You can find me playing piano and leading sing-a-longs
Every Saturday & Sunday, from 8 pm to midnight
At the Lafitte Hotel & Bar
1003 Bourbon St (corner St. Philip)
(right next to Lafitte Blacksmith Shop)
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Guaranteed fresh until stamped date.
You can find me playing piano and leading sing-a-longs
Every Saturday & Sunday, from 8 pm to midnight
At the Lafitte Hotel & Bar
1003 Bourbon St (corner St. Philip)
(right next to Lafitte Blacksmith Shop)
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Aditi Nerurkar, a physician at Harvard Medical School
“Delta spreads like wildfire. But vaccines contain that fire and will eventually help to put it out. For now, our shared goal must be to vaccinate everyone and avoid breeding vaccine discontentment. Vaccines continue to be the surest bet to keep people out of hospitals, ICUs and the obituary pages.”
Dr. Celine Gounder, an epidemiologist at NYU medical school
“Delta is different. Delta is more infectious than prior strains. It evades the immune system more effectively than prior strains, and it may even cause more severe disease than prior strains. And this is because the Delta variant fundamentally arrives at much higher levels of virus in the nose and the throat than previous strains.
“So if you imagine, you’re sitting next to me, I have Delta. And I am breathing that out through the air, those Delta virus particles. If I am sending out a thousand times more virus particles into the air than I would have with an earlier strain, you’re way more likely to get that. If I have more Delta virus in my body, it’s more likely to make me sicker. There’s just a lot more of those virus particles fighting my body and making me sick.
“And as I mentioned also, the Delta variant does evade our immune defenses. Especially if you had a natural infection and we’re counting on that immunity to protect you, that just does not seem to be robust immunity against the Delta variant.”
Question: I’ve seen the estimate that people can have a thousand times the viral load with Delta. Is that accurate?
“That is accurate. And I think another way of framing this is in terms of time because we think of exposure is dose times time. So when the CDC, at the beginning of the pandemic, said 15 minutes indoors with somebody without a mask, that’s a close contact, if you’re looking at a thousand times the amount of virus in somebody’s nose and throat today versus what you would have seen at the beginning of the pandemic, that 15 minutes is now the equivalent today of one second. That does not mean in 15 minutes, you would have gotten infected at the beginning of the pandemic. That does not mean that one second today means you’re infected. But that does constitute a close contact today and does constitute a real risk today.”
This article, “What does the Delta variant mean for you? It’s time to put back on your mask!” shows me that the only way out of the surge of the Delta variant is getting vaccination rates up to 75% or more.
Written by an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at Boston University School of Public Health.
When delta strikes: Latest coronavirus surges grow faster, hit record heights in Louisiana, Florida
In the Marigny neighborhood, eight out of 25 staffers at the Paladar 511 restaurant tested positive for the coronavirus earlier in the summer. All but one were vaccinated.
“That was kind of just an eye-opening thing,” said Emma Jane Kulowski, 26, the restaurant’s manager. “It was a little bit disheartening after so long being cautious and trying to do the right thing, even without clear guidance.”
After a costly shutdown, the restaurant reopened with a big supply of at-home rapid tests and masks required for even vaccinated staffers. Because of the summer heat, Paladar has held out on bringing back outdoor seating like what it offered during earlier waves, but locals have been asking for the option as cases surge.
When will the surge end? Louisiana’s worst COVID wave may also be its longest
According to the COVID-19 Scenario Modeling Hub, created by scientists who advise the CDC, cases aren’t likely to peak until sometime in mid-September.
“It’s very likely that cases will continue to increase over the next several weeks,” said Rebecca Borchering, a researcher with the modeling team at Pennsylvania State University. “It’s unlikely to make a sharp downturn without any large change in behavior, either through vaccination or masking or social distancing or some other intervention.”
