In a week when we should have been celebrating the life of a great composer whose works include something now known as “Ode to Joy” comes news that may finally rank as joyous.
Were it not for a worldwide pandemic and the continuing election controversy, we might be more inclined to celebrate the 250th birthday of Ludwig van Beethoven, arguably the greatest composer of western music in history. We might better appreciate his perseverance in turning out master works in spite of his loss of hearing and a sense of fairness that was more than two centuries ahead of its time: two of the most important people in his life were a black man and a woman. (George Bridgetower of African descent was a virtuoso violinist and said to be a profound influence on the composer; Nannette Streicher, one of Beethoven’s closest friends, was also one of the finest piano builders in Europe - she owned the company and employed her husband as a salesman and bookkeeper.)
Monday’s launch of the COVID-19 vaccination is indeed joyous news, but it too is tempered by a death toll that has now reached 300,000 and the realization that this pandemic is far from over. The darkest winter, in fact, may still lie ahead.
The first doses of the vaccine belong in the hands - actually the upper arm - of our health care workers who are exposed to the deadly virus on a daily basis and whose availability on the front line is critical in this battle. A nurse in New York City became the state’s – and likely the nation’s – first to receive the first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. It’s the first authorized in the country to combat the coronavirus. The priority is, and should be medical providers, followed by other first responders, essential workers, and anyone whose health or age puts them at increased risk. For the rest of us, the time might not come until late spring, summer or beyond. USA Today reports that Walgreens and CVS expect to have Covid-19 shots for the general public at their stores in the early spring. The two drugstore chains are playing a central role in an earlier phase of the rollout: Vaccinating staff and residents at tens of thousands of long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes. Rite Aid and some of the other pharmacies it was reported are still waiting to hear when they will receive vaccine doses and begin offering the shots.
In the meantime, the numbers are staggering. Total COVID hospitalizations rose to 5,712 as of Monday. There were 1,040 patients in ICU Sunday up 31 from the previous day. Of them, 572 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 83 New Yorkers to the virus. The Mid Hudson Region, Governor Andrew Cuomo reported Monday, has 705 hospitalizations.
Health experts warn us that while the vaccine may help protect us from COVID-19, it may not prevent us from spreading it to others. It’s possible that someone could get the vaccine but could still be an asymptomatic carrier. They may not show symptoms, but they have the virus in their nasal passageway so that if they’re speaking, breathing, sneezing and so on, they can still transmit it to others.
The best advice we can share is to continue to wear your masks and maintain social distancing. Better yet, stay home if possible and listen to some classical music.