COVID19 Vaccines - get it when you can!

[Renonvsparky]

This vaccine has different effects on everyone. Just as every other vaccine. Some people have zero side effects as my son did. Others have harsh reactions to it and some only have mild reactions. I don't have any plans to take that vaccine at this time. As someone who already had covid and recovered, and after consulting my doctor, I don't feel I require it. I have sufficient antibodies.

I respect everyone's decision to take the vaccine or not and I expect the same in return. It should be a decision you make based on your situation after discussing it with your doctor as I have. It should not mandated by a politician who knows nothing of your personal medical situation and you should not be persecuted for your choice. If things change that make it necessary for me to get that vaccine, then I will do so.

[Sef]

A fellow church member and close acquaintance of ours refused to get vaccinated. She didn't do it based on politics, but rather on her staunch beliefs about holistic/natural medicine, which she felt would protect her against Covid. She was wrong. Our church buried her last week after she ended up on a ventilator and later succumbed. Denise was 56 and a fine lady who spent a lot of her time in service to others. Yes, it was her decision to ignore the science, but it doesn't suck any less and I have a hard time "respecting" the decision when her death---like that of countless others---could have been so easily been prevented.

[Renonvsparky]

I'm very sorry for the loss of your friend. I mean that sincerely. As I said, my decision is based on my own medical history after discussing it with my doctor. As a covid survivor, there is a very low chance of contracting it again. My heart and lungs are strong and healthy. I have no comorbidities that decrease my already 99.4% chance of survival if I do get it again. Couple that with the fact that this vaccine has only been out for a year, and as such, no long term studies of possible side effects have been done, and the reward from taking the vaccine is not worth the risk to my health.

It is foolish to refuse vaccines based on anything political, religious or any beliefs other than medical after consultation with a doctor. My decision is a well informed one which will change if my situation warrants it.

I don't get the flu vaccine either. That decision is also based on my own experience with it. I took it every year for a very long time when I was in the Air Force and every year, I had a very bad reaction to it and ended up getting the flu anyway. Finally, the Medical group exempted me from it and I have never got the flu again since. All of my other immunizations are up to date and I keep them that way.

[Lynx]

As more information develops on the new variant, be sure to continue to consult. Lots of nasty characteristics with the new variant.

I'm sorry about your fellow church member too, Sef.

Got together with my group of Spanish speaking ladies - a visitor from Mexico came. Mexicans happily get vaccinated. They wear masks. They don't understand how politics can influence people not to take the vaccine in the states.

[Renonvsparky]

I don't understand how politics have any bearing on people's health choices. I know from reading the threads in this forum that most, if not all of you hate Trump. I'm not his biggest fan, but I don't hate him either. Joe Biden, on the other hand; I'll digress on the grounds that I dont want to get into it.. My point is that I've seen a lot of social media posts of people refusing the vaccine because it was developed by Operation Warp Speed under President Trump and others refusing it because Biden wants to mandate it.

That's very stupid. It should be a purely medical decision. There in lies the problem. It has become too political. I applaud people who feel they need the vaccine and decide to take it. I also applaud people who decide not to take it after careful consideration and consultation with a competent medical doctor. Only you and your doctor know your medical history, comorbidities, susceptibility and what the risks and rewards are from this or any vaccine. As such, it should be up to you and not any politician or employer whether or not you get the vaccine.

[Sef]

Has anyone gotten their 2nd booster yet? They are available here, now, and husband and I are getting ours at the Dept. of Health tomorrow. I don't know if we're jumping the gun by getting them so early, but I'm taking some vacation time off in a couple of weeks and thought it might be good to have the added Covid protection in case we decide to actually go somewhere.

[Lynx]

Unsure where I will get mine but definitely will. I'm looking for short lines. There is a mobil one by the health department that will be at an inconvenient (parking-wise) location a week from today. Or the health department on Friday.

[bpatters]

I'm waiting a while for my second booster. Covid rates in this country are really low right now, but everyone says a new surge is coming. I'm planning to wait until the number of cases start to pick up a little, and then get the shot. This way, maybe my maximum protection will occur at the highest point of the next wave.

Also, I just read that Israeli studies have found that protection wanes pretty quickly after the second booster. That's a big factor in my deciding to wait a while -- I don't want my immunity to peak and wane before the surge peaks.

I'm pretty careful about wearing a good mask when I'm around people, and I feel safe that way. I don't mind the masks, and plan to continue wearing them for the foreseeable future.

[Lynx]

Hmm, that's a good point. Timing may be tricky though - I don't know how long it would take to be "fully vaccinated". I did get the impression the new versions may show up quickly and be very transmissible.

[Erinspigs]

Everyone in my immediate family and a lot in extended family had covid and are vaccinated with one booster. No one got terribly ill, I don't know if being vaccinated helped us or not but it was each of our personal decisions to get the vaccine and booster. Although in the back or our minds we may have feared we would feel the wrath of my mother if not vaccinated. However, even though we all chose to be vaccinated some of us would have been forced to be vaccinated or terminate doing what we were doing. I don't feel that is right

I never really cared if anyone else was vaccinated, that's one of the reasons I chose to be vaccinated, I support the right of people to not be forced to do something medically they don't want to do. I'm not sure why a virus became such a politically polarizing situation. I don't get mad at people that died from covid and weren't vaccinated. People do stuff every day that leads to their death. I exercise and eat a near perfect diet and have done so most of my life, but if others don't want to, knock yourself out, I say.

This was in the NY Times yesterday regarding possibly reason why the US isn't seeing a tremendous spike in the variant going through Europe. I'm not saying I agree or disagree, it's just interesting. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/06/briefing/covid-cases-us-omicron-subvariant.html

[Sef]

Feeling a little lousy this early morning with nausea, headache, aches and low grade fever, but nothing major so far. Husband and I were the only two at the Dept. of Health getting a booster. One nurse said some are waiting a while to get theirs; another said that people around here are convinced that Covid is in the rearview mirror and don't think they need one.

[Lynx]

It's the vulnerable people who got vaccinated and died anyway or who for medical reasons were not able to get vaccinated and died because other people who DID NOT get vaccinated gave them the disease that blows apart your "it only affects me and nobody else" argument.

You get vaccinated for yourself, for those you love and for people you interact with in this world.

Not everyone who died was unvaccinated and not everyone who died could medically be vaccinated. The unvaccinated by choice are culpable.

[mmeadow]

Thanks for saying that, Lynx.

I went for it and got my second booster yesterday. So far, my arm is very, very slightly sore at the injection site, but that's it.

[ItsaZoo]

I agree, Lynx. The January issue of the AARP Bulletin had an article that thoroughly discussed what we've learned after 2 years of Covid. The information on infection rates, vaccination status, and effectiveness of masks is straightforward and easy to understand. Since they are a non-partisan organization that advocates for seniors, I always appreciate the information they share.

https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2022/covid-2-years.html

[Lynx]

I trust the AARP too. They cut through a lot of the misinformation.

[Bookfan]

You it the nail on the head, Lynx.

[Sef]

Agree.

[Sef]

Feeling a lot better this morning, but the booster hit me pretty hard on Friday and I think it triggered a really bad migraine over the weekend. Still, small price to pay for keeping myself and others as safe as we can be.