Covid Irony

 So last July, at a wonderful engagement party, afterwards I became enraged at Rob, an old friend. Rob is a Trumper, anti vaxxer type, and, like all of the invitees, was told to either be vaxxed or get a Covid test before coming to the party. Rob did neither, and we hung with him all evening. At the time, Wifey was still only 6 months post stroke, and when I found out Rob hadn't tested -- I cut him off on social media.

He ended up getting Covid -- a very nasty case -- and nearly ended up in the hospital. He recovered. I learned that he was being invited to the big wedding last weekend, and by now I was over the Covid anger -- we hugged, and caught up. His boy Matt came up to me and told me I was a hero of his -- as a Dad and husband. It was lovely. Rob and I are fine going forward.

On the other end of the political spectrum is the rabbi who performed the ceremony. She's very close to the bride's parents, and VERY much a lefty. One would think she was a safe person when it came to Covid. One would be wrong.

The week before the wedding, her husband came down with Covid. He missed the wedding. She tested Friday, and was negative, and when I saw her Friday at the rehearsal dinner, I assumed she was like Wifey and me -- recently recovered from Omicron, and therefore not at all at risk of Covid or transmitting it -- even though her husband was positive. Turns out that wasn't so.

Two of my most Covid paranoid friends actually drove this rabbi to the wedding, and home afterwards. And, the rabbi was maskless throughout -- singing much of the ceremony to the 250 guests, and doing the priestly blessing to the couple, which I call the Vulcan Mind Meld, as Leonard Nimoy contrived that trick as Mr. Spock based on his orthodox background.

Well -- came the news Monday: she came down with Covid. I KNEW my friends the drivers would get it, or at least one of them would. And sure enough, on Wednesday my friend was so diagnosed. He got an anti viral treatment today, and will hopefully be fine.

But the irony struck me. A "Safe" person wasn't at all. Knowing she hadn't gotten Covid, but her husband had, she ought to have masked up, and certainly not driven 2 hours with vulnerable friends. She did none of that.

The good news is that the damned plague doesn't seem to be hospitalizing most people, and is killing far fewer of them. But it shows the damned thing is out there, and we cannot assume people like us are safe, while idiot Trumper types are dangerous.

Wifey and I are going for our 4th jabs Monday, and in truth, I wonder if it's a waste. My friend who has Covid from the viral rabbi got his 4th a few weeks ago. The problem is the vaccines seem designed for Delta, and we're now 2 major variants away.

Still -- we'll get the jabs, and probably the latest iteration that's supposed to come in the Fall. And we'll hopefully manage risk -- but that is hard.

Dr. Barry told me a long time ago about a famous study -- about people who ask only friends and relatives to donate blood before elective surgical procedures. The thinking is they don't get blood from "dirty strangers." Sure enough, the study showed a HIGHER rate of blood borne disease from the selected population! Simply, turns out that Uncle Phil is a secret IV drug abuses. He has hepatitis. And cousin Jill? She used to sleep with the closeted gay guy...

The point is, managing risk is VERY difficult. As for now, Wifey and I have both HAD Covid, likely Omicron, in the past 4 months. We've been thriced vaxxed. 

We're going out to South Pointe tonight to meet our friends from England, Sandra and Dave. It'll be a crowded steakhouse. Sure -- there's risk. How will we deal? Well, for example, I'm not rushing to go to any indoor events for awhile. If someone gave me great seats for a Heat playoff, I'd go, but that'll probably be it. No concerts interest me these days.

And now I have the wisdom that much of my conventional wisdom was wrong. Anti vax, Trumper, not too bright Rob was no danger. Ultra lefty rabbi, probably an NPR listener and reader of the Times daily, was much a danger.

Ya never know...