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Here is a brief weekly update from the RTA business coalition – the voice of the regional business community on transportation.

3 Vs for pandemic victory — let’s get moving
The past 18 months have clearly been challenging for our region, and for America and the world. While we have made good progress as a nation, the pandemic isn’t over, and indeed has given rise to updated guidance from the CDC and our governor.

This week’s blog elevates 3 practices we can focus on given our present situation. Let’s call them the 3 “Vs” — vaccination, ventilation, and velocity — that can help achieve victory over the pandemic.

First and foremost, by far:  Vaccination. The vaccines have proven to be remarkably effective at preventing infection — even against the variants. Plus, vaccinated people are far less likely to be infected to begin with, and they are also less likely to spread infection from a breakthrough case than from someone who is not vaccinated. The success of the coronavirus vaccines may be among the most remarkable technological achievements of our lifetime.

Second:  Ventilation. It has been apparent for more than a year that, short of vaccination itself, being outside was the best way to minimize both viral exposure and viral load. To that point, I had made al fresco dining my mainstay since last spring. While outside is ideal, there is another way to achieve helpful ventilation:  bring the outside in. RTA Regional Leadership Team member The Umstead Hotel and Spa provides an outstanding, 5-star example of doing just that, as they bring in 95% fresh (i.e., outside) make-up air into the building’s HVAC system as needed. 

Third:  Velocity. This simply means that movement is very helpful, while staying still or lingering in any indoor place for any period of time, all things being equal, adds risk — particularly given the higher transmissibility of the new variants.  So let’s get moving, and keep moving. Or, if you are going to linger in a particular location, do so outside where possible. Either way, the benefit of velocity or movement is that you control the situation, and thus the public health mitigation measure.

The 3 Vs can complement and amplify the 3 Ws. We have been dealing with the 3 “Ws” for over a year, and they can and will continue, as I note in this week’s blog. Of course, getting vaccinated, and staying outside where possible, will do even more.

If you already have been vaccinated, thank you — the affirmative decision to get vaccinated remains the most important step any individual can do to protect countless others (and themselves) and help America get this pandemic over with as soon as possible. 

3 Vs for pandemic victory.  So there you have it. These 3 Vs — vaccination, ventilation, and velocity — together can help achieve victory over the pandemic. The first V, vaccination, continues to be the most important; I believe that full FDA approval will increase vaccine uptake, along with validating and vitalizing others about the opportunity to serve their nation by getting inoculated.

Let’s get moving (and vaccinated), and let’s get this pandemic over with.

Joe Milazzo II, PE
RTA Executive Director

Click here for the full blog post on the 3 Vs framework on our website.

You can also visit this LinkedIn post to discuss and share the 3 Vs approach.

Click here for prior RTA Member Briefings and RTA Blogs.