It’s interesting that you mention “ underlying conditions“.
is that allowed now?
I saw data yesterday that reflected the number of people under the age of 18 that have passed away from Covid. It was from Johns Hopkins university. The number was 335 but when you eliminate those who had serious underlying conditions, the number was zero. Not just underlying conditions, but serious underlying conditions.
so that leads me to wonder why are we now seeing recommendations for children to be masked up and vaccinated? Where is the science there? Am I allowed to ask those questions without having people censor me?
I can't explain anyone else's reasoning, but I will explain my own...
Prior to the vaccine becoming available, I didn't really worry that much about getting COVID. I'm 42, healthy, and outside of carrying a little extra weight, don't have any underlying conditions. Yes, that doesn't mean that I *couldn't* get hospitalized or die from COVID, but that the personal risk was quite low.
Yet I did support the idea of masking and social distancing. Because it's a numbers game regarding the spread. If I were to get COVID, who could I spread it to that IS vulnerable. If everyone is acting like it isn't a big deal, then how many vulnerable people who cannot be protected will additionally get it? The whole "focused protection" idea doesn't work well with something that's so transmissible.
Once the vaccine went mainstream, it changes the risk calculus significantly. Some vaccinated people will get COVID, and some who are vulnerable due to underlying conditions WILL die. But not enough of them to continue keeping the COVID restrictions. Some unvaccinated people will get COVID and some will die, but that's their choice to avoid the vaccine, so it's no longer my responsibility to protect them via keeping COVID restrictions.
I don't think kids need to be masked any longer. The number of cases are low enough and the risk so low to kids that I don't think masks for children will make a meaningful difference to COVID case numbers and the kids themselves aren't affected much by the virus. I do think it's a good idea for them to get vaccinated, however, as the goal is to continue reducing the spread of the virus to avoid having enough hosts for new variants/strains to emerge that may circumvent the vaccine, or new variants/strains emerging that DUE pose a threat to healthy children.
The vaccine is a great way to get to real herd immunity, and kids are part of that herd.
Like 94, one of mine is fully vaccinated, the second is halfway there (he just turned 12 last month) and the third is only 8, so she's not currently eligible.
