What Vaccinated People Should Really Know About the Delta Variant's Threat to Them

[Nevilledog]

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Susan Matthews
@susanematthews
Reporting this story made me totally adjust how I have been thinking about the risk of getting COVID post-vax, and I hope it does the same for you:

What Vaccinated People Should Really Know About the Delta Variant’s Threat to Them
The vaccines are working—but that might not mean what you think it does.
slate.com
12:04 PM · Jul 21, 2021

https://slate.com/technology/2021/07/covid-delta-variant-risk-vaccinated-breakthrough-cases.html


Recently, one of my colleagues took a trip to Florida. He went to see family, in a long-awaited visit that he had previously only managed to make once during the pandemic, driving the whole way from New York while “peeing behind dumpsters.” Now that everyone was fully vaccinated, it seemed totally reasonable to fly there and to have everyone gather, unmasked, together. It was a relief and a joy. They even went to a hockey game indoors with thousands of people.

When my colleague got home, he started to feel like he had a cold. He didn’t think much of it—until he got a call from one of his family members in Florida who had tested positive for COVID-19. Eventually, all the adults who gathered on that trip got sick, including my colleague’s mother-in-law and father-in-law. My colleague’s wife also tested positive; he didn’t, but given his symptoms, including loss of smell, it seemed like a probable COVID case.

As I spoke to my colleague about it, he was still sifting through exactly what he was feeling. He’d forgotten how miserable being sick is, for one thing, and his case—a “mild one” by medical definitions—knocked him out for about a day and a half. He, his wife, and his father-in-law still had a lingering cough, and he was worried about long-term effects, particularly because his father-in-law is undergoing treatment for a serious health issue.

Mostly, he felt frustrated. He’s a journalist—he’s pretty tuned in to the news. He knew breakthrough cases were possible, but he had seen many assurances that they were extremely rare and not that big of a deal. “I feel like I had very inaccurate information,” he told me, “and I would have made my decisions in a very different light if I knew what I know now.” He would have worn a mask at the hockey game, for example—even though no one was wearing a mask at the hockey game, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it’s fine for vaccinated people not to wear masks inside.

*snip*

[FirstLight]

1. Reading this now...

I went to my first outdoor music concert and had some serious moments of freat out at the number of people in one place.

I've also started masking again in stores, etc... just feels safer.

[wryter2000]

5. I wear a mask

If nothing else, it's an example to others to do the same. I don't want idiots thinking, "She's not wearing a mask. I don't have to, either."

[FirstLight]

8. I hear ya

Also, Im immunocompromised, and my vax might not be as effective. I just dont trust people anymore.


Though it is interesting that most people are still maintaining distance, masked or no. I think collectively many of us realized we dont like to be that close to others! lol

[AllaN01Bear]

2. i took both of my shots . i have multipule healh issues including tacicardia and diabites .

along with congestive heart failure . so i didnt waste both of my doses .i wear my mask indoors at walmart . at church. and other places . even though i had my doses , that dosent mean to go off half bang because u have been vaxxed. many people let their gaurd down and doing stoopid things .

[HipChick]

4. I got yelled at and sneered at because I was wearing my mask in the store the other day...

I ignored the idiots, and will continue to wear my mask everywhere...

[wryter2000]

3. Sigh

I was so hoping to reschedule my trip to AZ to see my brother and his wife. They are both vaccinated. I can't bring myself to drive all that way. I'd be in two airports, one plane, and one long shuttle ride each way. I'd for sure wear a mask the whole time, but I don't want to get sick. Plus, my brother has some health thing going on that hasn't been diagnosed yet.

And forget trying to get to CT to see my sister and her husband.

[Tadpole Raisin]

6. Mistake #1

He went to Florida. No matter what, that ain’t safe.

2. Not really a mistake but that damn Delta variant, if that’s what it was, sheesh seems like you can get it just by walking by someone.

At a hockey game though - wouldn’t trust that, no way.

[lagomorph777]

7. The vaccines are very good, but not magic.

If you deliberately expose yourself to thousands of Florida men and women, you're really pushing your luck.

MASK AND VAX. Both. If you give a shit about your family, yourself, or your country.

[IrishAfricanAmerican]

9. Great article, thanks.

Keep masking up, people!

[obamanut2012]

10. I only go maskless in my home, my actual office, golfing, and biking

I have built a nice lifting gym in part of my condo. I have never went maskless in public PUBLIC. If I went to a Panthers game at the BB&T Center like this guy did, I would wear a mask. But, I wouldn't go to it. I am an Annual Passholder at Disney and have been to WDW several times this year, and am going for a weekend next month. I never go maskless there, ever, unless I'm eating, and then we only eat in certain areas.

[LisaL]

12. Unfortunately some people were under the impression that

their risk was non-existent if they were vaccinated, and started doing risky activities. I wouldn't go to mass public gatherings right now.

[Calculating]

11. Sounds like the vaccine works

None of them got seriously ill or were hospitalized and they should all have a strong enduring immune response against covid now. I got the vaccine and remain unconcerned.

[LisaL]

13. Dude in the article has vulnerable relatives.

He didn't want to spread it around. Dude thinks he infected his father in law who has health issues.