A RETURN TO NORMALCY IS POSSIBLE

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert and President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser last week predicted that the U.S. could be back to normal by the fall.

 “By the time we get to fall with the implementation of the vaccine program, you’re going to see something noticeably in the direction of going back to normality. And very likely we’ll get there by the end of the year,” Fauci said during

The fact that 100 million shots had been administered, 42 days earlier than the administration promised, was an encouraging sign that by the end of May, “all adults who want a vaccine can have one,” Biden said. The president also hopes that by June or July, 300 million shots would have been administered, so that the U.S. can reach herd immunity.

Herd immunity means that enough people in a community are protected from getting a disease because they’ve already had the disease or because they’ve been vaccinated. Dr. Fauci said at least 90% of Americans must be vaccinated to reach herd immunity.

RELATED: Wearing a Mask is Really Important

More good news came from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) last week. The CDC’s updated guidelines loosened coronavirus restrictions for fully vaccinated people. And they approved schools reopening with masks, vaccinated teachers, proper ventilation, and social distances of three feet.

ANTI-MASKERS, COVID-DENIERS, REPUBLICAN AND CONSERVATIVE OFFICIALS AND ANTI-VAXXERS THREATEN THE RETURN TO NORMAL

Last week’s coronavirus tracking data showed that the overall number of coronavirus cases and deaths are falling. However, there are troubling signs that indicate cases may be increasing in some states.

“A fourth surge of COVID-19 cases is possible if the United States starts to relax health restrictions prematurely,” warns Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC. “We must continue to follow proven prevention strategies and get vaccinated. We are just starting to turn a corner”

Health experts said with states like Texas and Mississippi reopening now and lifting mask mandates, there could be a rise in new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. They are just two of the states lead by Republican governors who have opted to fully open or have never closed.

“It is now time to open Texas 100 percent,” Gov. Greg Abbott said last week. While acknowledging that “Covid has not suddenly disappeared,” Abbott said, “state mandates are no longer needed.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis led the pack last September in lifting all restrictions on businesses. The order meant that restaurants and bars could operate at full capacity and masks were not mandatory.

The effects of Florida’s full-throttled opening are reflected in its coronavirus data. As of last Saturday, the number of COVID-19 cases rose by 5,105 and the total number of cases in Florida is 2,004,372. The number of Florida resident deaths has reached 32,713, an increase of 62 since last Friday’s update. In addition, a total of 622 non-Floridians died in the state, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Michigan and New Jersey are also reporting coronavirus case increases.

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL

During his first week in office, President Joe Biden asked Americans do their part to stop transmission of the virus.

“We need your help. Wear a mask for just 100 days. It’s the easiest thing you can do to reduce COVID cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. Help yourself, your family and your community,” he said.  

Biden again asked Americans to mask up and to take the vaccine last week. To help citizens get vaccinated, the administration’s “Plan Your Vaccine” campaign tells people where to go get the shot.

“I know the idea of relaxing mask-wearing and getting back to everyday activities is appealing. But we’re not there yet,” said Dr. Walensky. “We have seen this movie before. When prevention measures like mask mandates are rolled back, cases go up.”

Biden’s pleas have fallen on deaf ears among Trump loyalists and Republicans on Capitol Hill. They continue to ignore CDC guidelines and avoid wearing masks. They clearly want to curry favor with Trump’s base.

A  Yahoo! News COVID-19 Vaccination Survey of 1,629 U.S. Adults conducted  March 4-8, 2021, found that 50 percent of unvaccinated Trump supporters said they will never get the vaccine.

Senator Rand Paul (L-KY) got into it with Dr. Fauci over masks last week. Paul, an eye doctor who had the virus and refuses to wear a mask, accused Fauci of wearing the mask for show.  “You’ve been vaccinated, and you parade around in two masks for show,” Paul said at a televised hearing. “If you already have immunity, you’re wearing a mask to give comfort to others. You’re not wearing a mask because of any science.”

Fauci fact-check Paul by explaining that current vaccines may not be effective with coronavirus variants and that it’s best to wear masks until scientists know more about the vaccines’ efficacy with the virus mutations.

“The more virus that’s circulating, the more variants that are possible,” Walensky said on MSNBC. “And those variants can emerge and diminish the effect of the vaccine. So. while we’re vaccinating people, we want to make sure there’s less and less virus circulating that doesn’t put our vaccine efficacy at risk.”

MAGA CROWD CONTINUES TO FOLLOW THE FORMER GUY’S LEAD

News reporters recently fanned out across the U.S. to interview people who refuse to wear masks. Not surprisingly, the majority of those questioned were Trump voters. One guy said, “I don’t think they’re necessary.” Others said they don’t believe COVID is real or that it’s like getting the flu. Another person said it’s about personal freedom. One man said, “It’s my individual right to not wear one.”

Granted, people can choose to get vaccinated or not or wear a mask or not. But do they have the right to infect others?

Anti-Vaxxers have been around a long time. “The Anti-Vaxxer Movement began in the 18th century in the U.S., with religious leaders describing them as the “devil’s work.” The campaign grew in the 19th and 20th centuries as a matter of human rights,” according to Medical News Today.

Some people are just vaccine hesitant. They worry that the vaccine will make them sick, give them COVID-19, or kill them. Others say they just don’t trust the government.

THE SOURCE OF THE ANTI-MASK/COVID DENIAL MOVEMENT

When Donald J. Trump, Sr. refused to follow his own health experts’ advice to mask-up, social distance, and avoid big crowds, he started an anti-masking and COVID denial campaign. That lead to viral spikes, increased hospitalizations, and death. Trump admitted in an interview that he intentionally downplayed the virus. He said it would miraculously disappear and that it was “like the flu.”

Trump campaigned across the country and packed supporters into small venues without masks or social distancing during the summer and fall of 2020.

Herman Cain, a Black Republican, and former presidential candidate, contracted COVID and died two weeks after attending a Trump Rally. Trump held a super spreader event in the White House’s Rose Garden. About 150 guests talked, laughed, and hugged  without masks. Several people contracted the virus and had to self-quarantine, including Trump.

Trump loyalists and followers can be seen on YouTube, fighting, cussing, and getting arrested for refusing to wear masks in stores.

Texas police are currently looking for James Schulz, 53, who last Friday stabbed a Jack in the Box manager for asking Schulz to wear a mask.

When asked to urge supporters to get vaccinated, Trump told a Fox talk show host,  “I would recommend it to a lot of people that don’t want to get it. But … again, we have our freedoms and I agree with that also.”  Interestingly, Mar-a-Largo was partially closed last week due to a COVID outbreak. Guess the no-mask policy is not working.

CDC: Community and School COVID Guidelines

CDC: Things You Should Know About COVID-19

Yahoo COVID Poll