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Wednesday, April 28, 2021

To Vax or not to Vax

 

To Vax or not to Vax


A Cranky Opinion for

CRANKY OPINION FRIDAY

The following is the opinion of a cranky old man with no expertise or credibility in the topic opined.  Dissenting opinions are welcome, but they are wrong.  As always, I ask for no name-calling in comments, and that means you, you big stupid-head!

Yes, that is the question. 

As one who leans right of the conventional wisdom to just do as you are damn told because smart people always know best, to me it was in fact a question.  To many people it is not a question.  Science says get the vaccine.  If you pause and think first then you are a moronic Neanderthal who deserves to be culled from the herd.  You are particularly despised because you threaten the herd.  So, join the herd or be shunned.

After thinking about it, I decided to get the shot…actually both shots.  If you ask for my uneducated opinion I would say “Get the shot.” But then I am a moronic Neanderthal who actually questioned the decision.  Not for very long, but I did question the decision.

For a while, getting the shot was difficult.  Demand far exceeded supply.  People bragged about getting it like they boasted about having toilet paper back in April 2020.

The big question today, now that it is no longer difficult to get the shot, is when will we reach herd immunity?  I hear it will take 70% of the country to achieve herd immunity and everyone who balks at the shot puts that goal in jeopardy.

My question is, “what herd?”

This is a world-wide pandemic.  If the USA reaches 70% vaccinated and the rest of the world is at 5% (which it currently is not even 5%) then have we really reached herd immunity?  And if we don’t reach herd immunity until the rest of the world catches up, then what is the big deal if some knuckle-dragging backwards thinking moron in Podunk, NJ does not get the shot? (Sarcasm font inserted where appropriate)

Almost 50% of the country has been vaccinated.  Probably 85% of the most vulnerable have been vaccinated.  We have herd immunity; it is up to others to decide whether or not to join the herd.

Look, this thing is scary, in the beginning it was EXTRA scary.  We now know a bit more about how to get Covid, or not get Covid.  Doctors know better how to treat Covid.  We know that outside is safer than indoors.  We know that crowds of people in your face singing or yelling (bars) is not very safe.  We know that masks don’t hurt.  We know that gloves don’t help.

This country is great because people have always questioned herd mentality.  Perhaps some are equating herd mentality with herd immunity.  Most will eventually discern the difference.  

Anyway, I got the shot.  My wife got the shot.  Everyone on my bowling team got the shot.  Everyone in my family got or is getting the shot.  Everyone I know is getting or has gotten the shot.  My herd has or will have immunity.  We are not all in this together.

I recommend everyone join the herd.

Your decision.

For now, instead of worrying about the 30% of our country who are hesitant to join the herd, we, as a country should be doing all we can to help other parts of the world get access to the vaccine and therapeutics.  We give other countries billions of dollars every year and many of those countries hate us.  They probably still hate us because the money goes only into pockets of the powerful.  If we help other countries join the world-wide “HERD” it might actually buy us some legitimate goodwill, along with making us all more safe.  

That would be a good thing.

The preceding was the opinion of a cranky old man and not necessarily that of management…Mrs. Cranky!

15 comments:

  1. I got mine. Had to wait for the me firsters, but I got it.

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  2. Saw an article that Bill Gates said we shouldn't give the vaccine to other countries. Something about their labs not being equipped enough to make it.

    I didn't get the vaccine. Actually I'm not even sure calling it a vaccine is the right word for it. This past year I pretty much did what I wanted and didn't catch it nor did anyone of our family who we saw nor did anyone that I was around (people at work). I usually don't get a flu vaccine, iffy with some years yes, some years no. I'll take my chances with Covid. And the "funny" thing is even if you are vaccinated they still want you to wear a mask and socially distance, etc.

    I heard some states said to the federal government not to send more vaccine since they had plenty of supplies leftover. Here you can basically walk in on a Friday without an appointment and on days that require an appointment you can get in pretty easily since there are a lot of no shows or cancellations.

    Time will tell if I was wrong not to get the vaccine.

    betty

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  3. My herd has gotten the vaccine. I got it because I could live without ever having Covid. Unfortunately, I've known three people personally who died.

    I agree with everything you say.

