December 28th is my husband’s birthday. It is especially precious because less than eleven months ago he was in ICU on a ventilator fighting for his life due to contracting Covid. We went out to “dinner” today – a 3pm reservation due to it being the quiet time between lunch and dinner and, as expected, there were empty tables everywhere and we were isolated in our spot in the restaurant. The country is now in the grip of an Omicron variant escalation of the pandemic, a situation in which even those who are vaccinated are not safe. He and I have done everything we can – masks, double vaccinated and boosters.
During a casual conversation with our server they revealed that they were not vaccinated, despite the fact that most of their family were, because they “still felt uncomfortable” about having the vaccine. This person was young, and therefore statistically unlikely to become seriously ill, but they were waiting on tables occupied by people who would presumably, as we were, be unaware of the risk they posed. We were horrified and as such will not be eating out in Chestertown (or anywhere else) for the foreseeable future.
Why am I writing this?, because people who own and manage establishments in the area need to realise that their staff may be putting customers and themselves at risk and that our community needs to appreciate that eating out is not necessarily safe. Why am I not naming the place? because I have no reason to assume they are unique in not doing their best to ensure that their staff do not pose a risk to their customers. I will however send a copy of this letter to our venue. I, for one, am tired of people being sick and dying.
Inez Santori
Chestertown
Carla Massoni says
Inez – This entire community prayed for Paul and did everything they could to support both of you during that terrifying time. “…still not comfortable about having the vaccine…” – REALLY? REALLY? Was this person at least masked? Most of the the merchants in town have done a great job asking our customers to mask and they have complied. Restaurants have suffered so much during Covid…and I do not want to see them closed down…but I wish we had the same requirements as New York. Proof of vaccination and the entire staff vaccinated and masked. Taking a risk under those circumstances seems reasonable. Playing roulette with our health is not.
Thank you for writing.
inez Santori says
The prayers and support of our amazing community I am sure helped both Paul and I through. I am still overwhelmed at how people worked together to support us and the incredible level help we received. We too love our restaurants and would not want to lose a single one. I agree with you – New York has the right idea and their requirements are in everyone’s interest, especially the servers who have to interact with a huge number of people who they don’t know.
susan newton-rhodes says
Inez and Paul-
thank you for writing this letter. i spoke with my 17 year-old today in the car as we were driving to virginia to visit friends. our conversation centered on COVID and the still real risk to all of us. one of our family members has chosen not to vaccinate. this is their right. unfortunately, we were made aware of this information AFTER we had been in contact with them. my real concern for our community continues to be this very real public health concern, but also the very real threat posed by our community members, family members and friends who take away our ability to chose whether we want to take risks. we were made aware that one of our kids had been exposed to COVID through a school mate. Thus, prior to having Christmas dinner with friends and family, we alerted everyone to the threat and gave each of them the ability to chose whether this risk was an acceptable one to take. i note that we also called on Christmas morning to let everyone know that we had no active symptoms in our house.
as i read your story this afternoon, i felt physically ill. i know the suffering that your family has incurred over the last year and i am so sorry that you took all of the necessary precautions to be able to celebrate a special day, in the midst of those brazen and careless individuals described. i will hold your family in my prayers and hope that nothing comes from this experience. please know that there are many of us out here that practice measures of safety as recommended by our public health officials. i also pray that those individuals, self-centered in the extreme, may come to some level of recognition of their carelessness and disregard for their friends, neighbors and family members.
Susan Newton-Rhodes
Paula Reeder says
Thank you for speaking up and out Inez. ALL establishments that serve the public need to take responsibility for insuring that ALL of their employees – particularly those who interact directly with the public as part of their job function – are vaccinated and boosted for Covid and that both their public space and employees are as Covid free as possible.
Barbara Esmonde says
As a former restaurant owner, I can say that we took every precaution we could. I tried every way to ask my staff to get the vaccine and some did not. Many are high school kids with parents who are comfortable with their choices.
I ran out of staff and had to close because of it.
However, many folks are double vaccinated and boosted and are still getting this insidious illness.
My question is, what if the sever casually asked the guest if they are vaccinated, do they have the right to refuse if the diner is not masked?
Restaurants took the biggest hit when this all began, and we still are. I know many have suffered before the vaccine, I empathize, but sadly these folks have the right to not get the vaccine, it is not a law.
The simple fact is, unless there is a mandate, not everyone will comply and get the vaccine.
