Hiking from Elkwallow in Shenandoah National Park – The delta variant of the virus – Evening statistics
I went with AD and RH and others on the Appalachian Trail from Elkwallow Wayside to Gravel Springs Hut and back, about 12 miles and 2500 feet of elevation gain in all. We met some volunteers mowing away various weeds on the trail. The decline in mountain ashes as a result of the emerald ash borer has led to more direct sunlight and less space occupied by tree roots, both of which encourage grasses and smaller shrubs to flourish and to invade the trails. Although the sky was gray and overcast, with occasional bursts of rainfall, during the drive to Shenandoah National Park, the ridgeline in the park itself was relatively clear and there was minimal precipitation. Summer humidity has returned with a vengeance, but the ridgeline was at least 10 degrees cooler than the residential areas below. This section of the AT had more overlooks than I recollected, and we had many sweeping views to the west of the Shenandoah Valley below.
The delta variant was mentioned during the hike. The WHO is urging people to continue to wear masks, even if they are vaccinated. The variant is even more infectious than the original virus and has spread quickly; originally confined to India, it has now surfaced in at least 92 countries. In the U.K. it is the dominant strain, and it may become so in the U.S. as well. Already it accounts for as much as a fifth of all new COVID infections nationwide. The symptoms differ from the original COVID virus; instead of coughing and loss of sense of smell and taste, they resemble those of a bad cold, with headache, runny nose, sore throat, and fever. It is possible that states will be implementing mask mandates again. New cases of the COVID virus have been developing at a fairly steady rate for the past several days – about 11,000 cases daily.
It is unfortunate that the pace of vaccinations is slowing down, having dropped to about 300, 000 per day. Barely 66% of all adults have received one dose and only 56.5% are fully vaccinated – not very large increases from the figures of a week earlier. About 13% of all adults say definitely that they will not receive the vaccine, with an additional 7% will take the vaccine only it is required for work or other activities. There is one slightly optimistic note: the Pfizer vaccine appears to be effective in warding off the variant, with an effectivity rate of 88% (as opposed to 93% effectivity against the Alpha variant and 94% against the original virus strain). Data is not available yet for the Moderna vaccine, but it uses a similar technology and the hope is that it will have a similar degree of efficacy.
Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 181,530,161; # of deaths worldwide: 3,932,276; # of cases U.S.: 34,488,957; # of deaths; U.S.: 619,333.