Note to grandparents: don’t even think of ever hugging your grandkids again
Here’s advice from CNN’s helpful medical consultant Dr. Leana Wen, who is an emergency physician and visiting professor at George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.
The question was about what precautions grandparents who have been vaccinated against COVID should follow when finally visiting grandchildren. My answer? Go back to the way it was before COVID ever reared its ugly head.
But it should come as no surprise, no surprise at all, that that’s not what Dr. Wen has to say, and CNN wants you to know what that is:
First, the vaccine is not 100% effective. There is still a chance that someone who has received the vaccine can get Covid-19…We don’t know if people who are vaccinated could still be carriers of the virus, even if they don’t get sick. That means you could be protected yourself if you get exposed to someone with coronavirus, but you could still be a carrier of the virus. When you get together with your loved ones, you could spread it to those who aren’t vaccinated.
If your grandkids live in the area, you could definitely safely see them outside, 6 feet apart. If you want to see them indoors, there is going to be some level of risk. That risk will be much lower than if you were not vaccinated, but the risk is still going to be there to you. And you could still be a risk to the unvaccinated members of your family, as you could be an asymptomatic carrier who transmits to them.
If you really want to spend time with the grandkids indoors, the safest way to do this is still for everyone to quarantine for at least 10 days and lower their risk during these 10 days. Quarantining for seven days and a negative test is an option too, but everyone also has to do the quarantine — a negative test alone is not enough.
Does anyone want to break it to CNN that zero risk is never possible in this world, and that the cost of recommending the indefinite extension of this sort of avoidant behavior is much higher than the infinitesimally small risk they’re talking about? But of course, I think they already know that. Many people seem to be invested in keeping us fearful and apart.
Fortunately, I think very few vaccinated people will heed advice like Dr. Wen’s. But unfortunately, some people have been emotionally crippled by what’s happened during the COVID period. And our country has been harmed, I think irrevocably.
When the 2-week “flatten the curve” period began, I supported it. Had you told me we’d be doing this for a year or more, I would have called you balmy. And yet here we are, with many states in just that situation until at least March, which would make it a year.
[NOTE: And I’m going to go on record as saying that I predict that people who have had two vaccinations are not going to be found to be COVID carriers.]
[NOTE II: I seem to recall that the last time I used the word “balmy” in the way I did in the final paragraph of this post, I got pushback from some readers who only knew the word as a weather reference and were unaware of the fourth meaning here: “crazy, foolish, eccentric.”]
I prefer “barmy” to “balmy,” but the true word is “evil.”
barm•y2 (?b?r mi)
adj. barm•i•er, barm•i•est. Brit. Slang.
crazy.
One thing you discover when you go through the cancer treatment mangle is that doctors are not actuaries. (This dame sounds like an OCD nightmare).
The COVID crazy in our families is a high school teacher who complained bitterly about returning to work and bought himself at considerable expense a contraption to protect himself against bad air. He is 42 years old. His elevated risk of death from COVID is about the same as the elevated risk of death one would experience from aging one year were one in his age group. The education of the young’s in the best of hands.
In a sane world, doctors would be shouting that the death rate of this virus is a fraction of a percent, using common sense, or not talking about the virus at all (as they did during the swine flu pandemic 10 years ago).
I long for the good old days of May when it was OK for grandparents to hug their grandchildren!
“Public health officials in Switzerland have said that it is now safe for children under the age of ten to hug their grandparents.”
“The relaxation of restrictions in the country comes after Swiss scientists concluded that grandparents are not at risk of catching Covid-19 from their young grandchildren as they do not have the ‘receptors’ targeted by the virus.”
‘Children are very rarely infected and do not pass on the virus,’ said Dr Daniel Koch, head of Switzerland’s infectious diseases unit at the Federal Office of Public Health. ‘That is why small children pose no risk to high-risk patients or grandparents.'”
For the first several months last spring, we maintained a distance from our grandchildren, but realized they were suffering. We now always hug them when we see them. I don’t think there’s much risk, and we haven’t had the vaccine.
I believe the Swiss.
Neo,
Why do you even bother watching YouTube snippets of CNN’s government OKed propaganda?
There is no ‘News’ on CNN. Only carefully curated narrative.