It is not just food service! Look how many hospitals are understaffed because nurses refuse to get vaccinated.
Restaurants have suffered enough.
inez Santori says
I understand all the points you make Barbara. My view is that if New York restaurants can request proof of vaccine from diners, then so can other places that make that choice. We were there in November, the restaurants were busy and all staff and patrons were vaccinated. One server (also a young person) said they felt much safer working in those conditions. I think it is equally important that servers are safe and this is one strategy that makes it more likely.
Paula Reeder says
Employers have the right to require their employees to show proof of vaccination in order to work as a matter of supporting public safety and delivering quality customer service. Faced with that choice, employees can decide whether or not to comply with the employers requirement and will need to accept the consequences of their decision. “Don’t ask, don’t tell.” just isn’t an effective approach to addressing Covid infection risks in the workplace.
No one has any right to knowingly put another persons health and well-being at risk. Today, that is exactly what the vast majority of people who choose not to be vaccinated against Covid are doing. In the face of over half a million Covid infections in the US to date, over 200,000 daily new infections and over 1000 Covid related daily deaths, failure to be vaccinated is simply irresponsible and unconscionable.
Beverly Smith says
I have a question. Were you in a CHestertown restaurant? The teaser image was from a New York restaurant called Veselka. The name was clear on the window, and images on their web-cite showed the window with the name.
Please let those of us who are also as careful about vaccines, boosters, masks, etc as you are. Let us know if you were rin CHestertown. We love our Chestertown restaurants and merchants and really appreciative of their efforts to keep us all safe.
inez Santori says
I was in a Chestertown restaurant. I believe The Spy very responsibly used a non-Chestertown image as I specifically did not want the restaurant identified as I felt there was a possibility that they would be unfairly treated. They may not have been aware of the status of the staff member; they may not be the only restaurant in town with unvaccinated staff. I too love our Chestertown restaurants; frequent them at least weekly and usually more often. I also made a point of supporting those who did take-out when they had to close. I was just shocked to find that someone who had not been vaccinated was close to me several times during the course of the evening – a situation I work hard to avoid.
Maria Wood says
Happy Birthday, Paul, and thank you Inez for sharing this very important story with the community—and your very wise but sad decision.
John Rolfe says
Even if the server was vaccinated they can still spread covid. The only way you are truly safe is to not come out at all
inez Santori says
What is really scary is how vulnerable the server was in contact with so many people they didn’t know and in all probability much more vulnerable that we were.
inez Santori says
The server was probably more vulnerable than us dealing with many people that they didn’t know. Their safety is also extremely important.
Luba Burrows says
If a local establishment would like to increase their business, they may want to consider putting up a sign stating that their staff is fully vaccinated (proven with proper documentation, of course–not just based on trust). This would likely increase their business considerably, and may inspire other establishments to follow suit. I was amazed that a technician at a local optometrist’s shop, who needed to come within inches of my face, told me that she is not vaccinated; although she was wearing a surgical mask, it felt unsafe and I promptly took my business elsewhere. This vaccinated/unvaccinated distinction should be clearly displayed on restaurants, nail salons, doctors’ office, and the like. The more unvaccinated people there are, the more chances exist for viral mutation and the next one may not be as ‘nice’ as is Omicron.
Gretchen F Stroh says
Right now, no matter what, everyone should be wearing a mask. No matter what your vac. status is.
Carol Schroeder says
I think John Rolfe hit the nail on the head. Dining out is a luxury. The only way to remain safe is to stay home. That said, we could call a restaurant before going there, speak with the manager, and ask about vaccinations. If everyone is not vaccinated then we can nicely respond that we will not be coming. With Omicron anyone, even vaccinated and boosted, can get Covid. So we each have to make our own decision about what risks to take. I like to support local restaurants too but not at the price of my health. Depressing? Yes, indeed.
Beryl Smith says
Our family also has decided not to eat out since even if we go in wearing a mask it comes off so that we can eat. Masks alone are not the answer and until we are sure that everyone cooking and serving us is vaccinated we will continue (sigh!) to eat in each and every night.
Deirdre LaMotte says
Thank you for this letter. I am amazed how “unmasked” Chestertown is. We were in Italy and Ireland recently; every
restaurant and museum asked to see our vaccination card before entering. And people wore masks outdoors.
Entrance was limited to a small number, as well.
