According to an algorithm developed but UT Southwestern, 21.5% of the population of the U.S. have been infected with COVID. I, and every member of my family, are included in that number. That is an estimate 71M people. According to USAFacts, 53% of our U.S. population have had at least one shot. 45% of the U.S. population have had both shots. If 50%, which I believe to be a high percentage, had COVID and got at least one vaccination, that means that over 63%+ of our population is protected by either antibodies or the vaccine. The facts are - we are very close to herd immunity. The statistics bear this out.
Now, let's review some other data.
1. If variants were going to make a big impact you would see a jump in infections and/or deaths. To date, that has not happened.
2. The CDC will not mention how protected people are that had COVID as they want everyone to get the vaccine. Early results from studies show antibodies, although perhaps low in the blood stream, are present in bone marrow meaning that after one year, maybe longer, you have the antibodies.
3. If you have had COVID or taken the vaccine, there is a less than a 1/2 of 1% chance you will get it a second time. AND, even if you do, there is no real evidence that it will be a severe or fatal case.
It is entirely possible that a new variant will come out and change things, but that has not happened, yet. The Delta variant (India) is now more than 10% of all cases in the U.S., but infections are not going up, hospitalizations are not going up and deaths are not going up. Those are the facts. Afraid they might? I get that, but don't start projecting. Just look at the facts.
It is over unless something changes the dynamic of this pandemic. Like it is today, it will be with us maybe for a long time, but nothing like it was in 2020 and early 2021.
By the way, I am 65 years old and my Dr. signed me up for the Plasma treatment. On my 5th day of infection, I had plasma with antibodies from other people put into my body. I left the treatment with a severe sore throat and fever. I woke up the next morning with no symptoms exceed extreme fatigue. For me, like Donald Trump, it worked like a miracle. The one thing about plasma, in order to have a chance to work it must be taken early in the infection cycle.