If your grandchildren are not sick, IE, have no symptoms, hug them all you want.
They don’t typically GET Covid, but if they did, and they don’t have symptoms, you CANNOT get it from them.
Tuvea:
First of all, I don’t watch the videos. I turn the videos off and read the article.
Secondly, I think it’s important to study the information being put out by authorities and to analyze it and understand the irrationality of how people are being told to behave, and speculate on why this is continuing.
I think Kate previously said it best as satire. I can only paraphrase it badly.
All previous knowledge of virology and infectious diseases is useless. COVID-19 is radically new and unlike anything we’ve seen before. Follow the edicts of your masters as their orders change from week to week.
My wife and I (she is 76 tomorrow, I will be 83 in a month) drove to California for Christmas to spend it with our grandchildren and children. My son has a Christmas Eve party which had about 20 people, half kids. He is 52 and a type I diabetic. He is also a fireman. A good time was had by all, no one got sick and we enjoyed seeing the kids. This was Orange County, which is not as crazy as LA.
One of my daughters, who is a far lefty, did not attend through fear of the virus. We had breakfast with her another day.
All previous knowledge of virology and infectious diseases is useless.
No, but it is a novel virus being mRNA, probably engineered by the CCP. The vaccine is novel as it is directed against the spike protein.
The giveaway on that female doctor is her association with the “School of Public Health.” These people are not treating physicians, almost all are bureaucrats. The Harvard “School of Public Health” gave us the new Medicare fee schedule in 1986.
I’ve had the first shot and will get the second 2/4. With the cold weather probably won’t change my lifestyle much until we get some warmer weather … then all bets are off! I’m going back to normal before all this mess started.
My thinking is I can continue to live in a bubble or I can live.
Arnold Kling just had a post on What he Believes Now
http://www.arnoldkling.com/blog/what-i-believe-now-part-1-grandparenting/
I believe that grandparents are the happiest people. This is based on introspection and observation. Show me a grandparent who does not love their grandchild.
Chi Commie virus is real, dangerous – and should NOT stop family love.
My kids live about 5 minutes away from “Babka” (grandma – “Dedko” grandpa died a couple years ago). She had 4 daughters; now also 2 sons-in-law. We have 4 kids, Babka is happy with them all. Another (of 4) daughter had 3 kids, but the youngest died just a year ago, age 17, heart problem. Just before CCP virus (tho after failed Christian Democrat election).
Every death is tragic. In the movie (not the book) Lord of Rings, the old King of Rohan says that parents should not bury their children. Once kids are over 5 or so, it’s hugely tragic for grandparents to bury grandkids. (Tears in my eyes as I think of it.)
Now retired, I’m ready to be a grandpa – I lived with my grandparents for years in HS after Dad and Stepmom broke up (again) and 3 sisters went with mother; stepsister with stepmother (Sue – saw her a couple years ago in Chicago).
Slovakia has beautiful cemeteries, with flowers and candles and plants on graves, along with tombstones and crosses. And, clearly, memories. It’s especially full on All Saint’s Day (1 Nov), plus the two weeks before. Babka gave up her plot next to Dedko for granddaughter Sharlotka. We visit it some – far more than anyone I knew in America, CA, ever visited any cemeteries. The spreading of ashes is kinda cool – but then kinda nada.
Neo says Bee Gees posts are coming – I expect to add my ideas of other groups. But, already in PowerLine, Barry Gibb in an easy listening country star set, including How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2021/01/sunday-morning-coming-down-111.php
What better way to to help in the break down of the family system than to keep grandparents away from their grandkids?
Some virus data: New active cases hit a new single high 3 days ago with 200k+. But what continues is the flatlining of serious cases at close to 29k/day. As a result, the % of serious cases as a fraction of active cases is now at 0.3% and continuing to fall. At some point soon, I would expect deaths to also start to fall if the serious cases are not rising. I also saw a plausible scenario where just after the Harris inauguration the administration will move to limit PCR cycles to 25. As a result, Covid cases will plummet due to no more positives that are false, or represent infections from months ago. The idea is that with the New Dawn of the Democrats, Covid will be eradicated. Hail to the Healers!
I am hugging all 18 (8 Grands, 10 GG) and I will continue to hug them.
