Will you get the Covid Vaccine?

[Skatastrophy]

I figure 1-2 days of suffering is much better than 6 weeks!

Google ocular shingles and you'll not complain one bit about the vaccine.

[MU82]

Vaccines are poison. Better to get shingles, smallpox, measels, mumps, Covid, etc.

[MU82]

COVID-19 hospitalizations jump in Milwaukee County by over 50% in last week, county official says

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/health/2023/11/27/covid-19-hospitalizations-jump-in-milwaukee-county-after-thanksgiving/71718667007/?utm_source=jsonline-dailybriefing-strada&utm_medium=email&***redacted***&utm_campaign=dailybriefing-greeting&utm_term=newsletter-greeting&utm_content=pmjs-milwaukee-nletter65

COVID-19 hospitalizations in Milwaukee County have jumped over the last week to levels not seen since last winter, according to a Milwaukee County health official.

Across Wisconsin, hospitalizations for COVID-19 have been rising since July. In the week starting Nov. 14, the number of Wisconsin hospital patients with COVID-19 increased sharply, by more than a third, according to the latest available data from the Wisconsin Hospital Association Information Center.

On Nov. 21, about 359 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in Wisconsin, compared to about 263 a week before, on Nov. 14, according to the hospital association's data dashboard.

New data posted online Monday by Dr. Ben Weston, Milwaukee County's chief health policy adviser, shows that about 99 people in Milwaukee County were hospitalized with COVID-19 on Monday, a more than 50% jump from a week ago. That would be the most people hospitalized with COVID-19 since early February, according to county data.

In a follow-up interview, Weston clarified that the increase in hospitalizations was unlikely to have been caused by infections caught on Thanksgiving or over the weekend, as it usually takes about a week to two weeks for infections to become severe enough to require hospitalization. Still, he said the jump in hospitalizations was concerning.

"This is certainly a pretty major jump to get up to 99," he said.

He encouraged people to reach out to family and friends, especially those 65 and older, to urge them to get the latest, updated version of the COVID-19 vaccine, which was designed to target the specific strains of COVID-19 in circulation this year and to boost immune responses that may have waned since people's last vaccination or infection.

Federal and local health officials have been calling on people since the beginning of the fall respiratory season to get up-to-date on their vaccines, in the hopes of minimizing disease and deaths from COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses.

"We do expect the COVID, flu and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) circulation to increase as we get deeper into fall and into winter," said Mandy Cohen, director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in a call with reporters earlier this month. "Right now is the time to get vaccinated."

The updated COVID-19 vaccines — made by Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and Novavax — offer the most protection to elderly people and others at high risk for severe infection from COVID-19, public health officials have said.

Fewer than 29% of Milwaukee County residents ages 65 and older have received the updated COVID-19 vaccine, which became available in September, according to data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

The updated vaccines are also beneficial to younger, healthy people, who can still become severely ill, even without underlying conditions, or who can develop long COVID symptoms, even after a mild infection.

"There’s really compelling data showing that those who are vaccinated are less likely to develop long-COVID," said Paul Friedrichs, director of the White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy, during a call with reporters earlier this month. "We’ve still got many Americans across the country dealing with long-term consequences even if they had a mild infection."

[Skatastrophy]

RIP to the olds. Not my problem.

[tower912]

Apparently hydroxychloroquine may have done more harm than good, according to a French study.

[Uncle Rico]

Apparently hydroxychloroquine may have done more harm than good, according to a French study.

Finally, the studies have, whoops

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

https://x.com/sciam/status/1743225324119392377?s=46&t=ppua9BCUAa7dWM9-SthPmg

Several new studies reveal that getting multiple COVID vaccine doses provides strong protection against lingering symptoms

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Apparently hydroxychloroquine may have done more harm than good, according to a French study.

Finally, the study that roqqet has been waiting for.

[JWags85]

Purely empirical, but I’ve heard a lot about the new variant and how brutal it’s been for people.

I brought it back from Singapore right before Christmas.  Unfortunately gave it to my wife and our 15 month old.  Neither of us have gotten any boosters since the first one.  Both our symptoms were fairly mild, basically a bad cold.  I cleared it in 3 days, she took a bit longer, but that’s been the case most of the other times we got COVID. I don’t know the expected efficacy of the vaccines going out years but I can’t help but think it helped.

My son was congested and waffled between lethargic and his normal toddler exuberant energy, often within hours of each other.  So thankfully it wasn’t bad.  He got croup right before Thanksgiving and it was 10x worse.

[tower912]

Daughter spent Christmas with her future in laws in SC.  Future sister in law was sick, didn't get tested, predictable results.   Both of the future parent in laws went to the hospital but are now home.  Fiancé, allergic to the vaccine, got it, and went back to work today after 8 days.   Daughter, booster in the fall, has managed to avoid it.

[rocky_warrior]

Neither of us have gotten any boosters since the first one. 

Glad everyone's ok.  And I know I shouldn't focus on sentences like this, but curious why not?  I've never gotten many non-required vaccines, but have stayed up with all the covid updates.  Even added the flu vaccine this year - a first in many years for me.  Partly since I was already there, and also because I would feel bad if I passed the flu onto someone older in my life.  But I mean, Kelce also told me I should do both...

