Should We Go, or Should We Stay?

Hi all. My husband and I, and our two friends are scheduled to be at Cocolapalm Feb. 4-15, and now we're starting to think that maybe we should cancel AGAIN... We are getting worried about the possibility of having to stay in quarantine if we test positive, but most of all, we're worried that it just "won't be the same" as it always has been.

We want to be in Negril when we can HAVE FUN - with no limitations. Negril is our get-away haven, and we dream about being on the beach, with venders bringing us the most wonderful food, walking the beach, stopping for a drink and listening to music wherever we feel like. We don't want to be having to put our masks on every time we stop for a drink, or to have some of the establishments closed, or out of stock, etc. Can anyone let me know what the experience is like being there now? Is everything open, are the vendors walking the beach, is there plenty of live music? What type of sacrifices will be need to make to be in our special place during the time of Covid? Thanks for sharing your experiences.

I know you understand what is happening in the world, thus your question. A smart but very eccentric man once said that the only guaranteed things in life are death and taxes. Both those kinda suck, so let's not worry about guarantees.

You want "Negril is our get-away haven, and we dream about being on the beach, with venders bringing us the most wonderful food, walking the beach, stopping for a drink and listening to music wherever we feel like."

All of this is available today! I see Norman the Patty Man on the beach beach everyday, along with walk-a-by fruit, juice, hats, woven ware vendors. They need to earn a living and are more than happy to provide you with what you need.

Live music is a bit harder to find at the moment. Drifters is still jamming and Roots Bamboo starts earlier. But every bar will have music playing. Please respect the curfew hours, currently 10pm. By February I expect it to be much later.

Any beach establishment is an outdoor place of business which makes the wearing of masks not very effective in any form of prevention of Covid, or a cold for that matter.

But, if you go shopping in HiLo or any indoor business, not wearing a mask is disrespectful, unhealthy and simply not a smart thing to do.

There are less than a handful of indoor air conditioned bars and restaurants in Negril, so avoiding them is incredibly easy should the masking thing be that important to you.

I am so used to it that I chin mask virtually everywhere while eating or drinking, and I have caught myself wearing a mask in my car, with me the only one in it. Talk about a waste of effort....

Since even Pfizer is now recommending 4 shots (money grab?), it would seem masks in tight, sealed, indoor, air conditioned places seem to be our best protection.

Because of the pandemic, Negril nor any place on the planet cannot be exactly the same as pre-pandemic times.

But if you would be satisfied with a 90%+ experience of your expectations, you will be more than satisfied.

And remember that on a good day Negril has about 40% of pre pandemic level of tourism, you will experience a Negril that only people who visited in the pre-90's time ever saw.

You have the chance to experience Negril the way that can only be read in history books.

No matter your decision, we all hope to see you in future, whenever that may be.

Everyone must make the choice they are comfortable with but I totally agree with Rob. For us waiting 2 or 3 years to return was not an option. We recently completed our 4th visit since the start of the pandemic and return again in a few weeks. Things are not as they were anywhere in the world. We personally feel the few restrictions we must put up with are actually a positive. They are what make us feel so safe while there. There is entertainment, bars and restaurants are open and restrictions are minimal. Some restaurants will take your temperature when you arrive and request you were a mask when not seated at your table. But honestly there are less and less that are actually doing that.
If you feel safe traveling I say go! There is enough “normal” there that you will find enough of what you are looking for.

Great comments. We are booked for the end of January and well into February. It is hard to know what to do. Seems like news reports change everyday on the virus. Sounds like a slow time in Negril right now. We have been in Negril in December around the Reggae marathon time, and it was always busy. Plus, the Christmas lights at Coco La Palm were always a bonus. We are relatively newbies {2006} 21 trips, but like Rob said, it's a way to experience Negril pre-90's. I'm all in! As far as tourism goes, there must be something going in the country as a whole, because I know a guy*, who is really smart, and he's been monitoring the amount of flights arriving in Montego Bay daily. He said there were 50 flights today. Club-Mobay is sold out alot etc. So, there are folks going to Jamaica right now, which is good news. Spreading out all over the country mon'. I guess we need to be positive {not the co-vid test!}, stay calm, have an open mind. roll with the flow. Smile often. Be respectful. One love. Irie. Thanks to *Fargoman. 20 below zero predicted for Fargo . 84 in Negril? Happy New Year!