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  4. As a survivor of multiple bilateral pulmonary embolisms (unrelated to a vaccine), and knees that swelled up like basketballs within three hours of my last flu shot... I choose not to have this emergency-approved experimental treatment. I have also shunned the flu shot since that reaction, after getting them for 23 years. Something has gone haywire with my shot-processing system, I think. My doctor said an extreme immune reaction can localize if there's already inflammation in your body (like my knees).

    Of course this makes me Public Enemy #1, killing the herd like a lioness crouching at the water hole, waiting to pick the entire population off one by one. Even though I'm not sick, and don't cough or spit on people, or even sing loudly in their face.

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  5. Dear Cranky, I've been telling people for at least a year, the mask is not protecting the wearer; it is protecting others from the wearer's expectorations. Strangely, tragically, huge numbers of people don't understand that.

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  6. You make a great point of paying attention to the rest of the world. We sometimes act like we are alone on this planet. I've been shot and sure wish everyone was but this state has a lot of non-believers who refuse vaccines and masks. I sometimes think the only ones left will be the old codgers who took the needle. By not getting the vaccination, we are allowing this bug to mutate. Sigh.

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  7. My family and extended have all been vaccinated. My concern at this point is that pandemics are going to become more frequent because of more travel and interactions with animals that should be left alone in their habitat.

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  8. It's like chain letters - don't break the chain or you will die.

    Only part of my "herd" has gotten the shot. Foodie didn't - since he was a baby he never did vaccines well. They had to give them to him in 2 does a week apart and he would still get sick. Navy got his. My step daughter is afraid to get it. The husband and I got it and most of our friends took the plunge.

    It's a personal decision.

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  9. This cranky old lady agrees. This is not a personal decision. A personal decision is a tattoo.
    For the good of the world it is mandatory. This isn't about "you" The vaccine should be mandatory. Like my small pox vaccine - couldn't go to school without it. Simple. end of story. no whining, just get it and go to first grade. This will not go away without the majority being vaccinated. I can only hope all those that think they made a personal decision didn't make that decision to kill my grandmother or your sister because they got sick from them. That personal decision should cost them the same fate. I read Pfizer is doing a lot for India right now which is so needed. This is global. This isn't personal!!

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    1. I might have to read my post over...not sure that was what I was saying, though I do believe the vaccine is a good idea in general. Mandatory sometimes makes me vervous.

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  10. Because i have some very strong anti-vaccine people in my circle, i have instituted a don't ask, don't tell policy for myself. Please don't ask me if i've had it, and i won't ask you, either.

    If someone is seriously allergic to vaccines and has had reactions before, that person should be exempt from having to take them.

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  11. As needle phobix as I am, I got the first shot, as did my husband. We are due for the second one in about three weeks.
    I figger, if someone cannot (or should not, for reasons,) get the shot, then the least they can do is wear a mask. The kind that protects the nose. you know.

    Herd immunity, to me, means everyone got the shot or everyone got sick and the people who didn't die are protected. For now. I know one person who got covid, survived, got the shots, and then got Covid a second time. I suspect because they didn't wear the mask. The shots do not guarantee 100% immunity. You still have to pay attention.
    I agree with Margaret. This is not a personal decision, this is a public one, like covering your mouth when you sneeze, or running through the streets with a bazooka. What we do as individuals affects other people, in this regard; and what you refuse to do can actually kill someone else and you'll never know it. Think about that.

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    1. Interesting...I do not personally believe that those that refuse to take the shot are potential murderers. Unless the shot is not effective, those that do not get a shot can only give the virus to others who did not get the shot.

      I know, nothing is 100% effective yada yada yada. Well then nothing is also 100% safe. Also people are not 100% the same. Personal decision...my recommendation is get the shot.

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  12. Jack and I got the shot. I've heard from some of the "herd" all the reason's why not to get it. I listen politely and then follow my own research and the science. I'm always tempted to ask the non vaxers if they would refuse treatment if they got Covid. Just saying

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  13. You got your shot, but don't forget the second dose. I'm wary of getting mine because here only front line workers, elderly in nursing homes, politicians and those under 50 can get the Pfizer vax and everyone else has to make do with the Astra-zeneca, which has been known to cause blood clots although they say that is rare, but one woman died from hers.

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