Fearless-Factor-8811 t1_jd7sh5y wrote on March 22, 2023 at 1:34 PM

Reply to comment by LizzieLouME in Higher breakthrough rate lately with Covid in Maine? by BadLuckShoesie

Very very few vaxed and boosted people are dying from covid. Unless you're have stats otherwise.

For the record the bivalent booster focuses on strains that are not really predominant anymore AFAIK. Omicron strains. It mostly functions as a general booster, which is probably good.

People are testing positive for covid, certainly some people are getting sick, some people are getting disabled, sure. Rare things are happening. Long covid is real but fairly rare. In the meantime, other awful health outcomes are happening that are as common that have nothing to do with covid. Cancer, heart disease, flu, etc.

I'm an ER nurse working in Maine. In the last 3 months I can't think of a single vaxed and boosted patient we admitted primarily for a covid diagnosis. Many people coming in for unrelated things that ended up positive for covid. Many asymptomatic people in the community probably testing positive for covid if you tested then. Likewise flu, cold etc.

Long story short: covid sucks, vaccines work amazingly well considering how bad things were, get used to living with it. If the cdc is sort of unclear how to approach a disease that has only existed for 3 years, cut them a little slack. I am very happy to get a boost every year. Why not?

Counting my initial Astra zenica shot I got in a trial prior to any vaccine being available I have had 5 shots. I've been in the room with a surgical mask with patients coughing up a lung in my face only to find out later they had covid. I've never gotten it. I am very lucky, also I think the vaccines work. I made a point of getting 3 different brands. Who knows?

LizzieLouME t1_jd7wkp9 wrote on March 22, 2023 at 2:04 PM

I think that's true but you don't want to be the person who dies or whose loved one dies because they have another condition & needed to go to the grocery store or doctor.

I also think many of us 1) don't have sick time or adequate sick time 2) don't have disability insurance 3) can't afford co-pays or otherwise access healthcare. There are lots of complications.

I see prevention as key. I don't see it as it's going to stick around & I don't want to die from it but its going to stick around and there are ways to lower the risk of contracting and spreading it while still living my life if others will also engage in prevention activities.

These are death stats. Likely undercounted because there is a lag time & lots of COVID related operations have been shut down.

I think, for example, wearing a high quality mask correctly in places where others have to be makes sense. (I also believe they should be provided free to people) If you want to go to a restaurant or bar or concert, unmasked, that's cool. It's not a "must do." But elders and immunocompromised community members need to grocery shop & go to the pharmacy & may even want to go to Target. Why put them at risk?

https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_weeklydeaths_select_00