We are heading down at end of January -- and really hope we will be able to make it.

Omicron is most certainly in Jamaica. It's just too prevalent now where the majority of tourists come from.

There are too many leaks in the system:

• no mandatory vaccinations for tourists.
• tests up to 72 hours before arrival mean more opportunity for virus to be contracted post test.
• the fact that rapid antigen tests are allowed, and the higher number of false negatives from those tests -- especially in the early stages of infection when the viral loads are increasing.

But as Rob says (using different words), I still expect being in Negril to be more pleasant than not being in Negril. Will it be the same as previous trips for us? No, but I expect it to be great, especially after not going last year!

I'm not going to Jamaica to pretend the pandemic doesn't exist. It's a reality. I will still know it exists and try to stay safe, and (more importantly) do my part in helping others stay safe.

I'm hoping to see the required protocols, where required!

Together with two other couples, my husband and I are also planning to be in Negril from February 5-26.
We know the experience will be different from past years, but it will still be a lot warmer than where we're from which is Winnipeg. We will still be able to be outdoors most of the time, enjoying the ocean and cliffs. We will still have many of the experiences we've had in the past: Long walks on the beach, relaxing with a book before happy hour and a sunset, enjoying delicious Jamaican food.
We may not stop at Henry's souvenir hut due to unsureness of his vaccination status. We will definitely mask when we buy fruit from Precious (aka Cortis) or get a patty from whoever is selling these days... Norman? We will mask up for our own protection and out of respect for others. It will be different, but worth it, as we have not been to this beloved place for four years, and we really miss it. The alternative is to stay indoors in Winnipeg until the winter is over, and we are not keen for that.
Having said all that, one of the couples to join us has decided to bail out. He has a heart problem and is unsure if he could ever get the insurance needed. So they won't be joining us. We will be watching the state of the world for the next few weeks. If we feel it's unsafe, we will cancel our plans. But at this time we are fully on board to travel. In fact, I hope I get omicron now and get it over with. Omicron is Russian roulette… Most survive but not everyone. Will I be the one?
I can't live in fear, and I have to have a certain trust in the universe, God, or whatever higher power you choose to associate with.
These are just my four cents worth.
Maybe we'll see you on the beach!

I am not so sure going there now and expecting it quiet is going to happen... which being busy is a good thing for the Jamaican economy. Cocolapalm is sold out for several periods of time including right now. I was looking at their livestream yesterday and it looked packed and I know other places are sold out too. Negril is coming back and I can't wait for next week to experience the "old Negril" once again...right around 50 flights a day is amazing.

I want to thank everyone who has piped in on this thread. It is really helpful, and absolutely true! There is nowhere "like" Negril anywhere in the world, even now in the time of Covid. I'll be encouraging my husband to make the jump so we can enjoy our special oasis, even now!

Canadacan - I am Canadian and am booked for Feb 24th to April 23rd. Two years is LONG enough to wait.

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Originally Posted by ThePachenas

We are heading down at end of January -- and really hope we will be able to make it.

Omicron is most certainly in Jamaica. It's just too prevalent now where the majority of tourists come from.

There are too many leaks in the system:

• no mandatory vaccinations for tourists.
• tests up to 72 hours before arrival mean more opportunity for virus to be contracted post test.
• the fact that rapid antigen tests are allowed, and the higher number of false negatives from those tests -- especially in the early stages of infection when the viral loads are increasing.

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We were planning to be there January 9 to 28 but..... I have to agree. There are too many leaks in the system. I would hate to arrive in Negril to find out I have been infected on our way in. The fact that our flight was modified from a non-stop from Ottawa to MoBay to include a stop-over in Toronto made me feel even more uncomfortable. Also the latest advice from the Gov't of Canada is to "Avoid non-essential travel outside of Canada until further notice."
In November we had the impression we were getting near the end of this pandemic but now I feel we have gone back to December 2020.
So, it was a VERY hard decision but we canceled yesterday. Not that our heart didn't want to go but our head won that debate. That's me but everyone decides what's good for them.

