Reflections on the Vaccination Debate

Last week, the Covid-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer (the same company that makes Viagra) was approved by the FDA. However, the discussion about getting the Covid-19 vaccination has already become a major wedge issue for many people. Just today, it was announced that Cam Newton was released by the Patriots at least partially for his refusal to take the vaccine. After all the discussions being had regarding the vaccine, both in-person and online, I figured it was time to write my reflections on the vaccine debate.

The Facts

Starting with the disease itself, according to the CDC there have been more than 38 million cases of Covid-19 in the US, which have resulted in more than 654 thousand deaths (around 1.7%). So far, more than 367 million vaccines have been administered to more than 203 million people in the US, with a little more than 173 million being fully vaccinated. Of the more than 360 million who received the vaccine, 6,968 people have since died (0.0019%). Although there have been some questions of the potential of a casual relationship of rare cases of blood clots with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine that doesn't appear to be present in the other two vaccines, there still isn't any direct links to any of the 6,968 death to the vaccine. According to the New York Times, data from 40 states has shown that fully vaccinated people make up somewhere between 0.1 - 5% of the Covid-19 hospitalizations and 0.2 - 6 % of the deaths in those states.

These numbers tell me that the vaccine is largely keeping people out of the hospitals and the morgue, as compared to those who are unvaccinated and contract the virus. Also, although the vaccines have yet to be directly linked to any of the 6,968 people who have died since taking it, even if it was responsible for each of their deaths, the 0.0019% death rate is still around 1,000 times less than the 1.7% death rate of those who have died from the virus thus far. In other words, you have a far better chance of surviving the vaccine, which still has yet to be directly linked to any of the deaths, than the virus itself.

The Myths

It's difficult to even know where to start with the myths. I've heard everything from a global sterilization project for population control, to microchips being implanted by the government, to a way to wipe out people of color, and the list goes on. Probably among the most dangerous myths, is one that was promoted by former President Trump, that the virus is basically the flu, and shouldn't be of major concern. However, seeing that the death rate for the 2019-2020 flu season was around 0.058% (22,000 out of 38 million), which is nearly 30 times less than Covid-19, there is no comparison of the two.

Another more recent issue that has been brought up is that people who are vaccinated have still contracted Covid-19, so there is no reason to get it. The CDC labels this group as "breakthrough infections," but still notes that they are less likely to develop serious illnesses than those who are unvaccinated. Also, I've heard some claim that the vaccines are useless against these new variants, but again the CDC notes that even with the variants and vaccinated people still have a much lower rate of hospitalization and death as compared to those who are unvaccinated.

The Politics

As with every other hot button issue, it didn't take long for the discussion over the vaccine to go from a health issue to a political one. While there have been people on both sides of the aisle skeptical about being vaccinated for a variety of reasons, it appears that those on the right are most likely to be opposed the vaccine (masks too, but that's another discussion). According to polls, somewhere between 20 to 30 percent of Republicans are opposed to being vaccinated, as compared to about 5 percent of Democrats. Independents seem to fall somewhere in the middle, between 10 and 25 percent.

One of the most interesting things to me, is how many Trump supporters are against the vaccine, even though Trump himself was vaccinated in January, while he was still President. Some of his supporters are so against the vaccine, that they booed him for encouraging them to get vaccinated at a recent rally in Alabama. Also, there have been some jokes thrown around about how this virus could change the political landscape in some states. While they have been mainly for jokes, it will be interesting to see if there is an impact in 2022 races as a result. Especially, in places like Florida, where there was only a 0.4% difference between the gubernatorial candidates in 2018.

The Personal Stories

On a personal note, I was recently told that I have been "drinking the Kool-Aid" being pushed by the media about the vaccine and that they aren't reporting on any vaccine issues. So I thought to myself if I hadn't listened to any news source, what would I know of the virus. I know several people that have gone to the hospital and lost love ones due to the virus, but have yet to know anyone that has gotten sick as a result of the vaccine.

I also know those who have witnessed their family members be hospitalized as a result of the virus. One story that stands out in mind is a cousin of my wife's friend. After contracting Covid-19, she was hospitalized and has since been confined to a wheelchair and a diaper. Even if all of the fears about the vaccine are true, I can't think of any which compare to a result like that. Furthermore, this story is still part of the 98.3% survival rate that many tout when saying that they are not interested in getting vaccinated.

Even more personally, I felt most comfortable taking the vaccine myself when my trusted friends who are medical doctors got it early in the year when it was first released. These are people I have known for years, went to school with, and know that they are far more brilliant than I am in the area of health. As such, when I saw them get vaccinated, and not get sick, I felt much more comfortable getting the vaccine myself. Also, for the record, other than some initial soreness in the injection site for a day or so, I haven't had any health issues since I was vaccinated back in March.

The Urgency

The last thing that I will note is that this is the urgency of getting the vaccine. Many people may have the idea that they can get the vaccine whenever they are ready or whenever they can get around to it, but that is a very dangerous waiting game. There are countless stories of people who were planning on eventually getting the vaccine, but got infected with the virus first and died saying things like "I should have gotten the damn vaccine." Particularly with emergence of the Delta variant of the virus, which is more than twice as contagious than the original, the time to get vaccinated is now.

If you got word that there had been a series of break-ins in your neighborhood during the day while people were at work, it would be wise of you to make sure that you get a good alarm system installed on your home as soon as possible. Otherwise, your home might get ransacked in the months or years you were waiting to get around to installing one.

To underscore this point, I will leave you with the story of a teacher in an organization that I work with. This teacher had been with the organization for more than a decade and a half, and from all reports had plans on getting the vaccine at some point in the future. Unfortunately though, he contracted the virus first and within a couple of days of testing positive died of a heart attack. His story, like many others being told right now could have turned out completely different, had he understood the urgency of getting the vaccine.

Conclusion

In summary, the risks for getting Covid-19 far outweigh any suspicions about the vaccine. While the myths and the politics seem to show no signs of slowing down, my personal experience with it has been rather seamless, as compared to those I have seen deal with the virus without it. Also, if you plan on getting the vaccine, do not delay and put yourself at risk of potentially ending up in the hospital or the morgue. Regardless, be sure to stay safe, by any and every means necessary (vaccine, mask, strap, etc.).