PawPaw
Way to go Jack! I get my first on the 22nd, second on the 19th. My neighbor had his first Sat and is doing fine. Said did not hurt his arm as much as standard Fly shot.
I just got off phone with Cruise Line rep. Had to cancel from last May, rebooked for this May. Going to Spain, France, UK. I ask about the SHOT and if it would be required. He said they had discussed it but no decision yet. I expect we will need something official say we have had the vaccine. Maybe a Stamp across the forehead.
My 90-year-old mother moved out of an assisted living place to live with my sister because she was dying of the isolation & lack of contact with normal people.
She chose liberty over safety & is loving every minute with grand & great-grand kids.
Back in the day, Feb of 69, I was in Basic at Ft. Dix. Some kind of flu was going around and a lot of us were sick, including people bringing their virus loads from all over the country. Five guys in my company were recycled on account of meningitis.
If you showed symptoms, you go to sick call, get some aspirin and a quart of iced Kool Aid to bring down your temp and back to duty.
I must have had every virus in the world the first six weeks and I think I’m hyperimmunized. I haven’t had a contagious disease in fifty years. So I’m not concerned and will get a shot when I get around to it.
As regards Dr. Wen, is there a clinical description for power freak with overtones of sadism?
Grandkids are a gift to us. Seeing our 2 year old is like opening a Christmas present every time we see him. If we weren’t able to, I’d be a mess and spend most of my time brooding. We never paid attention to Ralph Northam’s restrictions, a risk we were willing to take. Face time is small consolation. Oh, they’ll be visiting in the next hour or so. Screw you Ralph.
Great. I already have friends who won’t risk a visit where we sit outside on the porch, six feet away, with masks on. They watch CNN all the time. After they’ve been listening to this doctor, in-person visits are probably out for the rest of the year.
I think I had covid last year but I don’t know for sure because the symptoms were so slight. I lost my sense of smell and felt bad. I have cans of deordorizer in the bathroom, and I couldn’t smell them.
But, anyway here is the covid death rate.
https://swprs.org/why-covid-19-is-a-strange-pandemic/
physicsguy asks, “What better way to to help in the break down of the family system than to keep grandparents away from their grandkids?”
Indeed. Lenin advised the Left to do so. “Destroy the family and you destroy the nation.”
“The grandchild, far from being incidental, is decisive. Civilization persists when there is a widespread sense of an ethical obligation on the part of the present generation for the well-being of the third generation — their own grandchildren.
A society where this feeling is not widespread may last as a civilization for some time—indeed, for one or two generations it might thrive spectacularly.
But inevitably, a society acknowledging no transgenerational commitment to the future will decay and decline from within.”
— Lee Harris, “The Future of Tradition
“Here’s advice from CNN’s helpful medical consultant Dr. Leana Wen, . . . .”
You know, there’s no love lost (or love to be lost) between me and CNN, and I know that applies to very many of us New Neo readers.
But! I can easily see where CNN’s legal eagles warned CNN about lawsuits to come streaming in because someone took sick due to Dr. Wen saying or intimating something that was less than utterly, stiflingly restrictive. Can’t say that I blame the lawyers or CNN.
That’s the world we live in.
John Guilfoyle,
Thanks for sharing that story about your mom. Good for her!
Very rarely do I feel like I have been correct on an issue from the get go but the response to COVID is one of those times. I said on this site last April that Dennis Prager’s calling of this as the greatest mistake in this country’s history was correct and it has been proven correct over and over. The other point Prager made is once govt officials do something unprecedented once it is far easier for them to do it again and again and again…and that is the world we live in. My mom turned 90 last April and we all told her #91 we will have a big family gathering for her. That’s not likely because her facility won’t change guidelines after the vaccine at all until the King gives his ok.
M J R,
While legal considerations may have been a minor consideration, CNN’s political agenda dominates their motivations, thinking and actions. The restrictions that fear of the Covid-19 ‘pandemic’ has allowed the Left to impose cannot be allowed to wane now. The media plays far too important a part in maintaining that fearful caution for them not to be in intimate communication and coordination with elements of the left, among whom is almost certainly contacts within the future Biden administration.
