99.2% of recent US Covid deaths were unvaccinated people

[voce]

This is fascinating. Why aren’t the unvaccinated afraid of the virus?

The data shows the unvaccinated don't fear the virus, even as they are most at risk | CNN Politics

In July, 44% of vaccinated adults indicated they were extremely or very concerned about the virus. This was up from 36% in late June. Among the unvaccinated, concern was stable at 23%. The opposite, in theory, should be the case.

edition.cnn.com

They believe it's just like the common flu. They don't get scared until it's wrecking their lives, since they distrust others like everyone on the mainstream media and anyone who gives credence to mainstream media.

 

[westofhere]

Also, many believe that the death numbers are inflated by the CDC, whereas they’re actually low. And the truly delusional, of whom there seem to be tens if not hundreds of thousands in the US, believe insane conspiracies such as that the vaccine will alter their DNA, that it contains a tracking device, etc etc.

 

[MamaBee]

The other thing I want to point out, people who do get vaccinated, who do not follow social distancing, feels like that is their right because it only affects them. That is not correct. Having an uncontrolled pandemic has far reaching affects through the society, and even other countries because we are all connected. One thing we are seeing is burnout in healthcare professionals due to working longer, harder, more dangerous hours due to Covid. Parts of the country are already seeing sufficient beds, but not enough staff to care for covid patients. This shortage impacts ability to provide preventative, routine care, surgeries, etc. Anyways what I am saying, maybe you don't get covid. But you have a heart attack, need a routine screening that might catch something wrong. By not getting vaccinated, that help might not be there for you when you need it. Its already happened to some. Last April my Dad had a medical emergency but it took 40 minutes to be admitted, because of the pandemic. He didn't make it.

I’m so sorry @partgypsy..That’s heartbreaking..

 

[ShinyPink]

I just returned home from a scene where an under 45 y/o died of COVID. No underlying health conditions. Not vaccinated. The person went very quickly.

 

[westofhere]

I just returned home from a scene where an under 45 y/o died of COVID. No underlying health conditions. Not vaccinated. The person went very quickly.

That is terrifying.

 

[FL_runner]

That’s why I’ve been coloring my own hair. It’s. It perfect but safer. No one is wearing a mask it seems. I continue to wear a kn95 mask. I don’t think I can breathe in a n95. I tried it once many years ago when I was refinishing a piece of furniture. I couldn’t breathe…

I switched to coloring my own hair at home, too. N95s can be tricky and honestly not comfortable- us medical folks get fit tested at work. A well fitting KN95 is still a good option in a non medical setting, esp if you are being cautious about distancing!!!

 

[FL_runner]

I just returned home from a scene where an under 45 y/o died of COVID. No underlying health conditions. Not vaccinated. The person went very quickly.

I’m so sorry, it’s so heartbreaking

 

[MamaBee]

I switched to coloring my own hair at home, too. N95s can be tricky and honestly not comfortable- us medical folks get fit tested at work. A well fitting KN95 is still a good option in a non medical setting, esp if you are being cautious about distancing!!!

@FL_runner I tighten my mask by making a little knot on each loop. I wind up having the mark of the mask on my face when I take it off. It’s nice and tight. When I go in to a doctor’s office I double mask with a cloth one on top..It also has the nose pinch at the top. It took a while to get use to it..but I feel it gives me an extra layer of protection..I’m still wearing a mask when I’m in the stores…

 

[partgypsy]

Thank you for your thoughts. I didn't mean to throw a pity party. I know I'm not the only one to experience loss this past year and a half.

 

[Calliecake]

Thank you for your thoughts. I didn't mean to throw a pity party. I know I'm not the only one to experience loss this past year and a half.

Please don’t feel that way @Part Gypsy. You were not throwing a pity party. Losing people we love is a horrible thing to go thru. Hugs

 

[MamaBee]

Thank you for your thoughts. I didn't mean to throw a pity party. I know I'm not the only one to experience loss this past year and a half.

