What a relief to be vaccinated!

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Sunny

Sunny

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Maryland
My senior community (55 and older) was among the first to be vaccinated. I received my Pfizer shots in Jan. and Feb., have been fine ever since, and have been patiently waiting (well, not so patiently) for the rest of the world to catch up.

Finally, Montgomery County has reached herd immunity, and is now fully open. People are so happy to be walking around without masks, able to mingle socially, attend performances, travel, go to restaurants, and otherwise return to living a normal life. Schools are reopening, performances and clubs are rescheduling, people are returning to normal shopping, and so on. And many people are left to mourn those who died of this terrible disease.

I shake my head in wonderment at those who are trying to feed their own ego by dismissing the brilliant scientific investigation that led us to the vaccines within a year or so. And I rejoice with all who have been able to receive the shot. My extended family will be spending a week together at the beach; we've all been vaccinated, except the baby, as they don't vaccinate babies for Covid.

Yesterday, I had a conversation with an Indian (from India) friend. She said due to the lack of vaccine availability, there are so many dead and dying in India that there aren't enough people to cremate the bodies. So they are stacking up. And here, they are actually paying people to get the vaccine, to try to keep the anti-science crowd from doing any more damage.

What does this say about the people who boast that they have an "immune system?" Well, reach your own conclusions.
 

I take great comfort in all of my family (except the grands who are quite young) having been vaccinated. I'm cautiously optimistic that enough of us will be vaccinated, or have immunity because of having contracted the virus, or both, that many of the precautions can be put behind us very soon.

India's situation is heartbreaking.
 
I'm still glad to have the waiver due to my autoimmue diseases. Am hoping that it proves safe in the long run even for people with autoimmune problems, but I know personally of two people in real life who do have autoimmune diseases who have reacted badly. One was an immediate allergic type reaction to the first shot that caused the woman's arm to swell to twice its size. She had a terrible time ....skin sloughed off in huge pieces as it healed; thankfully she's not had other issues beyond that. The second is the grandmother of my physical therapist. The grandmother who is 83 with rheumatoid arthritis has been bed bound for almost a month due to suffering the most severe RA flare in her life that started a couple of days after the first shot.

My concerns started early on when I read that there's no other mRNA delivered therapy that has passed full FDA approval in part because they promoted autoimmunity. If my autoimmune diseases worsen, I don't care what kills me ...would probably take care of it myself. It's a "damned if I do, damned if I don't" situation and I wish it weren't. So I'm keeping on with the mask to protect myself from both unvaccinated people and those who've been vaccinated that get mild cases.

As for India, I wish I could ship over what would've been my doses.
 

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AnnieA said:
I'm still glad to have the waiver due to my autoimmue diseases. Am hoping that it proves safe in the long run even for people with autoimmune problems, but I know personally of two people in real life who do have them who have reacted badly. One was an immediate allergic type reaction to the first shot that caused the woman's arm to swell to twice its size. She had a terrible time ....skin sloughed off in huge pieces as it healed. The second is the grandmother of my physical therapist. The grandmother who is 83 with rheumatoid arthritis has been bed bound for almost a month due to suffering the most severe RA flare in her life that started a couple of days after the first shot.

My concerns started early on when I read that there's no other mRNA delivered therapy that has passed full FDA approval in part because they promoted autoimmunity. If my autoimmune diseases worsen, I don't care what kills me ...would probably take care of it myself. It's a "damned if I do, damned if I don't" situation and I wish it weren't. So I'm keeping on with the mask to protect myself from both unvaccinated people and those who've been vaccinated that get mild cases.

As for India, I wish I could ship over what would've been my doses.
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That's one reason I'm not getting the vaccine. I had a similar bad reaction to antibiotics several years ago.
I had a foot infection that started with Athlete's Foot. I know how serious foot issues are for diabetics like me, so I saw a Podiatrist who prescribed an ointment and oral antibiotics. The ointment didn't cause any problems, but after a few days I developed a rash on my arms, then large dark spots on the palms of my hands and the bottom of my feet.
I told the doctor about it & (incredibly) he said to "Continue taking the antibiotic." I stopped taking them immediately.
The spots turned to large fluid-filled blisters & the itching was horrible.
I saw a dermatologist who prescribed other drugs for the reaction but I decided not to take them; I'd had enough of bad drug reactions (and bad medical advice) by then. That turned out to be the right decision. After the skin on my palms started coming off in big chunks (remember the movie, "The Mummy?") I noticed new skin growing under it & I had new palms, and new foot soles in 2 weeks.
So....those who say "Everyone should get the vaccine" are ignorant fools.
And, NO, I'm not saying it's foolish to get the vaccine; I'm saying the decision is a personal one & the one that's right for you may not be right for others, so judging others makes you a fool.
 
