Kolek planning to go pro
I was a bit embarrassed by the President's proclamation on the USA ending the pandemic with "their" vaccine. This vaccine is jointly developed by Pfizer (US) and BioNtech (German). BioNtech has the specific expertise in mRNA technology, development, and production. They are essential to this vaccine. It is more an example of how international collaboration can lead to major breakthroughs. Instead of celebrating international collaboration, he decided to make it political, and about us being better than others. It honestly is a sign of why we can't have nice things. Ego, and privilege "trumping," cooperation and equality.
From the snippet of an interview I heard, BioN really did the majority of the science, but they needed a much larger partner in order to get through all the steps to get it to market. They did not have the resources to get it through Phase III and so used Pfizer for all their infrastructure.
I am probably going to defer getting the shot until spring. I am not anti-vaxx. But there are a limited number of initial doses and I have the antibodies. I can't morally or ethically justify staying at the front of the line. When the vaccine is available to all, I will get it then.
good points tower. i'm going to get tested for antibodies first. i have been seeing patients since may 1st. i don't even want to guess how many people i have been in contact with since then...a few thousand?? if i had covid, it had to have been a very mild form because i never noted any of the symptoms i've been reading of. i haven't missed a day of work due to any illness for multiple years. i know i am not invincible, and i thank the good Lord every day for my good health...today. i owe it to one who may need it more than i
Many locations are hurting for blood donors. If you donate through the Red Cross, they will do an antibody test for free and it just takes a couple of days.
I feel for ya, Tower. My parents apparently get their medical news from right-wing Catholic sources who ran with the "made with real aborted fetus!" story about the vaccine, and now they refuse to take it. Oh, and dad's a immunocompromised transplant recipient.
At home tests now approved results in 20 minutes. I know the accuracy will not be 100% but I think this is what we have needed. Sure some will feel sick take a test and it is negative and then go about their business.
Chief of Critical Care at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, said more than 50% of his nursing staff does not want to get the Coronavirus vaccine. When he asked them why, the reasons were political:It's towards the end of the 6 minutes. https://twitter.com/BrandyZadrozny/status/1339182966082310144?s=19
Which isn't a very good idea right now. If you feel sick, call your doctor, and get tested. People shouldn't be "going about their business" if they are sick anyway, regardless of Covid or not.
The insanity of letting politics of either persuasion stopping people from getting vaccinated boggles my mind. Perhaps there is a lesson in this for everyone going forward about the long term ramifications of political tribalism, but I fear it’s a message people don’t want to hear. I’m in healthcare and have routinely explained to patients, family, friends, whoever that this only ends when enough people have immunity, albeit natural or acquired. So if you want to get out of this dystopian universe quicker, when it’s your turn, get the vaccine. It’s the simplest way to put it.
Nurses are often required to get other vaccines, including an annual flu shot.I don't know why they would make an exception for the Covid vaccine. I think a hospital would be perfectly within their rights to suspend nurses and other medical personnel pending proof of vaccination.
So, does anyone have any concerns about long-term safety of this vaccine? Either version?