By Samuel Strait, Reporter at Large – September 17, 2021 For some time now we have been made a number of promises by the current administration regarding how the Pandemic was going to play out. First, mandates for a couple of weeks would flatten the curve and then we could all go back to normal life. Well that didn't happen. Then, when infections appeared to rise in the summer of 2020, back to mandates. A lull in infections in the fall of 2020, with renewed promises of just a little bit longer. Oops! More mandates in October of 2020. Then it happened, the announcement to expect the first vaccine to roll off the assembly line in December of 2020. A ray of hope could be seen on the horizon. Nearly 20 million vaccinated by the beginning of 2021. More than 50 million vaccinated by the end of February and we were told the end was in sight. If the population of the US would just be patient, 70% of the population would be fully vaccinated by mid summer. Then Normalcy….. Are you feeling just a bit like a bobble head doll? Moving on, vaccination promise was not met and mixed messaging by the Federal Government and the CDC was having the effect of producing an anti vax movement. Still at 63% vaccinated and another 30 million with natural immunity, herd immunity for the population should be in sight. A quick slight of hand and suddenly even those that had survived a bout of Covid-19 were pressed to be vaccinated, a show of community caring after all. More trouble with "the Delta Variant". New cries of hysteria. If only, at least according to the CDC the remaining 35 million unvaccinated would get with the program, Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J could scrape that last few billions into the balance sheet before the EUA vaccines were scrapped for the new FDA "authorized for use" vaccines yet to be rolled out. Foiled again, 70% protected and no herd immunity by September of 2021. Ooops again, more variants on the horizon, rumors that the vaccines may be only effective for six months, maybe only five months, and maybe even only two to four weeks. Quick, start talking about boosters, more shut downs, back to face masks, and social distancing, after all it has worked so well thus far…. And then the other shoe drops. By now we are all so twisted and turned around, even a trip in the spin dryer seems like a relatively mild experience. Everyone has forgotten that 75 million people were vaccinated before March. Are they still protected from the virus? Doesn't look like it, six months or more have gone by for them. Are we suddenly back to only 35% of the population being fully protected? Well maybe 40% if you include those with natural immunity. Are you confused yet? Probably most would be by now, so what is the scoop? Vaccinating an entire population in the US was a pipe dream at the outset, never mind the rest of the world. 70% borders on fantasy even for most first world nations. Unless people come back to earth, nothing going forward makes any sense. Because of the short efficacy period of the mRNA vaccines, people will loose immunity at the same rate as those being vaccinated with a booster. It will become an endless cycle of vaccination with no end in sight or result in going back to normal life. At least until most have either had the illness and are protected or the happy circumstance that enough have been vaccinated and herd immunity was reached. Not a particularly inviting scenario if the government mandates continue. Well, by golly, looks like yet another shoe has dropped, where did that come from? Seems that vaccines thought to be the golden ticket to normalcy, just might not be for many. Troubles in paradise as adverse reaction to vaccines mount in number and at a greater time lag from the final vaccination. Could be trouble for those who have already experienced the jab. Fortunately the numbers are small compared to vaccinations, but no long term studies were done on any of the current vaccines. Time will tell. Many are beginning to wonder what the booster will produce. Oh no, more vax hesitancy, and we were so close, well maybe not really that close at all. Still think personal health should be the government's choice?