowed the spread and reduced the impact of a previously unknown disease.
Considering those efforts — and the disruptions of the past two years — now is not the time to ease up on COVID precautions. Even with infection rates declining and with Clark County considered a low-risk area, we must remain prepared for the next wave and the next variant of the virus.
The best way to do that is to stay up-to-date with vaccinations. The reality is that COVID-19 will stay with us for the foreseeable future; like annual flu shots, periodic boosters will be necessary to maximize public health and reduce the risk as much as possible. Now is a good time to start for those who are eligible.