@partgypsy Please don’t think that. You suffered a huge loss. In no way did it even cross my mind that it was a pity party. XO

 

[missy]

@FL_runner I tighten my mask by making a little knot on each loop. I wind up having the mark of the mask on my face when I take it off. It’s nice and tight. When I go in to a doctor’s office I double mask with a cloth one on top..It also has the nose pinch at the top. It took a while to get use to it..but I feel it gives me an extra layer of protection..I’m still wearing a mask when I’m in the stores…

I do the same. Knot the ear loop to make it fit my head.
Though with the new masks they fit me perfectly so no adjusting of straps necessary.
We are back to wearing masks anytime we are indoors shopping or anywhere inside that isn't home.

I just returned home from a scene where an under 45 y/o died of COVID. No underlying health conditions. Not vaccinated. The person went very quickly.

I am so sorry

I was watching a man they were interviewing from the hospital where he was very ill and he said he wished he had gotten vaccinated. He died after the interview. Heartbreaking.

 

[aljdewey]

Yep - keep telling yourself it only affects elderly people.....​

And for anyone inclined to try posting a stupid chart that includes data since the onset of the virus in early 2020, I challenge you to instead post a chart that reflects reflects data solely in the time period SINCE vaccines became available.

​

Covid-19 cases among US children and teens jumped 84% in a week, pediatrician group says​

Covid-19 cases among US children and teens jumped 84% in a week, pediatrician group says | CNN

Almost 72,000 children and teens caught Covid-19 last week -- a "substantial" increase from a week earlier, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported Tuesday.

www.cnn.com

 

[hmr_mama]

I’ve written a few replies and deleted them all. I’m not sure why I’m writing another. I’m not sure if the people on threads like these can see the level of condescension in their replies.
Many of us in the US are opting out of the vaccine and I’m one of them. No, I’m not uneducated. No, I’m not a a conspiracy theorist. I’m not deluded. I’m fairly good at math. I have a degree in a science based field. My education and work history has set me up to make a reasonable assessment of the COVID situation. Yes, COVID has a higher mutation rate than seasonal flu. But the seasonal flu has been around a lot longer. Yes, covid was more deadly than the seasonal flu, while it was novel. Yes, Delta is infecting kids (kids are gross). But it’s not killing more kids. Most of all covid deaths among children were among very ill children. That’s not to say that those lives don’t matter and we shouldn’t try to protect them. They did matter. But to shut down schools and jobs (etc.) was completely illogical. Anyone that’s run the numbers on covid among healthy people and think that our reaction wasn’t completely bizarre is living in an alternate reality. If you’re in a high risk group—get the vaccine! I’ve implored my parents to get it. They won’t and that’s okay by me. It’s their choice. Because, freedom.

We’ve had a year to look at the data and yet here we all are. Grasping at fear or hope. People wonder who wouldn’t be afraid of covid. Me. I’m not afraid. I’m young, healthy. My kids are young and healthy. My husband is youngish. When we had covid in March 2020, my husband ended up with pneumonia. Now that his body has seen the virus, I’m confident it will fight it off.

I’m also in the privileged position to stay home when I’m sick. My kids stay home when they’re sick. I’m not the vector you think I am. The idea that people are spreading covid unknowingly is bonkers to me. Are asymptomatic people going around sneezing and spitting on people. Like, in real life?! Viruses need help to spread.

Also, something for you all to think about. When I was dating my husband, my sister had a fit when she saw me riding around on the back of his motorcycle sans helmet (collective groan among healthcare providers). 20 years later and she ‘s been wearing the same mountain bike helmet that she’s crashed her brains out in countless times. Multiple concussions. She also runs alone in the wilderness. We all take risks. You can roll your eyes and say, “this is different! This is about public health!”. I hate to burst your bubble….you will never get rid of respiratory viruses. If that’s the hill you’re ready to die on…I’ll catch you rolling downhill in your bubble…while I fly by on my dirt bike. I’ll let you guess if I’ll be wearing a helmet.

So, I guess what it all comes down to is hope and math.

