Public Comment

A surge in cases of COVID, the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is sickening Americans, overwhelming emergency rooms. This triple threat has been called a “tripledemic” by some heath experts. And new, even more contagious transmissible omicron sub variants called called BQ.1, BQ.1.1.and XBB that are especially adept at infecting people — even if they've been vaccinated or previously infected — are taking over. These subvariants are more capable of avoiding the immunity from current vaccinations or prior infection. And the higher chance of infection increases the possibility of of long COVID.  

I am fully vaccinated and boosted. It is now discouraging to learn that my vaccinations/boosters are “barely susceptible to neutralization” for the subvariants, including the new omicron boosters. COVID always seems to be one step ahead of the scientists.  

The pandemic could have been over or under control by now if only more Americans had gotten their vaccinations and boosters as soon as they were available and taken the precautions recommended by the experts to protect themselves against the virus. As of August 2022, only 33% of the population have received a booster dose. 

I blame Trump and the Trumpified GOP for bungling our pandemic response then publicly minimizing its seriousness and failing to follow the scientists' lead. And social media platforms along with right-wing media share the blame for sowing mistrust of the vaccines and the efforts to protect Americans from catching the virus. Now we are dealing with unnecessary infections, hospitalizations, possible deaths and a never-ending series of new, more deadly subvariants. 

While the scientists try to catch up to the newest subvariants, it behooves us to mask up, keep social distancing, testing, get the vaccinated and boostered and ignore the misinformation, disinformation that will certainly continue.