[MU_B]

  He got croup right before Thanksgiving and it was 10x worse.

Wife and i were "reminiscing" over the holidays about battles with croup.  Rotating between sitting in the steamy bathroom to cold night air.  Will never forget that cough.

[JWags85]

Glad everyone's ok.  And I know I shouldn't focus on sentences like this, but curious why not?  I've never gotten many non-required vaccines, but have stayed up with all the covid updates.  Even added the flu vaccine this year - a first in many years for me.  Partly since I was already there, and also because I would feel bad if I passed the flu onto someone older in my life.  But I mean, Kelce also told me I should do both...

Nothing philosophical or profound.  Both our GP and a cardiologist, who is a long time family friend, said given our ages, health, and previous experiences with our respective COVID infections (and given we were vaxxed and initial boosted) it was totally up to us and wouldn't strongly recommend either way.  If it popped up at another visit, we may have opted in, but didn't go out of our way to do so.  We both have gotten flu vaccines for the last 5-6 years, so that hasn't changed.

Interestingly enough, and obviously completely empirically, my COVID experiences each time Ive gotten it, since I got the booster, were very much the same as my peers who had gotten all boosters. 

Given my regular travel to Asia and how that seems to be sort of "start point" for many of the variants, I'll stay open minded and lean on my medical providers advice as we go along, but I'm not hurrying to get boosters whenver they are released, but obviously YMMV.  I will say I'm far more diligent about vitamins (Zinc, Vit C, B12, etc...) than I used to be and Ive reintroduced more cardio to my workout regiment whereas I was predominantly resistance training since my mid 20s, sort of as a way to buffer against stuff as well.

[JWags85]

Wife and i were "reminiscing" over the holidays about battles with croup.  Rotating between sitting in the steamy bathroom to cold night air.  Will never forget that cough.

What was interesting for me was going through it here in Florida, in a warm climate.  Both my wife and I had our childhood experiences with croup on Long Island and in Wisconsin, respectively.  So sitting in the garage or in a doorway to get that cold air relief.   Well there is no option when its 65-70 degrees even at night...and a 15 month old isn't gonna let you put his head in the freezer for a bit for relief 

But yea, I don't think any parent who goes through it will ever forget it.

[MU82]

Nothing philosophical or profound.  Both our GP and a cardiologist, who is a long time family friend, said given our ages, health, and previous experiences with our respective COVID infections (and given we were vaxxed and initial boosted) it was totally up to us and wouldn't strongly recommend either way.  If it popped up at another visit, we may have opted in, but didn't go out of our way to do so.  We both have gotten flu vaccines for the last 5-6 years, so that hasn't changed.

Interestingly enough, and obviously completely empirically, my COVID experiences each time Ive gotten it, since I got the booster, were very much the same as my peers who had gotten all boosters. 

Given my regular travel to Asia and how that seems to be sort of "start point" for many of the variants, I'll stay open minded and lean on my medical providers advice as we go along, but I'm not hurrying to get boosters whenver they are released, but obviously YMMV.  I will say I'm far more diligent about vitamins (Zinc, Vit C, B12, etc...) than I used to be and Ive reintroduced more cardio to my workout regiment whereas I was predominantly resistance training since my mid 20s, sort of as a way to buffer against stuff as well.

And I do hope you're bringing horse de-wormer with you wherever you go, just in case.

[Skatastrophy]

Nothing philosophical or profound.  Both our GP and a cardiologist, who is a long time family friend, said given our ages, health, and previous experiences with our respective COVID infections (and given we were vaxxed and initial boosted) it was totally up to us and wouldn't strongly recommend either way.  If it popped up at another visit, we may have opted in, but didn't go out of our way to do so.  We both have gotten flu vaccines for the last 5-6 years, so that hasn't changed.

Interestingly enough, and obviously completely empirically, my COVID experiences each time Ive gotten it, since I got the booster, were very much the same as my peers who had gotten all boosters. 

Given my regular travel to Asia and how that seems to be sort of "start point" for many of the variants, I'll stay open minded and lean on my medical providers advice as we go along, but I'm not hurrying to get boosters whenver they are released, but obviously YMMV.  I will say I'm far more diligent about vitamins (Zinc, Vit C, B12, etc...) than I used to be and Ive reintroduced more cardio to my workout regiment whereas I was predominantly resistance training since my mid 20s, sort of as a way to buffer against stuff as well.

Same advice from my GP. Don't rush to get boosters, just get them when you have time and you're getting your flu vaccine.

And same, I'm trying to get my body to a place that I'm healthy for the 2nd half of my life. It's the least I could do for myself after drinking so hard for all these years.

[MU82]

COVID-19 (then commonly referred to as "the coronavirus") was declared a global pandemic 4 years ago today.

Millions have died, and a surprisingly large number of people - mostly unvaccinated - have continued to die from Covid and/or related effects.