We are scheduled 1/10-1/28 and are going! After getting canceled last year we will never get last year back. If you are vaccinated there is nothing to worry about.

Go and enjoy! Life is short. Have fun! We visited Negril in August and had a blast!! The China *virus* did not put a damper on out time in Paradise. Can't wait to go back :eagerness:

We also visited in August when curfew was 7 or 8 pm (i don't really remember because it seems like years ago already.) If you are vaxed (& boosted now), wear your mask and mind your distance the locals do a great job with temp checks, number limits etc. We mostly chilled at the pool until cocktails and dinner. The beach is also wide open (like the 80's). We took a deep breath and proceeded with our trip just as the island was beginning to get the vaccine. We had a great time and got to see all our friends. Take care and you can too.

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Originally Posted by claytr

If you are vaccinated there is nothing to worry about.

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That statement is dangerous misinformation. It's simply not true,

And remember, the country you are going to has a very low vaccination rates, so following required protocols i still absolutely essential.

We are scheduled for 1/12 - 1/28 and still on the fence. We are planning to make the decision early next week, based on the numbers in Negril. We have begun "quarantining" here at home in Illinois, changed our NYE plans to stay at home. (The concert we were planning to go to got cancelled anyway) . We are vaxed and boosted, and we are planning to be very careful the next 2 weeks so that we can go. But, if the numbers are shooting up in Negril, we may again postpone.

And thanks to everyone for sharing the different perspectives.

I was in Negril for 11 days in November and December. The only time I was around people info was the airport and plane , which people were masked up. Once in Negril I had plenty of space to myself. I will be back feb 4 th in Negril then out to Zimbali . Do what you feel in your heart . Negril is alive again. I hope your family stays healthy against this nasty virus.

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Originally Posted by Jaherring

Go and enjoy! Life is short. Have fun! We visited Negril in August and had a blast!! The China *virus* did not put a damper on out time in Paradise. Can't wait to go back :eagerness:

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The proper term is COVID-19. The term you used to refer to the virus is racist and extremely offensive.

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Originally Posted by ThePachenas

The proper term is COVID-19. The term you used to refer to the virus is racist and extremely offensive.

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I think the word that you are thinking of xenophobic.

China is a country, not a race. Many races make up the billions of people in China.

If it was called the US flu, which race would that be?

It can be considered offensive even though historically flus have been named for the country of origin, Spanish flu, Hong Kong flu and the Plague of Justinian named after an actual person. There are also the Russian, Italian, Mexican, Naples plagues that were more localized. Patient Zero for Covid was from China, specifically Wuhan.

Offensive, yes, quite probably but not without precedent. Racist? Nope, but most definitely xenophobic in the woke age of the 2020's...

No words. Just facts
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Originally Posted by MarieD

No words. Just facts
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Without an equal comparison of the Canadian new cases and deaths, the facts seem to be "cherry picked" for lack of a better term. We have only been given one side of the facts.

If the vaccination rate is an important figure, why is Canada suggesting no non essential travel to anywhere? And reinstituting more business limitations?

Why is Pfizer saying that triple vaccination will not prevent Omicron? And of course wants everyone to get a 4th jab.

A wise man once said there are lies, damn lies and statistics.

Words for thought....

Regarding post #18.

Rob, with ties to Ohio, I thought you'd mention the Norovirus, which had it's most recent outbreak in July, 2021. It was named after the town of Norwalk, Ohio back in 1929. I've never looked at those people the same since I learned that. (That's sarcasm people.) Useless information, I know.

Norwalk is on the map for a flu! Woohoo!

As we discussed, it should be apparent if Omicron is on the island. Today's numbers seem to confirm that it is.

Since Christmas Day, the daily case percentages have all been over the prior below 10% levels. The numbers for yesterday show a new increase to 32.5% testing positive with 365 new cases.

Interestingly, the hospitalizations are exactly where they were on Christmas Day at 97. With over 1100 new cases detected since Christmas, the number of hospitalizations have remained the same. This would follow the Omicron tendencies.

For those curious, out of the 365 cases reported yesterday only 2 came from Westmoreland, the parish where Negril is located. The Resilient Corridor seems to be doing its job as 293 cases came from the Kingston/St. Andrew area, not a part of the Corridor.

