Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

A COVID Report From Southside

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Dick Hall-Sizemore
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by Dick Hall-Sizemore

With the exception of Carol, the contributors to Bacon’s Rebellion (and, I am guessing, most of the commenters) are in the NoVA, Richmond, Hampton Roads bubble. Therefore, I thought it would be enlightening to bring in some COVID news from my home area, Halifax County, in Southside.

The first is an article from one of the local papers (surprisingly, there are still two local newspapers) about how the local hospital is suddenly filling up with COVID patients, most of them unvaccinated. The county’s vaccination rate is 37%. (Yes, Mr. Sherlock, unfortunately the hospital is one of those long-standing local hospitals that got swallowed  by Sentara. But, that is another story.) Note that the hospital’s chief medical officer has been vaccinated despite having a serious autoimmune disorder (Guillain-Barre syndrome).

Second is a similar article from the other newspaper. (What makes it interesting and fun is that one newspaper has had a very conservative editorial viewpoint for generations, while the editor and publisher of the other is decidedly liberal.)

Finally, here is an article from the first paper about a young couple, both unvaccinated, who died from COVID within hours of each other.

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Comments

23 responses to “A COVID Report From Southside”

  1. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    Thanks Dick – and thanks JAB for allowing a range of BR authors of which Dick is a welcome perspective of things beyond pure politics and culture war.

    The thought occurred that unless Conservatives and Liberals have different levels of co-morbidities , that odds are that more liberals with co-morbidities are masking up, getting shots, etc… Perhaps others might disagree.

    Also, it seems to me that it’s the rural hospitals that are more vulnerable to nurses who don’t get vaccinated… and I wonder if rural in general, including nurses is more vaccine hesitant than urban nurses?

    Finally, perhaps one answer to the nurses who don’t want to get vaccinated, let them keep their jobs by attending only to folks who have not been vaccinated? That ideas might cause some consternation!

  2. DJRippert Avatar
    DJRippert

    I’m with Jim – I support the vaccine but oppose mandates, especially mandates for an experimental vaccine.

    However, I understand that many progressives think mandates are OK and the US Supreme Court recently refused an emergency injunction preventing a college vaccine mandate. That was perceived by Dick as indicating that the Supremes would probably not rule mandates to be illegal. At least, that was my interpretation of Dick’s article.

    I know why I oppose mandates as a libertarian. But why don’t progressives insist that Ralph Northam or Joe Biden mandate the vaccine for everybody? Isn’t it a bit of a pusillanimous stance to claim vaccine mandates are legal and in the interests of public health but then refuse to call for Northam or Biden to issue the mandates?

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      The problem with Conservatives on these issues is they can’t seem to stick to the truth.

      THe government is not mandating vaccines nor do most folks want them to.

      That’s not the same as employers and others that have people working together in close proximity.

      Those entities have a right to insure their work environments are safe for workers.

      They have a right to set rules for employment that meet that standard.

      That’s NOT the same as the Govt mandating vaccines.

      What is essentially being advocated is to take away the right of the employer to set rules for safety.

      1. Stephen Haner Avatar
        Stephen Haner

        So your (weak) argument is when the feds order their own employees and military to do this, that is not as “the government.” Likewise the state…

        1. LarrytheG Avatar
          LarrytheG

          Not weak. Specific and true.

          The Feds have NOT issued a mandate that all Americans must be vaccinated.

          It’s simply not the truth which some folks, the usual suspects, have trouble with these days who want to throw gasoline on the fire.

        2. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
          Dick Hall-Sizemore

          It is a sound argument. The President is the head of the Executive Branch and the Va. Governor is the chief personnel officer. The vaccination requirements are part of the conditions of employment.

          1. DJRippert Avatar
            DJRippert

            Why aren’t you insisting that Northam mandate the vaccine for all Virginians?

            I suspect you know the answer.

            If Northam did that the next governor would be a fellow named Youngkin.

            Better dead Virginians than Governor Youngkin?

            Is that your stance?

      2. DJRippert Avatar
        DJRippert

        I never said the government mandated that everybody get vaccinated. I asked why progressives don’t demand that they do. Not a hard question. If mandates are legal and in the interests of public health why aren’t you and Dick calling on Northam to mandate the vax for all Virginians?

        1. LarrytheG Avatar
          LarrytheG

          DJ – do you oppose the Govt mandating smallpox, polio, and other vaccines for kids?

