More COVID information needed in paper
More COVID information needed in paper
Lucky we live Kaua‘i, where we do have so much in the way of full disclosure when it comes to our COVID numbers and contact tracing locales on our County of Kaua‘i page on Facebook with this seemingly never-ending virus. Here comes the but.
However, every single day on that page there is the same exact question repeated multiple times daily, no doubt from our 20% to 25% of anti-vaxxers, as to how many of those in the hospital are vaccinated versus nonvaccinated, along with how many are residents versus tourists.
I actually take the time to read the specs so I know that roughly 90% to 95% of those hospitalized from COVID are not vaccinated. I also read and see that most of them are residents. It would be very helpful if our local paper would print out an editorial article stating this information.
As they say, knowledge is power, so let’s get this information out there, please. Mahalo.
Petrina Blakely, Kapa‘a
You are not going to see many tourists hospitalized or reported with Covid here because they are either carrying and spreading (and not sick), feel slightly under the weather but don’t say anything (because they don’t want to ruin their vacation) or they get sick after they return home as they are only here for a week. The only tourists that get reported here are the ones so sick they are afraid for themselves and therefore seek help. Omicron is coming and it will be spread by tourists and traveling locals alike, the tourists will just not be heavily represented in the numbers because of the reasons above.
Got it. You hate tourists.
So Doug is the problem not solution. A tourist hater. He obviously does not read facts about who is perpetuating the spread of Covid here on Kauai! Does he think all the Kauai residents who have contracted Covid and spread it among the community have been in close contact with an infected tourist? Ignorance Doug!
Good point. As we live with this virus, we should be willing do what we can to minimize its spread while going about our business. It is not too much to ask for everyone to mask up when appropriate, to wash hands regularly and to get vaccinated. This is not a political issue. It is a health issue.
“I actually take the time to read the specs so I know that roughly 90% to 95% of those hospitalized from COVID are not vaccinated.”
Not so sure what you mean by “specs”, Petrina. In all the years I studied mathematics and statistics I have not heard of statistical data represented as “specs”. But I think I know what you mean.
Since you are well read in the “specs” and have concluded that 90%-95% of hospitalizations are among the unvaccinated, perhaps you care to explain the data in three northeastern states: Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. (I chose those states because of their very high vaccination rates) There is no reason to conclude that people in these three states are any different than the populations of our islands, so comparison is sound, even though the exact percentages may differ a little. The data facts below are from the US Department of Health and Human Services and are based on 7 day moving averages (I assume you do know what they are).
Maine: 90% 12 and up are vaxxed and over 99% of those over 65. Despite this there are now record cases, hospitalizations and close to record deaths. Juxtaposed to last year when no one was vaxxed, hospitalizations are up by 85%. Virtually all of the hospitalizations are in the 60-70+ age groups which are 99% vaxxed.
New Hampshire is similar: 98% aged 12+ vaxxed and 99% of 65+. Hospitalizations are 133% higher than they were in 2020.
Vermont: 12 and over are 94% vaxxed and 99% of 65+. Hospitalizations are up by 214%.
All this and we are not yet in the peak season for respiratory illnesses. So contrary to your assertion, it is statistically impossible that this can be laid at the feet of the unvaxxed.
C. McCleod
Your proposal is too modest, Petrina. In addition to what you request, we should also be able to learn how many of those who contract covid recover. An for the relatively few fatalities, we should also be able to learn if covid was the direct cause of death or merely a co-condition along with obesity, age, and preexisiting conditions. Your alarmist letters have become tiresome since you have obviously set yourself up as some sort of sentinel against those who choose not to become human guinea pigs for the mRNA vaccines. Truth be told, COVID-19, while nothing to dismiss, is not the Black Death or West Nile Virus or Ebola. As even Fauci said, at a certain point we’ll have to learn to live with it. It’s not going to go away.
Petrina; I used to feel like you do but now I just don’t care that much anymore. We have resources to increase medical facilities if necessary, we have vaccines, we will soon have at least one pill that will lessen any symptoms, so let’s just move on and get back to normal. Let’s do away with any remaining governmental restrictions and mandates and let folks decide if they want to wear masks or not, let businesses decide if they want to enforce mask mandates, and let everyone and every business decide for themselves their protections, if any. It’s time to get back to normal and let people decide for themselves how to protect themselves.
“I actually take the time to read the specs so I know that roughly 90% to 95% of those hospitalized from COVID are not vaccinated.”
Not so sure what you mean by “specs”, Petrina. In all the years I studied mathematics and statistics I have not heard of statistical data represented as “specs’. But I think I know what you mean.
Since you are well read in the “specs” and have concluded that 90%-95% of hospitalizations are among the unvaccinated, perhaps you care to explain the data in three northeastern states: Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. (I chose those states because of their very high vaccination rates) There is no reason to conclude that people in these three states are any different than the populations of our islands, so comparison is sound, even though the exact percentages may differ a little. The data facts below are from the US Department of Health and Human Services and are based on 7 day
moving averages (I assume you do know what they are).
Maine: 90% 12 and up are vaxxed and over 99% of those over 65. Despite this there are now record cases, hospitalizations and close to record
deaths. Juxtaposed to last year when no one was vaxxed, hospitalizations are up by 85%. Virtually all of the hospitalizations are in the 60-70+ age
groups which are 99% vaxxed.
New Hampshire is similar: 98% aged 12+ vaxxed and 99% of 65+.
Hospitalizations are 133% higher than they were in 2020.
Vermont: 12 and over are 94% vaxxed and 99% of 65+. Hospitalizations are up by 214%.
All this and we are not yet in the peak season for respiratory illnesses. So contrary to your assertion, it is statistically impossible that this can be laid at the feet of the unvaxxed.
C. McCleod