Officially Part of the Herd

 After several false starts, I finally received my COVID-19 vaccination today. Icy and snowy conditions prevented me from three previous appointments at the Franklin County Health Department. 

Today the sun was shining on me, literally and figuratively.

Wearing vaccination badge

As of Feb. 22, I'm one of 44 million Americans who have received at least the first shot; 19 million have been injected with two shots, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

It's a relief to be vaccinated although I still have to wait another 28 days for my second shot. I know of people who have had the disease and a few who did not survive. 

So far, more than 500,000 Americans, including more than 4,600 in my native Kentucky, have lost their lives from the effects of the novel coronavirus. That's more than the total of those U.S. citizens who died in World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War. Those are staggering numbers to comprehend.

It's a shame that the ineptitude of our government the past year didn't do more to educate our citizens about the disease and the simple ways to prevent the spread. It has been estimated the 40 percent of those lives (200k) could have been prevented if proper and prudent action had been taken. 

I haven't felt any side effects from the vaccine. I understand that those in my age group may suffer fewer problems because of a declining immune response. I'm guessing that is good. The only thing I noticed was my daily nap where I slept 90 minutes rather than my usual 45. 

Check out this article from AARP if you have questions and concerns about the vaccine. If we're going to lick this 21st century scourge, we need to work together and that includes getting vaccinated, wearing masks, and maintaining a safe social distancing until we'out of the woods with the herd immunity. 

I'm proud to be part of the herd.

Until the next time . . .

Opioid Epidemic in U.S.

The opioid problem in the United States has reached epidemic proportions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC reports that since 1999, deaths involving the use of opioids, including prescription drugs and heroin, has quadrupled. Figures reveal that more than 500,000 have died from overdoses since 2000. Ninety-one die each day from this scourge that has spread across America, filtering into all economic classes.

Every day when I pick up my daily newspaper, the State Journal in Frankfort, Ky., I read about drug arrests and overdoses, sometimes covering nearly a page in court news. Check out this story from last June about the increase in opioid deaths. Frankfort is the state capital, the fourth smallest in the nation with a population of about 28,000.

The CDC also notes that each day more than 1,000 people are treated in emergency departments nationally for misusing prescription opioids.

Kentucky has addressed the problem with legislative initiatives to curtail the abuse of opioids and use of heroin in recent years. The state Office of Drug Control Policy reports that more than 1,000 Kentuckians die each year from overdoses. Furthermore, Kentucky ranks in the top three, along with New Hampshire and West Virginia in opioid deaths.

My latest novel, "Darkness Beyond the Light," concerns drug addiction as it affects a family. I hope it brings more attention, more discussion, and more action to the problem as an increasing number of people are touched by this deadly disease.

To learn more about opioids and other drugs, read the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's fact sheets. 

Until the next time. . . .