Get out of your own way

Someone asked me -

"I am afraid of getting my second shot, the end of this month. I have heard of some bad reactions, or worse. Am I just being stupid?"

The answer is YES, you're being stupid.

And yes, your reaction may be a little worse than your reaction to the first, but that's a good thing. Before the germ theory was established, vaccineers knew that inflammation was key to success of the vaccine. Inflammation means symptoms, sorry, but that's the downside. For instance, I did fine with both shots...I mean until about 18 hours after the 2nd shot. I awoke from sleep around 1 AM (sadly not unusual for a chronic insomniac) and was very cold. I attributed this to the window, which I left opened a crack (I like fresh air, even in January). However, 10 minutes after closing said window and assuming the fetal position under our covers, I was still very cold. My wife, God bless this woman for putting up with me, was deep asleep (not an insomniac) and had no interest in being a heat source. I ended up with three shirts, including 2 sweatshirts, double socks, and thermal underwear with sweatpants in front of my lit gas stove, holding my shirts out to catch the heat. I took 2 ibuprofen. 30 minutes later, I went back to bed and woke up a few hours later feeling great.

Ok, I am an ID doc, right, so for the first few minutes, I was worried about a rare infection causing my symptoms, but eventually realized it was a reaction to the vaccine. When I did, I smiled, for I knew this was a GOOD thing. This reaction meant my immune system was jacked up against this fucking spike protein and soon, my antibodies would be sky high.

In general, we need to get out of our way or ways, not sure about the grammar.

Irregardless (my Mom taught me that this isn't a word), we are tripping over ourselves, coming up with this theory or that reason for not doing the things we need to do to get rid of this thing.

BTW, Novavax reported 96% effective at preventing infections in their UK trial (Yes, I know... I know the Novavax is a Gaithersburg, Maryland company and that they received a billion or two from the US government to develop this vaccine and No, I don't know why their first vaccine trial was in the UK. The vaccine was 86% effective against protecting against the UK variant.

And one last thing. The Novavax vaccine was 100% effective in preventing serious illness and death. Yeah - That's the fact, Jack!!! Damn straight! You got that right!

The Novavax vaccine consists of just the spike protein. No RNA concerns. No other strange concerns or handwringing. This is as simple as it gets.

A vaccine which consists of the envelope protein of the virus ONLY.

Relatedly and as predicted by any sane ID doc, the Pfizer vaccine prevents spread of the virus as well.

This bizarre theory, that a viral vaccine could protect >90% against infection but might not protect against spread of disease, has been debunked.

I don't know which moron suggested that vaccines, which prevented infection in >90% of recipients, might not protect against asymptomatic spread, but that moron needs to be fired...from CNN or NIH.

This fear mongering HAS TO STOP.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/03/12/covid-news-joe-biden-variants-novavax-vaccine-coronavirus/4656485001/

And Y’all have to want the horror movie to end. You (plural form) are part of the problem. You perseverate, you debate, you read and you listen/watch. But you aren't ID docs; you aren't even physicians.

Ok, I have unfair advantage. My family is essentially the Mona Lisa Vito equivalent in Medicine (Go watch “My Cousin Vinny”).

My Dad was an doc, my Mom a nurse, my older brother and both sisters, doctors, one of my brother in laws, a doctor.

And I have been a patient's son.

Here's what I learned and remember these words of wisdom -

You find a good doctor and then you simply listen and do what that doctor recommends.

You don't do internet searches to challenge the doctor's recommendations.

Funny thing, no one much questions their lawyers' recommendations.

No one questions their painter’s recommendations.

But too many question good doctors' recommendations.

Having access to the internet does not make you qualified to have strong opinions about healthcare treatment options.

I remember a friend of mine, actually one of the most soft-spoken people I worked with. He said "Listen, if you want to be a captain, Go to captain's school."

I takes a long time and a lot, lot, lot of hard work to become a good doctor. Just because Google exists does not make you their (our) equal.

Of course, finding a good doctor isn't always so easy. I know a few, so ask me.

I became the person in charge of my parents’ and in-laws’ healthcare.

I found good doctors. I listened to their recommendations and told my relatives to do what they said.

SMS