When I am getting ready in the mornings in the second bedroom where I keep my “stuff” and clothes, I always listen to a few podcasts with the latest information on Covid-19, particularly one from a doctor in the UK, Dr. John Campbell, who’s stayed on top of the latest developments, scientific studies, statistics and the future of the pandemic.
Dr. Campbell can be found by typing in his name on YouTube. He often reports daily and twice on some days. His information is unbiased, unpolitical, and fact-based. I trust him instead of some of the sensationalized news instilling more and more fear into the public worldwide. His most recent podcast uploaded today on YouTube can be found here.
Over the past week, there have been numerous articles online stating that the lesser effects from the Omicron strain provide an added layer of immunological protection that possibly could put an end to the pandemic in 2022. I gathered this information from various articles extracting snippets I found less politicized and controversial.
Why the media has made this pandemic about politics baffles me. Reputable scientific information should lead the way in reporting the statistics and the inevitable outcome. But even the statistics are inaccurate when millions of cases are never reported.
There’s a lot of controversy about hospitals in the US and other countries reporting Covid cases and deaths for people treated in hospitals for other causes and happen to have a positive Covid test. Of those who may die of other causes while in the hospital, for example, being treated for a heart attack, but happen to have tested positive for Covid, they are counting these as Covid deaths.
It isn’t easy to rely on the stats. Sure, a case of Covid is a case of Covid, regardless of a patient’s other conditions and what brought them to the hospital. But from this perspective, it’s impossible to understand how many cases and deaths there are.
I know you are all sick and tired of hearing about the pandemic, but for us as world travelers and those of you who read our posts and who are traveling and would like to travel, staying on top of the most reliable sources of information is imperative. Where, when, and how we’ll be able to travel is entirely predicated by the latest news hitting the wires, not necessarily the most up-to-date medical science.
Sorting through all the news reports and scientific evidence can be daunting. I am having an awful time trying to find out where I can get a J & J vaccine booster without driving three hours (round-trip) to get it. Information online is sketchy, particularly about the J & J booster. It appears that we’ll only be able to get it when we go to Nelspruit to return the current rental car on January 23.
In a perfect world, none of this pandemic chatter would be necessary for our posts. But, since so many of our readers are travelers, from time to time, we find it imperative to discuss and share any vital information we may discover due to our ongoing research. Few people like to spend time online searching for such answers. We are attempting to streamline this process for those who prefer to spend time online doing other things.
For those of you who are “sick of hearing about it,” we apologize. We’ve always promised to be transparent about our travel issues and most certainly, what’s happening in the world falls right into that category.
On a lighter note, I am pleased to say I am working out again, attempting to get in the number of steps I accomplished while in lockdown in India, walking about eight kilometers a day in the corridors. I wish I could say I am doing this outdoors but based on the instability of my legs after two surgeries. I find it safer to do this indoors rather than walking on the uneven dirt roads, now all the more washed out than ever.
It’s a daunting task to walk that much indoors, but as of the past several days, I am working my way toward my goal and should reach it within a week or two. I can already feel the beneficial effects and am thrilled I finally mustered the motivation to do it. I was simply sitting too much, although I stay relatively active around the house each day.
We hope you are healthy, happy, and content.
Photo from one year ago today, January 8, 2020:
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| This photo was posted while in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India, on day #289.The stunning interior of Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church in Pondicherry, India. For more photos, please click here. |