From the NYT: Consider that about 95 percent of recent Covid-related hospitalizations in the U.S. have occurred among people who had not received an updated vaccine. This chart, based on data from Washington State, helps show the protective power of vaccines, especially for the elderly:



To this day, more than 30 percent of self-identified Republicans have not received a Covid vaccine shot, compared with less than 10 percent of Democrats. You can see the tragic effects of vaccine skepticism in this chart, which compares the death rates in red and blue counties:

[forgetful]

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-68477735

And some people are afraid of a single jab. 62 year old man gets 217 covid vaccines since they were released, no ill effects. Never got COVID.

[Plaque Lives Matter!]

Finally, the study that roqqet has been waiting for.

Truly the 1/10 dentists who don't approve

[MU82]

From David Leonhardt in today's NYT The Morning e-newsletter:

Let me start with a disclaimer: The subject of today’s newsletter will make some readers uncomfortable. It makes me a little uncomfortable.

The Times has just published an article about Americans who believe they suffered serious side effects from a Covid vaccine. More than 13,000 of them have filed vaccine-injury claims with the federal government.

My colleague Apoorva Mandavilli tells some of their stories in the article, including those of several people who work in medicine and science:

++Ilka Warshawsky, a 58-year-old pathologist, said she lost all hearing in her right ear shortly after receiving a Covid booster shot.

++Dr. Gregory Poland, 68 — no less than the editor in chief of Vaccine, a scientific journal — said that a loud whooshing sound in his ears had accompanied every moment since his first Covid shot.

++Shaun Barcavage, 54, a nurse practitioner in New York City, has experienced a ringing sound in his ears, a racing heart and pain in his eyes, mouth and genitals for more than three years. “I can’t get the government to help me,” Barcavage said. “I am told I’m not real.”

This subject is uncomfortable because it feeds into false stories about the Covid vaccines that many Americans have come to believe — namely, that the vaccines are ineffective or have side effects that exceed their benefits. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the independent presidential candidate, has promoted these stories, as have some Republican politicians and conservative media figures. “The scale of misinformation,” Dr. Joshua Sharfstein of Johns Hopkins University told Apoorva, “is staggering.”

So let me be clear: The benefits of the Covid vaccines have far outweighed the downsides, according to a voluminous amount of data and scientific studies from around the world. In the U.S. alone, the vaccines have saved at least several hundred thousand lives and perhaps more than one million, studies estimate. Rates of death, hospitalization and serious illness have all been much higher among the unvaccinated than the vaccinated.

Here is data from the C.D.C., in a chart by my colleague Ashley Wu:



Not only are the vaccines’ benefits enormous, but the true toll of the side effects may be lower than the perceived toll: Experts told Apoorva that some people who believe Covid vaccines have harmed them are probably wrong about the cause of their problems.

How so? Human beings suffer mysterious medical ailments all the time. If you happened to begin experiencing one in the weeks after receiving a vaccine, you might blame the shot, too, even if it were a coincidence. So far, federal officials have approved less than 2 percent of the Covid vaccine injury-compensation claims they have reviewed.

Still, some ailments almost certainly do stem from the vaccines. The C.D.C. says some people are allergic (as is the case with any vaccine). Both the C.D.C. and researchers in Israel — which has better medical tracking than the U.S. — have concluded that the vaccines contributed to heart inflammation, especially in young men and boys. Officials in Hong Kong — another place with good health care data — have concluded that the vaccines caused severe shingles in about seven vaccine recipients per million.

These side effects are worthy of attention for two main reasons.

First, people who are suffering deserve recognition — and the lack of it can be infuriating. Dr. Janet Woodcock, a former F.D.A. commissioner, told The Times that she regretted not doing more to respond to people who blame the vaccines for harming them while she was in office. “I believe their suffering should be acknowledged, that they have real problems, and they should be taken seriously,” Woodcock said.

The second reason is that public health depends on public trust, and public trust in turn depends on honesty. During the pandemic, as I’ve written in the past, government officials and academic experts sometimes made the mistake of deciding that Americans couldn’t handle the truth.

Instead, experts emphasized evidence that was convenient to their recommendations and buried inconvenient facts. They exaggerated the risk of outdoor Covid transmission, the virus’s danger to children and the benefits of mask mandates, among other things. The goal may have been admirable — fighting a deadly virus — but the strategy backfired. Many people ended up confused, wondering what the truth was.

Here’s my best attempt to summarize the full truth about the Covid vaccines:

They are overwhelmingly safe and effective. They have saved millions of lives and prevented untold misery around the world. They’re so valuable that elderly people and those with underlying health conditions should be vigilant about getting booster shots when they’re eligible. For most children, on the other hand, booster shots seem to have only modest benefits, which is why many countries don’t recommend them.

And, yes, a small fraction of people will experience significant side effects from the vaccines. Eventually, scientific research may be able to better understand and reduce those side effects — which is more reason to pay attention to them.

Overall, Covid vaccines are probably the most beneficial medical breakthrough in years, if not decades.

As always, we should empathize with the few people who have suffered side effects to Covid shots - or any other medication. But the conclusion based on an overwhelming catalog of data is obvious, and that's why it's bolded. I'm sure glad I was able to receive the life-saving vaccine and subsequent boosters.