Covid vaccination status?

[kphoger]

For what it's worth, my wife and I are both fully vaccinated.  (Technically, I'm not yet considered fully vaccinated because it's been only six day's since my second shot.)  I just grow weary of people slinging mud and accusing perfectly intelligent and decent people of being stupid and immoral.  How long does one have to go through life before realizing that the person on the other side of an issue isn't necessarily an evil moron?  And this goes well beyond the topic at hand.

[citrus]

Re: Flu and Covid.... there's some very obvious real-world transmissibility data, which is: all the things we have collectively done for covid have pretty much eliminated flu entirely for this past (northern hemisphere) winter, while they were enough to barely keep up with covid. That is a HUGE difference between the two pathogens and how transmissible they are, enough to convince me that attitudes and behavior re: flu vaccines and covid vaccines can easily and justifiably be different.

[JayhawkCO]

For what it's worth, my wife and I are both fully vaccinated.  (Technically, I'm not yet considered fully vaccinated because it's been only six day's since my second shot.)  I just grow weary of people slinging mud and accusing perfectly intelligent and decent people of being stupid and immoral.  How long does one have to go through life before realizing that the person on the other side of an issue isn't necessarily an evil moron?  And this goes well beyond the topic at hand.

I don't think people on the other side of arguments from me are evil morons, nor stupid, nor immoral, and certainly none of those attributes would I apply to you. A lot of times when I get in discussions revolving around topics like this, it's not like I don't see the point of view of the person on the other side of the coin.  I always try to empathize, and hopefully nothing I've said has come across as antagonistic.  On the topic of Covid, however, I feel like some of those that don't want to get the vaccine are just short-sighted.  I don't want to have a full butterfly effect argument, but at the same time if the person I'm discussing Covid with believes that personal responsibility only applies to that person themselves and that their choices don't affect anyone else, I am going to vocally disagree.

Chris

[kphoger]

I don't want to have a full butterfly effect argument

[Rothman]

Ah, yes, I read that report before posting.  Doesn't jive with the CDC info.  Where does that leave us?

One study does not a science make.  CDC is on top of the state of the art.

[JayhawkCO]

I don't want to have a full butterfly effect argument

<Memes>

I was thinking more this:



Actually not a horrid movie...

Chris

[NE2]

If only Phoger's jab had microchips...

[Roadgeekteen]

If only Phoger's jab had microchips...

Oh no not Bill Gates!

[kphoger]

If only Phoger's jab had microchips...

Only if the serial number is 666.

[Rothman]

So, we're all agreed that HB needs to get vaccinated, right?

[J N Winkler]

Well, just enough to actually answer the question.  Are you claiming that those who don't get those vaccines are selfish people?

No.  Selfish is a loaded and pejorative word that does not, in my view, help the cause of developing herd immunity.  I also don't think it does justice to the epistemic frameworks in which some people operate.

Nevertheless, I believe it is accurate to say that when people choose not to get vaccinated, they are socializing the costs of their personal choices to some degree.  This is not necessarily a bad thing--for example, some elements of our economy (such as cheap highway transportation) are predicated on this socialization of costs.  However, except in very unusual cases such as life-threatening complications from vaccination, it is hard to see what benefits accrue for vaccine refusal to the refuser's self, family, or community.

So, we're all agreed that HB needs to get vaccinated, right?

In the absence of compelling contraindications, that is what I would advise.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Again, treading as lightly as possible. From the beginning I have been less concerned with it than many of my liberal peers, continuing to do things such as dining in and continuing my work as a freelance sports broadcaster, which unfortunately and expectedly did mean I contracted the virus about 4-6 weeks ago. It sucked, but other people have had it much worse than I did.

And for me, I'm far less concerned about getting it than I am about spreading it.  I'm young and healthy.  I don't want me to be the reason that someone else that isn't young and healthy gets it.  That's why I take precautions.

I'm certainly not saying I want to be that person either; I wear my mask where required and I will be vaccinated (I postponed my planned first shot due to scheduling issues). It's just that while some of my friends believe there is no level of safe activity, still stay home as much as possible, decline to see anyone they don't need to interact with, etc. While I understand their views I myself don't feel uncomfortable sitting in a restaurant. That's my perspective and mine alone.

[JayhawkCO]

Again, treading as lightly as possible. From the beginning I have been less concerned with it than many of my liberal peers, continuing to do things such as dining in and continuing my work as a freelance sports broadcaster, which unfortunately and expectedly did mean I contracted the virus about 4-6 weeks ago. It sucked, but other people have had it much worse than I did.

And for me, I'm far less concerned about getting it than I am about spreading it.  I'm young and healthy.  I don't want me to be the reason that someone else that isn't young and healthy gets it.  That's why I take precautions.

I'm certainly not saying I want to be that person either; I wear my mask where required and I will be vaccinated (I postponed my planned first shot due to scheduling issues). It's just that while some of my friends believe there is no level of safe activity, still stay home as much as possible, decline to see anyone they don't need to interact with, etc. I myself don't feel uncomfortable sitting in a restaurant.

I'm in the same category as you then.  Our circle of friends had all been smart, so we didn't mind seeing them occasionally.  We tried to do as much outside as possible though until we all got vaccinated.  I think I only have one friend who hasn't gotten his second shot (or got J&J before they paused it).

Chris

[kphoger]

So, we're all agreed that HB needs to get vaccinated, right?

I don't care if he does or not, and I believe he is an adult who can make his own informed decision.

[NE2]

I'll take that as a yes. I'll get the jab while y'all hold him down.

[formulanone]

Dunno 'bout you all, but my cell phone reception has not improved after the second dose. 

