Coronavirus

[MirrorMask]

The vaccine is no guarantee that you won't get at least some form of the virus.  On the other hand, no vaccine doesn't guarantee that you will get it either.  It's been over a year and I still haven't gotten it.  I don't get the flu shot either and haven't had the flu in over 30 years.  If the vaccine gives some people piece of mind, then whatever.  It isn't full proof.

The seatbelt is no guarantee that you won't die in a car accident. On the other hand, no seatbelt isn't guarantee that you will die either. It's a year that I'm driving without a seatbelt and I still haven't had an accident.

(And this isn't even a proper analogy because you not wearing a seatbelt affects only yourself, and not everyone else you come into contact with)

[Dublagent66]

The vaccine is no guarantee that you won't get at least some form of the virus.  On the other hand, no vaccine doesn't guarantee that you will get it either.  It's been over a year and I still haven't gotten it.  I don't get the flu shot either and haven't had the flu in over 30 years.  If the vaccine gives some people piece of mind, then whatever.  It isn't full proof.

The seatbelt is no guarantee that you won't die in a car accident. On the other hand, no seatbelt isn't guarantee that you will die either. It's a year that I'm driving without a seatbelt and I still haven't had an accident.

(And this isn't even a proper analogy because you not wearing a seatbelt affects only yourself, and not everyone else you come into contact with)

Yeah, you're right.  It isn't the proper analogy, so why even post it?  Apples and oranges.  I should've mentioned that I wear a mask every time I go out in public.  Maybe if I said the sky is blue, you can come up with an analogy to discredit that too. 

[Stadler]

I don't do it because I'm cool or enlightened, I do it because I'm a p***y and don't want to get sick.  But I wear a mask, I distance, and I stay home a lot.    I'm also like Lonestar, in that I would do a half-gainer onto the needle if given a chance.  I've been "joking" for a couple months now to anyone that will listen that "if anyone asks, I'm a 78 year old ER doctor with the dia-beetus who lives in a nursing home".   

But I also see the other side; I'm not a big one for pointing fingers and making fun of people who think differently than I do. I can understand the fear and trepidation of getting something shot inside you.  There are millions of people that don't eat food out of a box, or don't take certain medicines or whatever for their own reasons.  They are allowed to not do this.

I don't view vaccines like I do seatbelts (which I'm notoriously bad at wearing); I look at vaccines like abortions*.  We march to support the notion that a woman controls her own body and can make the decisions for her body that she sees fit.  I don't view vaccines any differently. 



* And for maybe 5 or 10 reasons, yes, abortions - or not - affect all of us.  This is just one of those reasons.

[Lonk]

Even though I've been eligible to get the vaccine for a few weeks, I did not start trying to get it until last week, and it has been pretty difficult to get an appointment.

Half of my coworkers have received the 1st dose (we all qualified because of the type of organization we work for). They all received the first dose because they live in The Bronx, NY, and qualified to get it at The Yankee Stadium. I am literally across the river from Yankee Stadium, but don't qualified because I live in Manhattan. Most places around me, mostly pharmacies, are following the initial guidelines of Health Care workers or 65 and older only (I don't fall under any of those).

Just have to keep trying until I find an appointment I guess.

[Dublagent66]

That's another reason I'm not getting the vaccine.  Many others need it more than I do.  I work full time from home and hardly ever go out.  So, for someone to imply that I'm not doing my part to protect myself and others by not getting the vaccine is bullshit.

[kirksnosehair]

My 76-year-old mom has now had her first covid vaccine shot thanks to my kid brother getting her in over at Gillette Stadium.   It's definitely a relief because she lives with me and Mrs. NoseHair and although she has her own private apartment on the first floor of our house, we do share some space including the laundry room on the first floor.  So we've been trying to stay away from her as much as possible.  I'm glad she's on her way to full vaccination now within 15 days

[jingle.boy]

The vaccine is no guarantee that you won't get at least some form of the virus.  On the other hand, no vaccine doesn't guarantee that you will get it either.  It's been over a year and I still haven't gotten it.  I don't get the flu shot either and haven't had the flu in over 30 years.  If the vaccine gives some people piece of mind, then whatever.  It isn't full proof.

The seatbelt is no guarantee that you won't die in a car accident. On the other hand, no seatbelt isn't guarantee that you will die either. It's a year that I'm driving without a seatbelt and I still haven't had an accident.

(And this isn't even a proper analogy because you not wearing a seatbelt affects only yourself, and not everyone else you come into contact with)

Yeah, you're right.  It isn't the proper analogy, so why even post it?  Apples and oranges. 

