<strong>Joe</strong>: Merry Christmas. The end of 2022 is approaching fast, but it looks like COVID will continue big time in 2023. When will the pandemic end? In the Tribune today [Dec. 16], a top doc says COVID levels are soon to be high in Chicago. No one wants vaccine or mask mandates or lockdowns.

Meanwhile, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, deaths among vaccinated Americans are exceeding those among the unvaccinated. Explain that if you can. I’ve had all the shots, but in August I still came down with COVID, testing positive. Fortunately, it turned out to be a “mild” case. I was swimming in Lake Michigan the second day. Is all this a question of vaccine efficacy?

<strong>Ken</strong>: I was ready to submit a column simply saying Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. But your topic choice is a good one. COVID-19 appeared in China in 2019 and spread globally by the first few months of 2020. Being a novel virus, there were at first no therapeutic protocols to deal with it, but we learned quickly.

After the first month or two of 2020 it was reported that the COVID-19 virus was generally non-lethal in young healthy patients but was seriously life threatening in elderly victims with comorbidities. At that time, it seemed that the optimal response would be taking maximal measures to protect the vulnerable, while seeking effective therapies and an effective vaccine.

Essentially flying blind, the scientists of the CDC as represented by Dr. Fauci, took the approach that extensive nation-wide lockdowns and school closings are necessary, and these measures were mandated by government action in all but a few states.

Any questions about these tactics were labeled “misinformation” and stifled. Once a vaccine was developed in late 2020, Food and Drug Administration approval was expedited. Our government sponsored widespread testing and quarantine measures for positive results, as well as universal vaccination for adults. And we are still learning about prevention and treatment a year and a half later because our interventions have slowed the spread but by no means have eliminated the virus.

<strong>Joe</strong>: Well, unlike China our vaccines have been effective. In the U.S., 75% of residents have had the shots and although COVID may still show up after being vaccinated, the big reason for taking the shots is that they reduce your chance of getting seriously ill.

<strong>Ken</strong>: Mandatory masks, social distancing and widespread testing and quarantine measures proved to be only partially effective. Now, as you own case demonstrates, vaccination provided only weak and temporary immunity even with supplementary boosters. And there is no guarantee that the infection will be mild.

Natural immunity after recovering from infection is also far from perfect protection. The more recent infections may be milder but, in the USA, there were still 1.3 COVID-related deaths in 2022. New strains have developed that are more contagious but cause a milder infection. The immunizations have turned out to be not only partially effective, but also not without some risks.

Apparent vaccine side effects of myocarditis and pericarditis affect some healthy young patients after vaccination. Our national economy has been severely affected by lockdowns which did not prove to be effective, and school children have suffered one to three years of classroom learning. There is evidence that the global pandemic is all due to release of the virus accidentally or deliberately from a Chinese virology laboratory doing gain of function experiments. COVID and variants are still endemic and may remain a threat for years, or forever much like the familiar seasonal flu.

<strong>Joe</strong>: Despite anti-vax sentiment that continues to hang around, I’ve decided to take a Lebowskian relaxed approach to future mandates of additional shots and boosters. The Dude abides and will go with the flow and accept life and boosters as they come. Pass me a White Russian. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.