I’m curious, how did almost everyone you know contract COVID? Was it at some specific event that they were exposed, or early on before it was understood how to minimize your risk/exposure? I know very few who contracted this disease.
As an aside, i am a health professional, worked in pharma with others on antiviral research for almost my entire career, and I was vaccinated, as were almost all of my colleagues. This was my first vaccine (other than the myriad of vaccinations they give you in basic training) since 1976. I am not pro-vaccine, and believe there are good reasons to not be vaccinated annually, but this virus and it’s side effects is a different situation. And unlike the typical flu vaccines which are typically around 30% plus efficacious, this virus was easy to target and for that reason these vaccines are extremely efficacious.
The two friends of mine who died in the ER would tell you it wasn’t just the bad flu.
I was willing to accept any of the vaccines, ended up with pfizer, no reaction at all for either the first or 2nd injection other than what you would expect from a poke in the arm.
what I am not sure about is if I would allow my child to be vaccinated if I had a baby or toddler, or a a child 5-12. If something untword happened how would you forgive yourself?
Probably an early Jan trade show, followed by sales conference within 2 weeks of that. Heavy China presence at the first show. By mid-March many of the people I work with had already had it. I got it mid March 2020. Out of all my friends, by about midsummer almost all had had it. By 2 weeks past new years, all had. My wife, oddly enough, never contracted it despite multiple exposures. I'vd had multiple exposures as well...yet no contracting it again. So I'm fairly certain I'm good to go.
My wife got the vaccine...my sons did too. Only one of my sons had contracted it with no effects. My other son, like his mother, was resistant despite living with his gf who had it (and likely may have gotten it from me due to a visit right before we knew I was sick).
I am very pro-vax. As the son of a physician, who worked at the CDC and is well aware of Fauci and his egomania, I take vaccines seriously. I got my shingles vaccine because 3 people in my family have gotten shingles...so...probably not a bad idea. However, this one is very different. VERY different.
I won't debate the efficacy. I won't tell you that your friends who died had just a bad flu. If you read what I wrote, I acknowledge all those things. However, let's state facts:
1. this is NOT an existential threat to humanity. It's not small pox, hell it's not even polio. Even my father laughs at the lies and BS on TV.
2. 90% of people will have no symptoms or very mild symptoms. As I said to someone who said "you're lucky it wasn't bad", No - I WAS STANDARD. I am the epitome of what happens when you get it. Literally.
3. Of the remaining 10%, there will be varying degrees of how bad it can be. My brother had a case worse than mine, but he's got at-risk qualities. The main difference between me and him was the length of time. His lasted 3-4 full weeks. Mine was about 2 weeks. He is taking part in a clinical study - so far, no long-term effects for him. Me? I walked in a fog for a month and a half until I got the opportunity to get outside and get exercise. Once I was out in the sun and exercising regularly, the fog lifted. The fog wasn't so bad - I had short term memory issues and while I was afraid they could be long-term, the exercise cleared the head and I've been great ever since. In fact, I've lost 10 additional pounds and improved my stamina. I'm in better health now than I was prior to.
4. The variant is more contagious (maybe) but likely less deadly. Viral outbreaks mutate, but typically mutate to be less deadly and spread more easily - because kiling your host is not a good way to propagate. It's worth noting there's less mutation if there are more opportunities to spread. In other words, my non-vaccination (assuming I can be infected again, though this seems a long shot) is helping the vaccinated - it's not hurting them.
It's not like I entered my decision lightly. I took into account numbers, information and data that most people have no interest in really following up on. Most people watch the news and think they are informed and know what's going on. I know what the reality is, and while there is some reality on TV, most of it is fear-mongering for ratings and pursuit of political agenda-setting.
I said at the start this who thing was likely a test to batter down the anti-vaxxers...it seems to be true. I'm not an anti-vaxxer, so I'm amazed how people react when facts and honesty are presented to them. When my personal physician recommended the vaccine to me, I told him everything I said here. He smiled and said "you're better informed than most - I'll give you credit for doing your homework."