The flu shot is also an apples-oranges analogy, so why bring it up?  FWIW, I too have not gotten a flu shot in many many years.  I did get a flu a couple of times, but A) I didn't pass it on to anyone (that I know of), and B) I wasn't worried about my mortality from the flu.  If I was to catch COIVD, I would be completely worried about both of these things.

It's been over a year and I still haven't gotten it. 

And yet still, 110M people globally have; 28M Americans - roughly 8% of the US population.  I guess everyone is free to not do their part to get to the 'end' of a global pandemic. 

[Grappler]

The flu shot is also an apples-oranges analogy, so why bring it up?  FWIW, I too have not gotten a flu shot in many many years.  I did get a flu a couple of times, but A) I didn't pass it on to anyone (that I know of), and B) I wasn't worried about my mortality from the flu.  If I was to catch COIVD, I would be completely worried about both of these things.

I disagree. - there are people who are fearful of just the flu.  My uncle is HIV+.  My father in law is very immuno-compromised (Crohn's disease), with damaged kidneys and skin cancer issues that he deals with, in addition to gastro-intestional flare-ups). 

If either of them catches the flu, they could be hospitalized and/or even die because of their preexisting conditions.  It's not an apples-oranges scenario.  It might be to you, since you're not afraid of the flue, but not to others who can be severely hospitalized or killed by just a plain old flu virus. 

I get the flu shot simply because I would normally spend 3 hours per day commuting in public transportation, sealed in a train car with 50-100 other people in close proximity.  Many of them sniffle and cough their way through the winter months, rather than take a sick day.  I don't want to get sick and miss work or risk giving the flu to my kids (when they were babies it was really important to get the flu shot, since they didn't have strong immune systems yet).  The same goes for COVID.  it would be nice to know that I have some antibodies floating around in my body, just in case I get it.

[Dublagent66]

The vaccine is no guarantee that you won't get at least some form of the virus.  On the other hand, no vaccine doesn't guarantee that you will get it either.  It's been over a year and I still haven't gotten it.  I don't get the flu shot either and haven't had the flu in over 30 years.  If the vaccine gives some people piece of mind, then whatever.  It isn't full proof.

The seatbelt is no guarantee that you won't die in a car accident. On the other hand, no seatbelt isn't guarantee that you will die either. It's a year that I'm driving without a seatbelt and I still haven't had an accident.

(And this isn't even a proper analogy because you not wearing a seatbelt affects only yourself, and not everyone else you come into contact with)

Yeah, you're right.  It isn't the proper analogy, so why even post it?  Apples and oranges. 

The flu shot is also an apples-oranges analogy, so why bring it up?

Because they are both vaccines.  I'm not comparing a vaccine to a seatbelt.  I would expect most people to know the difference.

It's been over a year and I still haven't gotten it. 

And yet still, 110M people globally have; 28M Americans - roughly 8% of the US population.  I guess everyone is free to not do their part to get to the 'end' of a global pandemic.

Yeah, and maybe a lot of those people didn't take the necessary precautions and didn't follow guidelines.  I have been and that's why I haven't gotten it and also haven't been at risk of giving it to someone else.  I have been doing my part like I stated before if you bothered to read it.

[TAC]

risk giving the flu to my kids (when they were babies it was really important to get the flu shot,

This was the reason I started getting serious about getting the flu shot.  I may have missed only one or two years in the 20 I've been a parent.

[gmillerdrake]

I guess everyone is free to not do their part to get to the 'end' of a global pandemic.

This is really the single largest reason I chose to go ahead and get it. Honestly, I was on the fence. I've had Covid and I think in general for 'healthy' people who don't have some large underlying issue.....you're going to be just fine if you catch it and pass it like you would a bad case of the flu and so I was leaning on just passing on the chance and taking my chances in catching it again and just dealing with it.

BUT....if it takes me and my wife getting the shot to 'do our part' to help get this virus under control and get things back to 'normal' then I don't think it's a big ask. I just got my first shot (Pfzier) about an hour ago.....and unless I'm one of these extremely rare cases that drops dead in the next day or two from some sort of reaction to it I'll have my second shot on 3/10 and that'll be that.

It's baffling to me that getting a vaccine to end a pandemic has been politicized to the point of a really large percentage of the population not 'trusting' these vaccines. Especially based on the fact that the reason 'we' are living such long and fruitful lives in these modern times is directly attributed to large scale vaccinations.


I'm just curious to see if I have any side effects given that I've had Covid already? With antibodies most likely still in place I'm wondering how I'll feel over the next day or two.

