Vaccine Headaches

 March 19, 2021

A return to Daylight Saving Time is a mood-booster. Spring has arrived. The garden, after a most welcome rainy spell, looks vibrant, blooms and blossoms releasing heady fragrances. 

Such exquisite beauty and scents despite no fussing from us

Emerald slopes and fields in our area make pre-dinner strolls especially pleasurable. We know a dry April would quickly transform the lushness to tans and browns, so we revel in this ephemeral luxury. 

The Covid landscape has changed remarkably since the arrival of vaccines and President Biden. Now the USA appears better poised to overcome Covid than Canada and Europe. Given America's economy and vast resources, coupled with proper leadership, this shouldn't be surprising. We're still at the high plateau of close to 60,000 new daily infections. The B117 and a New York variant threaten progress. In fact, some states (like Michigan and New Jersey) are seeing an increase in daily new infections. As more and more states loosen Covid protocols, the CDC and health experts urge caution. We are neck and neck in the race between variants and vaccines. Look at Europe, they warn.

Europe's third wave is alarming. Germany, France, Italy battle with staggering new infections. Ongoing issues with AstraZeneca hampers progress. After a weeklong pause in vaccination due to reports of blood clotting in a handful of patients, Europe has resumed the process. Paris is in lockdown again, as is all of Italy and parts of Germany. With the B117 variant on a rampage and a sluggish vaccination pace it may take many months before the tide turns.

Meanwhile, here in Southern California, we inch toward normal everyday. Last Saturday we enjoyed a superb dinner with our friends Marty and Barb on their back terrace. Though each couple sat at a separate table, it was a far more relaxed and enjoyable social evening than we'd had in a year. On Sunday morning, after an invigorating walk across More Mesa and down to the beach, then back up the many steps, we shopped at the Goleta farmer's market. It's asparagus season and locally grown, freshly picked spears are the best! We picked up early season strawberries too. Out in public like that, interacting with vendors, gave Daryl a high. Much deserved too. He's been ultra disciplined with Covid protocols in the past year. Plus he's online teaching required much effort and time. Now it's exam week of winter quarter and after that a teaching free spring quarter.

A week ago Governor Andrew Cuomo was under the media spotlight due to complaints from several women of sexual harassment. Coupled with his fudging data about Covid deaths at nursing homes in New York state, it seemed likely that he would resign. This week, while an impeachment investigation is in the works, I haven't seen any coverage of Cuomo. Our governor, Gavin Newsom, is in trouble too. A recall petition has been filed by right wing idiots angry at him for shutting down the economy when the coronavirus was widely spread in California. This petition would've fizzled out, but for the unfortunate Laundry House dinner that Newsom attended, which became ammunition and helped them gather the requisite number of signatures. I am infuriated that the recall process is now on its way to becoming official. A costly process, unnecessary, and I believe there are enough sane Californians to ensure that our governor keeps this job. 

But let me just state that the main question on my mind everyday is: Will I be vaccinated in April?