 

[lovedogs]

I’ve written a few replies and deleted them all. I’m not sure why I’m writing another. I’m not sure if the people on threads like these can see the level of condescension in their replies.
Many of us in the US are opting out of the vaccine and I’m one of them. No, I’m not uneducated. No, I’m not a a conspiracy theorist. I’m not deluded. I’m fairly good at math. I have a degree in a science based field. My education and work history has set me up to make a reasonable assessment of the COVID situation. Yes, COVID has a higher mutation rate than seasonal flu. But the seasonal flu has been around a lot longer. Yes, covid was more deadly than the seasonal flu, while it was novel. Yes, Delta is infecting kids (kids are gross). But it’s not killing more kids. Most of all covid deaths among children were among very ill children. That’s not to say that those lives don’t matter and we shouldn’t try to protect them. They did matter. But to shut down schools and jobs (etc.) was completely illogical. Anyone that’s run the numbers on covid among healthy people and think that our reaction wasn’t completely bizarre is living in an alternate reality. If you’re in a high risk group—get the vaccine! I’ve implored my parents to get it. They won’t and that’s okay by me. It’s their choice. Because, freedom.

We’ve had a year to look at the data and yet here we all are. Grasping at fear or hope. People wonder who wouldn’t be afraid of covid. Me. I’m not afraid. I’m young, healthy. My kids are young and healthy. My husband is youngish. When we had covid in March 2020, my husband ended up with pneumonia. Now that his body has seen the virus, I’m confident it will fight it off.

I’m also in the privileged position to stay home when I’m sick. My kids stay home when they’re sick. I’m not the vector you think I am. The idea that people are spreading covid unknowingly is bonkers to me. Are asymptomatic people going around sneezing and spitting on people. Like, in real life?! Viruses need help to spread.

Also, something for you all to think about. When I was dating my husband, my sister had a fit when she saw me riding around on the back of his motorcycle sans helmet (collective groan among healthcare providers). 20 years later and she ‘s been wearing the same mountain bike helmet that she’s crashed her brains out in countless times. Multiple concussions. She also runs alone in the wilderness. We all take risks. You can roll your eyes and say, “this is different! This is about public health!”. I hate to burst your bubble….you will never get rid of respiratory viruses. If that’s the hill you’re ready to die on…I’ll catch you rolling downhill in your bubble…while I fly by on my dirt bike. I’ll let you guess if I’ll be wearing a helmet.

So, I guess what it all comes down to is hope and math.

Your response is very very odd. You claim to have degrees and be good at math, but clearly lack any understanding of how viruses work, or how bad things were in NYC, india, etc during the worst of it. The response to shut down was not nonsensical. It was BASED IN SCIENCE. I truly dont understand. I'm happy for you that you are privileged enough to stay home when sick, but that has nothing to do with unknowingly spreading a virus while asymptomatic. I'm just honestly baffled by what you wrote.

Ps. I DONT WEAR A HELMET, LOL! Is not the flex you think it is. Its irresponsible and, frankly, thoughtless.

 

[FL_runner]

With all respect, hmr_mama, I don’t think this analogy with helmets makes sense.

We know that when engaging in high risk activities (mountain biking, motorcycle riding, etc) protective gear reduces the severity of injury and on some cases prevents injury/death. Accidents happen, and having only a concussion but not more severe damage means that the helmet worked and did it’s job. Seat belts reduce motor vehicle deaths, and car seats reduce injury for kids in vehicle accidents. It doesn’t make sense, if you look at statistical reductions in morbidity and mortality, not to use those protective items.

There are many reasons people have for declining vaccination, but there is clear evidence both from the vaccine studies/trials and from the current public health data regarding case rates, vaccination status, and death rates that vaccination reduces risk of infection and that it also reduces severity very dramatically if one is infected. So statistics/data supports that vaccination reduces risk population wide- individual risk based on a persons medical history is a separate discussion they should have with their medical team. It’s disingenuous to discard a large body of research as hope, if that was what your post implied.

 

[Dancing Fire]

@hmr_mama , I give you a lot of credit for having the guts to write that post.

