May 2021: Isolation Month 15

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Viewed: 4/26/2024	Page Views: 1105
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui
Complacency sets in.

Globally

Globally, the worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 3.47 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 167.2 million, according to Johns Hopkins University, though the true number of cases will be much higher. According to Our World In Data, more than 764.1 million people globally have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

As you can see from the above chart, the April spike in cases (from Spring Break, mostly) began a downward trend this month, as more and more people got vaccinated. However, statistics show that the disease is still raging among the unvaccinated. Worldwide, that is mostly rural populations, which also tend to be poorer, and where less-developed transportation makes it difficult to get the vaccine.

India's official covid-19 death toll has passed 300,000 as a devastating surge of infections appears to be easing in big cities but is swamping the poorer countryside.

Doctors in Osaka, Japan, have warned that the city's medical system is facing collapse under a huge wave of new coronavirus infections, with hospitals short of beds and ventilators.

Speaking at the WHO's annual ministerial assembly, the WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged countries to support an effort to vaccinate 10 per cent of the population in all countries by September, and 30 per cent by the end of the year. The COVAX global distribution programme has so far delivered 72 million vaccine doses to 125 countries and economies, barely enough for 1 per cent of their populations, Tedros said.

United States

The United States is the country with the highest number of confirmed cases and deaths. The U.S. government's overall response to the pandemic has been criticized, and state governments have also come under fire for enforcing rules that were not tough enough and lifting restrictions too early. However, the country's vaccination rollout has so far been a success, with the U.S. leading the world in total number of vaccinations administered. Nevertheless, experts continue to warn against complacency and stress the importance of following guidelines and remaining vigilant to avoid another rise in new cases. This is particularly important considering the increasing number of cases caused by new COVID-19 variants that can spread more easily and cause more severe illness.

The number of COVID-19 deaths in the United States had reached around 605,200 as of May 26, 2021.

In the first year of the pandemic, the disease killed more people in the U.S. than influenza, strokes, suicides, and car crashes do in a typical year, combined, making it the third leading cause of death in 2020 (behind heart disease and cancer). The disease is far worse than many first thought: According to a survey from March 2020, U.S. public opinion on the expected number of COVID-19 fatalities was way off the mark, with only 12% of adults believing more than 10,000 people would die in the U.S. over the next year. At the end of that month, Trump's White House's coronavirus task force estimated between 100,000 and 200,000 Americans could die. The actual death toll, of course, has been far greater. The elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions are far more vulnerable to the illness and, along with people of color, make up the largest percentage of deaths.

Meanwhile, the three red states with the stupidest of Republican governors (Florida, Texas, and Arizona) have attempted to ban0 life-saving masks. In general, vaccination rates are higher in states that voted for President Joe Biden, and lower in states that supported The Former Guy in the 2020 election.

And you know what? I'm okay with that. Trumpsters don't tend to hang out with sane people, so they're just going to kill themselves with their stupidity; and the Human Race will be the better for it.

Hawaii

Here in Hawaii, through May 28, 2021, an estimated 1,513,894 doses of vaccine had been administered statewide, including 248,047 pharmacy doses, 154,801 federal agency doses, and 1,111,046 state doses Hawai‘i. The state's total population is 1,415,857. The Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) reports that 58 percent of the state population has had one dose of vaccination, and 51 percent have completed full vaccination. That puts Hawaii just below Vermont in terms of getting vaccinated.

On Maui, the DOH reports that 68% (88,441) of the population (18 years and older) have initiated vaccine; and 55% (70,951) have completed full vaccination. Since expanding the vaccination eligibility to those 12 years and older, the DOH reports that 55% (90,703) of the total population in Maui County has initiated a vaccine, while 43% (71,915) have completed a full course of vaccination. In total, Maui County has administered 162,618 doses among a total population base of 166,045.

