Trying to Find Some Middle Ground with Covid-19

 We are entering our third year of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has significantly disrupted the world, politics, economies, supply chains, and people's lives. 

In the United States, Covid-19 is particularly divisive. Conservatives are less likely to believe in the severity and seriousness of the virus. They are less likely to wear masks or get vaccinated. They advocate for keeping schools open. Conservatives are against mask and vaccine mandates. On the other hand, liberals are incredibly worried about the severity of Covid-19. They are more likely to be vaccinated and wear masks. They advocate for mask and vaccine mandates and would like schools to go remote. 

Where do I fall in this debate? Religiously and ideologically, I am a conversative. I believe that Covid is a serious virus, especially deadly to the elderly and people with co-morbidities such as obesity. I believe that the majority of people who get Covid will survive it. I am grateful for the vaccine and have chosen to vaccinate myself and my family, including my children. I want schools to remain open. I wear a mask in public spaces and am okay with my children wearing masks at school. I do not think we should have vaccine or mask mandates. In fact, I think if we stopped mandating both of those things, a lot of the polarization would die down. I think that people should consult with a trusted doctor to consider the risks and benefits of vaccination and non-vaccination. I believe that families should make their own choices about vaccinating. 

The New York Times newsletter on January 25, 2022, analyzed the results of a recent Covid poll.

Here are some quotes from the analysis that I found most interesting. 

"Covid’s starkly different impact on the young and old has been one of the virus’s defining characteristics. It tends to be mild for children and younger adults but is often severe for the elderly. More than three-quarters of all U.S. Covid deaths have occurred among people 65 and older."

My takeaway: Covid is more deadly for the elderly than children. Therefore, we actually have more leeway and leverage with keeping schools open. Covid vaccination efforts should concentrate on the most at-risk group first, which has already been done. In New York, the elderly were the first group that was eligible to be vaccinated. 

"For the unvaccinated, however, Covid is worse than any other common virus. It has killed more than 865,000 Americans, the vast majority unvaccinated. In the weeks before vaccines became widely available, Covid was the country’s No. 1 cause of death, above even cancer and heart disease." My takeaway: Getting Covid is more deadly and risky for the unvaccinated than the vaccinated. (This is statistically true.) There will be some exceptions to this, of course. Some vaccinated people will die from Covid. Bottom line: getting vaccinated has enormous benefits. But again, I think everyone should have the right to consider their own health situation and make the decisions that are right for them. My daughter-in-law had an extreme reaction to the vaccine and feels reluctant to get a booster shot. I respect her decision and understand where she is coming from.  People are right to be worried, too. The worst effects have been on Black and Latino children, as well as children in high-poverty schools.  Most Democrats, for example, say they favor moving classes online in response to Omicron, despite widespread evidence that remote school has failed and little evidence that shutting schools leads to fewer Covid cases. Closed schools almost certainly do more damage to children and vaccinated adults than Omicron does.” My takeaway: Because Covid is significant less dangerous for children and the cons of remote schooling are so severe, schools should remain open (of course, staff shortages are a real issue). Liberals should reconsider their stance, especially because Latinos and Black children are more likely to be adversely affected by remote learning and school closures. Closing schools increases inequity for marginalized and vulnerable populations. In summary: Covid is real and is deadly, especially for the elderly and those with special conditions. Most people who get Covid will not die. People should seriously consider getting the vaccine and discuss this question with a trusted doctor. Children are not as at risk for having severe covid complications (Yes, there are exceptions, and parents should be able to exercise their rights to protect their children based on medical history.) We have enough evidence now to say that the benefits of school closures are small compared to the disadvantages of remote schooling. Schools should remain open. I think we need to try and maintain some normality using sensible precautions.  Even though the article doesn't specifically discuss vaccine and mask mandates, I think they do more harm than good.

Quotes taken from David Leonhardt, "Good morning, we walk through the results of the first Morning newsletter poll--on pandemic attitudes," "The Morning" Newsletter Column, The New York Times, January 25, 2022.