[TAC]

It's baffling to me that getting a vaccine to end a pandemic has been politicized to the point of a really large percentage of the population not 'trusting' these vaccines.

Is it politicized? Or are these people just skeptical of a very quickly made vaccine. Some people are just skeptical to begin with.

Most of us have never had a brand new vaccine made in our lifetime. The vaccines we have are tried and tested, but not this one.

I'm not arguing Gary. I just think people are predisposed to not trust these kinds of things, but I don't view it as anything political.

[gmillerdrake]

It's baffling to me that getting a vaccine to end a pandemic has been politicized to the point of a really large percentage of the population not 'trusting' these vaccines.

Is it politicized? Or are these people just skeptical of a very quickly made vaccine. Some people are just skeptical to begin with.

Most of us have never had a brand new vaccine made in our lifetime. The vaccines we have are tried and tested, but not this one.

I'm not arguing Gary. I just think people are predisposed to not trust these kinds of things, but I don't view it as anything political.

I get that side of the argument but I personally thing a lot of the push back against the vaccine is politically motivated. At least that's the way I see it and have experienced it within my immediate everyday life.

[TAC]

It's baffling to me that getting a vaccine to end a pandemic has been politicized to the point of a really large percentage of the population not 'trusting' these vaccines.

Is it politicized? Or are these people just skeptical of a very quickly made vaccine. Some people are just skeptical to begin with.

Most of us have never had a brand new vaccine made in our lifetime. The vaccines we have are tried and tested, but not this one.

I'm not arguing Gary. I just think people are predisposed to not trust these kinds of things, but I don't view it as anything political.

I get that side of the argument but I personally thing a lot of the push back against the vaccine is politically motivated. At least that's the way I see it and have experienced it within my immediate everyday life.

Fair enough Gary. That's so sad though. I totally understand someone being skeptical or nervous about injecting it into their body, but to think they are not because a Senator told them not to...

[Stadler]

I think it runs deeper than that, though.  There are 10's if not 100's of issues we face every day in our society that ultimately resolve down to one side thinking they're right, and therefore everyone else has to do what they want them to do, and another side thinking they are right, and therefore they don't have to listen to anyone else.   The problem though, is that they're not talking the same language and so they end up talking past each other.

I think we overstate the degree to which this is a cold, objective math problem for people (on both sides).  It's not how many human brains work (smoking, driving without a seatbelt, drinking diet soda...)

Somewhere in this great, grand universe there's a planet where one side has realized that bullying and shaming people do what they think is "the right thing" doesn't work, and the other side has realized that not everything exists in a vacuum, and that finding a way to coexist isn't a threat to one's liberty.   Maybe even this can happen on the SAME planet.

[TAC]

Stads, I think I know what you're saying, but I don't see how that matters here.

I think on the vaccine, don't you decide if you want to take it or not want to take it? I mean, perhaps media could influence a choice, but it is a very personal decision, no?

[King Postwhore]

I think the internet is at fault for those who don't want the vaccine.  People believe anything they read and there is so much bad information out there These days. 

[cramx3]

Well there was a large amount of anti-vaxxers before this pandemic, so you already had this problem before, then add in the quickness of developing these vaccines and our political divide and you can see why people are very cautious.

I really don't see why there should be politics involved here.  Trump ordered all those first doses and his operation warp speed, Biden has double down on it.  It seems both sides were on board with mass vaccinations so I don't think it should be politicized at all, but you know how it works here in the US....

[TAC]

I think the internet is at fault for those who don't want the vaccine.  People believe anything they read and there is so much bad information out there These days.

Some people believe Power Windows is a good album.

[Stadler]

Stads, I think I know what you're saying, but I don't see how that matters here.

I think on the vaccine, don't you decide if you want to take it or not want to take it? I mean, perhaps media could influence a choice, but it is a very personal decision, no?

It is; but I think we delude ourselves to the degree to which that personal decision is "okay, so the facts are that there are no causal deaths relating from the Pfizer vaccine, and if I get it we are 4.6xe-9 closer to herd immunity, so... I'm in!"    We tend to insert our emotions and our feelings and our trust "gut" into these equations, where it probably doesn't belong.   

Then when we do that, we get skewed answers on what is right.   Fact is, less than 10% of American adults are anti-vaxxers, and even that assumes that all are acting on their beliefs.  Somewhere around 20% to 25% of Americans are waffling specifically on the COVID vaccine, but that number has been dropping (it was in the 35% range as recently as a couple weeks ago).   Using Fauci's 75% target (though to be fair, he's said at various times 75% and even as high as 90%) we'll get to herd immunity without them.   So bullying people to get it isn't the answer any more than denying science is.

