Awaiting verification - if proven, will you be scheduling a third dose? Will a 3rd dose increase your COVID antibody levels 5 to 11 fold?

Note: the following information is for discussion only. Make your own decisions. Many have refused vaccinations even in the face of a recent COVID surge of the Delta variant. So what can we do to add to our protection?

Is a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine in order? Pfizer appears to be steering the discussion in that direction. Note the following is Pfizer information; I have not seen any information that the CDC or other independent bodies have considered or commented on the information presented below. You can read the Pfizer power point - CLICK HERE.

5-fold for those 18-55? Pfizer has posted data online suggesting that antibody levels against the Delta variant in people ages 18 to 55 who receive a third dose of vaccine are greater than five-fold than following a second dose.

An 11 fold increase for those 65 to 85? Among people ages 65 to 85, the Pfizer data suggest that antibody levels against the Delta variant after receiving a third dose of vaccine are greater than 11-fold than following a second dose.

But what about the “’tweeners”, those aged 56 to 64???

IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE – that the company data has not yet been peer-reviewed or published.

This information is put out in order to stimulate additional consideration of how to best protect yourself and loved ones during this COVID pandemic.

When you are fully vaccinated. Now what? CDC provides updates on What you Can Start to Do & What You Should Keep Doing

 Here is the official information from the CDC (CLICK HERE to view the official CDC info page):

What You Can Start to Do

If you’ve been fully vaccinated:

• You can gather indoors with fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart.
• You can gather indoors with unvaccinated people of any age from one other household (for example, visiting with relatives who all live together) without masks or staying 6 feet apart, unless any of those people or anyone they live with has an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
• If you travel in the United States, you do not need to get tested before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel.
• You need to pay close attention to the situation at your international destination before traveling outside the United States.
• You do NOT need to get tested before leaving the United States unless your destination requires it.
• You still need to show a negative test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding a flight to the United States.
• You should still get tested 3-5 days after international travel.
• You do NOT need to self-quarantine after arriving in the United States.
• If you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless you have symptoms.
• However, if you live in a group setting (like a correctional or detention facility or group home) and are around someone who has COVID-19, you should still stay away from others for 14 days and get tested, even if you don’t have symptoms.

What You Should Keep Doing

For now, if you’ve been fully vaccinated:

• You should still take steps to protect yourself and others in many situations, like wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces. Take these precautions whenever you are:
  • In public
  • Gathering with unvaccinated people from more than one other household
  • Visiting with an unvaccinated person who is at increased risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19 or who lives with a person at increased risk
• You should still avoid medium or large-sized gatherings.
• If you travel, you should still take steps to protect yourself and others. You will still be required to wear a mask on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States, and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations. Fully vaccinated international travelers arriving in the United States are still required to get tested within 3 days of their flight (or show documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months) and should still get tested 3-5 days after their trip.
• You should still watch out for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if you’ve been around someone who is sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested and stay home and away from others.
• You will still need to follow guidance at your workplace.

The State of the Village Leadership – governments such as Palmetto Bay should set the example, not flaunt the CDC and County recommendations by hosting a potential local super spreader event

Just as the rules should apply to everyone, so too should the recommendations. Governments should lead by example. 

Example: The CDC is asking people not to travel during the Thanksgiving Holiday. The CDC is asking people to take precautions and limit contacts. 

Miami- Dade County's official messaging discourages celebrations beyond the immediate household. A county-produced video campaign on Thanksgiving encourages viewers to “share a virtual dinner with family and friends.”

Miami Herald: Skipping a big Thanksgiving during COVID-19? Here are some other ways to celebrate, 11/23/2020, by Simone Jasper

Actions speak louder than words, so then why is the Palmetto Bay Mayor planning what could be a 'super spreader' event for December 3, 2020? I am specifically referring to a "live" 2020 State of the Village Address. Enjoy an evening of fun at Ludovici Park, Thursday, December 3rd, 7 pm. Complimentary valet parking.

Food and drink - well it is apparently safe to remove masks to eat and drink, at least in Palmetto Bay. 

Valet Parking? So strangers will be getting in and out of different cars. Sharing contact between vehicles.

