My biggest issue in getting one is will it really protect me that much better than I am now?

Yes, I believe the virus is real. I've had friends lose family members, and others who have respiratory issues months after catching whatever is going around. The vaccines don't even fully protect against the one they were designed for, let alone the mutations. A medical friend told me last night that wasn't the case, that it does shield you from the mutations as well, but I'm not sure I believe it.

Roll the dice and possibly catch it now vs rolling the dice and possibly having the vaccine make things worse. I'm honestly not sure what to do, but I'm sitting on the sidelines for a while.

quote:

Roll the dice and possibly catch it now vs rolling the dice and possibly having the vaccine make things worse. I'm honestly not sure what to do, but I'm sitting on the sidelines for a while.

Yep... that about sums it up for me as well.

The vaccine itself, the delivery method is all new, and I don’t mean the physical shot. I’m holding off for now. I’ve been absolutely militant about this since the beginning. I will get tested for antibodies in the next few months because I honestly think I got it in December of 2019 as it was the worst flu of my life. I’m not an anti vaxxer but I want to see more data before I inject myself. If I was 60+ I’d definitely get the vaccine asap.

For anyone interested, there is significant information on the Internet pertaining to how well it’s believed the current vaccines will protect against the variants. And of course there is even more information available about how well it’s believed the current vaccines will protect against the original, most common virus. In short, though, the consensus I’ve seen is that the current vaccines will probably protect against the variants, but that they are highly effective against the common form. I nevertheless urge anyone who is concerned to do the easy research for themselves.

Well gee Sigf. That is great news. I am so glad you posted this in this thread for all to see far and wide. I feel so much better now that you informed us of this great revelation on the topic.

You are welcome, I am sure.

Many, perhaps most people would of course not need to be reminded that additional sources of information are available, but when some people state that they are debating with themselves whether to believe something they were told by a “medical friend,” it’s obvious that at least some of us could benefit from such a reminder.

For the Colorado folk, if you haven’t heard, the Governor reportedly ordered that K-12 teachers would now be in the 1b category (no, not Group W) along with LEOs, fire fighters, and other “essential” workers. The priority age has also been lowered to from 70 to ≥65.

The only problem is, as I understand it, was the lack of sufficient vaccines for the previous categories even though many of those previously eligible had thus far elected to not take the shot.

It's a risk/reward type of decision, based on a leap of faith that the numbers you hear are somewhat accurate.
We don't have enough reliable information right now to make a truly well informed decision. That makes it a seat of the pants call.
I had it a week ago based on several reasons. I'm in the age group where the bad outcome rate goes up. There are a number of people around me that have been getting it and several have died. Most are older and have some preexisting health conditions, but a few were younger and seemed to be fine.
The reactions of the younger victims got my attention. Maybe they had something like cardiovascular problems that hadn't yet been diagnosed. Maybe I do too. I have had good testing results on my annual physical so not much has been done beyond that.
With all that said, there have been few negative reactions beyond feeling bad for a day or two and tens of millions of vaccines given so far. Long term, who knows.
I got mine and am scheduled for #2 March 1.
I'll let you know if things go bad, but so far all is well.
Everybody has to make their own decision.

I just am not sure about all of this. The wife and I were watching our local news channel after dinner this evening. They had a segment about the locals getting the shot. We switched channels just in time to hear some public health official talking about his concerns over it all. We just looked at each other and both said, "lets wait a bit".

I'm 73 and she is 70. We are both in pretty good health.

Yes and we actually had the 1st injection today. Some initial shoulder/arm soreness, but not as much nearly 12 hours later.....

Hell yes. Getting the Moderna shot on Tuesday. Just as I got the shingles vaccine and the flu vaccine and the Hepatitis vaccine and the tetanus vaccine and the measles vaccine.

Here's one physician's point of view. Mind you, much of my career was devoted to clinical epidemiology, that is the science of looking for the strength of evidence of scientific studies. I used to do this as the representative cardiologist on a national panel of a large multispecialty group practice organization with millions of members nationwide.

Today I listened to a podcast hosted by Dan Senor, previously a Bush 43 spokesman, talking to Dr. Scott Gottlieb, President Trump's first FDA commissioner.
Here is the link for those interested: Post Corona Part 2: Turning the Corner

Takeaway messages:
1. Those in charge of vaccination priorities should loosen up and not be so restrictive in categories and subcategories--it's critical to get the vaccine into as many arms as possible.
2. The current supply shortage will be caught up with soon, the people who are demanding vaccination-mostly older people--will soon be done to a very high percent of the group; there will come a time in the spring when supply will exceed demand if more is not done to inform the public of the benefits of very widespread vaccination.
3. The mutant variants, such as the UK and South African variants, are present in pockets in the country (San Diego is one), but will be expected to double in prevalence each week until they comprise a large percentage of the virus in the country. We're racing against time to get people vaccinated in order to prevent more widespread prevalence of those more contagious and potentially more deadly variants.
4. We don't actually know how much protection the vaccines will provide against our own infection, or our infectiousness to others. So it makes sense--until we know more--to continue to use mitigating practices to help avoid getting others sick.

