I Will Get Vaccinated

There are two vaccines now that have emergency approval in the United States for Covid-19. Both seem to have good efficacy, and both appear to be quite safe. I will get vaccinated once the vaccine is available to me, though I don't consider myself a high priority in the early distribution of limited supplies. Those should go to the vulnerable and most at risk, like the elderly in nursing homes, health care workers, and people exposed to the general public in the course of their work.

I find it discouraging that nurses I know are expressing resistance to getting vaccinated. They should know better. I have seem people point out that there are no studies showing "long term effects" of these vaccines, and using that as an excuse to refuse the vaccine. Well, of course there are long term studies for a vaccine that was developed this year. There are only data for the time since people started getting the vaccine, a few months ago. But there is no reason to suspect that there will be long term adverse effects from these vaccines. The main question about time related to these vaccines is how long protection may last. There are data showing that some people infected with Covid-19 do not maintain immunity more than a few months, with some cases of people getting the virus twice.

I tell my Facebook friends that data show the vaccines are safe and probably effective, and the risks of taking the vaccine are small and worth taking compared to the risk of infection and spreading the disease. I don't know if they care. I know some don't. I know some still say that the public health recommendations are just a scheme to harm Donald Trump. I find it sad that what seem like intelligent people believe things Donald Trump says without checking first. No one should do that, based on his record.

I hope enough people will act sensibly, and we can get this pandemic under control, but so far the leaders and general population of the United States have not given much reason for optimism.

Keep safe. Wear a mask. Practice social distancing. Get vaccinated. Be well.