I’ve seen the word “Barmy” used as you use balmy here. I have never heard balmy used to mean crazy until recently, and I’ve seen it used twice in the last few weeks. Maybe one was on Jeopardy? I would be interesting to see those word-frequency charts that are generated based on web searches, if there was a spike recently.
“Some kids who played games about Narnia
Got gradually balmier and balmier-”
-Eustace Clarence Scrub, “who almost deserved it,” in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, C.S. Lewis, 1952
Empathy-lacking Bug People must be purged from the power structures.
Why is CNN using some ethnic Shanghainese Bint to lecture American people?
Does CCTV-1 use Dr. Phil to nudge social policy in the PRC?
But let that pass, she’s assimilated into the ProgBorg:
This bitch was president of Planned Parenthood and has a Brookings background. Look in the mirror: if you see a pale complexion, She Wants You Dead. And all your progeny and potential progeny.
What the @#$@% is wrong with people and why do so many tolerate this? Hint: You can’t fight this with logic and reason. You need to Hate. Some people have been too much inoculated against political hatred as a result of the Last Great Unpleasantness. The Road to Hell is paved with good intentions.
@funsize:
And then there’s the Barmy Army of English cricket fans.
We drove eight hours to see our daughter and two-year-old granddaughter for Christmas. Life is to be lived. Nobody got sick.
After Planned Parent/hood, spreading social contagion, everything looks like progress. Speaking of progress, the CCP has evolved from the Great Leap [Forward] to one-child to selective-child and social justification of concentration camps for deplorables. The Western advisors were worth every million Green… greenback.
British “barmy” pronounced “bahhhmy” sounds a lot like “balm” pronounced “bahm” in a lot of dialects.
I don’t have any grandkids, and I’m only 55, so here in King County, WA — nearly as incompetent and inefficient as New York — I probably won’t have the chance to get vaccinated until August.
We just got back from a visit with two of our three grandchildren, who live just a little too far away to see often, or without conflict with the rules of social isolation and state-line crossing and all of that. Yes, there was certainly a risk, although only a small one, but there were also good and necessary reasons as our adult children confronted otherwise unsolvable child-care issues, and also needed help with house maintenance problems that Mr Whatsit knows how to solve. I’m not sorry, or worried. So much hugging and tickling and small warm bodies snuggled into laps as stories were read and games were played. Now safely back home, visions still playing in my mind of tangled curly little-girl hair and sweet freckled little-boy skin, and from shouts of pure laughter and rackety thumping of small feet and the warmth of spontaneous hugs. Nobody should ever, for any reason, cut themselves off from this kind of life affirmation if it’s available to you. If I get sick tomorrow as a result — and I won’t, as we all have been careful and responsible — the balance will still fall on the side of knowing and loving and sharing these small precious lives who belong only to us. Anyone who tries to tell me otherwise had better get out of my way.
Mrs. Whatsit: yes, and all too soon enough they are 6 or 8 or 10 or 12 and have their faces buried in a screen of some sort, with barely a wave to the grandparents who have come to visit, or as they leave.
What the @#$@% is wrong with people and why do so many tolerate this? Hint: You can’t fight this with logic and reason. You need to Hate. Some people have been too much inoculated against political hatred as a result of the Last Great Unpleasantness. The Road to Hell is paved with good intentions.
That sounds like me back in 2007-2012 Zaphod. I know where you are coming from, and at least a hint of how much you are hiding or at least not openly talking about.
That word “hate” is interesting. After all, the masses will only hate our enemies when they see their own loved ones tortured and killed in front of them. Isn’t that right?
But why the suffering, why play into Satans’ game here on Earth? It’s pointless if you have the power to stop the cycle of hate and violence here. You only need it if you are powerless.
Like I said, I know where you are coming from, because I was in the same place. I have overcome the world and hatred itself. It is no longer necessary to walk the same road again. You can lay down the burden in 2021.
We have won. The war is over, but unfortunately the Leftists didn’t get that message nor are they surrendering. So battles continue, but only for a little time.
References to CNN should include identification of their corporate parent, AT&T. Similarly for MSNBC and its parent, Comcast, and ABC, owned by Disney.
It is an interesting question how much of the political posture of these TV networks is due to (1) their perception of their direct revenue/profit benefit, versus (2) the personal political beliefs of their executives, versus (3) the financial interests (especially including non-US activities) of the parent companies.
“Nobody should ever, for any reason, cut themselves off from this kind of life affirmation if it’s available to you. If I get sick tomorrow as a result — and I won’t, as we all have been careful and responsible — the balance will still fall on the side of knowing and loving and sharing these small precious lives who belong only to us.” Mrs. Whatsit
Of course people who are vulnerable (serious comorbidities/age?) should be careful. But otherwise living life as it is intended to be lived. ABSOLUTELY! My husband and I were on the front end of this pandemic (I actually refer to it as a “pandemic of fear and stupidity”.) The first occasion for us and all of our children and their families to be with us following their Dad’s near-death encounter, May 30, 2020 in celebration of our oldest granddaugher’s 10th birthday a decision had to be made by each family. A lot of individual deliberation went into it and we functioned as a normal family complete with hugs and cuddles with grands. Since that time we have observed every holiday and family occasion without any masks or distancing. We already functioned in wisdom regarding germs, colds and diseases before this societal response. Thankfully none of us has had so much as a cold that would prevent us from not being together. Our daughter-in-law posted a picture of us, her parents and their family (our son and 2 grandsons) on FB back in June as we were celebrating the youngest 1st birthday. Along comes the chiding comment from a family member, “What no masks!” A lob from the keyboard, no phone call from this person who was so concerned when his brother was hospitalized for 19 days. No curiosity as to why we choose to not walk the Fauci path. Science as observed throughout history is on our side. It feels good to walk in wisdom without fear. I recommend it highly.
“But! I can easily see where CNN’s legal eagles warned CNN about lawsuits to come streaming in because someone took sick due to Dr. Wen saying or intimating something that was less than utterly, stiflingly restrictive. Can’t say that I blame the lawyers or CNN.” MJR
When whether one will be sued or not becomes the overarching determination of what is imparted as truth we are in likely position to live in foolishness.
Then if she had any integrity she would STFU and not go on the Idiot Tube to opine about #%^* she has no business butting in to.
I noted recently a medical article that showed antibody levels declined substantially beginning just two months after COVID illness. That does not augur well for the vaccines, with which we have only a few months of data before being pressured or driven by fear to be vaccinated.
The country has been driven by irrational fear.
All totalitarians rely on fear for oppression and control.
You want to be peace-advocating Falun Gong in China so the state can rip out a kidney and sell it?
We are dealing with evil on an enormous scale. First the Nazis and the Imperialist Japanese, who were trivial in their number of murders compared to Stalin and Mao. Over one hundred million murdered in Marxist-Leninist “class warfare”. In the US, we kill them before they are born, more than 60 million to date.
I also prefer “barmy”
Quick definitions from WordNet (barmy)
? adjective: informal or slang terms for mentally irregular
? adjective: marked by spirited enjoyment
Barm is the froth on top of fermenting malt liquor. So it’s bubbles and alcohol, and not much else.
I’ve wondered if “balmy” might be a mutation of “barmy”, by someone “correcting” the pronunciation.
David+Foster on January 12, 2021 at 8:41 am said:
References to CNN should include identification of their corporate parent, AT&T. Similarly for MSNBC and its parent, Comcast, and ABC, owned by Disney.
It is an interesting question how much of the political posture of these TV networks is due to (1) their perception of their direct revenue/profit benefit, versus (2) the personal political beliefs of their executives, versus (3) the financial interests (especially including non-US activities) of the parent companies.
* * *
Catching up after some personal business this week, but it might be interesting to see if ABC changes any of their Wokery given that Disney is thinking of moving some parts of Anaheim park to Orlando.
https://justthenews.com/nation/economy/disney-potentially-move-some-calif-operations-fla-after-newsom-continues-brutal
“Disney has incurred one billion dollars in expenses relating to virus safety initiatives and is expected to lay off 32,000 employees, according to the Washington Examiner. ”
“Newsom’s orders have kept Disney shut down and residents under stay-at-home orders. Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis has vowed to keep the state open.”
It’s not just small restaurant owners being jerked around.
Not that anyone at Disney will associate their support of Democrats with who is the jerker, and who the jerkee.