        2. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
          Dick Hall-Sizemore

          It is a fair question. I have pondered it at some length. Philosophically, I would not be opposed to a vaccination mandate. However, even if he had the authority to order it (and I don’t know if he does), the governor should not take such a radical step affecting the general population without authorization of the legislature. Also, enforcing such a mandate would be a formidable task. Finally, a mandate would likely be counter-productive, further entrenching those who are opposed or hesitant.

          Of course, many would protest that such a mandate encroaches upon their personal liberty. But so do DUI prohibitions. It is against the law to drive with a BAC above .08 because, at that level of intoxication, you pose a risk to the health and safety of others. In that same vein, walking around without being vaccinated poses a risk to the community at large.

          1. vicnicholls Avatar
            vicnicholls

            Proof? Given vaccinated do give the virus to others?

  3. James A. Bacon Avatar
    James A. Bacon

    Tragic story about the couple that died. I see from their photograph that both appeared to be clinically obese. It’s one thing to decline to get vaccinated. It’s quite another to have comorbidities known to contribute to more severe outcomes and decline to get vaccinated anyway. I do not support vaccination mandates, especially for COVID survivors, but I do call into question the judgment of people who are at risk and refuse to get vaccinated. I wish there were some way to reach them. Maybe the sad example of this couple will serve as a warning to others.

    1. WayneS Avatar
      WayneS

      I assume you meant to say you do not support vaccination mandates?

      1. James A. Bacon Avatar
        James A. Bacon

        You’re correct. I’ve made the edit.

      2. Stephen Haner Avatar
        Stephen Haner

        Freudian slip on Jim’s part….(Another story in today’s RTD Jim, with more indications previous infection doesn’t protect against later variants as well as the shots. But you’ve seized and frozen…)

        Latest trend map from John’s Hopkins. Downslope? Looks like….

        https://www.baconsrebellion.com/app/uploads/2021/08/JH-Case-Trends-081621.jpg

        1. Matt Adams Avatar
          Matt Adams

          Your Go-To described exactly what COVID will be, an endemic.

        2. James A. Bacon Avatar
          James A. Bacon

          I’m willing to change my mind as the virus evolves and new data comes in.

        3. Nancy Naive Avatar
          Nancy Naive

          “But, but, I’ve heard that the vaccine will result in genetic changes…”

          “Opportunity knocks.”

    2. vicnicholls Avatar
      vicnicholls

      May have had other comorbidities, not just the weight. The 5 I saw in medical literature were: obesity, hypertension, diabetes, kidney disorders, heart disorders. Suspect they did heart/lung disorders, but the emphasis I saw was on the heart.

  4. CJBova Avatar
    CJBova

    CMS says: “RHCs provide:
    ● Primary care and preventive services
    ● Services and supplies furnished incident to RHC practitioner services, such as taking blood
    pressure or administering shots
    ● Homebound visiting nurse services in CMS-certified home health agency shortages
    ● Some care management services
    ● Some virtual communication services, such as communications-based technology and remote
    evaluation services”

    Chances are the younger people seeking care at an RHC have comorbidities that put them at a disadvantage to begin with and wait too long to go to the ER. Not an ideal situation for a facility with 49 beds admitting 8-15 people a day.

  5. CJBova Avatar
    CJBova

    “In July of 2020, Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital transitioned to being a “rural health clinic,” which limited the number of inpatient beds to 49.” Admitting 8-15 patients a day for COVID has to be an overwhelming level of demand.

  6. WayneS Avatar
    WayneS

    Off topic – but I do not recall seeing an article about Halifax County here before:

    I’ve visited Halifax County many times. It is a beautiful part of the state, and it has one of the finest motorsport race tracks in the country located within its boundaries – Virginia International Raceway (VIR) in Alton, VA.

    And it’s not just WayneS who says so, either:

    https://www.roadandtrack.com/motorsports/g13082436/best-race-tracks-in-america/?slide=10

  7. Nancy Naive Avatar
    Nancy Naive

    Classic stupidity on display…
    https://observer.com/2017/02/life-of-a-mardi-gras-bead-plastics-consumerism-new-orleans-toxicity-globalization-china/

    Okay, that’s done. Now, all they need is…
    https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/texas-requests-five-mortuary-trailers-anticipation-covid-deaths-n1276924

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