I just don't understand why this event should not be held virtually. Is this a case of overinflated egos, an overdeveloped sense of immunity, reckless disregard for the safety of community or an underdeveloped sense of self-control, to do things in the same manner and for the same regard for fellow residents?  Cutler Bay recently held its State of the Town through virtual presentation, but then again this Palmetto Bay is no Cutler Bay.

Perhaps the current Palmetto Bay mayor, council members, administration and staff are getting impatient for the vaccine that may be out in early spring and are instead pushing for the herd immunity to take root here in Palmetto Bay. 

The CDC has posted recommendations for those who insist on Attending a gathering this Thanksgiving, but one again, I don't think they are referring to government holding an event for hundreds of people. per the CDC:

Celebrating virtually or with the people you live with is the safest choice this Thanksgiving.

If you choose to attend a gathering, make your celebration safer. In addition to following the steps that everyone can take to make Thanksgiving safer, take these additional steps if attending a Thanksgiving gathering:

• Bring your own food, drinks, plates, cups, and utensils.
• Wear a mask and safely store your mask while eating and drinking.
• Avoid going in and out of the areas where food is being prepared or handled, such as in the kitchen.
• Use single-use options, like salad dressing and condiment packets, and disposable items like food containers, plates, and utensils.
  

Many students have gone to home schooling. Football teams are rescheduling games due to positive COVID tests, some colleges and universities are shifting back to online learning. 

We are not going to be successful in beating COVID unless we are all pushing in one direction, that we all follow the same rules and recommendations.

It takes a village, but this village appears to believe that it is an island. Recommendations, ha! Palmetto Bay is hosting a live party! Covid-19 be damned.

Opinion and online article: It is healthy to be outside. It all needs to be done in accordance with the CDC guidelines. We need to prepare for the new normal. We need to maintain physical and mental health. The struggle with cabin fever is real.

A very good read (that I will allow to make most of my points for me), see Business Insider - April 25, 2020 - Stop shaming people for going outside. The risks are generally low, and the benefits are endless, by Anna Medaris Miller.

Her opening example:

Don McCammon recently went for a run while wearing a mask in an uncrowded area of Orlando, Florida. The 40-year-old triathlete stayed not just 6 but closer to 15 feet away from any passersby.  

That didn't spare him from criticism, though. 

"I had a walker yell at me that I shouldn't be running during a pandemic," McCammon said. But the infectious-disease expert Anthony Fauci, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and New York City leaders and public-health officials have said they go on regular jogs.

We can find numerous examples here in our Palmetto Bay community, both out in public as well as in full public view of social media. Far too many people are quick to judge and cast stones at those who they feel are not adhering to what they judge to be proper.

When communities issued shelter-in-place orders, people reasonably interpreted it literally, even though the fine print almost always said people could, and even should, go outside to exercise. And when staying home became a point of pride, some mental-health professionals said people were missing the point: Mother Earth is home too. 

"Our research has found that nature is not an amenity — it's a necessity," Marc Berman, a psychologist at the University of Chicago who studies how environmental factors can affect the brain and behavior, said in a UChicago News story. "We need to take it seriously.

I have made numerous examples of how people are coping with the closure of schools, gyms, working from home - where do you go? Fortunately in Miami, we have the beautiful outdoors.  Cabin Fever is real. See Healthline -  

What is cabin fever?In popular expressions, cabin fever is used to explain feeling bored or listless because you’ve been stuck inside for a few hours or days. But that’s not the reality of the symptoms.

Instead, cabin fever is a series of negative emotions and distressing sensations people may face if they’re isolated or feeling cut off from the world.

These feelings of isolation and loneliness are more likely in times of social distancing, self-quarantining during a pandemic, or sheltering in place because of severe weather.

As I have also mentioned previously, many have anyone taken notice of the sudden explosion of people cycling in our community. I am not talking about the MAMILs, I am referring to families and more casual riders. I am now seeing a huge increase of high school / college age people on bikes - and I wonder if they are riding because you can travel together separately on a bike, all the time maintaining the social distancing that you lose by piling into the same car.

Outdoor activity is good! Stay connected to our community. So long as the social distancing is maintained.

A plea from a fellow resident on proper use of facemasks - official CDC information/links provided. Be your brother's keeper

Concern from a fellow resident: "A mask is a tool. A tool is only effective if you use it properly."