win231 said:
That's one reason I'm not getting the vaccine. I had a similar bad reaction to antibiotics several years ago.
I had a foot infection that started with Athlete's Foot. I know how serious foot issues are for diabetics like me, so I saw a Podiatrist who prescribed an ointment and oral antibiotics. The ointment didn't cause any problems, but after a few days I developed a rash on my arms, then large dark spots on the palms of my hands and the bottom of my feet.
I told the doctor about it & (incredibly) he said to "Continue taking the antibiotic." I stopped taking them immediately.
The spots turned to large fluid-filled blisters & the itching was horrible.
I saw a dermatologist who prescribed other drugs for the reaction but I decided not to take them; I'd had enough of bad drug reactions (and bad medical advice) by then. That turned out to be the right decision. After the skin on my palms started coming off in big chunks (remember the movie, "The Mummy?") I noticed new skin growing under it & I had new palms, and new foot soles in 2 weeks.
So....those who say "Everyone should get the vaccine" are ignorant fools.
And, NO, I'm not saying it's foolish to get the vaccine; I'm saying the decision is a personal one & the one that's right for you may not be right for others, so judging others makes you a fool.
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Agree that the decision is a personal one and that there are people who do not fit the pro-vaxx/anti-vaxx dichotomy ...so intellectually lazy to blindly be one or the other.

In your case, I doubt that an antibiotic allergy predisposes you to risk taking the vaccine. Antibiotic allergic reactions are fairly common ...think we would know by now if there's a connection. Even if TPTB didn't acknowledge it, there are plenty of practitioners who would've come forward if they were seeing that pattern. But, like you said, it's a personal choice that only you can make and I hope to God that what we put in our bodies remains our choice.
 
AnnieA said:
Agree that the decision is a personal one and that there are people who do not fit the pro-vaxx/anti-vaxx dichotomy ...so intellectually lazy to blindly be one or the other.

In your case, I doubt that an antibiotic allergy predisposes you to risk taking the vaccine. Antibiotic allergic reactions are fairly common ...think we would know by now if there's a connection. Even if TPTB didn't acknowledge it, there are plenty of practitioners who would've come forward if they were seeing that pattern. But, like you said, it's a personal choice that only you can make and I hope to God that what we put in our bodies remains our choice.
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I recall a few months ago they said anyone with allergies should not get the vaccine. It may or may not apply to antibiotics, but they didn't specify. I'm playing it safe, since we can't "Untake" a vaccine. 😊 And we have to live with the results - good or bad.
 
win231 said:
I recall a few months ago they said anyone with allergies should not get the vaccine. It may or may not apply to antibiotics, but they didn't specify. I'm playing it safe, since we can't "Untake" a vaccine. 😊 And we have to live with the results - good or bad.
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It's people who have allergies to a vaccine component who are told to avoid it, not allergies across the board ...same with any medical allergy.
 
win231 said:
How would we know every ingredient in the vaccine? And how would we know whether we were allergic to it until something bad happens?
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Ingredients are in the prescribing information document. As for how you know you're allergic, it's the same as any other allergy ...you have a reaction like the lady I know above whose arm swelled up after her first dose. She's now got a documented allergy and has been told not to take the second dose. Same as when you reacted to the antibiotic. You now know you have an allergy to that particular one. I'd probably avoid others in that classification of antibiotics but wouldn't hesitate to take antibiotics from another class. I had a reaction to Bactrim in my 20s and don't take other sulfonamide antibiotics but I have taken numerous others in other antibiotic classes since then that gave me no trouble at all.
 
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Smallpox was once a horrible scourge that killed thousands. They finally developed a vaccine against it that worked for nearly everyone. But very occasionally, there were serious, even fatal reactions. (I was told that a baby cousin of mine died as a result of that vaccine.)

Yet, the vaccine has been required for a century, except for those whose physical conditions make it impossible for them to tolerate it. To my knowledge, it never became a political issue, and I've certainly never seen any angry discussions about it on these forums. People who can't get vaccinated against smallpox probably have (or had, back in those days) the necessary medical certification about it, otherwise they would have been banned from schools or jobs. They didn't feel the need to walk around demeaning the vaccine, and mocking the scientists who had developed it, not unless they were idiots. That's true for pretty much every disease and medical condition.