Now put on your bullet proof vest!. If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen..

 

[Lookinagain]

’m not afraid. I’m young, healthy. My kids are young and healthy. My husband is youngish. When we had covid in March 2020, my husband ended up with pneumonia. Now that his body has seen the virus, I’m confident it will fight it off.

The Covid that you had in March of 2020 is not the same Covid that is infecting people now.

Anyone that’s run the numbers on covid among healthy people and think that our reaction wasn’t completely bizarre is living in an alternate reality

This is one thing I can agree with, you and I are definitely living in alternate realities and I like mine better.

20 years later and she ‘s been wearing the same mountain bike helmet that she’s crashed her brains out in countless times. Multiple concussions. She also runs alone in the wilderness. We all take risks.

And her actions aren't a threat to me, or others. So your analogy isn't a good one.

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

I’ve written a few replies and deleted them all. I’m not sure why I’m writing another. I’m not sure if the people on threads like these can see the level of condescension in their replies.
Many of us in the US are opting out of the vaccine and I’m one of them. No, I’m not uneducated. No, I’m not a a conspiracy theorist. I’m not deluded. I’m fairly good at math. I have a degree in a science based field. My education and work history has set me up to make a reasonable assessment of the COVID situation. Yes, COVID has a higher mutation rate than seasonal flu. But the seasonal flu has been around a lot longer. Yes, covid was more deadly than the seasonal flu, while it was novel. Yes, Delta is infecting kids (kids are gross). But it’s not killing more kids. Most of all covid deaths among children were among very ill children. That’s not to say that those lives don’t matter and we shouldn’t try to protect them. They did matter. But to shut down schools and jobs (etc.) was completely illogical. Anyone that’s run the numbers on covid among healthy people and think that our reaction wasn’t completely bizarre is living in an alternate reality. If you’re in a high risk group—get the vaccine! I’ve implored my parents to get it. They won’t and that’s okay by me. It’s their choice. Because, freedom.

We’ve had a year to look at the data and yet here we all are. Grasping at fear or hope. People wonder who wouldn’t be afraid of covid. Me. I’m not afraid. I’m young, healthy. My kids are young and healthy. My husband is youngish. When we had covid in March 2020, my husband ended up with pneumonia. Now that his body has seen the virus, I’m confident it will fight it off.

I’m also in the privileged position to stay home when I’m sick. My kids stay home when they’re sick. I’m not the vector you think I am. The idea that people are spreading covid unknowingly is bonkers to me. Are asymptomatic people going around sneezing and spitting on people. Like, in real life?! Viruses need help to spread.

Also, something for you all to think about. When I was dating my husband, my sister had a fit when she saw me riding around on the back of his motorcycle sans helmet (collective groan among healthcare providers). 20 years later and she ‘s been wearing the same mountain bike helmet that she’s crashed her brains out in countless times. Multiple concussions. She also runs alone in the wilderness. We all take risks. You can roll your eyes and say, “this is different! This is about public health!”. I hate to burst your bubble….you will never get rid of respiratory viruses. If that’s the hill you’re ready to die on…I’ll catch you rolling downhill in your bubble…while I fly by on my dirt bike. I’ll let you guess if I’ll be wearing a helmet.

So, I guess what it all comes down to is hope and math.

This is the worst pandemic in US history. There has been nothing quite like this.

625,000 people have died in the US alone. So far. We'll hit a million or more by the end of this year. Our previously considered worst pandemic- The 1918 (Spanish)flu lasted three years and killed about 675,000 in the US.
Covid killed close to the same in half the time.
The flu mortality in the US takes about 30k most years. 60k on a bad year.
Not the same, not even close.

You're leaving much to chance with limited understanding of how the *still* novel Coronavirus works, mutates, spreads, infection or the limitation of variant immunity. There has been a whole passel of new data points coming out of other countries with the Delta variant, and soon to be Lambda that flout all of your assertions about children's risk, as well as upticks in breakthrough infections, as well as the danger of cumulative permanent damage to bronchial and vascular tissues following infection. They are calling it a vascular as opposed to respiratory disease. It behaves differently than other viruses. That opens up a huge damage profile. As I said, it's still novel.

COVID-19 – A vascular disease

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) leads to multi-system dysfunction with emerging evidence suggesting that SARS-CoV-2-mediated endothelial injury is an important effector of the virus. Potential therapies that address vascular ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

What we've seen so far isn't what's coming down the pike. You might want to read about what's happening in Indonesia and also what's beginning to happen here in relation to infection skewing younger and children dying. Variants are rewriting the rules as we go.
Just make the decision with a full set of verifiable facts.
I hope it holds for you, this laissez faire.
Probability says no, but hey, freedom.

 

[hmr_mama]

Your response is very very odd. You claim to have degrees and be good at math, but clearly lack any understanding of how viruses work, or how bad things were in NYC, india, etc during the worst of it. The response to shut down was not nonsensical. It was BASED IN SCIENCE. I truly dont understand. I'm happy for you that you are privileged enough to stay home when sick, but that has nothing to do with unknowingly spreading a virus while asymptomatic. I'm just honestly baffled by what you wrote.

Ps. I DONT WEAR A HELMET, LOL! Is not the flex you think it is. Its irresponsible and, frankly, thoughtless.

I would argue that the response to shut down was based in fear. Since Covid was “novel”, we were erring on the side of caution. There is no “science” available for a truly novel virus.

My helmet analogy wasn’t a “flex”. It was to show that we all choose our level of risk. The moment I sit on a motorcycle I’m taking a huge risk. My sister chooses to take risks that I would never take. You probably take risks that I wouldn’t take. The idea here is that we’re all different. Why do we all have to be the same when it comes to the risk of covid?

I don’t take the risk of living in New York City. I would never choose to live in a metropolis where I’m dependent on city services to survive. I would never live where the murder rate is 10x where I live. Maybe I know more about viruses/risk than anyone in New York City? So. Many. Reservoirs.

Did you feel the same way about the flu vaccine? Did it incite so much disdain for people that didn’t receive them?

Viruses mutate All. The. Time. Me receiving a vaccine doesn’t make mutation stop happening. People get the flu vaccine every year and it mutates every year. That’s how respiratory viruses work.

So it seems we all make choices. Some of us choose to live in densely populated cities where viruses spread more easily. Some of us don’t. The CDC makes choices based on schools in NYC…but the same story is not being played out in rural America.

 

[hmr_mama]

This is the worst pandemic in US history. There has been nothing quite like this.

625,000 people have died in the US alone. So far. We'll hit a million or more by the end of this year. Our previously considered worst pandemic- The 1918 (Spanish)flu lasted three years and killed about 675,000 in the US.
Covid killed close to the same in half the time.
The flu mortality in the US takes about 30k most years. 60k on a bad year.
Not the same, not even close.

You're leaving much to chance with limited understanding of how the *still* novel Coronavirus works, mutates, spreads, infection or the limitation of variant immunity. There has been a whole passel of new data points coming out of other countries with the Delta variant, and soon to be Lambda that flout all of your assertions about children's risk, as well as upticks in breakthrough infections, as well as the danger of cumulative permanent damage to bronchial and vascular tissues following infection. They are calling it a vascular as opposed to respiratory disease. It behaves differently than other viruses. That opens up a huge damage profile. As I said, it's still novel.

COVID-19 – A vascular disease

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) leads to multi-system dysfunction with emerging evidence suggesting that SARS-CoV-2-mediated endothelial injury is an important effector of the virus. Potential therapies that address vascular ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

What we've seen so far isn't what's coming down the pike. You might want to read about what's happening in Indonesia and also what's beginning to happen here in relation to infection skewing younger and children dying. Variants are rewriting the rules as we go.
Just make the decision with a full set of verifiable facts.
I hope it holds for you, this laissez faire.
Probability says no, but hey, freedom.

