Doesn't Getting From 50 to 55 to 60 Percent Feel Like a Telethon?

Why does the latest news about Covid vaccinations levels feel like something from a telethon or a PBS pledge drive?

Can you imagine Jerry Lewis doing this; first and foremost because mugging on camera would be totally inappropriate with something that’s killed over 3 million people worldwide, though in fairness to Lewis’ legacy, he did raise upwards of a billion of dollars for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (and I’m proud to have been one of the local people to have helped raise funds for that cause, for about a half dozen years).

But in place of Lewis, we now have politicians and entertainers, statures both large and small, constantly urging us to get vaccinated, everywhere we turn. Yes, a lot is riding on people getting vaccinated. And after reading what was said at Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s press conference last week, coupled with a story in the Detroit Free-Press today, it does seem like this “cause” has taken on a telethon or pledge drive like feel.

Here’s the paragraph that got me going on this tangent:

Michigan hit a new milestone Monday in the race to end the COVID-19 pandemic: 50% of residents ages 16 and older — about 4 million people — have gotten at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine. - Detroit Free-Press story.

That coupled with the Governor’s vaccination mileposts announced last week, and it begins to feel like a couple of smiling hosts on your TV are saying "with your and your family’s successful vaccination, we’ll reach this next level, and we’ll allow more people into restaurants...but if we can get four more people to get vaccinated, we’ll also let more people into Comerica Park (which this year is essentially meaningless, but if you’re a die-hard Michigan or Spartan fan, this could actually mean something.)

I saw something earlier today to the effect of the first 50% was easy. The second 50% (or twenty, to get us to the magic 70% mark) will be hard.

I think one thing we can all agree on, is we are ready for this to be over.

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