The Northeast News

Why I’m still wearing that stupid mask (Page 224)

What the CDC is Not Telling Us

By Mike DuBose

I didn’t plan to write about COVID-19 again. But, then Columbia native and former neighbor, Dr. Cary Washington, became infected with the coronavirus and died, 30 days after being fully inoculated.

WIS-TV and USA Today featured his unexpected death questioning: “The CDC is telling us if we’re fully vaccinated, we don’t need masks, can congregate in large groups, and resume normal lives. If this is true, why did Dr. Washington die?” Based on my research, I learned there are thousands of others like him. Regardless of your political, masking, and vaccine views, the Trump and Biden administrations, media, and conspiracists have peddled confusion, misinformation, and conflicting COVID-19 guidance. Good advice and research one day gets trashed the next. As Governor McMaster noted, Covid guidance is like the changing weather reports. Who are you to believe? Based on unbiased studies, let’s review the latest facts:

Pfizer and Moderna MNRA vaccines prevent “severe infections, hospitalizations, and deaths” about 90 percent of the time against most variants. That’s great news. However, based on recent Israeli studies of 1.7 million inoculated citizens (the most vaccinated nation in the world), the MNRA vaccines are only 64 percent effective against Covid Delta variants. Thus, “fully-vaccinated individuals” have a 36 percent chance of being infected, experiencing mild-moderate symptoms, being asymptomatic, or worse, having a small chance of severe cases and/or dying like my neighbor.

Once infected, COVID-19 attacks other parts of your body, including your brain, later in life (30 percent of covid infections have long-term symptoms.). Many people I know who were infected now have heart and other mental or physical health problems months later. Massachusetts reported nearly 5,000 fully-vaccinated Covid “breakthrough” cases in 2021. The CDC noted 4,115 “fully-vaccinated” individuals were hospitalized or died (988) from Covid as of July 6th (25 percent had no symptoms.).

Simply put, vaccinations, while remarkable miracles, aren’t 100 percent effective and contrary to the CDC, you aren’t completely safe. While vaccinations will reduce your infectious symptoms and lower your Covid viral load, there’s evidence you will spread the virus. Studies show a single, Covid Delta Variant-infected person will spread the virus to 6+ people.

Even though I’m fully vaccinated, I don’t live in a bubble of fear but employ reasonable, added precautions, protecting myself, my inoculated spouse and children, unvaccinated grandchildren, and others. More than 4 million American children have been infected by Covid since March 2020 (22 percent of all new 2021 US cases are children and most are asymptomatic). The good news is that most children will recover. The sad finding is they can spread the coronavirus and worse, 500 children died this year. Seems like a very insignificant figure unless the child or grandchild who died was yours.

More than 99 percent of all US Covid-related 2021 hospitalizations and deaths (mostly aged over 65) were unvaccinated people. While you’ll most likely have vaccine side effects, the benefits of being inoculated heavily outweigh being infected with the deadly virus. If you’re vaccinated, like the flu shot, we will probably have to obtain an annual booster in the future. If you had Covid, studies show one Pfizer shot will supercharge your antibodies, but check with your physician. Most pharmacies provide free Covid vaccines and testing without prescriptions or appointments.

The Bottom Line: The Delta Covid Variant is the dominant, aggressive coronavirus strain and infections will soon spike since more than 50 percent of South Carolina adults are not vaccinated. Getting the shots, wearing quality masks, and socially distancing are prudent, aggravating precautions—but think about protecting those whom you love. Too many unvaccinated people, playing Russian Virus Roulette, will become Covid’s victims and needlessly experience serious, long-term complications and death, while infecting others. More than 10,000 unvaccinated Americans died from Covid in June 2021. Don’t become a deadly statistic.

Mike DuBose, a medical researcher, has been an instructor for USC’s graduate school since 1985, when he began his family of companies, and is the author of The Art of Building a Great Business. Visit his nonprofit website www.mikedubose.com for a free copy of his book and additional published business, travel, and personal articles, as well as health articles written with Surb Guram, MD.

Why I’m still wearing that stupid mask

By: John

On: July 29, 2021

In: Health

What the CDC is Not Telling Us By Mike DuBose I didn’t plan to write about COVID-19 again. But, then Columbia native and former neighbor,Continue Reading

Beginnings SC launches screening campaign

By: John

On: July 29, 2021

In: Events

An estimated 9,232 children in South Carolina are deaf or hard of hearing and are not identified or receiving appropriate interventions. Beginnings SC is workingContinue Reading

ALB finals are underway

By: John

On: July 29, 2021

In: Sports

By CT McDonald South Carolina American Legion Baseball state finals are under way this week with a midlands team in competition. Lexington Post 7 beatContinue Reading

Interim HealthCare expanding

By: John

On: July 29, 2021

In: Health

Interim HealthCare of the Upstate, a provider of home health, hospice, and personal care services in South Carolina, will soon be expanding to the Midlands,Continue Reading

Salvation Army gets new leaders

By: John

On: July 29, 2021

In: Non Profit

The Salvation Army of the Midlands has new leaders; Mark and Leigh Ann Craddock and their family. They assumed their position June 27 and haveContinue Reading

Save during the summer

By: John

On: July 29, 2021

In: Business

Dominion Energy South Carolina offers residential electric customers products to help reduce energy consumption and lower monthly bills this summer. The EnergyWise Savings Store featuresContinue Reading

TCC to donate backpacks of school supplies

By: John

On: July 29, 2021

In: Community News

Round Room LLC, the nation’s largest Verizon authorized retailer, announces that its TCC and Wireless Zone stores are donating 140,000 backpacks full of school suppliesContinue Reading

IRS warns about promoted abusive arrangements

By: John

On: July 29, 2021

In: Community News

The Internal Revenue Service is warning taxpayers to watch out for schemes peddled by tax promoters, including syndicated conservation easements, abusive micro-captive insurance arrangements andContinue Reading

Moving over isn’t a courtesy, it’s the law

By: John

On: July 28, 2021

In: Public Safety

Koon’s Watch Every day on roads across Lexington County, law enforcement officers and other first responders put their lives at risk in order to helpContinue Reading

Expedition celebrates seven natural wonders of the Palmetto State

By: John

On: July 28, 2021

In: Community News

SC7 participants list reads like a who’s who of celebrated South Carolinians By W. Thomas Smith Jr. Several years ago when global expedition leader andContinue Reading

Rogers receives Order of the Palmetto

By: John

On: July 27, 2021

In: Community News

Gov. Henry McMaster presented South Carolina Press Association Executive Director Bill Rogers with the Order of the Palmetto during his retirement party on July 15Continue Reading

Why I’m still wearing that stupid mask (Page 224)

Why I’m still wearing that stupid mask

Beginnings SC launches screening campaign

ALB finals are underway

Interim HealthCare expanding

Salvation Army gets new leaders

Save during the summer

TCC to donate backpacks of school supplies

IRS warns about promoted abusive arrangements

Moving over isn’t a courtesy, it’s the law

Expedition celebrates seven natural wonders of the Palmetto State

Rogers receives Order of the Palmetto

Send Us Your News Ideas

Drink Pink Rosé Festival May 16

Dido and Aeneas performances start May 14

ColaJazz Festival returns May 15-16 at Finlay Park

Get in Touch

Call Us