A simple way to get us through Covid Δ and make everyone happy

There is one simple solution to get us through Δ quickly and make everyone happy: remove all mandates (vaccination, masking, much of testing) and continue to make vaccination as readily available as possible.

Allow me to explain why:

No doubt the UK has got through Δ.  Its Δ corona fatality rate is no more than that of mild seasonal flu. The total deaths have been below the baseline (i.e., safer than a normal year) (it may go above the baseline slightly due to the report delay).





The UK Δ case rate went up to about 80% of the peak of the previous wave, but its fatality rate topped at only 5% of the previous peak. They went into Δ with about 75% immunized (60% via vaccination, 15% via infection).

This means that Δ is so contagious that vaccination offers very limited protection against infection, but tremendous protection again death.  Chances are that most are infected, but the vast majority experience little illness.

I keep hearing over 99% of US corona fatalities are from the unvaccinated.  If so, fewer than 3 vaccinated die of corona/day.  If the Δ course triples it to 10, it is still only 1/10 of the traffic crash fatality rate (100/day).


The point: no reason for the vaccinated to push vaccination for the sake of protecting themselves.

The unvaccinated are largely either young and healthy with corona fatality rates lower than 0.05% or those who do not mind corona infection and have their own way of dealing with it.

If we all live a normal life with a completely open society and let Δ run through its course quickly in a few weeks, all will be happy.  The worst scenario will be no more than some hospitals under stress for a few weeks.

The vulnerable or those who like extra caution can always protect themselves by wearing N95 or UV respirators PROPERLY indoors outside their homes.

As for vaccination, we just need to inform people of their group’s infection fatality rate and let them decide whether to take the vaccine that reduces the fatality rate by 10-100x by weighing it against their perceived risk.

Without vaccination, a healthy teenager’s corona IFR is around 0.001%, an 80+ senior citizen with comorbidities has it about 20% (take a look at the nursing home killing spree to get the sense).

 

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