I really appreciate your reply. So, knowing what we do know about the mutation rate (thus far), would you say if we were to immunize the entire country (USA) the pandemic would ebb? Or would it continue to flow because what we do in the USA is but a fart in the wind when it comes to breadth of the power of this ubiquitous, totally terrifying virus that we know nothing about.

 

[hmr_mama]

I would argue that the response to shut down was based in fear. Since Covid was “novel”, we were erring on the side of caution. There is no “science” available for a truly novel virus.

My helmet analogy wasn’t a “flex”. It was to show that we all choose our level of risk. The moment I sit on a motorcycle I’m taking a huge risk. My sister chooses to take risks that I would never take. You probably take risks that I wouldn’t take. The idea here is that we’re all different. Why do we all have to be the same when it comes to the risk of covid?

I don’t take the risk of living in New York City. I would never choose to live in a metropolis where I’m dependent on city services to survive. I would never live where the murder rate is 10x where I live. Maybe I know more about viruses/risk than anyone in New York City? So. Many. Reservoirs.

Did you feel the same way about the flu vaccine? Did it incite so much disdain for people that didn’t receive them?

Viruses mutate All. The. Time. Me receiving a vaccine doesn’t make mutation stop happening. People get the flu vaccine every year and it mutates every year. That’s how respiratory viruses work.

So it seems we all make choices. Some of us choose to live in densely populated cities where viruses spread more easily. Some of us don’t. The CDC makes choices based on schools in NYC…but the same story is not being played out in rural America.

Also, I’m not sure we should compare the 1918 flu mortality rates to covid rate.

1. there are more people to kill.
2. There are more people above the age of 65 (vastly more).
3. International travel wasn’t really a thing.
4. Driving 500 miles for thanksgiving wasn’t either.

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

I really appreciate your reply. So, knowing what we do know about the mutation rate (thus far), would you say if we were to immunize the entire country (USA) the pandemic would ebb? Or would it continue to flow because what we do in the USA is but a fart in the wind when it comes to breadth of the power of this ubiquitous, totally terrifying virus that we know nothing about.

It would go a long way in mitigating the death rates to be sure. It is effective against the variants we've seen. That may change over time. But, if we don't give it viable hosts to mutate in, it will cease to be as dangerous.
That's the beauty of the immunizations so far. We know some certainly, it's been a year and a half. But you could say the same with all virulent pathogens. There will be continued vaccinations for this virus and it's variants for the foreseeable future. But if everyone is vaccinated very few will actually die of it. Which is the goal.
Fun fact: The Spanish flu is what we know as the H1N1 now.
What would be best case scenario would be for a more concerted effort to get mRNA vaccines worldwide as quickly as possible.

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

Also, I’m not sure we should compare the 1918 flu mortality rates to covid rate.

1. there are more people to kill.
2. There are more people above the age of 65 (vastly more).
3. International travel wasn’t really a thing.
4. Driving 500 miles for thanksgiving wasn’t either.

Of course we can. It's still here, you know. The 1918 flu killed younger people. That's what made it so frightening. We were in the middle of a World War- so the movement of bodies was at huge numbers- millions of people.
That's how it spread last time- just like this time. Travel.
60 million dead of Spanish flu worldwide. Waves kept happening in places people refused to mask. Took forever to burn out because of it.
The difference between now and then is that we have a vaccine! That works!
We have anywhere between 4-14 (they're not sure how bad it is yet)million dead worldwide so far.

 

[Lookinagain]

Also, I’m not sure we should compare the 1918 flu mortality rates to covid rate.


3. International travel wasn’t really a thing.

I think it was considering that they credit the soldiers travelling overseas and back during WWI as spreading it. There was definitely international travel during war time.

And the 1918 flu killed a lot of young, healthy people, not just older people.

 

[hmr_mama]

I think it was considering that they credit the soldiers travelling overseas and back during WWI as spreading it. There was definitely international travel during war time.

And the 1918 flu killed a lot of young, healthy people, not just older people.

There is no comparison between international travel in 1918 to international travel today.

