First off, I should apologize for any and all self-righteousness I may have exhibited over this past year. I fear that my judgmental tone may have served to push people away from doing what's needed to end this pandemic. It was mainly my frustration with the Anti-Hype, which is real and still in full force, by the way. There really are people (mainly foreigners and anarchists) at the source who create all this dangerous misinformation -- much of which is scientifically generated with artificial intelligence to deceive us all -- with the goal of dividing and destroying our country.
As I tried to fight this Anti-Hype and bring my readers to the knowledge of its existence, I ended up pushing many of them away. No doubt some of the articles I came across were likewise scientifically generated to get people like me angry so we bite off our friends' heads and help entrench them in their beliefs. Likewise, I've come across many "liberal" leaning articles that had been downplaying the effectiveness of our vaccines and exaggerating the badness of COVID19 in attempts to scare us into submission -- which only had the result of further pushing away my friends.
Anyway -- I'll try again not to be so judgmental. Especially not now when the end is in sight. It is so very close.
What I have today is both very good news for all of us and at the same time very bad news for some of us.
The good news: the vaccines work -- like "crazy" work -- like "the numbers are actually dropping like a rock" work. Especially Pfizer and Moderna. (And the Johnson & Johnson shot is okay -- slightly less effective.) The UK and Israel are now experiencing really flat death rates, and they're just a little ahead of the US in vaccinations. We're almost there.
From recent studies and experience, we have strong evidence that the vaccines approved in the US cut down drastically on hospitalizations (and death), and are also drastically reducing asymptomatic transfer. Else we would be seeing a lot more cases and death in our actual experience.
This statement from the Cleveland Clinic observes that over 99% of hospitalizations in their hospitals from January to mid-April were unvaccinated patients. And this same trend seems to apply to other groups as well. As they state: "It cannot be more clear the message that vaccines work and it's the key action that we need to do to get back to our normal lives ..."
Not only that, but I think the mRNA vaccine technology itself (Pfizer and Moderna) -- if fully proven to be safe in other applications -- could be a watershed moment in the field of medicine, and could be the beginning of many miracle cures for a variety of diseases and syndromes -- all another reason why these recent developments are crazy good news.
It's such great news that Dr. Fauci, the CDC, and President Biden have all recommended that we no longer need masks indoors if we are vaccinated. It's probably the first time during the entire pandemic that I've seen these guys not treat us like children and actually spell it out accurately.
Though, it's not without confusion. And this is where the really bad news comes in -- but wait -- I'm building up to it. The biggest concern: How do we know which people have been vaccinated? Won't the unvaccinated people just take off their masks as well?
This CNN opinion article by scientists does a really good job summarizing all the concerns. It is true that the vaccines aren't 100% effective -- but then again, if we (as the article states) are getting deaths down to the level of influenza (even less than influenza among the vaccinated), then is it worth keeping everything shut down and wearing masks when they may no longer be necessary?
However, the CNN article does hit on one very important concern. If the vaccinated stop wearing masks, then unvaccinated people wearing masks may receive the judgmental wind. "Why haven't you gotten vaccinated yet? Stay away from me." This would provide a gigantic incentive for the unvaccinated to leave off their masks in order to avoid consternation. Which would then inspire concerned people who can't get vaccinated for medical reasons to shutter themselves at home, which can cause other issues.
And what's going to happen next? If the unvaccinated take off their masks, then there's going to be another wave of cases and then death. How big it gets will depend on how fast the remainder of us can get vaccinated to build up sufficient herd immunity. And who's going to die as a result? Mostly the unvaccinated.
This is the really bad news. Biden and the CDC in their announcement have officially declared open season on the unvaccinated. I don't know if this is intentional or not. Maybe Biden thinks more people will get vaccinated if they no longer have to wear masks. Or perhaps Biden thinks: "Screw it all. We have a vaccine so it's everyone for themselves. Let's open this puppy up." Maybe this new development will inspire more people to get vaccinated, regardless of Biden's intentions. If by some miracle we could get a crazy number like 90% vaccinated, then this all comes to an end.
I don't think we need that much, but if we don't get enough to keep it all under wraps, then the spread and death will continue at faster rates, which is really bad news for our unvaccinated friends and especially their unvaccinated vulnerable friends.
