I was surprised to see event listings recently in the Tribune-Review, when the coronavirus “is not done with us,” according to CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky (“U.S. advisers endorse single- shot covid-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson”).

Local groups are serving food and drinks, with masks required while not seated. When seated, I guess it’s springtime for covid! Many municipalities’ councils are back — in person.

After a downturn, we are told of a disturbing rise in new cases, with stronger variants here now in the U.S. and projected to spread dangerously by mid-March, Walensky has warned. The British variant now makes up 10% of the cases, up 4% and climbing. There is even a new homegrown New York strain that is both more transmissible and makes you even sicker, a combination of the South African and the Brazilian.

I want to get back to normal like everyone, but I don’t want to catch this disease. We must get vaccinated as soon as we can, but we cannot rely on that, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci.

But here we are, doing the same things that spread it to our community in the first place. Haven’t we learned enough from super-spreader events like weddings, funerals and Trump rallies? We must take personal responsibility to not ignore the truth about this virus and keep up the precautions.

Laurie Lucianne Scheid

New Kensington

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