Live music’s future in New Orleans unclear
Bassist George Porter Jr. is in favor of any safety measures to keep the music playing and patrons safe, including the requirement for proof of vaccines or a negative test.
“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” Porter said. “I don’t know why nobody thought of it sooner. It seems like everybody’s been running off the fact that people will do the right thing, but still over 50% of the population is not vaccinated” in Louisiana.
If infection rates don’t go back down, Porter said, “I’m prepared to stay home for the next year.”
Reactions to New Orleans restaurant, bar vaccine proof rules: mix of ‘hate messages’ and praise
On social media, the requirements announced by New Orleans businesses have drawn a mix of fury and praise.
But at the businesses themselves, the customers actually turning up have largely been prepared to follow the rules.
“We’ve gotten some hate messages on Facebook, but those aren’t our customers anyway,” said Craig Nero, owner of Who Dat Coffee Café in the Faubourg Marigny, which began its requirement policy this week.
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I hoped to return to work in a society where Covid-19 was not being passed around in large amounts. Well, we’re not gonna reach herd immunity because of the large unvaccinated population. At this point, Covid-19 looks like it will become endemic (always with us).
I believe in personal rights and freedom. I also believe that exercising your right to make your own health choices should not infringe on the rights of others to be protected from a deadly virus.
France, Italy, Israel, Germany are all implementing or contemplating rules like: Vaccine passport mandatory in all cultural venues, including cinemas, theaters, and concert halls. Also mandatory in cafes, shops, restaurants.
As one whose profession is practiced in cultural venues and restaurants, I like this idea.
As soon as the FDA grants full approval to one or more of the shots, the USA could also see vaccine mandates.
Your employer, college, school, or favorite venue can and should require vaccinations as a condition of entry. The only other option would be a daily negative test.
Yes, the politics of this are hard, but people dying preventable deaths is worse, as is re-tanking the economy.
Jennifer Rubin, WaPo, Opinion: Enough already. It’s time for vaccine entry passes.
To the detriment of those who behaved responsibly by getting the vaccine and those who are still unprotected (e.g., young children), we have indulged the willfully reckless vaccine deniers for far too long.
If deniers want to ignore science and endanger themselves, they can do so at home, outside or at private establishments that do not care to require proof of vaccination. The rest of us deserve to enjoy reopened communities and the peace of mind that comes from living in a country where virtually every covid-19 death or hospitalization is now preventable.
Tammy C. Barney, Louisiana Illuminator, Commentary: Louisiana (and every other state) needs to impose mask mandates now
Based on the current COVID cases, it is time for tough love. Mask mandates must be reinstituted (or in some cases instituted) across the country. Governments and businesses should follow the National Football League’s lead and require employees to get vaccinated. Vaccinations also should be required for employees and students at schools (12 years and older) and at universities.
Vaccines are still the best way to protect ourselves against the novel coronavirus and its Delta variant. If the government has to institute mandates to get shots in arms and folks to wear masks, so be it. All the personal rights in the world won’t matter if you are dead.
“People who got vaccinated are still catching COVID”
People with a helmet on still get hurt playing linebacker, man, but try playing without one.
“Vaccine passport? You can’t do that!”
From banning smoking in businesses, to forcing drivers and passengers to wear seat belts, to prohibiting texting while driving, governments have never had a problem passing laws to protect residents from themselves.
“mRNA is too new to trust.”
No, it’s not. It’s been studied for the better part of 30 years going back to the early 90’s. Here’s an article from eleven years ago talking about it: “The Miracle of microRNA” Sep 29, 2010
“What about side effects from the vaccine?”
Experts Confident About COVID Vaccines’ Long-Term Safety
“I know of no precedent of a long-term effect that comes up 5 or 10 years later,” expert says.
Almost always, side effects of vaccines being tested are revealed within two months, which is why the FDA required two months of data before giving emergency approval.