I'll end with this quick guide to help those still sitting on the fence:
So, You're Thinking About Getting the Shot?
Now with masks coming off, it's a good time to reconsider if you are prepared for what comes next.
Are these vaccines safe? You should check out this cool article that uses pictures to compare the risk of COVID19 vs. the risk of taking the vaccines. I'll give you a preview: Per capita, the number of people dying from COVID19 are much higher than those dying after the vaccines.
How do I get a shot? This looks like a good resource -- just type in your zip code and it'll show you plenty of places -- clinics, pharmacies, and even some grocery stores. Some places now accept walk-ins. And the best part -- they're all free!
Which shot should I get? At this stage, while demand is relatively low and supply is high, you can choose which shot you want. In the tool I mentioned in the last paragraph, you can even filter by Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. Though, I've predicted on Facebook that in a couple of months we may have only one choice available, and it may be Johnson & Johnson. While you have a choice, I would choose Pfizer or Moderna, because they use the new mRNA technology that's super effective -- crazy effective. Johnson & Johnson seems to be having more "breakthrough" infections.
Do I need both shots? If you get Pfizer or Moderna, some of you may want to get just the first shot, as the second shot is reported to make people temporarily sick. I, myself, had a 99.3°F fever for about 12 hours. Just one shot gets you to about 80% protection, and the second shot gets you to over 95%. Note that the UK largely used the one-shot method to get more people with some level of vaccination. As that second shot only provides an additional 15%. Currently, the US is sitting at 46% at-least-one-shot vaccinated and 35% fully vaccinated. The UK is at 53% at-least-one-shot vaccinated and 28% fully vaccinated. And the UK is doing much better than us with their really low death rates even though the US has more fully-vaccinated people per capita.
So if you're one of those peeps who can't afford to miss any days of work, then just get the one shot, and you'll still be contributing a great deal to the nationwide vaccination effort.
Can I still get sick if I'm vaccinated? Unfortunately -- the chance remains. You can get COVID19 enough to end up in the hospital, and you can even die. But the observed counts are very low. So low that one may compare this with the dangers of getting into a car and getting hurt in an accident. Most likely, if you contract COVID19, it will be a mild case.
How does these vaccines even work? Don't they change our DNA and weaken our immune system? No -- in fact they do the opposite. Pfizer and Moderna are mRNA vaccines -- a new technology. It introduces instructions (mRNA) that our cells read to temporarily create harmless spiky proteins that look like COVID19. Then our natural immune system builds antibodies that will attack anything having those same spiky protein shells. The mRNA does enter the outside of our cells, where the proteins are created, but then the mRNA dissolves before getting anywhere close to the nucleus where our DNA is stored. Also, there is no mechanism provided to insert the instructions into our DNA.
Here's a quick video on mRNA vaccines:
Johnson & Johnson uses a similar tactic, but it relies on a repurposed virus that inserts the mRNA into our cells -- and again, this repurposed virus doesn't have the mechanism installed to change our DNA.
More information is available at the CDC site.
What if I choose not to get a shot? It's clear that these shots will not be forced on us. It is indeed a free country. But while we have freedom to choose, we don't get to choose the consequences. The virus will attack anyone who is not vaccinated, and those people can continue to spread the virus to friends and family who may be extra vulnerable. You should do your own research as to what the most risky option is. For some people, medical conditions could actually make the vaccine more risky -- such as people very susceptible to anaphylactic shock from vaccines. Weigh your options (entirely free of any political concerns), and decide on your own what you should do. And if you get any flack from your friends because of your decision, you can tell them not to be so judgmental.
But if you do choose not to get a shot, you may want to consider other mitigations factors to help reduce risk such as continuing to wear a mask, staying away from crowded indoor events, and practicing social distancing.
Closing Thoughts
This may be my very last coronavirus newsletter -- at least I would love it to be the last. I'm ready for this to be done. I'm vaccinated, and my family will be fully vaccinated shortly, and I've already started experiencing the newfound freedom this vaccine provides. If the variants are held at bay, then this will turn into a slow trickle and there will be an end to the high death counts. I'm even looking forward to catching the "Quiet Place" sequel at the end of the month -- in the theater.
I wish you all well, and I hope you find your own way to live life to its fullest while at the same time mitigating the risks of death.
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