Ron Jordan says
This is where the rubber meets the road, both financially and morally. Our county’s largest population is from 50 years old to 70 years, 15% of our population. The largest percentage of those that might be working in the hospitality industry are ages from 20-29 years old, also 15% of our population. One would think that if a business as hard hit as restaurants wanted to stay in business, keep its staff during this dire time, that they would assure the public most are more senior that their employees, including staff, waiters, bartenders and all that work in and around their business are vaccinated. Yes, being vaccinated doesn’t insure the buying public they are 100% safe but it does show the buying public that these owners are looking our for the citizenry of Kent County, as they would hopefully their own intimate family. In some quarters its called empathy and respect for other human beings.
G. Silva says
It is astonishing to realize there are still so many people who remain unaware of the most basic scientific facts about covid, and in that ignorance, wish to impose their fairy tale vision of the world on all those around them. Last spring, even the CDC admitted what censored scientists had been saying for some time, that a) the experimental injections do not prevent infection OR transmission, and b) that the viral load in an infected (and possibly asymptomatic) vaccinated person is as high or higher than the viral load in an infected unvaccinated person. Translation: you are no safer being served lunch by a vaccinated person than by an unvaccinated one. Leaving science for a moment and turning to logic, if you are double vaccinated, aren’t you protected from the virus? If you are not protected, why did you have an experimental biological product whose manufacturers bear no liability for harm injected into your body? And if the experimental product does not protect you, why do you want to force someone else to be injected with this dangerous no-liability product or lose their job? You should also be aware that virus particles are 120 nanometers. Typical masks filter particles as small as 80 microns, Keeping mosquitoes out with a chain-link fence is about how the math works out. Not to mention the 20% leakage around the sides. As the great Dr. Fauci famously said, “a mask might make someone FEEL a little better,” but it doesn’t offer protection from the virus. Maybe keep your rules as you see fit, and let others live their way – as was always the practice in America, back when it was the land of the free. Now, thanks to sentiments such as these, and government officials more than happy to make them into law, it increasingly resembles 1930s Germany. Perhaps all the unvaccinated waitresses should have to wear yellow stars – would that suffice for your peace of mind?
Patty Heaps says
Thank you. Until the pandemic is serious enough to close the southern border, I’ll continue living my life as I see fit. Besides, the number of world wide covid deaths is nearly double this year from last, with three vaccines. A great deal of people vaccinate against loss of employment and loss of travel, not because they are scared of Covid. Anyone else remember when we had cold and flu season and no one freaked out if you sneezed?
John Barkin says
I like the yellow stars. Especially if emblazoned in the center (in electric blue, perhaps) is the identifier “COVIDIOT”
G. Silva says
That says a lot about you, and your “empathy and respect for others.” Look in the mirror, folks.
John Barkin says
You give up freedoms to live in a free society.
You cannot yell “Fire” in a crowded theater because you have freedom of speech.
You have to vaccinate your children to send them to a public school despite your freedom of choice.
However, your personal freedoms end at the threshhold of my family’s safety.
You can refuse all the vaccinations and masks you would care to; that is indeed your right…
… but you cannot impose that choice and associated vulnerabilities on my family no matter how off kilter you believe the reasoning of the “govornment” and their scientists to be.
For the new year I would wish your family and mine all the health and well being that our current situation would allow.
And when this is over and done, I would like to buy you a beer.
G. Silva says
That’s nice; I would only accept if the invitation was for before this is “all over,” but then it might be embarrassing for you as I’d be wearing my covidiot star that you designed.
Seriously, this may never be over — unless people like you wake up. This is not really about viruses, masks, or vaccinations. It’s about freedom, specifically medical freedom, which is actually one of the most basic freedoms of humanity. If in order to work, travel, shop, associate freely with others, and not be vilified and stigmatized in the pages of the Chestertown Spy and elsewhere, we need to cover our faces, stay inside our homes when ordered, close our businesses, be injected with an experimental medical product we don’t want which is proving to be completely ineffective and is causing injury and death — then we are slaves. If we don’t have bodily autonomy, what is left of freedom?
Keep in mind all these freedoms have been lost over a disease which has a higher than 99% recovery rate. And it’s estimated by treating physicians that 85% of American deaths would not have occurred if known safe and effective early treatments had not been suppressed and outright banned.
Last question: where exactly is the threshold of your family’s safety located, where my personal freedoms end?
John Barkin says
I would ask one simple question.
