No, vaccines!

[Navigator]

There's a confounder lurking (multiple, actually). I'd love to have a causality arrow here, but we don't have one. Get vaccinated for the thing the vaccination is for, certainly, but I don't think the cohort of people who are up to date on their vaccinations is anywhere close to the cohort that has ignored or doesn't have access to vaccines. Which cohort do you think pays more attention to their health? Their food choices? It's called healthy patient bias and it's everywhere in these lay press headlines. It's really non-news if it's observational association.

You raise a good point that is so often overlooked in news stories. This is the reason that double blind studies are so important.

 

[kgtest]

I've had a bunch of immunization shots and I'll take any and all that are offered. The worst side effects have been a mildly sore arm for a few days and that's a lot better than any of the diseases they at least mitigate if not outright prevent.

I am not so arrogant or foolish to think that I am all that much different from the millions of people whose lives have been saved by those shots. Sometime later this week I'll get my second Shingrix shot.

I remember when I walked through the gauntlet of shots in BMT. A few guys passed out and dropped, I felt a bit woozie but was able to sit on the cheek that wasn't sore and collect myself. Ahhh thems was the days!

 

[Popeye]

I’ve seen several posts here and elsewhere from folks saying they will wait until any new vaccine is proven safe and effective. But what does that mean to you? Wait for some number of doses given, like say 100 million? Or wait for some time to pass after first usage, like 6 months, 2 years, 5 years?

The other question in my mind is what do you do if we get 2, 3, or more approved vaccines? Pick one and roll the dice? Get 2? Get them all as they become available?

May you live in interesting times.

 

[kgtest]

I’ve seen several posts here and elsewhere from folks saying they will wait until any new vaccine is proven safe and effective. But what does that mean to you? Wait for some number of doses given, like say 100 million? Or wait for some time to pass after first usage, like 6 months, 2 years, 5 years?

The other question in my mind is what do you do if we get 2, 3, or more approved vaccines? Pick one and roll the dice? Get 2? Get them all as they become available?

May you live in interesting times.

If its FDA approved that is a good first step for me. At that point you aren't patient 0 in some clinical trial. So I would feel good about it after the approval.

 

[gerntz]

I take them all. Why not?

 

[harllee]

I’ve seen several posts here and elsewhere from folks saying they will wait until any new vaccine is proven safe and effective. But what does that mean to you? Wait for some number of doses given, like say 100 million? Or wait for some time to pass after first usage, like 6 months, 2 years, 5 years?

The other question in my mind is what do you do if we get 2, 3, or more approved vaccines? Pick one and roll the dice? Get 2? Get them all as they become available?

May you live in interesting times.

Shingrix is one of our newer vaccines so we might look at it. Phase III trials involved about 40,000 people who were followed for about 4 years but it probably could have been faster (how fast I have no idea). Shingrix is expensive and requires 2 shots and has quite a few side effects but has about 95% effectiveness. When it was released about 3 years ago there were long waiting lists. Everyone I know including me and my husband wanted to get this vaccine right away. Cost and side effects did not seem to discourage most people. No one I knew wanted to wait to get this vaccine--we all wanted it immediately. I predict something similar if there is an effective Covid vaccine-most will all be waiting in line for it.

 

[Amethyst]

Take every one our Dr. recommends, as soon as recommended and available.

I

The other question in my mind is what do you do if we get 2, 3, or more approved vaccines? Pick one and roll the dice? Get 2? Get them all as they become available?

.

 

[Brat]

A bridge to a vaccine.

There is a preventitive that coud be over the counter and self administered on the horizon, please FDA give it the go-ahead if for no other reason to establish it does no harm: https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/08/4...owerful-inhalable-protection-against-covid-19

There are pharmaceutical firms in the 'neighborhood', like Genentech, that could manufacture it in volume.

This technology could be used for other viruses with minor adjustment.

 

[Chuckanut]

My guess is that vaccine A may be great for most people. But vaccine B may be better for those over 60. Vaccine C might be tolerated better by people with chronic hang nail and so on.

Last years flu shot offered me a choice of the regular shot and the senior shot. I chose regular since it protected against 4 versions of the flu versus 3 for the stronger senior version.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Harley, I cannot take the old shingles shot either unfortunately.

 

[eytonxav]

I have only had the flu once and that was about 35 years ago. It was not pleasant as I recall. So while the OP may be lucky, there is always a first time for everything when your luck runs out.

 

[harley]

Harley, I cannot take the old shingles shot either unfortunately.

OK, I've kept quiet about this for awhile, but it's been happening more frequently recently. Harlee and I are not the same person. She's nice and reasonable and friendly, and I'm the other guy.