Tourism

How often do people travel for pleasure? What role does tourism play in economies across the world? Explore global data on tourism.

ourworldindata.org

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

There is no comparison between international travel in 1918 to international travel today.

Tourism

How often do people travel for pleasure? What role does tourism play in economies across the world? Explore global data on tourism.

ourworldindata.org

It's not really relevant in the grand scheme, the exact number. Though, you could argue that it kept the numbers in the US lower than they would have been.
Volume doesn't actually matter, as long as there was 'a' body to spread from. It spreads. There were millions in that case, more than enough. Also because of the war the influx of soldiers coming home at one time was a substantial spreading event.

 

[ShinyPink]

OMG. You have a science-based degree yet you don't understand the basics of this disease. My husband has two science-based degrees. It doesn't make him a doctor, immunologist, public health expert, or epidemiologist. So unless your expertise in in a field related to medicine, virology, immunology, etc., your degree doesn't matter. "Novel" just means a new strain, not something completely unheard of that fell from the sky.

The reason we shut down "based in fear" was because of the high R0. This variant is much more contagious, with an even higher R0. Spanish flu had an R0 in the 2-range. Delta has an R0 of 5-9. That's a fact, not based on fear. Last year, people were not distancing or masking on their own, and given the severity, morbidity, and lack of a vaccine, something had to be done to protect the health of the general public. It was for protection, and given the horrible death toll (631k to date) we needed it. You must be forgetting the terrible toll it had on hospitals, which were filled with COVID patients on ventilators. Nurses and doctors here basically said once someone was on a vent, it's pretty grim. Why? Because their bodies have been trashed by the virus and their lungs were taking the brunt of it. Not everyone who died had comorbidities. That's just irrational thinking. There are also the long-term effects from the virus. Hospitals in my area today were on diversion. Not a good sign. Nothing I said is a scare tactic. It's fact.

Children didn't catch it as much and the death rate is lower. Again, this is a new strain so we don't know what will happen. One child dying is one too many. I've never been one to rely on the odds, since someone has to be on the losing side. I don't want to be that person. There's been an 80%+ increase in pediatric cases in the past week. Over 1000 young children have died in Brazil.

I hate to tell you, but healthy people are dying from it now, and quickly. If you don't think so, go tell it to the family I had to console the other day.

BTW, the curve was flattened for the Spanish Flu due to social distancing, quarantine, and a shut down of public gatherings, such as church and school. National Geographic has a great article on it, but you have to subscribe to view it.

I'm glad you're not afraid of COVID or a TBI. It's nothing to brag about, though.

 

[adlgel]

When we had covid in March 2020, my husband ended up with pneumonia. Now that his body has seen the virus, I’m confident it will fight it off.

I’m legitimately curious why you are so confident about this. Your husband had a relatively severe case of COVID the first time if he developed pneumonia. Is there any data that shows that people with this type of case are more likely to be unaffected by a second case? My assumption would be his lungs are possibly weakened and therefore less likely to be able to easily fight off the virus.

 

[Austina]

I think the whole point of getting vaccinated is that none of us knows exactly how our bodies would react to Covid. There are plenty of cases of younger people now, with no prior health conditions, contracting Covid and dying shortly afterwards. I am over 60, there was no way I wasn’t going to get vaccinated, and I’m not someone who has ever previously had a flu jab, because I just didn’t think it was necessary. I’m healthy, not on any kind of medication but I could not predict if I would recover or die if I got Covid, and I wasn’t about to risk finding out. I also didn’t want to have to live with organ damage caused by it. We’ve had 3 lockdowns in the UK, simply because people wouldn’t adhere to social distancing and mask wearing, hence the spread of variants, Delta in particular. We’re finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel because of the high vaccination take up.

Our scientists are saying that even if you’ve had Covid, you should still get vaccinated. I’m happy to take the advice of experts. If I have any long term detrimental effects from the vaccine, so be it, but I’d rather be part of the solution than the problem. My view is that it’s not about me as an individual, but about doing what’s right for everyone.

I’m not bashing anyone who can’t for medical reasons get vaccinated.