Does your freedom give you the right to stand two feet in front of me and cough in my face?
Regarding the beer, If you chose to wear the “star” I would wear one in solidarity with you as one who pursues his (sic) freedoms as he sees them.
G. Silva says
“ I would ask one simple question.
Does your freedom give you the right to stand two feet in front of me and cough in my face?
Regarding the beer, If you chose to wear the “star” I would wear one in solidarity with you as one who pursues his freedoms as he sees them.”
Is that what we have been arguing about, whether you or I can cough in someone’s face? Have you heard of anyone doing that? Has anyone suggested doing that? It’s helpful to differentiate between being unvaccinated and being sick. Whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, sick people should not cough in someone’s face.
Historically, stigmatizing markers have been a sign of ruthless totalitarianism and have not been worn voluntarily. My hypothetical was “should unvaxxed be forced to wear” and you were enthusiastic to the point of adding a derogatory term.
Grenville B. Whitman says
Astonishing that G. Silva thinks he can usher others into his own little rabbit hole papered with innuendo and obloquy.
Mr. Silva calls me “ignorant” because I’ve consented to be vaxxed and boosted, and because my confidence in the vaccine, in medicine, and U.S. medical authorities is a “fairy tale vision.”
Then he spins his own fairy tale about “censored scientists,” “experimental biological products,” and “dangerous, no-liability product.” He pooh-poohs face masks and misquotes Dr. Anthony Fauci. He advocates living by “your rules” and letting others live by theirs, and falsely claims that this “was always the practice in America.” Ahem, “as was always the practice” ceased at Appomattox.
Sorry, G. Silva, your Randian — Ayn or Paul, take your pick — rant is just plain wrong in so many, many ways! In fact, you’re spreading misinformation, the sort of deliberate falsities that got Herr Trump kicked off Facebook and Twitter.
G. Silva says
So, your argument is that eminent scientists, among them Nobel-prize winners, one of the inventors of the mRNA vaccines, the former head of scientific research at Pfizer, and countless others respected in their fields of virology, immunology, and epidemiology, have not been censored? (This is funny, considering that you both admit censorship is happening, and advocate for it.) And you contend that the injections are not biological gene-therapy products authorized under “emergency use authorization” with no long-term safety studies completed beforehand? (By Pfizer and Moderna’s own information you can ascertain that the experiment is ongoing and we are the trial participants – it ends August 2023.) You dispute that the CDC’s own VAERS site shows over 20,000 deaths in one year correlated to the covid shots, with half of those occurring within 48 hours, and that the pharmaceutical companies bear no liability for injury or death?(Publicly accessible information) And your belief is that Fauci never said face masks do not protect you? (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PRa6t_e7dgI) And you also believe that there is not 20% leakage around the sides of masks and that the virus particles are not able to penetrate the mask material? (The boxes say: “this product is an ear loop mask and will not provide any protection against covid or any other viruses or contaminants”.)
Your comment has done nothing to alleviate my amazement.
P.S. By the way, are you by chance sexist? What made you assume I am a man?
Grenville B. Whitman says
Most women I know are not so aggressively deceitful.
G. Silva says
Interesting. Are most women you know timidly deceitful? You haven’t substantiated any deceit on my part, or even inaccuracies, so this isn’t really a discussion.
Happy New Year, may it be a healthy and peaceful one for you and yours. Sayonara.
ann miller says
As a double vaxxed & boosted (and recovered from Covid) person, honestly I feel it is MY responsibility to be in charge of my health, not someone else’s. If it was important to me that the restaurant had a fully vaccinated staff I would have looked into that prior to eating there.
Anytime we step outside our door we are taking a chance. Going into the grocery store, popping into the gas station, shopping at any little or large shop, taking the dog to the vet, stopping into the liquor store, you name it, there are folks both vaxxed & not. But it’s my choice to enter those establishments and I understand that.
Would it be great if everyone was vaxxed? Maybe. And while it would prevent a lot of the spread, it wouldn’t prevent all of it. At the end of the day a vaccinated server at the restaurant could still pass it on to you, however reduced those chances are with vaccines.
My health is my personal responsibility.
Deirdre LaMotte says
Sorry, if everyone was vaccinated, we would be fine.
Not everything in life is about “me”. If it is, we are in dire
times, worse than I thought.
Ann Miller says
Last I checked the research indicated the vaccines greatly prevent the spread, they do not negate it. So yeah, even though I’m vaccinated I could catch it from another vaccinated person. Is it likely, not really. But it is a possibility.
“COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing infection, serious illness, and death. Most people who get COVID-19 are unvaccinated. However, since vaccines are not 100% effective at preventing infection, some people who are fully vaccinated will still get COVID-19”
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/effectiveness/why-measure-effectiveness/breakthrough-cases.html
And last I checked, my personal health responsibility does start with ME. That’s why I choose to look into the vaccines, talk to my Dr. and eventually get them. But I knew that once I had them there was still a chance I could get a breakthrough case, and indeed I did. If everyone were vaccinated then we would not be ‘fine’ as you put it, but we’d be about there. How do you propose we get everyone – be in in the USA, North America or the World vaccinated to get to your ‘fine’? Let’s start with the USA…what do you propose? Mandatory vaccinations? Would you scream and yell about how selfish they are and how they are killing people, or would you speak to them person to person, share what education you’ve learned on the vaccines and the benefits in a way that is respectful of their culture, beliefs, religion…..If they still didn’t want it would you berate them, or would you leave them understanding you don’t agree on the matter but that you are available should they want to talk about it again and go in peace? And those who are medically unable to get them (I’m told they exist, I don’t know anyone who is in this situation thankfully), how do you protect them? Those that have a honest & true (as opposed to false and fake) religious problem with taking them – how would you protect them?
I personally think that protecting my family starts with me having gotten the vaccine, and others in my family getting it to protect me. And from that it protects the greater community. If someone chooses to not get the vaccine even though they are able to, well that is their body to make that choice for, whether I agree with it or not. And for the record I DO think people should get it. I’m just not dying on the hill of mandated vaccines. If you want to, well enjoy the climb.
G. Silva says
Thank you for this. You are a voice in the vaccination wilderness. All people can do at this point is educate themselves as best they can, remain open to information they haven’t heard before due to massive censorship, make their choice, and respect the choices of other people. Thank you for voicing respect for the freedom of those people who — whether for religious or medical reasons, or due to naturally acquired immunity — have come to different conclusions about taking the vaccines.
Deirdre LaMotte says
Wow, did I hit a nerve?
If people can, please get the vaccine. Millions around the world are not so fortunate; this is such a first world non issue.
G. Silva says
There are many countries with very low vaccination rates which are far more “fine” than we are — in Africa, India (Uttar Pradesh), etc. Look into it. The highest vaccinated countries are doing the worst. Gibraltar (and many universities) with 99% vaccination rates are having large outbreaks of the virus, as well as highly vaccinated countries in Europe. At what magical percentage of population do you envision the vaccines would actually work as promised so that “we would all be fine”? It’s hard to go higher than 99%. You haven’t noticed Fauci moving the goalposts? You haven’t read about waning immunity and the need for boosters every 3-6 months indefinitely? Does that sound like a vaccine that makes everything fine? An unvaccinated person who has been infected has more robust, durable, and long-lasting immunity than a vaccinated person, and is far safer to be around. If the vaccine protects, getting it should protect you whether or not anyone else does; that is true logically, historically, and has always been the scientific understanding of vaccines. The confusion is that this is not a vaccine; it does not prevent infection or illness; it only works as a therapeutic for a few short weeks after injection. It is (experimental) gene therapy rather than a vaccine, and many (eminent but censored) scientists say it is responsible for driving the variants, through something called “immune escape” or “leaky vaccine”. You could also read up on the attempted mRNA vaccines for RSV pneumonia decades ago.
We ARE in dire times, because without any scientific basis, people like yourself want to blame vaccine failure on a segment of the population who does not want an experimental biological product injected into them, one that has been proven not to work and to harm or kill people. That mindset of “othering” people who make different medical choices than you or think differently than you is far more dangerous than any virus. In terms of selfishness, your desire to shame and castigate those who don’t want the shots (who in many cases are already immune) because you fear for your own ability as a vaccinated and “protected” person to remain healthy — isn’t that an “all about me” mentality?
Listen to Joe Rogan interviewing Dr Robert Malone, inventor of mRNA technology. If you are curious and seeking truth, you can find it, but not on CNN et al.
John Barkin says
Ah, G. Silva.
