Looks like 75 doses of COVID vaccine will now be given to essential workers in Cook County. That should give immunity to about 1.4 percent of county residents, but not until the follow-up shots are given after 21 days. Of course, at 95 percent effectiveness, that still leaves 1 in 20 of those given the vaccine still vulnerable to infection.
Nearly two percent of county residents have already tested positive for the virus and could develop some level of immunity. That leaves 96.6 percent of us still unprotected, with some folks not aware they are currently infected. The next round of vaccine will be given to Care Center residents who really don’t pose much of a risk of spreading the virus in the community.
Looks like masks and social distancing will be with us for quite a while yet.
Bob LaMettry, Grand Marais
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