Thanksgiving, masking and the racial gap.
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Someone asked me at the Illinois Retired Teachers Association luncheon what you get for a paid sub.
“Absolutely nothing,” I answered. Folks laughed. But it is true.
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Meanwhile, Anne and I will be going to Brooklyn for Thanksgiving.
With flu, Covid and RSV cases spiking we will take the simple precaution of masking in the airports (ORD and JFK) and on the plane.
We are already vaxxed for all three, including the latest Covid booster.
Testing kits will be in the luggage.
And interesting report in Kaiser Health News suggests a race gap in Covid concern and vaccination.
Age is a factor as well, in addition to race and politics.
People who are at least 65 years old – a group especially at risk of severe COVID-19 illness – are among the most likely to say that they’ve already gotten the new vaccine (34%), though they are no more likely than younger adults to say that they plan to take at least one of the five precautions.
Black (72%) and Hispanic (68%) adults are much more likely than White adults (39%) to say they plan to take at least one of those precautions. Similarly, Democrats (66%) are more than twice as likely as Republicans (29%) to say they plan to take precautions.
The second time I got Covid (The vaccine doesn’t guarantee you won’t get it. It does reduce the severity.) the free availability of Paxlovid definitely helped.
So I was shocked (not really) to find out that access to Paxlovid is no longer provided free by the government.
Paxlovid is being privatized (i.e., no longer covered by government). Pfizer also announced an astronomical price: $1,400. Cost is a legitimate reason not to get it, which is devastating and ridiculous. (Katelyn Jetelina)
I wish you all a happy Thanksgiving. Stay safe.