This circular firing squad has gone on long enough. You seem to be a well educated person yet you believe that the appropriate way to address someone’s feelings is with a tidal wave of statistics. Most of us are not statisticians and are in no position to use what you provide as a salve to our feelings. This not addressing the issue makes you a dangerous person. To yourself, your family, your community, your country, and the world. With all your intelligence and gift for gab, you cannot answer a simple yes or no question: Do you, because of your freedoms have the right to stand in front of me and cough in my face? A yes or no without the statistical embellishments is all that is required to adequately explain your position. That’s it for me. I’m done running in circles where never the twain shall meet. Be well,
Deirdre LaMotte says
I agree. When did this become such an issue?? Because of my father’s job, we lived abroad and I went through numerous inoculations as a child. I also carried the yellow card with my passport to show in all
countries we visited. You know, I still hate hospitals. Going for these inoculations forced me to see isles full
of Viet Nam Vets, moaning, waiting for care. As a young person, this was absolutely horrific.
But please, thank god we received the vacs. Both my parents, who lived abroad as children, had malaria
and experienced that horrible virus. Can we just put all the ranger aside and think of one’s co-worker,neighbor, aging relative? We are, better off having vaccinations. If you do not believe it, visit
St. Paul’s cemetery and see all the little lamb statues; child who died of all diseases before vaccines.
G. Silva says
John, I answered your question, though you did not answer my previous one to you. See above.
It all begins to come together now; the covidiot star you designed is appropriate! because you have designated me a dangerous person. I am dangerous to myself, my community and the world, because I provided scientific facts, or places to find them, instead of addressing emotions. I’m just going to leave that there for you and everyone to think about.
Meanwhile, if you want me to talk about feelings, let’s see. You called me an idiot, did you think that addressed my feelings? How about the feelings of the unvaccinated in Chestertown and Kent County (including the poor waitress called out and shamed) — who have either natural immunity, medical, scientific, or religious reasons to not get the experimental injections (which have injured and killed many thousands) — and who thus have to read person after person on this thread expressing “horror” at their decision, calling them “selfish,” “brazen and careless,” “selfish in the extreme,” “lacking in empathy and respect,” the “all about me” deplorables who are putting us in “dire straits”? They have feelings too. Their freedom to put or not put a substance into their body should not result in being roundly vilified and humiliated in these pages. This kind of self-righteous, indignant rhetoric, no matter how well-modulated the tone, directed towards people who don’t think like you, in no time at all (as you have perfectly illustrated!) leads to calling them dangerous, a menace to society. And then it is ok to take away all their freedoms and punish them, even to the point of confiscating their property and imprisoning them, as is happening in Austria and elsewhere — because they are bad, dangerous, horrific, awful people. As I said before, that is what is more dangerous than any virus. Anyone with a slight education in 20th century history can think about where that rhetoric ends.
Dierdre, I was unaware that this discussion was about all vaccines. That is a different discussion. Surely you are aware that this is not the same genre of medical treatment as those you refer to, even though it comes by syringe.
News this week out of the UK shows negative efficacy for the shots, meaning you are more likely to catch the virus if vaccinated. Hospital data show the fully vaccinated are now outpacing the unvaccinated for hospitalization and death. Head of Pfizer says two shots do little “if anything” to prevent acquiring the infection. It’s time to re-evaluate your admonitions for everyone to just get the injections.
Kirk VanNostrand says
So…
About coughing in someone’s face…
Inconsiderate and dangerous, or free and noble?
Patty Heaps says
A month for this letter is plenty. Move on. Again, if someone doesn’t feel safe, stay home. Not my responsibility.
T Mitchell Griggs says
A fact remains that many Maryland rural counties have pathetically low vax rates. I don’t have the current Kent County rate, but Cecil was tied for third lowest in the state. As for vaccines: they do not prevent contracting the virus. So everyone MASK UP. Analyze personal risk when engaging in risky activity: mixing with strangers indoors and in dining and drinking. Support restaurants by ordering take out. I see much medical inaccuracy in this thread. The vaccine will mitigate severe illness and hospitalization. That’s it. And that’s enough. So the unvaxxed are largely responsible for overwhelming hospital systems and personnel. Those are facts. It is also fact that those the majority of vaccinated who end up in hospitals are over age 65—85 percent. That’s according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. We are closing out year two of the pandemic. Loss of life could have been prevented with a unified and unilateral common sense adoption of policy. The best we can hope for now, is the medical research community to develop cost effective and widely available treatments and a vaccine to wipe out this entire class of virus. Proceed until then with common sense personal risk assessment when in public.