The newspaper tells me we are again in a surge of COVID19; that the ICU’s are perilously full-up, that we may yet need to return to mandatory masking and social distancing. That the numbers, here in Denver, are as high as they were during the height of the winter surge last December.
Yet when we go out and about, the stores are all open. The restaurants, with indoor seating, are all open. Masking is an individual choice and perhaps 2/3 of people choose not to wear a mask.
This is confusing. The word I am searching for? “Cognitive dissonance.” On the one hand, we are being told that the situation is becoming serious. That vaccinations are not sufficient to tamp down the current surge. That winter is coming and one can reasonably expect the numbers to get worse, once we are confined indoors.
On the other hand, the world outside my doors is near-normal. There is no sense of imminent danger as I go about my business at the lunch places or stores. There is a positive feeling of joy as one picks up the pieces of what we left behind in the past 18 months. The joy of being able to travel again. To shop again, to Meet with friends over a dinner.
Would someone please explain to me how to rectify these two different versions of reality? :
Part of my sense of security, as I go do errands around the city, is that I am triple vaccinated. Is there any other precaution I should take, other than relying on the strength of my vaccination card?
Another question: Who are the people filling up the hospitals? The simple answer would be “the unvaccinated.” Is this dystopic reality we are currently living through – the warnings that the hospitals are approaching a breaking point, cannot continue operating at this capacity – mostly due to the unvaccinated flooding in, from Colorado and from neighboring states?
I suspect we will be seeing further restrictions as we go into the winter. I just traveled to California, to see my son in San Francisco. They have mandatory masking for all indoor public spaces. That means stores and restaurants. They require proof of vaccination as well, to gain entrance to any public space. I suspect we will have to implement the same precautions. If anyone knows of another path forward, feel free to share with me.
Dr. Janet Tamaren 