Those numbers make sense as virtually everywhere you visit
in Negril is outdoors while most everything in Kingston is indoors and air conditioned.

As for a little observational on the ground reporting, around two weeks ago a "cold" swept through Negril causing Panadol Multi Symptom and vitamin C and zinc to fly out of the pharmacies. No one thought to be tested as the symptoms were cold like and passed quickly.

Being out yesterday no one is complaining of the "cold", which is a good sign.

With the timing, it could very well be that Omicron has come and gone through Negril, which along with our high vaccination rate because of the Resilient Corridor protocols could leave the community with the "super immunity" which is one of Omicron's silver linings.

With nearly everyone having the same symptoms at the same time may be more than a coincidence.

Vitamin D also plays an important part of our immune system especially against Covid and Omicron. And since the sun manufacturers vitamin D in our bodies, being in the Jamaican sun every time you go anywhere should be a positive in minimizing Omicron.

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Originally Posted by MarieD

No words. Just facts
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And here in the good old USA ... we are just 62% fully vaccinated. Why is that ?

And Rob, would you mind sharing your sources, where do you look for your data locally ?

Is it here? : https://www.moh.gov.jm/updates/coronavirus/

THANKS !

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Originally Posted by pberman123

And here in the good old USA ... we are just 62% fully vaccinated. Why is that ?

And Rob, would you mind sharing your sources, where do you look for your data locally ?

Is it here? : https://www.moh.gov.jm/updates/coronavirus/

THANKS !

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For the Jamaica numbers, I simply go to https://www.moh.gov.jm/

Click on the today's link or search for any date you want. For a real shock, search August 26, 2021.

Makes this look like nothing, which it does seem to be turning out to be.

I use numerous other sites from South Africa, the UK and Australia to get a balanced perspective.

I pay no attention to celebrity doctors as with most "news media" sources, a house NOT burning down is not news worthy.

What is that old media line, "if it bleeds it leads"....

"Since even Pfizer is now recommending 4 shots (money grab?)"

just a reminder that big mean greedy horrible evil pharma is the only reason we can travel AT ALL. last year at this time, we were desperate for a life-saving vaccine, and now that we have a few of them we can resume spending our time and energy bashing the drug companies, instead of worrying about being put on a ventilator or dying. Also, I see on social media that many are relying on the 'blood of Jesus' to protect them from the virus. I haven't seen the clinical trial data on that, but it doesn't appear to be any more effective than 'supplements' or ivermectin. However, if you're more concerned about pharma profits than you are about the pandemic and it's economic, and social costs, you do have other alternatives.

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Originally Posted by Rob

For the Jamaica numbers, I simply go to https://www.moh.gov.jm/

Click on the today's link or search for any date you want. For a real shock, search August 26, 2021.

Makes this look like nothing, which it does seem to be turning out to be.

I use numerous other sites from South Africa, the UK and Australia to get a balanced perspective.

I pay no attention to celebrity doctors as with most "news media" sources, a house NOT burning down is not news worthy.

What is that old media line, "if it bleeds it leads"....

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Thanks for the info.

In case anyone is interested ,

We think this guy , Osterholm, is a good source.

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/podcasts-webinars

ChipS,

I am fully vaccinated. I am 61 with underlying conditions. When the vaccines came out, everyone was told that things were going to go back to normal. No masks, restaurants and bars open and international travel resumed. That has not been the case. Travel to South Africa was recently banned.

A vaccine, by definition, is to provide immunity against one or several diseases. None of the vaccines did this, but acted as a therapeutic to alleviate the symptoms. The concept of a "vaccine" was oversold. They are therapeutics at best.

If Pfizer admits three jabs will not stop Omicron, logically, why would a fourth? Where is the scientific data?

The "vaccine" therapeutics are an amazing advancement for future treatments, but when was any long term, or even short term studies done on receiving a fourth jab? Point me to that research otherwise I will follow actual science and call Pfizer for doing nothing more than a money grab.

From very simple logic, if three jabs gives you zero prevention against Omicron according to Pfizer, then adding a fourth with no long or short term studies done would be a best guess, at best.

The original tests were done based on two jabs with no long term studies. They are now wanting to double the amount of therapeutics entering your body, with absolutely no studies possible at all since the scientific community didn't take the South African results as serious until very recently.