New York Times, How to Reopen a Festival City When a Virus Lurks: Very Anxiously
Bethany Bultman, the head of the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic, worries that too many in the city are prioritizing the social lives of “unmasked, unvaccinated hordes of walking wallets” over the lives of her clients.
Ben Guarino, WaPo, You got a coronavirus vaccine. But you still became infected. How did that happen?
The FDA-authorized coronavirus vaccines are exceptionally protective — but they’re not perfect.
Susan Matthews, Slate, What vaccinated people should really know about their risk from the delta variant.
John M. Barry, WaPo, Opinion: What history tells us about the delta variant — and the variants that will follow
Will it become more virulent — causing more serious disease and death?
Will the virus escape the protection natural immunity and vaccines now afford?
In the best case, delta will be the most dangerous variant to emerge, our immune systems will learn to respond, trained by vaccines or infection, and we will achieve the Holy Grail of a kind of herd immunity. This will still not mean actual immunity; it will simply mean the disease becomes endemic, and infections and deaths will continue to occur, but in much reduced numbers. Meanwhile, for at least a year — and likely longer — the vast majority of the world will continue to see significant mortality and social and economic disruption.
The pandemic isn’t over, not even for those who are vaccinated. The virus remains the boss. Covid-19 may still surprise us, and if it does, at this still middle-aged stage of the pandemic, it’s more likely to be an unpleasant surprise.
Katherine S. Xue, New Yorker, Coexisting with the Coronavirus
What will it be like to live with endemic COVID? Our future with the virus will depend on the strength of our immune memories. What we know and what we still have to learn about COVID immunity.
Forbes: Could You Have Long Covid? Here Are The Common Signs And Symptoms
There are many patients who have long-term health consequences after Covid-19 illness.
General symptoms: fatigue, difficulty sleeping, altered mood
Lungs: shortness of breath, cough, chest pain
Heart: pounding heart, rapid heartbeat, dizziness after standing
Nervous System: “brain fog” (i.e. difficulty thinking or concentrating), headache, feelings of pins and needles, altered smell or taste
Gastrointestinal: diarrhea, abdominal pain
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© Zerry Song — 2021 iPhone Photography Awards https://www.ippawards.com/
Shot on iPhone 7
Luoyang, Henan, China
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We ate inside at a restaurant today, for the first time in 455 days. We went to Byblos in Old Metairie for lunch with friends and it was delicious!
Also, this happened:
My husband, born in 1954: "I was on Wal-Mart's website and they have a Pride Section. I never thought I'd see this level of mainstream acceptance in my lifetime."
— Joel Jambon 🇺🇸🏳️🌈 (@joeljambon) June 7, 2021
😭❤️🌈
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Here are some of my diary entries from early 2021:
My thinking is scattered and confused. Can’t focus. Can’t concentrate. Don’t want to. Give me distractions. Don’t wanna work. Seems like too much, everything. To-do List depressing. Yet I know work would make me feel better, I need a project. Work can be a distraction. What do I need to be distracted from? boredom?
Tired of doing nothing, but don’t want to do something. Anxiety, boredom, depression.
Where is my enthusiasm or projects like last spring? Must get back to it.
The story I’m telling myself these days is that I’m not doing well. I’m not doing well, I can’t focus, I don’t want to work, but I don’t want to do nothing, I want to be distracted but I don’t know from what. There are voices in my head and they are depressing.
Can’t make a list can’t clean my desk can’t progress in any meaningful way, feel hopeless. The world is a doomscroll and that’s all I want to do is look at it, then wonder why I’m so depressed and anxious.
Then I saw this at the New York Times:
We just felt somewhat joyless and aimless. It turns out there’s a name for that: languishing.
Languishing is a sense of stagnation and emptiness. It feels as if you’re muddling through your days, looking at your life through a foggy windshield. And it might be the dominant emotion of 2021.
That’s it! Turns out I wasn’t alone in feeling these things.
And starting today, I am making an effort to come out of languishing and start flourishing! First up, start walking every day.
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