Do not get me wrong: I know what the CDC describes as the definition for fully vaccinated. However, this phrase has been utilized to encourage those who received the required number of vaccine doses to travel and see loved ones over the Thanksgiving holiday, even to congregate maskless indoors with relatives and friends who are also "fully vaccinated."
And wow, did they travel! Airlines logged their busiest days since early 2020, with the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) screening about 2.5 million people on the Sunday after Thanksgiving alone.
From November 22 through November 28, some 14.4 million people passed through TSA, more than double the amount from a year ago, pre-vaccines.
The statistics concern me. These travel records occurred prior to the announcement that the world is dealing with a new and potentially frightening variant, Omicron.
But thinking back for a moment, how many Thanksgiving passengers were past full efficacy of their vaccines? How many of them, believing themselves to be "fully vaccinated," might have had diminished immunity? Could they have been capable of serving as new vectors for coronavirus disease? If what has transpired in Israel, the UK, and European nations is a prelude to what will constitute our fifth COVID surge, then surely the definition of "fully vaccinated" should be examined and clarified by experts.
