Reassuring news about Covid and vaccination
Vaccinated health workers at West Hoxton birthday party didn't contract COVID-19, NSW Health revealsThe highly contagious Delta strain of COVID-19 infected everyone who attended a Sydney birthday party except for the six people who were vaccinated, the NSW Government said.
The West Hoxton party — described as a "super spreader" event — has become one of the most significant transmission events in the NSW breakout with 24 of the 30 attendees, and many of their household contacts, all testing positive for COVID-19.
The virus would have had a near 100 per cent transmission rate were it not for six people who attended the party who had already received a jab.
"To emphasise just how important vaccinations are … not one of those 24 people were vaccinated," NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said today.
"I can also advise that six health workers who attended the party, who were fully vaccinated, not one of those people has been infected."
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-28/vaccinated-attendees-west-hoxton-birthday-party-avoid-covid-19/100249612
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I was just discussing this with a friend of mine tonight - someone who doesn't follow the news as closely as we do. I brought up the Delta variant and was asked if the vaccine protected against it. I was pleased to say that I've read that it does, since this was one more person that I nagged to get vaccinated as soon as they were eligible! 
It's ironic that NSW was crowing about their Covid-free status while Victoria locked down yet again. Then the Delta strain hit. I'm a bit worried - not due for my second vaccine shot until next week.
And I've been checking, my county is still at only 62% vaccinated, others to the north and west are significantly below 50% - and there's no excuse now, there are pharmacies (where I went in March), pharmacies in grocery stores, Walmart and a big state-run site all offering the vaccine locally, many accepting walk-ins.
I also got my brother vaccinated, when the nearby state-run site started accepting walk-ins back in May, I increased my nagging. I think he went just to shut me up, LOL. My brother is agoraphobic, doesn't like to leave the house, so I took him. He insisted that he could keep his appointment for shot #2 on his own, but I wasn't taking chances, took him for shot #2 and I was rewarded with a sticker! I didn't get one of those where I went! 
What I don't understand is with this Delta variant spreading, why the state of New York is "opening" now! The headline of Friday's newspaper said that the governor declared the state "open!" For the past year masks have been required to enter any business, stores have had one-way aisles and checkouts have had lines on the floor to indicate 6-foot distancing. But now that we're facing this new danger, the signs now say that only those who are not vaccinated are required to wear masks. Like I'm sure that the anti-vax morans are going to pay attention to the signs!*sigh* Previously, Governor Cuomo has been so good on this, Mary Trump called him a "national leader" on the pandemic in her book. 
Stay safe out there!
I don't understand why they have only one shot by July 4th as a goal - I read than only one shot is only 30-40% protective - and why anyone would neglect to go back for shot #2, but we're hearing that it's happening!
With such an overwhelming number of cases. I'd think that he'd want to keep up the progress we've made. It's pretty scary here in the Northeast, the number of cases was way down after numerous outbreaks over the past year, but last week 5 more cases were reported in the county, one of them critical. 
And we're not far from the Canadian border, either. I'm just south of Lake George and we get Canadian tourists, mostly see license plates from Ontario and Quebec - but over the last year there have obviously been none. Pretty much everything was completely shut down last year, amusement parks, attractions and festivals in Lake George and the Performing Arts Center and the Race Track in Saratoga. But this year they're getting ready to open everything up as usual - just in time for the Delta variant. And we get tourists from all over the country. 
Before that, we were up a percentage point every day since I've been checking. The rate for seniors is 88% - a big improvement from when there were nursing home/assisted living crises in the beginning. And it says that ages 12+ is now at 70%. There were numerous cases in schools all over the region which resulted in periodic school closings and, more recently, suspension of sports and after school activities.
But I agree, it doesn't look good with the Delta variant spreading, especially with the tourist season looming. Most of the license plates I see regularly are from Vermont and New Jersey, but during the tourist season they are from all over the country - even last year, with the shutdown, I saw them from as far away as Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, Minnesota - I really started noticing.
I was worried that those from states with fewer precautions wouldn't observe the mask and distance mandates that we've had for over a year, but now with signs saying that only those not vaccinated are required to wear masks, I definitely fear a return to spreading. Many of the numerous vaccination sites here now take walk-ins - especially the busy state-run site at the local mall which has huge neon signs and arrows directing people there.
I took my brother to the state-run site back in May as soon as they opened to walk-ins and not only were they doing a huge amount of business, but when I took him for his second shot, I saw young teens there with their Moms getting vaccinated - I could tell since they were stopping outside for photos!
But I'm anxious that the rate will pick up again in July and August - I've been through Lake George Village in the summer and it's typically wall-to-wall people.
But after receiving both shots, you're protected.
