Good Morning, all:
Ahhhhh, this is a juicy topic. While I normally try to stay away from these types of conversations, it is Friday.
The last article I read stated that more than 30% of the US Armed forces that were offered the vaccine, refused. I found that both high and interesting that it was an "option" to refuse the vaccine in the military. Several articles have been penned on the "mistrust" of the vaccine within communities that could / would benefit most from it. The "anti-vaccers" (did I spell that correctly?) and the "Conspiracy" theorists are not helping the cause. No point in arguing their positions as most of those conversations end up collapsing into a hostile argument.
There is also a bit of history (within the US) on conducting experiments on the population without consent. Couple that with the immunity given to vaccine manufacturers within the US to be held harmless if there is a "whoops," and I - personally - can understand why some might be hesitant.
Some fun reading:
- The Tuskegee Study:
https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/history/40-years-human-experimentation-america-tuskegee-study - Radioactive Oatmeal:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/arch...on/93894a5a-5844-4544-aca2-ffe4e52030b3/- Germ Warfare Study in NY Subway 1966:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/arch...66/70772a8b-8223-47de-99b4-876d5e57dd9c/ Personally, and it is a very personal matter, I am going to be a lager when it comes to getting the vaccine. Everyone I know who has had the vaccine (granted, my sample size is less than 10 so in no way may it be construed as a randomized sample,) has had medium or higher negative reactions (more so from the second shot) - these included but were not limited to: fever, chills, migraines and debilitating pain in the arm. I find it a bit troubling that it is difficult to find hard data on real world vaccination reactions.
I, and perhaps one or more of my family - being vague here as it is PHI after all, had COVID. I - and the hypothetical others - were very fortunate in that my COVID was literally a non-event - while theirs, hypothetically, was a very mild cold. The only reason I knew I had COVID is that I needed to test. I am struggling to find an understandable explanation as to why the vaccine protects me better than my own naturally developed immunity (if someone has what they think is a good read on this topic, please provide.)
I do anticipate that at some point the only way to keep one's personal liberties / freedoms will be to take the vaccine and carry proof of the same. This will most likely manifest itself in travel first. Since I do travel a fair bit for business and leisure, I anticipate I shall need to vaccinate by 3rd quarter of this year - at the latest. The EEOC ruled (fairly quietly I might add) that an employer may terminate an employee if they do not get vaccinated and it is a requirement to work (granted there were a fair number of exceptions in the ruling.) This may be another way to force those who do not wish to take the vaccine to take it. Only time will tell.
Let the name calling and finger pointing begin!
Warmly,
S&M