Photo Credit - from CDC info site

This is a critical time to disseminate and be aware of important lifesaving information. While we all enjoy updates on virtual happy hours, exercise, or photo op caravans, many have pointed out that some hard core information is needed on prevention, not fluff emails meant to entertain people. This article was sent to me by a friend and reader who feels an urgency to get this information out on how to properly wear a face mask.

 Yesterday, while I was waiting for my son to come out of Publix, I saw person after person after person walking around wearing their face mask improperly.  These people seem to think the idea behind wearing a face mask is to be compliant and not get into trouble or so they are allowed into the store.  

Some people don’t seem to understand that their face mask is supposed to be for protection. I saw people wearing masks covering their mouth, but not their nose.  I saw people wearing a mask using only one of the straps, making it sit loosely on their face, but not actually sealing the mask.  This wasn’t just one or two people. This was dozens of people. This helps to clarify part of the reason why Palmetto Bay has far more infections than Cutler Bay and Pinecrest.

Here are some helpful links on how to wear a face mask.

Photo Credit - from CDC info site

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html


https://youtu.be/zoxpvDVo_NI

-FOSDU

Editor’s Note: here are just some of the topics covered in the links above –

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guidelines:

Cloth face coverings should—

• fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
• be secured with ties or ear loops
• include multiple layers of fabric
• allow for breathing without restriction
• be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape

CDC on Homemade Cloth Face Coverings

NOTE : CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

• Should cloth face coverings be washed or otherwise cleaned regularly? How regularly?
• How does one safely sterilize/clean a cloth face covering? 
• How does one safely remove a used cloth face covering?
• Sew and No Sew Instructions

Having accurate and pertinent information is of the utmost importance of staying safe. I recommend that you review the full information posted by the CDC

Facts - Official information: Florida's COVID-19 Data and Surveillance Dashboard

Florida Department of Health, Division of Disease Control and Health Protection has a website tracking the COVID-19 cases. The reports are updated twice a day at 11:00 AM and again at 6:00 PM.

Follow this link to: Florida's COVID-19 Data and Surveillance Dashboard

Click the following link to access the COVID-19 Resource Toolkit

As of the 6 PM update for Thursday, March 19, 2020, the confirmed cases are as follows:

Florida has confirmed 432 total cases (6 PM update for Thursday, March 19, 2020)
There have been 9 deaths
101 of the total cases are reported in Miami-Dade County.

Compare that with the Coronavirus cases reported
     (as of 8:00 AM, 3/19/2020):
328 cases in Florida with:
80 cases in Broward, and
77 reported to date in Miami-Dade.

Please use this as part of your tool box to separate fact from fiction and to stay up to date on what you should be doing to protect yourself, your family and your community.

Also available on this site:

Resources

Many resources are available to help international, national, state and local governments, corporations and communities, and health care professionals develop preparedness plans and strengthen response to different scenarios. See CDC Planning and Preparedness Resources.

Community Mitigation Guidelines to Prevent Pandemic Influenza

When a novel influenza A virus with pandemic potential emerges, nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) are often the most readily available interventions to help slow transmission of the virus in communities. This is especially important before a pandemic vaccine becomes widely available. NPIs, also known as community mitigation measures, are actions that persons and communities can take to help slow the spread of respiratory virus infections, including seasonal and pandemic influenza viruses. See CDC Community Mitigation Guidelines.

Helpful information - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) - this post (with links) Clean & Disinfect - protect your home

Important information - follow the link CLICK HERE for the full CDC site with important information.

From the CDC site:

Based on what is currently known about the novel coronavirus and similar coronaviruses that cause SARS and MERS, spread from person-to-person with these viruses happens most frequently among close contacts (within about 6 feet). This type of transmission occurs via respiratory droplets. On the other hand, transmission of novel coronavirus to persons from surfaces contaminated with the virus has not been documented. Transmission of coronavirus occurs much more commonly through respiratory droplets than through fomites. Current evidence suggests that novel coronavirus may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials. Cleaning of visibly dirty surfaces followed by disinfection is a best practice measure for prevention of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory illnesses in households and community settings.

Stay safe - prepare and protect.