US Vaccination Rates Abysmal

 

Vidcast:  //youtu.be/odP-sDjsFqk

 

With CoVid infections raging, the percentage of Americans who have received a complete series of CoVid vaccinations as well as the updated bivalent Omicron booster is nothing short of disgracefully low.  CoVid cases are up 55% in New York City, 127% in LA, 139% in Atlanta, 59% in DC, 54% in Miami, 92% in Houston, 73% in Chicago, and 121% in Los Vegas.

 

Only 71% of  men and 66% of women have finished their 2 shot initial CoVid vaccination series and a dismal 15% of men and 12% of women have receive the updated Omicron booster.  Even worse, only 5% of young children and 32% of older children have been vaccinated and only 3% of young children and 5% of older children have received the Omicron booster.

 

Are we doing any better with the flu?  Not really.  The flu season is well underway, and everyone should have already gotten the flu jab.  To date, though, only 26% of adults and 43% of children have had the flu vaccine.  That’s slight better than this time last year but not good enough.

 

We currently have a tridemic raging: CoVid, Flu, and RSV.  The good news is that we have vaccines to help control CoVid and Influenza.  An RSV vaccine is on the way, but not just yet.  For the two diseases for which we do have vaccines, the vaccination rates should be closer to 100%.

 

What is wrong with us?  These vaccines are like any other medicine.  If you have a strep throat, would you refuse to take penicillin or another antibiotic.  If you have diabetes, would you refuse insulin.   If you’re constipated, would you skip Ex-Lax. Fact is, these CoVid vaccines are likely as safe as the drugs you freely buy in the drugstore for your colds and your sleepless nights.

 

What’s more, so far, these vaccines are FREE.  They don’t cost you or your family a penny.  Ever wonder why that is?  It’s because responsible public health officials have advised our governmental leaders that having a vaccinated and boosted American population is essential for the well-being of us all.  It keeps us healthy, out of the hospital, working to support the almighty US dollar, and, of most importance, out of the grave.

 

So we all need to get off our butts, get vaccinated for CoVid and the flu, get boosted, in order to not only protect ourselves but also to protect the ones we love and all of our neighbors.  The CDC has just approved the CoVid Omicron booster for infants and children 6 months to 5 years.  It’s another chance for Americans to finally wake up and protect our youngest kids.

 

What’s more, doing your part to stop CoVid and the flu doesn’t stop with vaccination.   It includes masking when around others in the absence of safe ventilation which means indoors, on trains and buses, and in crowds.

 

//covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccination-demographics-trends

//www.cdc.gov/flu/fluvaxview/dashboard/vaccination-dashboard.html

 

#CoVid #influenza #vaccines #boosters #masking #economy #publichealth