To be totally unscientific, I think that the fact that the variant is so catching and so mild will mean that there's a good chance that it will burn out. So many people will catch it and become immune to it (and the vaccines will help) that, within weeks, the virus will have nowhere to go. It may linger for ever in all our communities, but we will, one day, if we're sensible, not exactly laugh it off but at least learn to live, maskless, with it...

The advice from my county health department today:

The C.D.C. has recommended that even vaccinated people should wear a mask in all public indoor places in Tarrant County. This helps protect people who may be particularly vulnerable to the virus and also to prevent spread.

If you feel sick, you should stay home and get tested. If you were in close contact with someone with Covid-19, you should get tested three to five days after exposure. Until you get a negative test result, you can take extra precautions by wearing a mask in indoor public spaces and staying at least six feet apart from other people. If possible, consider also taking these precautions inside your home. If you cannot get tested, it’s safer to take these extra precautions for 14 days after exposure.

If you or someone in your household is older or has other risk factors for severe Covid-19, you may choose to wear a mask in public indoor spaces even when Covid transmission in your area is low. You may also consider upgrading to a close-fitting mask with good filtration, or wearing two close-fitting cloth masks. Regular handwashing also helps prevent the spread of Covid-19 and other diseases.

It's only Wednesday but already three friends' households this week have informed me that they have COVID. I wasn't in contact with any of them, but this is rapidly becoming widespread. It's time to stay close to home for a while.

Dallas County, directly to the east in this conurbation, has declared itself to be Code Red as of today.