Gottlieb's discussion of these issues changed my mind about a number of things, including #4 above.

For those open to persuasion, I think listening to the podcast would be worthwhile. I doubt I've persuaded anyone, but feel compelled to at least make the attempt to change the minds of some of you anyway.

Sjtill, did you watch this podcast by chance?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3vF9mb3Dm8

Not sure if you are still in SD. If so I can understand the influence you are under.

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Originally posted by rburg:

quote:

Originally posted by Beancooker:


Mrs. Cooker. She went out to the couch to watch TV and sleep out there. I woke up at 5:00 and she was laying on the couch under a mountain of blankets

OK, what was the blanket count? Mountain isn't descriptive enough. I'm under 2, but I've got an emergency 3rd next to me, and 2 more over on the beanbag. But then I'm kind of impoverished and only have the 5 out here in the living room. I'm just taking a count to see if I need to rob the bed for more. Never have enough blankets, at least in the living room where I'm tempted to add or fold up depending on circumstances (like a freeze inducing covid shot).

Two thick fleece blankets from Costco, and the comforter from the guest bedroom. With a 12”x24” heating pad set to high. Any one of the three blankets is too warm to sleep with and I like to be really warm at night, but those three are just too damn hot. The heating pad, I set to medium at the hottest. “Mountain” of blankets was used, because it was hard to find her on the couch. I should have called it a blanket avalanche. That would have been more accurate.

Perhaps you recall my post in early November when I got out of the Hospital, having had the stinking virus.

Sickest I have ever been and I've had some doozies as far as sicknesses, malaria, pneumonia, heart attack, cancers (good thing I ain't a dog or my wife would have had me put down long ago).

So when the vaccine became available thru the VA, I took it.

First shot-nuttin' to it, just a slight head ache and some itching at the site of the shot. Second one, kinda knocked me back, 101.5 temp, headache, generally sick feeling but only lasted a day.

So, would I do it again?

YOU BET! As I said, the virus made me feel sicker than I ever felt before and I don't want it ever, ever again.

Bob

quote:

Originally posted by Bassamatic:
I just am not sure about all of this. The wife and I were watching our local news channel after dinner this evening. They had a segment about the locals getting the shot. We switched channels just in time to hear some public health official talking about his concerns over it all. We just looked at each other and both said, "lets wait a bit".

I'm 73 and she is 70. We are both in pretty good health.

Wife and I are both in our 80s. No plans to take the shot. When I see stories of the "tests" for a new vaccine that was "developed" in 4 months and released to the public I have to wonder who is making those decisions. And AIR, some of those tested died. No thanks folks.

quote:

Originally posted by Elk Hunter:

Wife and I are both in our 80s. No plans to take the shot. When I see stories of the "tests" for a new vaccine that was "developed" in 4 months and released to the public I have to wonder who is making those decisions. And AIR, some of those tested died. No thanks folks.

Yeah, I hear that. I recently read that if this virus mutates, and it has, then this vaccine may not be as effective against the new strain. Much like the flu. They prepare each year a vaccine that they hope will be effective against whatever variant they believe will be going around. Worst case, you may still get the flu but it won't hit you as hard. I get the flu shot every year.

I don't know. I'm still gonna wait and see.

Received my vaccine (Pfizer) in downtown Seattle today at the Amazon HQ (Supervax site). Well organized and took about an hour or so start to finish. I'd registered with Virginia Mason 3 weeks prior, was notified by e-mail I'd be eligible to receive it once I made the appointment on the site. The appointments filled up fast.

Happy to have received it.

This piece just published this morning, may (or may not) help some of you who are on the fence about getting vaccinated.

Vaccine News

^^^^^^^^

I saw that earlier this morning. This is the key section of the article for me:


"The data
By those measures, all five of the vaccines — from Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Novavax and Johnson & Johnson — look extremely good. Of the roughly 75,000 people who have received one of the five in a research trial, not a single person has died from Covid, and only a few people appear to have been hospitalized. None have remained hospitalized 28 days after receiving a shot.

To put that in perspective, it helps to think about what Covid has done so far to a representative group of 75,000 American adults: It has killed roughly 150 of them and sent several hundred more to the hospital. The vaccines reduce those numbers to zero and nearly zero, based on the research trials."