Thanksgiving often occurs in lockstep across families’ traditional guest lists, cuisine, and activities. Yet Thanksgiving 2020 brings another shared trait: COVID-19 cases’ rising trajectory, including in Mont. County. From Nov. 5-24, our case counts exceeded 200/day on all but four days; the seven-day average of cases per 100,000 residents ended that period at 27.9, representing a “very high risk of transmission.” Unlike prior holidays this pandemic year, however, “lockstep” also characterizes new, or newly-modified, public health rulings effective here Nov. 24; and in neighboring jurisdictions this month, including Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Prince George’s County. Rulings govern expanded face mask use outdoors; reduced gathering and restaurant capacity limits; and more (click on hyperlinks for specifics). With COVID-19 mitigation strategies, “more benefits can be realized if they’re done on a larger [geographic] scale,” said Mont. County’s Dr. Earl Stoddard at the County Executive’s Nov. 12 media briefing.
Further, wearing masks, hand-washing, and social distancing should be practiced well into 2021. Why? Following COVID-19 vaccines’ roll-out, “If 50% of people do not get vaccinated, that would be problematic,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, during a Nov. 12 public (virtual) lecture at the Washington National Cathedral. Gallup’s latest research (conducted prior to Nov.’s good news of three vaccines’ effectiveness in clinical trials) found that 58% of persons polled were willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19, up from 50% in September. Will intent translate into actual shots-in-the-arm?
For example, in 2019-2020, only 48.4% of U.S. adults (age 18+) received an influenza vaccine; Maryland’s rate was 53.1%, CDC reported in October 2020. Among children aged six months-17 years, MD’s rate of 74.8% was the fourth highest nationally. This flu vaccination experience is important because the MD Department of Health’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan, submitted to CDC in October, references its “Fight the Flu” awareness campaign as influential for future COVID-19 educational awareness programs. – Lee Rucker Keiser, MSPH, Editor
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