I do have a friend of the family who's in her 70s and immunocompromised (an autoimmune disorder of some kind), so she's been advised by her doctors to not get the vaccine. She's literally dependent that everyone else she knows has to get vaccinated before she's confident to be around others. But that's it, literally one individual out of many that I know; all other family members over 18, literally all of my co-workers who travel, and many that work from home. I don't know how many are going to abstain, perhaps a few people.

I've encountered lots of people who just say "hey I never get sick" or "I've never had the flu" (then how do they know this? the first time I had influenza, I was 17 and just chalked it up a crappy 14-day cold) but sometimes I do go to some small towns whereby colds and other viruses do not commonly (or knowingly) spread. Certainly, there's people who avoid others naturally or there's almost no place/desire to congregate. But COVID-19 did not seem to care about demographics and the size of municipal units if there were folks who met in close and surrounded quarters.

[Rothman]

I'll take that as a yes. I'll get the jab while y'all hold him down.

It's a plan.

[webny99]

So, we're all agreed that HB needs to get vaccinated, right?

I think it's important to distinguish between "needs to" and "should".

Ultimately, yes, I think he should, but I think he should come to that himself, not be told so by strangers on a roads forum. Back to the earlier point about differing worldviews and how they've been shaped - or not - by the pandemic, I reckon his life in rural Kentucky has been significantly less impacted by Covid than those of us living in an urban or suburban area.

... except in very unusual cases such as life-threatening complications from vaccination, it is hard to see what benefits accrue for vaccine refusal to the refuser's self, family, or community.

This is basically my position as well.

[Scott5114]

I think the state of Kentucky should make HB choose between getting the vaccine or staying a week in Louisville.

[hbelkins]

I think the state of Kentucky should make HB choose between getting the vaccine or staying a week in Louisville.

I've done three nights there before. Three more would be a piece of cake.

So, we're all agreed that HB needs to get vaccinated, right?

I think it's important to distinguish between "needs to" and "should".

Ultimately, yes, I think he should, but I think he should come to that himself, not be told so by strangers on a roads forum.

Should I also get a Real ID? Do I need to get a Real ID?

Should I quit using my Valentine One? Do I need to quit using it?

Should I get my oil changed every 3-5,000 miles instead of letting the vehicle's internal system tell me when the oil needs changed? Do I need to get my oil changed every 3-5,000 miles instead of letting the vehicle's internal system tell me when the oil needs changed?

My own brother thinks I'm making a mistake in not getting the shot. And he is typically less inclined to buy into hype and pressure than I am. I figured he would be an even more staunch resister.

I have my reasons for choosing not to take the shot. They're quite valid reasons. I know a number of other people who have made the same decision for their own reasons.

I've been thinking about writing a long-form opinion piece on why I choose not to take the shot. If I do, I'll post the link here.

[Scott5114]

I think the state of Kentucky should make HB choose between getting the vaccine or staying a week in Louisville.

I've done three nights there before. Three more would be a piece of cake.

Could be the fourth one that gets ya...

[NWI_Irish96]

I think the state of Kentucky should make HB choose between getting the vaccine or staying a week in Louisville.

I've done three nights there before. Three more would be a piece of cake.

So, we're all agreed that HB needs to get vaccinated, right?

I think it's important to distinguish between "needs to" and "should".

Ultimately, yes, I think he should, but I think he should come to that himself, not be told so by strangers on a roads forum.

Should I also get a Real ID? Do I need to get a Real ID?

Should I quit using my Valentine One? Do I need to quit using it?

Should I get my oil changed every 3-5,000 miles instead of letting the vehicle's internal system tell me when the oil needs changed? Do I need to get my oil changed every 3-5,000 miles instead of letting the vehicle's internal system tell me when the oil needs changed?

My own brother thinks I'm making a mistake in not getting the shot. And he is typically less inclined to buy into hype and pressure than I am. I figured he would be an even more staunch resister.

I have my reasons for choosing not to take the shot. They're quite valid reasons. I know a number of other people who have made the same decision for their own reasons.

I've been thinking about writing a long-form opinion piece on why I choose not to take the shot. If I do, I'll post the link here.

You will eventually need to get a real ID in order to fly or to access federal facilities. If you never do either of those things, you won't need a real ID.

As for the vaccine, I agree it's 100% your choice. I just want to make sure you understand that the larger the number of people who choose not to get the vaccine, the larger the risk is to everybody, vaccinated or not. You can't hide from the match/science that dictates the consequences of your choice.

[ozarkman417]

My school had a vaccination clinic that allowed hundreds of students at my high school to receive their first dose of Pfizer, myself included.

[Roadgeekteen]

My school had a vaccination clinic that allowed hundreds of students at my high school to receive their first dose of Pfizer, myself included.

Lucky! That would make scheduling a lot easier.

[Duke87]

I find it interesting that not a single person has slammed HB for never having had a flu shot.

Well, there is not a currently ongoing influenza pandemic that we're desperately trying to bring to an end, so there's no acute need to get as many people vaccinated against influenza as we can as quickly as we can.

FWIW, last September was the first time in my life I ever got a flu shot. Previously, I had never bothered since I am not in a high risk group, flu shots aren't that effective anyway, and since they are sometimes in short supply I felt it was best to save them for people who needed them more than I do.

Last year, however, a need emerged to keep influenza extra tamped down so we don't have to deal with it on top of covid. Thus, getting a flu shot suddenly felt like civic duty, and so I did. I plan on getting a flu shot again this year for the same reason.


As for slamming people in general, I echo the sentiment that it isn't productive. As much as I disagree with anyone deciding not to get vaccinated, bullying them about it isn't going to change their mind, so I won't engage in such.