Thank Jah I never wasted my time on "social media" reading about the blood of anyone. Friggin FB....

Stay safe man! Everyone stay safe.

Here's sumting I've been thinking about for a while.....while we are all in Negril during our times, why don't we all just Frolic more in the ocean? I looked up frolic in the dictionary. "To play merry pranks. Joyous merry-making! Frisky! ". First off, it would be a good social-distancing practice. BIG ocean! Great exercise {good for us...right?} FUN! Smiles! Happy! ....Just my 2 cents worth, 18 below zero. Staying home. Hope you all in Negril right now are having a great New Year's Eve! *Disclaimer...while frolicking in the ocean, don't step on a black sea urchin.

I'm still happy to have this 'therapeutic' vs nothing that we had a couple of years ago. You can downplay the efficacy of the vaccine...uh, er... sorry - using WHO and CDC terminology here ... I mean 'therapeutic' since it doesn't prevent every single infection; however, if you look at graphs showing the numbers hospitalized in the ICU and dying, the numbers are CLEARLY in favor of the 'therapeutics'. At my local hospital (Duke), 100% of the patients hospitalized with COVID are unvaccinated.

I agree that we should follow the science and if the science doesn't point to the need for a 4th booster, then they shouldn't push it. I don't know where things stand with Pfizer, however, Moderna has shown that a 3rd shot provides additional protection against omicron compared to only 2 shots (again, not 100% so I guess that would be considered by some to be a failed 'vaccine'), so at least for Moderna, additional shots do seem to provide additional therapeutic benefit. Boosters are nothing new, and additional shots DO provide an additional immune response, which might be helpful in reducing severity. We'll see what the studies show.

Thanks to these 'therapeutics' we're in a better place than where we were this time last year, and for that, I remain grateful.

As am I grateful, as I said, I am fully vaxed. An interesting study that if you are not already aware of is that a booster of the J&J (based on the most recent data we have from the origin of Omicron in South Africa) is more effective than a booster of Pfizer against Omicron. T-cell counts drastically improve.

Pfizer suggesting a 4th jab seems to have no scientific basis whatsoever. The only real data we have is from South Africa. For Pfizer to suggest a 4th jab without having data to prove its benefit, while it might work, it will most certainly put more money in their pockets. Governments, as in we, the people, are paying for the free jabs.

Obviously some of the resistance to the "vaccines" come from the fact that there have been so many public "breakthrough" cases (more than one would believe from an actual "vaccine"), and with Omicron even triple vaxxed are testing positive although having milder symptoms. So as a vaccine, they are not doing what a vaccine is supposed to do.

Had the global public been told from the outset that the jab was not a vaccine but something to lessen the symptoms, hospitalizations and dying and that Covid would be with us until global herd immunity was reached from actually becoming infected, I think more people would have understood just how important the jabs would be in saving their lives and ending the pandemic and taken the shot(s).

But as I have said, it wasn't sold to the public as a therapeutic but as a vaccine cure so we could all go about our previously normal lives. People are not stupid, but when they are lied to by those in authority that should know better, they end up not trusting what they are hearing even from the experts.

This practically goes back to the boy who cried wolf fable, when you are lied to enough, you don't even believe it when it is true.

Rob, I don't mean to start a fight about this, but you're mistaken about vaccines in general and the COVID-19 ones in particular. Before vaccines are approved, the clinical studies assess the effectiveness (aka efficacy) as well as the safety; few if any vaccines are 100% effective. Smallpox vaccine, the gold standard for vaccine effectiveness, is 95%; measles is 93% for one dose and 97% for two. Vaccines work in two ways, the prophylactic effect (preventing disease symptoms by stimulating the immune system's production of antibodies), and the therapeutic effect (reducing disease symptoms by preparing the immune system to produce T cells rapidly upon infection). During the clinical trials, the effectiveness of the various COVID-19 contenders was widely reported, and you can look that up. One dose of J&J was more effective than one dose of Moderna or Pfizer, which is why the standard for the latter two was set at two doses to start with. Also, most vaccines (and the body's own immune responses) are not forever, partly because of our own immune systems and partly because antigens vary and evolve. For example, once you've had chickenpox, you are nominally immune to it, but the chickenpox virus remains in your system and can express itself later in life as shingles, which is why the older population is encouraged to get a shingles vaccine to bump up the immune response to it for 4 years.

