Less than half of the residents of Sturgis are vaccinated. About 650 COVID-19 cases were directly linked to last year's rally.
About 700,000 revelers are expected to attend the annual 10-day motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, set to begin Friday, despite concerns that this year could be no different than the last in its ability to turn into a super spreader event.
Less than half of the residents of Sturgis are vaccinated. Business owner Carole Fellner said she is planning to leave town.
Her concerns around the potential for such a gathering becoming a super spreader event are not unfounded.
About 650 COVID-19 cases were traced to riders who attended last year’s rally.
And more recently, the celebration of the Milwaukee Bucks’ NBA championship two weeks ago directly led to 500 COVID-19 cases, state officials said.
Dr. Anthony Fauci has said even more deadly variants of the virus may be coming, and that it’s possible the existing vaccinations may not be effective against them.
Some people who were vaccinated around six months ago are worried their immunity is on the wane and they’re looking to get booster shots, even though the CDC has said they’re not recommended yet.
Florida radio personality Bud Hedinger said he was vaccinated in January, but that a blood test has shown he no longer has enough antibodies.
“I was walking around thinking I was protected, and I wonder how many other people think that, somehow because they had shots months and months ago, everything is fine,” he told Inside Edition.
His doctor has given him and up to 40 other patients prescriptions for a third shot.
More than 200 million people worldwide have had COVID-19.
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