Maui continues to have low rates of infection ranging from 0-10 cases over two weeks. The new cases at the end of the month brought the cumulative total of cases to 34,610 confirmed statewide, reported since Feb. 28, 2020. The cumulative total of cases in Maui County was 3,818 confirmed cases over the course of the pandemic. To date, there have been 55 confirmed cases on the island Molokaʻi, 112 on Lāna‘i and 3,651 on Maui. The best news for me: There are no cases in Hana, where we live.

Ella and Lilly at Home

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 5/1/2021	Page Views: 649
Topics: #Coronavirus #Ella #Lilly #Maui
It's a dog's life.

One of the things that gives me great joy, is watching how happy our dogs are here on Maui. Not that they were miserable in Arizona. But they run up and down the slopes, explore, swim in the ocean and in waterfalls, bark at cows, and laze. "Home" has expanded from an apartment with occasional walks, to 28 acres and a shed.

Zach The Builder

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 5/5/2021	Page Views: 651
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui #Zach
Because one can never have enough storage space.

It has also turned out that there is more preliminary work than we realized; and thus the parts must be stored somewhere out of the rain. We already had a few "Costco Carports" but had already exceeded the available protected space. And so, Zach to the rescue: He threw up a sturdy, roofed framework in just a few days, and almost entirely by himself.

The Cement Load

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 5/10/2021	Page Views: 680
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui #Trucking
Now I remember why I stopped driving truck for a living.

So, there I am, parked at the closed Halfway To Hana snack shop, in a U-Haul truck with a very heavy load of 90 60-pound bags of cement, and a horribly flat steer tire. 11 hours earlier…

Lilly Makes A Friend

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 5/11/2021	Page Views: 657
Topics: #Coronavirus #Lilly #Maui
Because one can never have too many friends.

Our dog, Lilly, had a rough start. Her mother and siblings all died of parvo; she had it but (obviously) recovered. Until recently, she's always been very skittish around humans, with rare exceptions. However, at the dog parks in Arizona, she always got along great with other dogs.

Helicopter

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 5/14/2021	Page Views: 655
Topics: #Coronavirus #Mauiy
A random bit of excitement at home.

So it's a chill day at home. I was awakened by the sound of a helicopter flying to our little regional airport.

Getting the Quad Serviced

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 5/17/2021	Page Views: 659
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui
Keeping the equipment in working order.

When my daughter first bought the property in Hawaii, she got a four-wheel-drive, all-terrain vehicle that we call the Quad. None of us on the property are actually mechanically inclined, but the Quad needs periodic care (like frequent oil changes). So Keith offered to change the oil (at my daughter's request).

Car Camping For Days

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 5/26/2021	Page Views: 674
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui #Papalaua
In which we lkiterally spend days in thje car.

It's supposed to be another three weeks before the crew comes to assemble our bamboo cottage. And the Quad will be in the shop, meaning we would have to trudge up and down the hill to our cabin in the meantime. Plus, even Zach's truck has now gone to the dealership for servicing. Plus my daughter offered to bring me back to Arizona for the interim, as a belated 70th birthday present, while Keith remained with the dogs (which he is okay with). So it really seemed like the perfect time to go on an extended car campout, Doordashing dduring the day, and sleeping at the beach each night.

Flight To Arizona

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 5/28/2021	Page Views: 658
Topics: #Arizona #Coronavirus
My first flight, as well as first trip back to Arizona, since the pandemic began..

My daughter wanted me to fly to Arizona for my 70th birthday, back in April. However, I had not yet had both COVID shots and so was reluctant to fly. But now that I'm "fully vaccinated" I am willing to make that long flight.

Littles In The Pool

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 5/30/2021	Page Views: 664
Topics: #Arizona #Coronavirus
I love that my daughter has carried on the tradition of teaching the kids to swim.

I've been pretty zonked since arriving in Arizona. Jetlag, you know. It's always worse going eastward than westward. But I finally got out of bed long enough to watch my grandkids playing in their pool.

May 2021: Isolation Month 15

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Globally

Number of new cases of COVID-19 worldwide
from January to May, 2021, by day

United States