I got the vaccine recently, though I didn't want to.
The way I see it we have 2 options:
1. Get COVID
2. Get vaccinated
Y'all probably know me by now. I am a very logical and critical thinker, particularly when it comes to my life choices. I make lists, hammer out pros and cons, deliberate on variables and things that effect my choices and their outcomes.
So, for me, and probably for many of you, here are the facts:
It is extremely low likelihood that I would get COVID bad. However, there are a plethora studies coming out that are showing a high prevalence of long term detrimental effects from even mild-moderate COVID sufferers. Currently estimates of prevalence for long term sufferers compared to patients that contracted COVID-19 range from 10-30%. There was some tech CEO that recently kiled himself because his life had gotten so unbearable due to his horrible long term COVID symptoms... and he isn't the only one who's committed suicide due to the life-ruining long term effects of COVID.
The most common of these are chronic fatigue (sometimes debilitating), weakness, insomnia, shortness of breath, headaches, brain fog, depression, and anxiety, loss of taste/smell, among others.
Of those, I do definitely take depression and anxiety with a grain of salt. IMO there's two things to consider here. Yes, we KNOW COVID has neurological effects which is quite scary. However, there is a lot of shit going on in the world and people's lives right now, and depression and anxiety are likely to be heightened in most people regardless of COVID status. There's too many variables to ascribe those symptoms just to COVID.
Regardless, the horror stories of people who were in good health and now can't even walk up a flight of stairs without being deathly winded and light headed are very scary. My entire life revoles around being active. Biking, hiking, lifting, doing shit around the house. I know that if I suffered from that degree of fatigue for any number of months I know for a fact I would be contemplting suicide too.
With the long term symptoms of COVID KNOWN, we must also consider the vaccine. There is no denying that the vaccines were rushed through clinical trials and currently are being used as emergency drugs. These vaccines were made with a profit motive, not a selfless one. The last rounds of clinicals before emergency auth were around 30,000 people, if I remember correctly. That is NOT adequate for something that will be given to billions of people worldwide. As such, new side effects and complications surfaced once widespread distribution began. However, this was seen as something necessary to restart the economy and all that, so they approved it and are doling out doses in the hundreds of millions here in the US. Of those, near 100% have been totally fine--a much higher perventage than those who actually contracted COVID.
I am certainly cincerned about both the short term and potential long term side effects to these vaccines. Short term, I experienced diarrhea and some fatigue for a few days after my first dose. It wasn't fun, but it wasn't horrible either. I didn't get the sore arm or flu like symptoms. Just GI problems and some fatigue, wanting to take naps during the day, feeling iut of gas while lifting, etc. These subsided after a few days, with the fatigue lasting around a week.
Long term, what could happen? We don't really know. What we do know is that the social media scare campaigns about a kill switch in the vaccine that will set off when it encounters a predetermined strain of COVID are fucking straight up Bull Shit with a captial BS. The idea that some special strain will cause a "cytokine storm" and kill the host is just fucking retarded and makes no actual sense. They suggest there is skme massive conspiracy to murder the entire population of the world? Lmfao what the fuck is that!? This is nothing but lies designed to scare the scientifically illiterate who believe everything they see on social media.
Three of my family members got COVID, one had fatigue and bad symptoms for 10 weeks, the other was knocked out for 10 days then recovered, though it's hard to say if she has any long term symptoms due to preexisting mental health issues. The last one was fine, had few symptoms and zero long term issues.
No, the vaccines don't protect you 100%. They do seem to prevent near 100% of hospitalizations and also seem to help people recover faster if they get a mild case. More data shows them to be highly effective.
Lastly I want to say: I fucking hate big pharma. My primary values in life are the earth/helping the environment, equality, compassiom and empathy. I loathe out of control captilism and the materialism and greed that it breeds. I despise these massive corporations and monopolies that take advantage of The People and the environment, treating us like garbage and sucking us dry of life and passion for profit, because our government representatives are on their dick. I did NOT want to get the vaccine and I am strongly against these companies, but I can't let my loathing of big pharma get it the way of my health.
So, in summary:
- We KNOW even mild COVID sufferers can get very bad long term symptoms, potentially at rates as high as 30% of COVID sufferers.
- We know that an unknown percentage, but fairly decent number of people, have debilitating, life ruining long term symptoms.
- There is question as to whether the neurological aspect of COVID will increase risk of dementia/Alzheimers later in life, or other neurodegenerative diseases. One of my worst fears is losing my mind when I'm old.
- Hundreds of millions of people have gotten the vaccine so far and near 100% of them have been fine. No long term symptoms are currently KNOWN at this time.
With all that in mind, I got the vaccine. I am not willing to take such a large risk at long term health consequences from the virus itself. I would much rather be protected.
Some relevant studies:
Since the initial reports of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China in late 2019, infections from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have spread rapidly, resulting in a global pandemic that has caused millions of deaths. Initially, the large number of infected...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
While all groups are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the elderly, underrepresented minorities, and those with underlying medical conditions are at the greatest risk. The high rate of consumption of diets high in saturated fats, sugars, and refined carbohydrates (collectively called Western...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Long term respiratory complications of covid-19
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
The novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which is responsible for COVID-19 disease, was first reported in Wuhan, China, in December of 2019. The virus rapidly spread, and the World Health Organization declared a pandemic by March 2020. With millions of confirmed cases worldwide, there is growing...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented healthcare emergency causing mortality and illness across the world. Although primarily affecting the lungs, the SARS-CoV-2 virus also affects the cardiovascular system. In addition to cardiac effects, e.g. myocarditis, arrhythmias, and myocardial...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov