Pandemic of the Unvaccinated--Right?

I'm starting to wonder if I should cancel my trip to West Virginia and go someplace without COVID--someplace with a high vaccination rate where they've pretty much gotten rid of COVID. That's how it works, right--when enough people get vaccinated, you get rid of COVID? We only have a 50% vaccination rate here in the US. It's only 43% in West Virginia. The horror! It's put us in a pandemic of the unvaccinated, according to the CDC in an article from a few weeks ago.

People who are fully vaccinated are protected against severe Covid-19, including the delta variant, [CDC Director Dr. Rochelle] Walensky said.

Where to jet off to? England seems like a nice place, so full of pretty scenery, history, and impressive architecture and twee towns. The UK has an impressive vaccination rate of 73%, too. There must not be much COVID there...right?

Source: Spectator UK

Oh! They must have taken most of their vaccines around the end of July...right?

Source: Spectator UK

Wait...wasn't "freedom day" on July 19--the day before positive tests started going down? Weird! Maybe I'll visit when they have COVID under better control. Meantime, Iceland looks interesting. Their vaccination rate is 75% and CNN says they have a rigorous tracking and tracing system, masks required at the airport, and nose and throat swabs to "filter out" anyone carrying the virus. COVID carriers have to quarantine for 14 days. And their death rate is only three per 100,000 people compared to 440 per 100,000 in the UK. It just gets better and better.

Oops--that article is almost 45 days old. Their Chief Epidemiologist said today that

In the past two to three weeks, the Delta variant has outstripped all others in Iceland and it has become clear that vaccinated people can easily contract it as well and spread it to others.

Health authorities in Iceland sent a memo to their government warning them about the "heavy strain on the healthcare system cause[d] by the current record rate of infection." It must be those selfish, irresponsible people who haven't gotten vaccinated...right?

Source: https://www.covid.is/data

Around 24 have had to be hospitalised in this wave, just over 1%...However, 2.4% of unvaccinated people that contract COVID-19 now are hospitalised.

But I thought we were in a "pandemic of the unvaccinated"! Whatever it is that's going on, I don't want to go where there's an outbreak or a strained hospital system or looming restrictions. So I have the answer: Gibraltar--it's nearly 100% vaccinated.

Source: CDC.

Or maybe I'll avoid Gibraltar altogether. But there's finally a clue about what's going on. The CDC admitted that

...even fully vaccinated travelers might be at increased risk for getting and possibly spreading some Covid-19 variants.

Maybe I should take another look at West Virginia, even if they only have a 43% vaccination rate. What does their dashboard say?

Source: WV Covid dashboard

Gee, it's like vaccination rates don't have anything to do with COVID spread. What was it the epidemiologist from Iceland said--

...it has become clear that vaccinated people can easily contract [the Delta variant] as well and spread it to others.

* * * * *

I admit I was kidding about changing my vacation plans. I've already bought a new bikini and Iceland and England seem a bit chilly for it. My beef is with the blaming, shaming, punishment, and at this point, lying about people who don't want an experimental medicine. Anyone with an internet connection and a little curiosity can figure out that we're not going to vaccinate our way out of the pandemic.

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