SARS-CoV-2, B117, and What Have You Done For Me Lately?
Claudewell S. Thomas, MD, MPH, DLFAPA, is an established psychiatrist who is currently retired ,, He received his medical degree in 1956 at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine and specializes in social psychiatry, public health psychiatry, and forensic psychiatry. Dr. Thomas was board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry... more
The optimism that perhaps justifiably accompanied the deployment of new supplies of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and the arrival of Johnson & Johnson's one-shot vaccine coupled with Merck's announcement of manufacture support of the J&J product has led some states and localities to declare the opening of public gathering places, abandonment of masking and social distancing, and behavior as though the pandemic were over. The bad news is that the Pandemic is not over.
The SARS virus, like all viruses, is undergoing millions of replications most of which are insignificant but a few of which differ significantly and whose further evolution results in a variation with longevity and reproducibility, earning itself the title of 'strain'. This is occurring all over the world, so the variant called B117 identified as a killer in Brazil is also present in at least 12 states in the USA, and is in competition with other highly malignant strains for dominance. These strains may elude our current vaccines which can be altered so as to be more effective. At any rate, the struggle is a long-term one and not a short-haul. One or more of these strains is likely to become endemic like flu and to return annually. It may travel with another entity like flu or Ebola. It will certainly wreak havoc on the elderly, the isolated, those with preexisting disabilities like cancer, diabetes, tuberculosis, pneumonitis, hepatitis, cardiopathy, etc.
Triage capability must be preserved with the ability to insert top-down measures to preserve life. As I sit with a sore shoulder from a Moderna vaccination that drew blood, I realize that the things that are needed to preserve sanity are under attack. I cannot produce a violin harmonic or a pizzicato, Michele my old teacher would be disappointed. The percussive piano still can be struck but the dexterity required is long gone. Traveling by car is risky even for short distances because drivers are short-tempered and over-eager to display car acceleration and power. Much of the TV fare involves violence and retribution and the news is an over and over recounting of the struggle between over idealistic democrats and cynical non idealistic republicans with the fate of American Democracy up for grabs!
