Let's discuss second-guessing the CDC...

[Ms. Toad]

79. I'm not personally worried about the variants -

Because of how the vaccines are made I expect the vaccines (at least the mRNA ones) to provide equivalent protection. I intentionally sought out an mRNA vaccine (and all of my family members have also had an mRNA vaccine).

I'm concerned about the fact that I live in a county in which only 45% of the residents have started getting vaccinated (so far fewer actually vaccinated), and we are still categorized as a very high risk based on prevalence of cases.

Vaccines are not perfect. So the more potentially COVID-causing exposures, the more likely that vaccinated people will be involved in catching and transmitting COVID.

5% of a very large number is still a significant risk.
5% of a very large number, reduced by mask wearing, reduced by a low number of residents with COVID, reduced by a high number of people with 75-95% protection is a much smaller risk.

My standard is - would I take/recommend others take the current risk with polio because, at its worst, everything I see suggests COVID poses that grave a risk.

My answer is "no." Not until the cases are cut by 60% (at least) and until the number vaccinated grows by at least 60%.

ETA - and what really bothers me most is that sending the message that going without masks is just fine (by removing mask orders), we are pretty dramatically increasing the risk for individuals who cannot be vaccinated (children under 12, those with contraindications to vaccination, and those who can take the vaccination but whose immune system is not adequate to create immunity)