WP Perspectives – Jan. 18, 2022

• With the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision to block the US government’s vaccine mandate for large American employers, a key tool to drive vaccination numbers is lost at a time when they are stalling. . . “Without a wide-reaching federal mandate, it’s unlikely the national vaccination rate of just over 60% will improve,” said public health law expert Lawrence Gostin. With no other incentives meaningfully moving the needle on vaccine uptake, the court's decision means the US is “likely reaching the end of the road on new vaccinations,” reports Axios. The court did uphold a vaccination requirement for health care employees, which will affect 17 million Americans—but could further hurt health worker shortages in rural areas with low vaccination rates.
• Key Take Away: It is more important than ever that the vaccination effort continues on the local level.

“Super immunity”

Super immunity is the idea that someone who is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and gets a breakthrough infection will be extremely well protected against the virus going forward. Early studies suggest there is enhanced immunity, but with a virus that’s constantly mutating in hard-to-predict ways, there’s much to be seen about how “super” the immunity is. Don't count on it, and continue the prevention and mitigation efforts.

Deltacron

Researchers in Cyprus believe they’ve identified COVID-19 infections combining the omicron and delta variants. You knew it was coming. 😉

Criminals are using the full suite of scam tools — phishing emails and texts, bogus social media posts, robocalls, impostor schemes and more — and closely following the headlines, adapting their messages and tactics as new medical and economic issues arise. In addition to the false claims you've become accustomed to, scammers are offering fake tests and bogus cures – even hawking Viagra, and a blend of Benadryl and milk as remedies for COVID. AARP has published an article about the latest attempts to separate people from their money: https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2020/coronavirus.html

Epidemiology is the science at center of public health. 

Masking.  Ideally, according to the CDC, you should wear a N95 or a KN95 mask for the best protection. But if that isn't an option, consider the following from an article on Nexstar:

Have you ever found yourself with only one mask option – wearing a disposable you’ve already worn once before? Maybe you had it in your jacket pocket or in your car’s cup holder. But should you really be wearing a disposable mask more than once?

There is no “true, hard and fast rule,” for wearing disposable masks, said Chris Sulmonte, a project administrator for the Johns Hopkins Bio-Containment Unit. Instead, you should take into account two main factors.

First, evaluate the fit of the mask. Any mask, whether it’s a KN95, a light blue disposable, or a reusable mask, should fit well. If the ear loops are starting to expand or stretch, or there are gaps developing on the side or around the mask, it’s time to replace the mask.

Second is the material of the mask itself and the wear-and-tear it has experienced. If the mask appears worn out or discolored, you should change it out. How the mask was previously worn matters – there’s a big difference between a mask worn to an uncrowded store for light shopping and one used to work out.

“That [lightly-used] mask doesn’t have a lot of residue inside of it, a lot of sweat, things that break down the material or thin it out,” Sulmonte says. But if you take that same mask, wear it at the gym for a 60-minute workout and sweat in it, it’s best to not re-wear that mask. “A lot of times you will see some discoloration, you’ll see a lot of moisture inside of there, you’ll start to see the material and it’ll start to wear out a little bit. That’s probably a good time to change that out.”

If you’re wearing a reusable mask, you can treat them like clothing. “It’s the same thing that you have with a T-shirt,” he explains. “You can tell the difference when the shirt has been used and when you should probably have it cleaned.” If your reusable mask doesn’t feel fresh or appears worn out, it’s time to wash it.

If you’re leaving a mask in your car, gym bag, or anywhere else for easy access, Sulmonte recommends storing it in a paper or plastic bag. Because there will always be moisture on a mask after you wear it, Sulmonte notes the bag should be able to stay open, allowing the mask to air out.

Overall, Sulmonte says the most important features of a mask are that it fits well and it has multiple layers.

“Those are really the most important pieces. So if you’re able to do that for most of the situations you’re going to run into, that’s going to be providing protection that you’re looking for.”

49.4  &  21.9
50.1  &  21
59.6  &  20.9
41.7  &  18.8

^{cumulative total as of 01/15/22}