A discussion doesn't have to end up being a fight but it often is a good way to learn.

I don't think I am mistaken, but I do know that the definition of a vaccine has been changing since Covid started.

Older definitions stated things like, "a substance used to stimulate the production of antibodies and provide immunity against one or several diseases" or "any preparation used as a preventive inoculation to confer immunity against a specific disease".

This is what the word vaccine means to most of the people in the world. The current definition, updated by the CDC on September 1, 2021 and the WHO on August 30, 2021 changed the word immunity to protection. Here is the search source so anyone can check it:

https://www.bing.com/search?q=defini...T003&scope=web

The current Covid vaccines are still listed as approved on an emergency basis and have been since December 2020. They have not been through the rigorous, lengthy clinical trials that all the other vaccines you mentioned were made to go through. They are still on "Emergency Use Authorization" by the "Thorough Evaluation of Available Safety, Effectiveness, and Manufacturing Quality Information by FDA Career Scientists, Input from Independent Experts". This is not how the other vaccines you mentioned were granted approval.

I am far from an anti-vaxxer, I am fully vaccinated. But the truth is that the promise of the Covid vaccines were over sold. From the Washington Post article November 2020:

"A vaccine won't be available immediately for everybody," says Arthur Reingold, a professor of epidemiology at the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley. He also chairs California's COVID-19 Scientific Safety Review Workgroup, which will evaluate the safety and efficacy of covid-19 vaccines.

“It probably will take four to six months,” he says. “What that says to me is that people will have to keep wearing masks at least until spring. We won’t be in a magically different situation by February or March. I don’t see how that can possibly happen.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/healt...bc9_story.html

This is what the world was being told by the same scientific community that approved the Covid vaccines for emergency use.

Add this to the common belief that vaccines offer immunity and it is not hard to tell why people question the vaccines and the experts that promote them.

And smallpox has been completely eliminated by the vaccine. 100%

From the BBC:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources...3-a4568e161c4f

Amazing results like this also led people to the false belief that the Covid vaccines would prevent Covid.

Good discussion.

My point is that no vaccine gives 100% immunity. The elimination of smallpox was made possible by the development of a vaccine that was 90% effective, in combination with developed long-term immunity by those who survived it. Note that "immunity" doesn't mean there's an invisible force field keeping a virus away from you, but that when a virus gets into you, the multiple layers of your immune system are able to deal with it without you getting sick, or very sick.

Smallpox was eliminated because (1) the virus - antigen - that causes it is a relatively easy one that doesn't mutate very rapidly and once your immune system recognizes it, the response is long-lasting; (2) a vaccine was developed that would alert the immune system against the antigen in 90% of the vaccinated population; and (3) a global effort was made in the late 1960's (nominally begun in 1959 but dramatically ramped up in 1967) to not only vaccinate everyone but to aggressively contact trace and isolate infected and exposed individuals in every country worldwide. This effort took about 10 years.

I think people used to understand this, and accept it. When I was a kid, the health services would formally quarantine families where there was a case of mumps. This meant that they put up "QUARANTINE" signs on your house, and the family was really locked down - no trips to the grocery store, no "essential worker" exceptions, etc. In combination with the MMR vaccines which confer about 85% protection, mumps has now become fairly rare, at least among the vaccinated.

The word "antibody" has been in use since before we knew what the things we now call "antibodies" are. The immune system has multiple layers, and the definition of "antibody" has narrowed from "something in the blood stream that attacks the antigen" to a rather precise chemical definition, and the existence and role of T cells, which attack infected cells rather than the antigen, has become more understood. A lot of this came in the 1990's as part of HIV/AIDS research. That's a large part of the reason the definitions had to change: it turns out that people with long-term immunity to a disease might have low antibodies against the disease, but heightened T cell response, or there's more going on with our immune systems than we understand at present (definitely true!).

At present, we in the US lack the public spirit and will to really isolate infected people; AIDS was a large part of the reason for that, as isolating was the same as "coming out" and we as a society shifted to thinking that telling people you had a transmissible disease was optional on your part.

