Disclaimer: The following is a highly opinionated take on a public meeting. If you are without a sense of wonder or humor, Buckrail will have the squeaky-clean presser word for word. Feel free to click there.
JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — Local health officials gave a state-of-the-state of the pandemic this afternoon. The virtual address touched on breakthrough cases, the spreadier Delta variant, and increasing strain on area hospitals.
Teton District Health Officer Travis Riddell stuck to the numbers to produce his shock and awe campaign—scary graphics showing jagged lines pulsating like a heart attack since late June.
Riddell shared 292 new COVID-19 cases in the past two weeks. That’s a lot more than the 5 reported on June 14. The sudden surge is being blamed on the higher R-Naught spread factor of the Delta variant—thought to be in the 5-8 range—meaning an infected person will spread the virus to 5 to 8 other people on average.
The county has been averaging 21 cases per day over the past week, according to Riddell, who also reiterated the numbers reported by the Health Department concern Teton County residents only. Not commuters, not tourists.
“For people who think this is just an urban disease, we are higher in cases, per capita, than New York City,” he assured.
To vax or not to vax?
According to the numbers, it’s a crap shoot. Whether you get the jab or not, your odds of getting COVID are the same, so why bother? Actually, that’s untrue. Your odds of getting COVID are actually higher if you GET the vaccine. Numbers vary from 51-58% but local health officials agree more than half of new positive cases of the virus are from those vaccinated against the virus.
Riddell admitted so-called breakthrough cases are a thing. More than half the people getting sick locally with COVID lately were fully vaccinated against the virus but got it just the same. Riddell said hospitalizations and severe complications were rarer in the vaccinated, however.
Riddell also admitted to several studies showing rapidly waning effectiveness in vaccinations. One such study showed 90% effectiveness in spring was reduced to as low as 52% by July. Another showed a decrease from 91% to 66% in mere months.
Riddell said his office has received over 700 unique pieces of correspondence mostly asking the same questions: If I am vaccinated, why do I still have to wear the mask, and why are vaccinated people still getting sick?
Riddell answered using a ‘layers’ analogy.
When it’s cold in the winter, you don’t go outside with just your puffy on no matter how much it keeps you warm. You have to wear other clothing and use layers, he said.
Riddell added, masks are still needed to protect others, particularly children who are not yet eligible for the vaccine, the immunocompromised and elderly in assisted living situations, and yes, those who have not yet been indoctrinated (ed – that should read: vaccinated).
Advertising 101: Fear appeals
Interim CEO of St. John’s Health Dave Robertson worried about the medical supply chain. Just as things got tight with TP and N95s more than a year ago, Robertson expects his hospital won’t be the only one trying to fill backorders on testing kits, for example.
Teton County Health Department director Jodie Pond made a tonedeaf reminder for everyone to get their annual flu shots when they become available later this month. Talk about a ‘read the room’ fail.
Dr. Paul Beapre, who retired two CEOs ago at St. John’s but is sticking around to get Jackson through the pandemic, says there are three outcomes when you get COVID:
- You die
- You become a longhauler
- You get better and become a useful citizen by adding to herd immunity.
Beapre made no mention of the 4th and most popular (by CDC’s own metrics more than 80% of those who contract the disease are asymptomatic) outcome of contracting the deadly virus: you never realize you have it, manifest no symptoms of being sick, and build a stronger immunity to future strains than a jab could provide.
“Please, please, if you are unvaccinated, get vaccinated,” Beaupre urged.
While he had an audience, Beaupre also made a pitch for the hospital’s newest COVID treatment plan: monoclonal antibodies.
The laboratory-made proteins mimic the immune system’s ability to fight off harmful antigens such as viruses. In one recent observational study, researchers reported that the combination of casirivimab and imdevimab — two monoclonal antibody treatments under Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorization — keep high-risk patients out of the hospital when infected with mild- to moderate COVID-19.
It’s scheduled to come online soon. So, there’s that. No price points were advertised.
During a question-and-answer period, it was asked, “What will it take for the community to get back down to Yellow?”
“About 12,” was the answer from Pond.
Wait, is that months, years, or number of booster shots needed?
“Twelve cases a week,” she clarified.
Mask fatigue
What will be done about bars, restaurants and other establishments that do not enforce health orders? What can be done?
That was a question posed to Pond and others who admitted they were hoping for voluntary compliance from both individuals and businesses.
“Be compassionate and kind to our healthcare workers, our children who cannot yet get the vaccine, and our elderly,” Pond said.
She added a Google Doc would be kept making note of where complaints about people not masking up were coming from most. Since the mask mandate went into effect August 26 (now extended through December in town), there has been noticeably less mask-wearing going on around the community, and fewer businesses seemingly making a fuss about it.
Where it gets real
In all seriousness, the frightening numbers, which can barely be trusted anymore, have dulled all our senses. Positive test case percentages and per 100,000 metrics, and spread quotient, and studies refuting other studies on what works and what doesn’t…it’s all overwhelming.
Where it gets real is in the actual people who do get sick, very sick, or die from COVID. You wouldn’t wish that suffering on anyone, nor the pain of loss.
The afternoon’s most real moment came from director of critical care services at St. John’s, Mary Ponce.
Ponce also dropped some numbers but then turned heartfelt and noticeably more expressive when sharing what life has been like for nursing staff and other frontline workers.
They are exhausted. The physical and emotional toll of watching people struggle to breath and die is beyond belief, Ponce shared.
They didn’t sign up for this. Healthcare is one thing, but the pandemic has made a nursing career look more like a MASH unit on the combat front for more than 18 months now.
“No one expected to see it still like this after a vaccine was made available,” Ponce said.
With no end in sight, and nurses quitting or quarantined leaving staff at bare minimum levels, Ponce pleaded for people to get vaccinated or do whatever they can to stay well and out of hospital.
Want to be better informed without the lightheartedness? Watch the meeting in its entirety here.
Well, it’s about time you let your attitude and personality come through. Please, keep it up.