The 'at some point' is when people have all had a shot at getting the shot, which is what they're saying.
Agreed. But the quote provided didn't really say that. It just said, "nope, other people can still get sick." My point is the messaging has been terrible from the start and continues to be so. Instead of focusing on the end game, we have been strung along and even told this is "the new normal." That is a terrible way to sell compliance.
Even the article says we may return to normal in late 2021, but it has a "big asterisk" - 75% need to get vaccinated or "no normal for you!" I take huge issue with that. It shouldn't be when people decide to get vaccinated, it should be when they have the choice to get vaccinated. Beyond that, society doesn't owe those who don't get vaccinated permanent isolation. And yes, I understand some people can't get vaccinated. But the right thing to do is sell the idea of vaccinations to the rest of us to protect them (just like for any flu season), not permanent isolation.
The likelihood is that for most of 2021 people should be expecting restrictions, particularly from agents like a cruise line where even a minor outbreak would represent a major regulatory issue for the company. It is going to be a significant while before everyone can realistically have had opportunity to receive the vaccine.
Utah thinks they will be in a position to offer the vaccine to everyone who wants it by early summer. Obviously, there is the issue of other countries not having pre-purchased millions of doses of vaccines, but speaking strictly of the U.S., if Utah can vaccinate everyone by summer, what is the hold up in other states?
What I don't think most timetables are accounting for is the huge percentage of people who will refuse it or want to wait. That means more available for those willing to take it.
As for cruising, if lines have mandatory vaccines, and vaccines are 95% effective, there is very little chance of an outbreak on a particular ship, let alone a large outbreak.
There needs to be more optimism for the return to normal in the not-too-distant future, or the experts are going to cause more and more people to give up and have the opposite effect of what they are trying to achieve. Every time good news comes out, they seem to jump up and say, "not so fast George Banks..." Would it hurt to focus more on the end game and how we can return to normal?