So, why is this one different? Why the endless discussions about it? If you have a physical condition that, say, makes your body swell up every time you eat chocolate, do you have to keep talking about your chocolate allergy? You'd just be one of those unfortunate people who can't eat it. But for reasons that we all know, this disease and its preventive medication have become a matter of public dispute. Whole areas of the country have many unvaccinated folks, even now. And people have died needlessly because they refuse to believe science.
 
Sunny said:
So, why is this one different?
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Because people are being increasingly steered to political polarization by politicians and both skewed 'sides' in the media to be pro or anti pretty much everything. People pick their sides, their sources and dig in. I'm not sure of all the reasons ...a desire to trust, a desire to distrust, intellectual laziness, a liking to argue ....the list of reasons could go on and on and on and probably overlap for the vehemently one side or another types.

If you have a physical condition that, say, makes your body swell up every time you eat chocolate, do you have to keep talking about your chocolate allergy? You'd just be one of those unfortunate people who can't eat it.
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I talk about the reasons I'm personally concerned about taking the vaccine precisely because of the heated 'sides' and arguments ...to show that there are people who don't fit neatly into the dichotomy game.
 
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AnnieA said:
I talk about the reasons I'm personally concerned about taking the vaccine precisely because of the heated 'sides' and arguments ...to show that there are people who don't fit neatly into the dichotomy game.
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From the very beginning of the vaccine trials it was made clear that there would be a sizeable number of people who wouldn't be able to take the vaccine because it might be dangerous to their health. Thank you for sharing your story. If in your shoes, I wouldn't have gotten vaccinated either.
 
StarSong said:
From the very beginning of the vaccine trials it was made clear that there would be a sizeable number of people who wouldn't be able to take the vaccine because it might be dangerous to their health. Thank you for sharing your story. If in your shoes, I wouldn't have gotten vaccinated either.
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Thank you. :) I've appreciated your support through this.
 
I've had Covid, and have gotten both of the Moderna shots so I do feel much relief. I still wear a mask when going to business establishments, because the local health dept. still requires masking. I no longer care about the irresponsible and self centered individuals out in public, if they get ill because of their "anti" indoctrination, then I guess they got what they bargained for.
 
Sunny said:
Smallpox was once a horrible scourge that killed thousands. They finally developed a vaccine against it that worked for nearly everyone. But very occasionally, there were serious, even fatal reactions. (I was told that a baby cousin of mine died as a result of that vaccine.)

Yet, the vaccine has been required for a century, except for those whose physical conditions make it impossible for them to tolerate it. To my knowledge, it never became a political issue, and I've certainly never seen any angry discussions about it on these forums. People who can't get vaccinated against smallpox probably have (or had, back in those days) the necessary medical certification about it, otherwise they would have been banned from schools or jobs. They didn't feel the need to walk around demeaning the vaccine, and mocking the scientists who had developed it, not unless they were idiots. That's true for pretty much every disease and medical condition.

So, why is this one different? Why the endless discussions about it? If you have a physical condition that, say, makes your body swell up every time you eat chocolate, do you have to keep talking about your chocolate allergy? You'd just be one of those unfortunate people who can't eat it. But for reasons that we all know, this disease and its preventive medication have become a matter of public dispute. Whole areas of the country have many unvaccinated folks, even now. And people have died needlessly because they refuse to believe science.
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Big differences between the Smallpox vaccine & the Covid vaccine:
The eradication of smallpox through a vaccine is seen as one of the biggest achievements in public health history — but it took several centuries to get there.
The origins of smallpox is unknown, though scientists believe it dates all the way back to the Egyptian Empire of the 3rd Century BCE. By the 18th century, colonization spread the disease across the globe. It had a devastating mortality rate of up to 30%.
In 1796, Edward Jenner in the UK created the first successful smallpox vaccine, but it wasn't until the 1950s that vaccine treatments began to effectively eradicate the disease in some parts of the world.
Then, in 1967, a global effort that provided a higher level of vaccine production and an advancement in needle technology eventually lead to eradication of the disease by 1980.
To date, smallpox remains the only disease to have been completely eliminated around the world through vaccination efforts
 
Nathan said:
I've had Covid, and have gotten both of the Moderna shots so I do feel much relief. I still wear a mask when going to business establishments, because the local health dept. still requires masking. I no longer care about the irresponsible and self centered individuals out in public, if they get ill because of their "anti" indoctrination, then I guess they got what they bargained for.
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"I no longer care about the irresponsible and self centered individuals out in public, if they get ill because of their "anti" indoctrination, then I guess they got what they bargained for."

