Seek and ye might find

News blues

The numbers speak: Omicron variant accounts for 73% of recent U.S. COVID-19 cases, CDC with New York state reporting a record number of Covid-19 infections 
While COVID Externalities Have Changed  this phase of the pandemic need not be about individual sacrifice. What’s required now is merely communal common sense.
Common sense, however, is in the ‘eye of the beholder’. Confusion continues to reign. The public has been told vaccine is effective against Omicron and vaccine is ineffective against Omicron.
"Effective":

Moderna announced Monday that a third dose of its mRNA vaccine against Covid-19 appears to provide significant protection against the omicron variant. The company said that its authorized booster can “boost neutralizing antibody levels 37-fold higher than pre-boost levels,” which it described as reassuring. 

"Ineffective":

Early evidence shows a “clear” drop in the effectiveness of current Covid-19 vaccines against the Omicron variant of coronavirus, according to the head of the European drugs regulator, who says it will take time to reach a consensus on whether variant-targeted vaccines will be needed. >> 

Given the confusion, fear, lack of coherence, I almost envy the absolute certainty displayed by whackidoodle anti-vaxers >> 
Almost. But I’ll stick with science.

I’ve looked forward to December 20 for weeks. That would have been Booster Day: the first day I’d be eligible for my 6-month vax booster. Alas, I could not get it! More on this odyssey below….

The Lincoln Project:
Mark Meadows Unlocked  (1:30 mins)
Yearning in America (0:56 mins -  This one brought tears to my eyes….)

Healthy planet, anyone?

First, the scary news: “Himalayan glaciers are melting at an "exceptional rate…” Almost half the glacial ice in the world's tallest mountain range will soon have disappeared compared to just a few centuries ago >> 
Then… celebrate what is now >>  
Happy solstice 2021 >> 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Booster Day? Not so fast!
Yesterday was the first day I was eligible for my Covid (Pfizer) booster jab. I’d tried earlier to get the jab – based on anticipated travel to SA – but was refused. After Omicron arrived I revisited plans and accommodated reality. Then, the big Booster Day arrived.
Day 1: I trotted off to the pharmacy at the local grocery store and… learned that their operations have changed since my last shot in June. Now, customers must make online appointments. And that day, they offered only Moderna shots.
I hesitated. How I might react to a Moderna booster? My physical response to Pfizer was negligible – slight sensitivity around the injection site. Friends who mixed doses reported Moderna presented stronger reactions than Pfizer. Do I want to risk being laid low over the holidays?
Back home, I researched the latest on Pfizer/Moderna mix. Moderna is reported to have slightly higher efficacy rate than Pfizer and, since I’ll visit my Omicron-nervous friend over the holiday weekend, I want to assure all that I’m taking advantage of the current best care available.
Travel had been a large part of my booster equation. The news about international travel, however, is not good: “Southern African nations join European favorites on CDC's list for 'very high' travel risk ."
I decided to take the Moderna jab. I tackled the grocery store’s pharmacy online reservation site. Not a great user experience: I could make a reservation at a pharmacy about 15 miles away but not at the pharmacy 2 miles away. I’ll return to the local pharmacy, make an in-person reservation, and wait.
Day 2: Pharmacy staff were helpful, agreed the online reservation system was ‘buggy’, and signed me up for a then-and-there appointment. Since both Moderna and Pfizer were available, I opted for Pfizer – albeit with a dash of last-minute indecision: what if Moderna is more efficacious? What if post-shot symptoms are worse? What if…?
I filled in the paperwork – for Pfizer - and chatted with the only other person in line for a jab. I learned that he’d taken his first Pfizer shot back in March – early days for shots – at a local sports arena complex. It was a massive drive-through operation managed by FEMA – Federal Emergency Management Agency – and other Federal agencies. (Press Release from April 2021.)
Then the pharmacist called me and I eagerly followed him and pulled up my sleeve to expose my upper left arm.
He asked, “Pfizer or Moderna?” “Um, I’m not sure.” I equivocated.

“Let me know if you want Moderna as I’ll change the paperwork and have you fill it out again.”
That did it. “No need to change the paperwork. Let’s go with Pfizer.” 

“You sure?” 

“Yes, I know what to expect from Pfizer. I’ll stick with Pfizer.” 

He reported his second Pfizer jab had knocked him out and he’d missed a day of work.  

An observation: Months of Lockdown in SA and months following the easing of Lockdown - when my mother was struggling with her health – blocked from my mind the day-to-day Covid-related happenings in California and the US. While I carefully followed US news, nevertheless I lost a year of early Covid history in the US… although I gained a year of Covid-related history in SA.
Lordy, when will it be “safe-enough” to return to SA and take care of business – and have assurance I can return to California after that, unimpeded by Covid?

***

I took advantage of my visits to the pharmacy and walked along the bay. The birds did not disappoint.  

Marbled Godwits.

American avocets? And that gorgeous duck? A pintail.

Lesser egret

***

Winter solstice - San Francisco Bay Area:
Sunrise: 7:21am
Sunset: 4:53pm

More rain predicted. Snow pack deepening in Sierras. Yay!   
Summer solstice - Howick, South Africa:
Sunrise: 4:56am
Sunset: 6:59pm

Rain, rain, rain...