While there is concern that the numbers of new cases of Covid-19 in Arkansas are starting to climb, Carroll County had only 18 new cases of Covid reported the week of Nov. 8-15, and remains for the second week with an estimated 28 active cases, according to information provided by the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH).
Overall, reports indicate that fewer people are being hospitalized. Some of the new cases are among people who have been fully vaccinated, and experts say the vaccines are doing their job in preventing serious illness, hospitalization and death.
But immunity from either infections or vaccines does wane over time, which has led to the booster campaign and Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s announcement Nov. 15 that eligibility for the boosters has been approved for those who are 18 and older who received their second shot of Moderna or Pfizer at least six months ago. People who received the less effective Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccine are eligible two months after receiving that J & J vaccine. The CDC has recommended the Moderna booster, which has been shown in studies to be the most effective of those approved in the U.S., after the J & J shot.
“The case numbers are starting to turn up,” Dr. Dan Bell said. “We plateaued and are beginning our winter surge. That is pretty much a given. What is making that happen is two things: Number one, the delta variant that is predominant spreads more easily. Two, people’s immunity is waning either if they got Covid or have had the vaccines. The good thing is the vaccine and immunity keeps them from getting terribly sick. Hospitalizations are improving while cases are turning back up.
“Boosters need to become a way of life. We need to get them to catch that drop of immunity at the six and eight months after your last shot. You can see there is wisdom of what Israel has done providing boosters for the entire population. We need to do the same thing.”
An Israeli study showed that two weeks after receiving the booster, people were almost 20 times less likely to have severe Covid-19 than those receiving just the first two shots.
“You love your family,” Bell said. “It you choose not to be vaccinated, you should have yourself tested so you don’t show up and deliver that virus to your loved ones. It is best to get a PCR test. They are more accurate for picking up cases that are asymptomatic. PCR will pick up silent covid better than the home test. Home tests are not as accurate as a PCR, but they are better than nothing.”
Even people who recover from Covid-19, especially those who had to be hospitalized in the ICU and put on a ventilator, can have long-term health problems. Bell said the experience in some cases changes people forever emotionally and physically.
“The bottom line is ICUs are saving lives of people who would have died with Covid,” Bell said. “But is a really difficult emotional event to be paralyzed so you can be on a ventilator and in and out of consciousness. People do have post-traumatic stress disorder from that. Anxiety and depression afterwards are common.
“Getting sick and going through the ICU is not dying, but it is a bad event. People should do all they can to prevent themselves and family from going through that experience. You don’t want to be in the ICU, that is a given. That should be a motivating factor for the family to get vaccinated. You don’t want to give a relative Covid and put them in the ICU.”
Bell said demand for the Moderna booster shots given at the ECHO Clinic Wednesday mornings totaled 170 the first two weeks. Last week it was 90 and another 90 are expected this week. The clinic won’t be open Nov. 24, the day before Thanksgiving. When it starts up in December, it will be afternoon hours because of colder weather. To register for an appointment for the Moderna booster, go to the website bit.ly/echo-vax.
Europe had lockdowns earlier in the pandemic that limited the number of cases and deaths. But now many countries that had opened up to business as usual are experiencing their highest rates of Covid ever.
“I think what is happening in Europe should be a warning to the U.S.,” Bell said. “I’m not sure we can say we are in a better place. They have had good vaccination rates. They are dealing with the same issues we have, the delta variant, waning immunity, the winter season, and the lifting of restrictions. People are taking fewer precautions when they are gathering like not masking up and social distancing. Some countries in Europe are going back into a lockdown mode. They are closing businesses early, making sure you prove you are vaccinated to get into public places.”