One thing that has changed dramatically is that as far as I can tell, the "medical community" you cite really doesn't exist, because in the Internet era, politics completely dominate. By this I don't mean Democrat/Republican or Conservative/Liberal, but "if I agree with someone, I can rebroadcast his information or disinformation to everyone and Facebook will help me do it if I express outrage". "Dr, Oz says...". You yourself shared a BBC link that was written "By the Visual Journalism Team" and includes no references; while I am not saying anything in that article is wrong, generalizations such as these are designed to attract clicks, to have attractive visuals, and to be easy to read, but it is very difficult to fact check them. There have been a huge number of supposedly authoritative postings by "X who is a real doctor" during the past two years that are intended to play into the current tribal political situation rather than actually convey information. The CDC itself became much more political, and while I continue to think that the bulk of the researchers who work there are dedicated scientists, their number and funding were reduced and the actions and public statements by those at the top have been dubious at best. Redfield's term as the CDC Director certainly was a failure. But I'm not sure anyone could succeed in an environment where anyone claiming that bleach, or ivermectin, or zinc, or nasal douches, or vitamin C, or, or, or... gets an immediate large viewing audience.

The only reason I added the BBC link was it was the first place I found a reference to smallpox being eradicated. And also in the attractive visual showing where we are with measles, I am included in that 1968 "bubble" that is shown. I was allergic to the measles vaccine. But there was no quarantine sign nor did any of my vaccinated 6 siblings get it. Measles suck...

And the medical community I am referring to are the ones cited by the CDC, the "FDA Career Scientists, Input from Independent Experts".

With some 3000 new positive cases island wide in the last 5 days, there has only been 30 new hospitalizations. So that is good news of a hospitalization rate of 1%. Similar to regular respiratory viral infection hospitalization rates pre-Covid based on 2017-2018.

This closely follows the South African experience with Omicron, and we may be looking at the end of this pandemic as we have known it.

Keep your fingers crossed, knock on wood, pray, GET VAXXED....

For those curious, the parish of Westmoreland where Negril is located has had 65 new cases of the 3000. The Resilient Corridor must be working as the average number of cases per parish should be over 200.

As much as it pains me, I am going to keep politics out of this response. I will simply state that I just returned last night from a phenomenal week at the Beach House Condos (my 7th trip there). Last year, we bailed at the very last second and ended up having to unpack. I would not wish that on anyone. This year, there are a lot less unknowns with the virus. From what I can tell, Rob clearly has taken the time to research information on his own (as opposed to having it fed to him by twitter and Facebook) and is doing his best to get people to think critically and not succumb to panic.
Everyone is different but personally, I was more afraid of covid killing my vacation than I was of it killing me. We were tested on Christmas Eve and when we got our negative results, we packed. The beach seemed a little less crowded than previous trips but still very vibrant. If anything, there may have been less higglers than before but the regular vendors (pork, lobster, coco bread, fruit, juice) were out in force. I love explaining to people that have never been to Negril than you can get up in the morning and go to the beach and within an hour have jerk pork, followed by coco bread and washed down with fresh squeezed juice without leaving your beach chair (unless you decide to stay at an AI). A Jamaican by the name of Dru opened up a little eating spot right next to the BHC and makes incredible patties. I had to get up out of my chair to order it but, he delivers it to you. We went out to eat at Ivan's and Kuyaba and the crowds were decent. New Year's eve was crazy spectacular, live music up and down the beach and lanterns and fireworks lit up the sky.
I think masks are just plain dumb and avoid them at all costs. The only time I was required was at Times Square and Hi-Lo. Both places took our temperature too which I was fine with especially at Hi-Lo because it's inside and there are more Jamaicans who probably haven't been tested. On Saturday, a nurse came to our balcony and tested and we had results in 15 minutes.
Sorry if that was long winded and not entirely deft of politics but I thought the topic of this thread was important and that a response from someone that just got back could help people to decide.

Ah how I’ve missed you guys! I too will refrain from inserting politics. Sorry Rob I know I got carried away last time.

Politics, especially US politics will be deleted on sight. This ain't FB and we strive for the truth over sensationalism.

Thanks for your insight LAX!

It’s too bad not all forums follow your policy Rob! You rock.