Even me; I'm citing statistics like they're Tootsie Rolls at a Memorial Day Parade, and yet I'm getting it for one very simple reason: I'm afraid I won't ever see my parents again if I don't. 

[King Postwhore]

I think the internet is at fault for those who don't want the vaccine.  People believe anything they read and there is so much bad information out there These days.

Some people believe Power Windows is a good album.

You're an Anti-Windows truther.  LOL

[TAC]

I think the internet is at fault for those who don't want the vaccine.  People believe anything they read and there is so much bad information out there These days.

Some people believe Power Windows is a good album.

You're an Anti-Windows truther.  LOL

 

[TAC]

Stads, I think I know what you're saying, but I don't see how that matters here.

I think on the vaccine, don't you decide if you want to take it or not want to take it? I mean, perhaps media could influence a choice, but it is a very personal decision, no?

It is; but I think we delude ourselves to the degree to which that personal decision is "okay, so the facts are that there are no causal deaths relating from the Pfizer vaccine, and if I get it we are 4.6xe-9 closer to herd immunity, so... I'm in!"    We tend to insert our emotions and our feelings and our trust "gut" into these equations, where it probably doesn't belong.   

Then when we do that, we get skewed answers on what is right.   Fact is, less than 10% of American adults are anti-vaxxers, and even that assumes that all are acting on their beliefs.  Somewhere around 20% to 25% of Americans are waffling specifically on the COVID vaccine, but that number has been dropping (it was in the 35% range as recently as a couple weeks ago).   Using Fauci's 75% target (though to be fair, he's said at various times 75% and even as high as 90%) we'll get to herd immunity without them.   So bullying people to get it isn't the answer any more than denying science is.

Even me; I'm citing statistics like they're Tootsie Rolls at a Memorial Day Parade, and yet I'm getting it for one very simple reason: I'm afraid I won't ever see my parents again if I don't.

Who’s talking about bullying? I’m not. That is way too much info in that post.

I’m getting it because I want to shield myself and my family from it.

[kirksnosehair]

I think some of you could benefit from reading this article.  No judgement, condescension or "gotcha" message board bullshit here at all.  I just think most white people simply don't get it.  Seriously, take 10 minutes and read it; I guarantee you will have a better understanding of why some segments of our society are extremely fearful of vaccines. 


The minute I qualify for it, I'll be getting the Covid-19 Vaccine but I haven't had a flu shot ever.  I've had the flu twice.  I was sick for a few days.  But with the amount of people Covid-19 is killing I'm not taking any chances with it.  As soon as I can get vaccinated I'm going to do it.


Were the vaccines produced in record time?  Yep.  They've also been tested on 10's of thousands of people and have proven to be safe and effective.  So to me the choice is pretty clear and easy.  Take the vaccine and maximize my chances of either not getting sick with Covid-19 or if I do get sick, not dying from it.  Kind of a no-brainer if you ask me.

[King Postwhore]

I have to get the flu shot because I have no spleen.  I've lost one of the 2 filters in your body.  Lymph nodes being the other. 

[TAC]

I have to get the flu shot because I have no spleen.  I've lost one of the 2 filters in your body.  Lymph nodes being the other.

You must have a bionic liver. Lol

[King Postwhore]

Whenever I drink it makes that bionic sound. 

[cramx3]

My parents are anti the new MRNa vaccines, but have said they will get the Johnson & Johnson one.  I'd imagine there's a subset of the population that also feels that way and the good news is that J&J will likely be approved soon and being only one shot, it will make a difference in getting this under control. 

Also, at this point, a significant portion of the US has already been infected.  I think the end result is EVERYONE either gets infected and/or gets the vaccine and we reach herd immunity by the end of the summer (in the US, I can't speak for other nations as I don't follow their covid situations, besides Isreal who is already getting close to herd immunity).  The mutations will continue and we may need to get booster or new vaccines in the future, but the deaths will go down significantly just from the vaccinations and we can go back to living our lives because the fear of death will be miniscule. 

[MirrorMask]

Were the vaccines produced in record time?  Yep.  They've also been tested on 10's of thousands of people and have proven to be safe and effective.  So to me the choice is pretty clear and easy.  Take the vaccine and maximize my chances of either not getting sick with Covid-19 or if I do get sick, not dying from it.  Kind of a no-brainer if you ask me.