How do you know which ones are "anti" and which ones have already been vaccinated or had Covid or have health issues that prevent them being vaccinated? Are they all wearing signs? 😂

"irresponsible and self centered individuals" Name calling again, just because they think different then you. :rolleyes:
 
Sunny said:
Smallpox was once a horrible scourge that killed thousands. They finally developed a vaccine against it that worked for nearly everyone. But very occasionally, there were serious, even fatal reactions. (I was told that a baby cousin of mine died as a result of that vaccine.)

Yet, the vaccine has been required for a century, except for those whose physical conditions make it impossible for them to tolerate it. To my knowledge, it never became a political issue, and I've certainly never seen any angry discussions about it on these forums. People who can't get vaccinated against smallpox probably have (or had, back in those days) the necessary medical certification about it, otherwise they would have been banned from schools or jobs. They didn't feel the need to walk around demeaning the vaccine, and mocking the scientists who had developed it, not unless they were idiots. That's true for pretty much every disease and medical condition.

So, why is this one different? Why the endless discussions about it? If you have a physical condition that, say, makes your body swell up every time you eat chocolate, do you have to keep talking about your chocolate allergy? You'd just be one of those unfortunate people who can't eat it. But for reasons that we all know, this disease and its preventive medication have become a matter of public dispute. Whole areas of the country have many unvaccinated folks, even now. And people have died needlessly because they refuse to believe science.
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I couldn’t get a small pox vaccine
 
Nathan said:
I've had Covid, and have gotten both of the Moderna shots so I do feel much relief. I still wear a mask when going to business establishments, because the local health dept. still requires masking. I no longer care about the irresponsible and self centered individuals out in public, if they get ill because of their "anti" indoctrination, then I guess they got what they bargained for.
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When did you care about the irresponsible and self centered individuals out in public who (you decided) weren't vaccinated?
It's really a shame, because I felt so protected & cared for by you. What will I do now?
Please don't stop caring; you're a hero.
 
chic said:
Why not @Keesha? You can still hang out with me even if you're not vaccinated for small pox because I am and isn't that what vaccination is about? :unsure:

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I’d rather not discuss it on an international forum for all to see. I’d rather everyone think it’s for selfish reasons. I’m ok with that.
And even though I couldn’t get the smallpox vaccination as a child, I had loads of friends as a child.

Plus how Covid has affected my life is much different than others. There’s no place I couldn’t go that I wanted to due to Covid. I still went to the grocery stores to buy food and pharmacies to pick stuff up. I still purchased gas when needed or got curb side pick up or ordered online. My life didn’t change much.
I wore a mask and sanitized hands often. I kept away from people. My lifestyle wasn’t about being with a lot of people to begin with.

Everyday I still walked with no mask. I’ve met plenty of other walkers who also wore no mask and oddly enough I’ve met more people walking over the last year than I have since I’ve moved here. People stopped and talked to me all the time and I was never fearful of it.

Now that we’ve moved, we see a lot less people but none of the people here wear masks outdoors either. They keep their distant and are polite and respectful.
I couldn’t ask for more.
 
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Nathan said:
I've had Covid, and have gotten both of the Moderna shots so I do feel much relief. I still wear a mask when going to business establishments, because the local health dept. still requires masking. I no longer care about the irresponsible and self centered individuals out in public, if they get ill because of their "anti" indoctrination, then I guess they got what they bargained for.
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I’m glad that you are happy and proud of your choices concerning this virus. It’s great that everything had turned out for you.

It’s also ok that you no longer care about others. That’s your choice. It is however extremely presumptuous to think and act like everyone who hasn’t yet been vaccinated is irresponsible and self centred who don’t care about others.

Even the vaccine manufacturers warn that the vaccine is NOT for everyone and for some reason you have completely ignored this part of it and have instead took it upon yourself to police this matter.

You don’t know the reasons why others aren’t vaccinated. In fact, you don’t know who isn’t vaccinated but you shouldn’t have to worry about that. People who choose not to be vaccinated are the ones that will need to worry about that. They will need to stay away from people. It’s not up to you or anyone to police and harass others concerning their choice. Some might not even believe this virus exists and you STILL can’t harass them. The best thing you can do is stay away from them.
 

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