February 2022: Pandemic Month 24

Globally

Globally, as expected, cases increased two weeks after the New Years Eve celebrations. That brought the worldwide cumulative deaths total to just shy of 6,000,000, out of a total of 435 million plus known cases since the pandemic began. Assuming a world population of 7,500,000,000, that gives a death rate of 0.08%. That doesn't sound like much, especially when ischaemic heart disease is responsible, globally, for 44% of all deaths. But remember, this is in a world where 56.3% of the population have been vaccinated. (Sadly, there's currently no "vaccine" against heart disease.)

United States

In the United States, we've lost nearly a million people to the disease; the number is expected to exceed 1,000,000 deaths in another week. 65.2% of the population is vaccinated, well over the global percentage but still leaves about the same number of unvaxxed Americans as "Americans" who voted for Trump…and are largely the same people.

At a current population of 329,500,000 people, 941,000 is a shocking 0.28% about three times that of the rest of the world. Yet, we brag that we have the best medical system in the world (we don't but that's the brag). So, what's the difference? It turns out it's an easy spot: states with Republican governors are sending an unending stream of Trumpsters to their local funeral parlors.

Hawai'i

Statewide, Hawaii, with a Democratic governor who has tried to follow the science despite vicious opposition from short-sighted resort owners, and despite recent lifting of restrictions, remains one of the most mask-conscious states. Plus, 77.2% of the population are fully vaxxed. So all Hawaii's peaks have been relatively mild, including the current post-New Years' Eve peak. Hawaii's 1331 deaths since the pandemic began are just 0.09% of its population of 4,16 million, closer in keeping with the global percentage.

Maui, where I spent most of the last two years, trails the rest of the state, being only 63% vaccinated. There have only been 130 deaths (which includes all three islands in Maui County) out of a population of 167,417 for a percentage of 0.07%, even fewer than in Hawaii as a whole. But I noted there that Maui's mayor has put stronger safeguards in place than the governor did; and, clearly, they have been successful.

Arizona

And then we have Arizona, with a huge post-New Years' Eve bump. Arizona is run by a fascist, Doug Ducey, who has been trying his best to kill all the people of color in the state. (He imagines only the poorer people won't get vaccinated, when it turns out it's his own base that isn't!) So, with 27,946 deaths out of a population of 7.279 million, Arizona's covid death rate is a stunning 3.8%. But who can be surprised when the statewide vaccination rate is only 60.1%?

Residents of Red States are much more likely than their Blue State counterparts to be unvaxxed, unmasked, uneducated, and unwell as it is. The unvaxxed are statistically 41 times more likely to die of Covid than the vaxxed, and Red States are full of these yahoos.

Who will be dead soon, anyway. Meaning that, next election cycle, a lot of those states will be turned over to their Democratic survivors.

Superstitions Hike with Keith

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 2/16/2022		Page Views: 587
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui
The dogs need to be walked.

Even though Keith and I are no longer a couple, we are still friends and are "co-parenting our dogs, Ella and Lilly. Today we drove out to the Superstition Mountains for a very short hike. I didn't take pictures of the dogs this time, but the scenery was spectacular.

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Michael's Pre-Birthday Party

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 2/17/2022		Page Views: 598
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui
His actual birthday is the 25th. But why wait until the last minute?

My East Coast daughter, Karen, was able to snag a week-long visit to her Arizona peeps, which of course includes me and my ex, Michael. She has to return before his birthday next week. So we decided to throw together a little family gathering (for as much as is here).

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Gymnastics Meet

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 2/20/2022		Page Views: 534
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui
My 7-year-old granddaughter is an amazing gymnast.

Gianna Rose Rizzo, my youngest granddaughter and second-youngest grandchild is already an accomplished gymnast. I'm not saying that just as her grandfather, but as any observer who notes that she out-competes, not only her teammates, but even a number of the older kids. And even her trainers are impressed.

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Dogs Settling In

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 2/24/2022		Page Views: 541
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui
The dogs are settling in after spending two years on Maui.

At first I felt bad for my dogs, Ella and Lilly, for having to leave Maui, where they could come and go as they pleased. But the reality is, even on Maui they mostly hung around me. When they did run, it was following me on the quad. Here they have to rely on dog parks (and me to take them) to get their exercise. But they do seem happy here.

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Arizona Skies

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 2/26/2022		Page Views: 525
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui
Arizona isn't Maui, but it often has even more spectacular skies.

My new apartment has a balcony that overlooks the pool, but it also faces West and thus provides a nice frame for the amazing sunsets we have here almost every night. Plus, while driving at sunset, it's easy to capture one.

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Cottage Progress

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 2/26/2022		Page Views: 664
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui
It still isn't done, but at least it isn't less done!

They've been working on this cottage (which was to have been mine) for over two years now. Here's the progress as of the end of February.

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Home Improvements

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 2/27/2022		Page Views: 555
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui
This apartment was furnished (by my kids) but lacked a few things.

I do really like this apartment but I miss a number of things I had to leave behind on Maui. Today I have replaced a few of those missing things.

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Got It!

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 2/28/2022 Updated: 3/24/2022		Page Views: 926
Topics: #Coronavirus #Arizona
After one month in Arizona, I thought I caught COVID.

Well, it happened. I spent two years on Maui during the worst of the pandemic, without getting so much as a cold. (I do tend to get repeat bouts of cellulitis, due to my illness of a decade ago, but nothing from an external contagion.) Now, after just six weeks in Arizona, I caught it. Well, that's what happens when you leave a Blue State for a Red State, I guess.

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