People also often forget that there was already a coronavirus outbreak, the SARS epidemic of 2002-3. That was a coronavirus. The information gathered at that time helped immensely in fast tracking the vaccine. If Covid was a completely new and never seen before virus, there was no way in hell we would have had a vaccine in a year.

[kirksnosehair]

The flu and the common cold are also coronaviruses - there are quite a few of them, actually.  MERS, SARS, COVID-19, Swine Flu, regular Flu and many more.

[hunnus2000]

Were the vaccines produced in record time?  Yep.  They've also been tested on 10's of thousands of people and have proven to be safe and effective.  So to me the choice is pretty clear and easy.  Take the vaccine and maximize my chances of either not getting sick with Covid-19 or if I do get sick, not dying from it.  Kind of a no-brainer if you ask me.

People also often forget that there was already a coronavirus outbreak, the SARS epidemic of 2002-3. That was a coronavirus. The information gathered at that time helped immensely in fast tracking the vaccine. If Covid was a completely new and never seen before virus, there was no way in hell we would have had a vaccine in a year.

Exactly correct! The technology to create this vaccine so quickly has been around for many years. Also, when China sequenced the virus AND shared that with the world, it allowed us to create not only tests but get started on creating a vaccine. Those who are taking a wait and see because they believe that it was Rushed are needlessly and willingly ignant.

[gmillerdrake]

My largest 'fear' with getting this vaccine are/were the one off headlines of 'Healthy 45 Year Old Man Dies Two Days After Getting Covid-19 Vaccine'  That type of headline and reporting are scary to think about. I'm sure there's a ton of things that have to happen for someone to die due to getting the vaccine.....but if I'm honest that was my largest fear. Just being a random, lightning in a bottle headline.

So....if I drop dead a day or two from now....I'm going to be pissed 

[hunnus2000]

My largest 'fear' with getting this vaccine are/were the one off headlines of 'Healthy 45 Year Old Man Dies Two Days After Getting Covid-19 Vaccine'  That type of headline and reporting are scary to think about. I'm sure there's a ton of things that have to happen for someone to die due to getting the vaccine.....but if I'm honest that was my largest fear. Just being a random, lightning in a bottle headline.

So....if I drop dead a day or two from now....I'm going to be pissed 

As Khan said to his son when he died - "I will avenge you"! 

[kirksnosehair]

A friend of mine who runs an infectious disease lab at Case Western University on Ohio told me recently in an email, if you are a generally healthy adult between the ages of 18 and 50 "You have a better chance of hitting the lottery and being struck by lightning on the same day than you do of being killed by a Covid-19 vaccine."


That's a direct quote from an immunologist

[bosk1]

Were the vaccines produced in record time?  Yep.  They've also been tested on 10's of thousands of people and have proven to be safe and effective.  So to me the choice is pretty clear and easy.  Take the vaccine and maximize my chances of either not getting sick with Covid-19 or if I do get sick, not dying from it.  Kind of a no-brainer if you ask me.

People also often forget that there was already a coronavirus outbreak, the SARS epidemic of 2002-3. That was a coronavirus. The information gathered at that time helped immensely in fast tracking the vaccine. If Covid was a completely new and never seen before virus, there was no way in hell we would have had a vaccine in a year.

Not sure about "forgetting"--I think a lot of people just don't realize that those are coronaviruses, and that we, as a society, have been aware of coronaviruses for a relatively LONG time before the novel coronavirus that can cause Covid-19.  And, honestly, I get why most people wouldn't really have reason to know that.  It just isn't something the average person really would have paid attention to (although I think it a bit strange that a bit more people still don't know that now, after we've been dealing with this virus for over a year).

Yes, these vaccines may have been produced in "record time," but what a lot of people also don't realize is that that "record time" has still been literally years in the making--not months.  Because we have known about coronaviruses for years, we have also been working on vaccines for years.  The specifics of these particular vaccines may be somewhat recent, but a lot of the bigger foundation has been in the works for a pretty long time.  Also, I was reading an article recently that explained that, although the total timeline for testing is shorter than the norm, it also kind of isn't because typically, the development and testing proceeds in a linear manner with step 1 in the process usually being complete before step 2, and so on.  Whereas with these vaccines, they multitracked, so that, for example, manufacturing was already happening simultaneously with phase 3 testing instead of waiting until the phase 3 testing was complete.  So the testing wasn't shortened overall--each trial phase was normal.  Things just happened simultaneously rather than sequentially. 

I wish more people understood these facts before making kneejerk decisions about the vaccines being rushed.  I mean, I'm not saying that needs to be the end-all, be-all of someone's decision making process.  But it certainly helps to have the correct information vs. incorrect assumptions.