 

[REWahoo]

OK, I've kept quiet about this for awhile, but it's been happening more frequently recently. Harlee and I are not the same person. She's nice and reasonable and friendly, and I'm the [-]other guy[/-] bird wearing boots.

FIFY

 

[6miths]

OK, I've kept quiet about this for awhile, but it's been happening more frequently recently. Harlee and I are not the same person. She's nice and reasonable and friendly, and I'm the other guy.

 

[Nemo2]

Like this?

 

[Mark1]

Not sure if you are saying you got the tetanus shot as a child? If you did, a booster isn't considered necessary.

But if you got the tetanus shot as an adult, then a booster IS recommended. Tetanus is not something you want to risk - there is no cure for it.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/do-adults-really-need-tetanus-booster-shots-2020051219786

I know for certain that I had the tetanus shot as a kid numerous times (grew up on farm and was stepping on nail routinely). However, based on the fact that the vaccine can protect against the tetanizing toxin of tetanus at 100,000 the amount that would normally be lethal, I'm still getting the vaccine going forward. This recent work suggesting that it might not be necessary wasn't enough to convince me yet.

 

[JoeWras]

Not enough to convince me either. Tomorrow I clean up hurricane debris. I don't want to be doing that without having up to date tetanus boosters.

 

[TrvlBug]

I'm also in the all vaccines for me camp. I had the first of the 2 pneumonia shots last year. I'm due for my yearly checkup where I would be getting the 2nd one. Can't decide whether to just go in to the clinic for it or to my local pharmacy (Safeway). Not going in for the yearly checkup but will see my doc if something comes up.

Same with this year's flu shot which is now avail...at the pharmacy or pop in to the clinic? I always get the flu shot when first available, usually because DH and I travel in September. However, I was just reading that it does lose potency and since the peak of flu season in my area is Jan/Feb, I'm undecided whether to wait and take the shot late Sept/early Oct.

 

[Car-Guy]

I got a note from a long time friend the other day who said he tested positive for the virus but never had any symptoms. He's in a very high risk group, (~80 yrs old, and has several serious comorbidities)...

"He said" his doctor told him he may have been asymptomatic because he had been taking his annual flu shots and was current with his pneumonia shots too. (I've heard such stories before but never from someone I knew)

Maybe the doctor is right or maybe not? Maybe it was a false positive test? Maybe he was just one of the lucky ones? Maybe it works from some and not others?

Did all the previous vaccines help? I'm not about to try to tell him they didn't help!

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I don't know. I am gun shy about "new" vaccines after all the buffoonery of the mandated anthrax vaccines I *had* to get in the Air Force in the late 90s and early 2000s. It was "approved" but it really messed up a lot of really good guys and gals.

 

[harllee]

OK, I've kept quiet about this for awhile, but it's been happening more frequently recently. Harlee and I are not the same person. She's nice and reasonable and friendly, and I'm the other guy.

Thanks! I am the female Harllee--he is the male Harley. Me the female Harllee had the bad case of shingles 15 years ago and I still keep talking about it. I don't know if Harley has ever had shingles, I hope he has not!

 

[Car-Guy]

Thanks! I am the female Harllee--he is the male Harley. Me the female Harllee had the bad case of shingles 15 years ago and I still keep talking about it. I don't know if Harley has ever had shingles, I hope he has not!

Every time I see a post from either of you, I read it since I'm thinking it's about motorcycles.

 

[Chuckanut]

I talked to a friend whose child had developed a rare neurological disease. It's so rare that the only expert on it he could contact is in Europe. To make a long story short, the child had been doing much better and was working hard to be able to walk again. She got the CV virus from a family member who apparently got it at work. The CV virus apparently re-activated the disease and the kid was tossed back to wheelchair only. Thankfully, the treatment recommended by the expert seems to be working.

So, yes, another reason to get the vaccine when it is ready to go

 

[winger]

Went today to local CVS to get Shingrix first dose. A few questions, temp check, and sign some papers. 10 minutes max. Oh, and $175. I haven't met my Medicare part D deductible ($435).

 

[gerntz]

Shingrix is one of our newer vaccines so we might look at it. Phase III trials involved about 40,000 people who were followed for about 4 years but it probably could have been faster (how fast I have no idea). Shingrix is expensive and requires 2 shots and has quite a few side effects but has about 95% effectiveness. When it was released about 3 years ago there were long waiting lists. Everyone I know including me and my husband wanted to get this vaccine right away. Cost and side effects did not seem to discourage most people. No one I knew wanted to wait to get this vaccine--we all wanted it immediately. I predict something similar if there is an effective Covid vaccine-most will all be waiting in line for it.

Yes, though I'll probably wait my turn.