Note: Lamar has added 50 cases of COVID since this story was written. COVID-19 cases, driven by the Delta variant, are reemerging in Lamar County, much to the chagrin of public health officials. Though not yet dire, the situation bears observing. ’I hate to tell you this but we are seeing the Delta variant here in Lamar County. The numbers are going up. We have seen vaccinated people who have tested positive for COVID. I would urge you to be cautious and wear a mask when in public places,’ Sherry Farr, nurse manager of the local health department told the Barnesville Rotary Club July 27. In the month of April, Lamar recorded 49 new COVID cases and two deaths. In May, the community suffered 23 new cases and one death. In June, only five new cases and one fatality were reported here. During July, there were no new deaths but new COVID cases for the month jumped back up to 58. Last month, The Herald Gazette appealed to readers to answer four questions about their experience with COVID. Of the respondents, just under 60% had not contracted the virus. Two respondents had lost family members to the disease – one a brother-in-law and one a cousin. Several had lost friends. One reader, Randy Vining, blamed the vaccine for killing his father. ‘My Dad died three days after his first shot,’ Vining said. The respondents were about evenly split on vaccinations and opinions were divided on their effectiveness. Jere Moore was among the unvaccinated. ‘Those injections are not vaccines, do not bring about immunity and have not been properly tested. Smart people do not volunteer to be lab rats for for-profit companies,’ Moore wrote. Kathy Anthony also has not been vaccinated. ‘It’s too soon. I just don’t trust it yet,’ Anthony said. Another reader, who gave his name as Trent, has also avoided the shots. ‘The vaccine in poison. It is 99.9% graphene oxide,’ he alleged. Robert Warren agreed. ‘I am not a vaccine person. If our government is for it, I am usually against it. I do not trust government,’ Warren wrote. Vining is also among the unvaccinated. ‘Neither I nor my wife have taken the vaccine that has not been approved by the FDA,’ noted Vining, citing his father’s death as proof of severe side effects. Bob Murdy was on the other side of the argument. ‘I was first in line to sign up for the vaccine as soon as my age group was approved. I firmly believe vaccinations are important to eradicate this deadly disease and I very much dislike anyone who claims the vaccines are an attempt by the government to install tracking chips in us,’ Murdy said. Laura Hayes is also among the vaccinated. ‘I felt that, at my age, it was the right thing to do,’ Hayes said. Masks and mask requirements touched a raw nerve with those who responded. Only Murdy still wears a mask when he goes out in public and claims he will continue to do so until 50% of Georgians are vaccinate. ‘When we hit 50% then I will feel okay about going maskless. I still wash down anything I bring home. I carry hand sanitizer with me and, when we were in quarantine, I followed the rules and stayed in,’ Murdy said. Moore reported he goes without a mask, citing their ineffectiveness and the dangers of wearing them. Warren was more vocal. ‘I have never worn a mask unless I was in a business that required it. Masks are a typical CDC/governmental scare tactic. Why should any citizen do what any Biden-led administration recommends? He is senile,’ Warren said. ’My wife and I have never worn masks and never will. My wife is a nurse and we know that masks do little or nothing to stop the spread of this virus,’ Vining added. Carla Beckom had a sound reason for not wearing face coverings. She and her husband have both had the virus. ‘I think we have achieved full immunity from both having the virus and being fully vaccinated,’ she said. Though the topic was not included in the survey, those who wear masks while alone outside or in their vehicles drew a lot of criticism. One unidentified respondent summed up the sentiment, saying, ‘I mean, really. What is wrong with those people?’
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