I was watching the news the other night and heard one fellow who had just gotten off the ventilator and was finally recovering from COVID. He was asked if he would be ready to take the vaccine now and he said NO because he still didn't trust it since the FDA had only given the vaccine an emergency authorization. The doctor said the man was cured with treatments that also had only FDA emergency authorization.
I heard someone from a 3rd world country saying she didn't want to take it because she thought the government was reducing the population of the poor by offering a vaccine that would kill them off in a couple of years.
This got me to researching what the Right Wing Conspiracy network is spreading and got these.
1. Vaccines don't work.
2. The vaccine makes you magnetic.
3. The vaccines are what is causing the variants.
4. The vaccines make you infertile.
5. The government put a microchip in the vaccine to track you.
6. The J&J vaccine was created from fetal tissue.
7. Vaccines cause autism.
8. The vaccine rewrites your DNA.
9. The vaccine will cause long-term complications.
What I don't understand is:
2. How is it they don't know anybody who got the vaccine and isn't magnetic?
3. So why are the variants especially happening in countries where they're not getting vaccinated fast enough?
4. Here's a link to the University of Missouri stating there is no evidence that the vaccine would cause infertility.
5. Seriously? A microchip? Why?
6. Sigh... Apparently, many years ago fetal tissues from miscarriages were used for vaccine research. The COVID vaccine is NOT made from fetal tissue. Even the pope and Jewish rabbis have said this shouldn't be a reason to not take the vaccine.
7. Although vaccines causing autism was a theory put forth by one British doctor, it has since been debunked. And yet, this misinformation is still being spread.
8. The vaccine does not rewrite your DNA. According to Dr. Schaffner, the mRNA does transmit information to the body in the cells, but does not go near the cell's nucleus where the DNA is located.
9. As far as complications go, researchers are saying that side effects are noted within 2-3 months and they've been letting us know what that small percentage of people have encountered.
As far as I'm concerned isn't taking a chance on getting the Delta variant (and being put on a ventilator or DYING) or plain ol' COVID much worse, not to mention the fact that you can pass it on to others and have long lasting after effects?
The other problem is having large swaths of people not taking the vaccine and enabling more opportunities for worse variants to be produced.
I won't go into how people who end up in the hospital for a couple of months is going to be stuck with a bill of millions of dollars. The insurance will pay some of it, but you'll be responsible for the copay and the insurance company will (I'm sure) raise the rates for everybody else.
Sigh...
I know I'm talking to the choir here. BUT I do have one senior friend who is still refusing to take it because her children are still locked onto the misinformation.
Sigh...
POSTSCRIPT 1: Instead of showing a needle being stuck in someone's arm over and over and over again during a news report, why not show people on ventilators or have unvaccinated people in the hospital tell the country what it's like to suffer having COVID instead?
POSTSCRIPT 2: OH NOOOO! We had 452 infections yesterday. In the past 14 days we had 3,298 cases. We've had a dramatic surge of COVID cases here in Hawaii. We were even in the national news last night along with Florida! What the heck!
Those are nice outlines Kay. The variant is scary. I think it was a Hawaii News Now article, that mentioned the uptick in Hawaii is not mostly due to visitors. Japanese folks have been very diligent in wearing masks, but now there is an uptick in cases in Japan. They are not attributing the uptick to only the Olympics attendees.
ReplyDeleteMuch as we try, we can't fix stupid, even amongst educated professionals! My nursing sites state some people in hospitals with covid refuse to believe that diagnosis, insisting they have a cold or the flu! Others wish they had gotten the vaccine since the symptoms are horrid. Heard of a young woman whose grandmother, mother, and fiancé all died of covid within 5 days, and she had a mild case.
I guess when the FDA "fully approves" the vaccine, we'll see how many hold-outs go ahead and get their shots. I fear we may never reach herd immunity. The number of children getting sick and dying is so sad.
Linda in Kansas
You can't fix stupid and there's no vaccine for it!
DeleteSeriously? A microchip? Why?
ReplyDeleteThe anti-vaxers claim Bill Gates is using the microchips to track people. Yes, really. Of course, most of these same people have smartphones, so they're being tracked anyway.
I agree with you about the news repeatedly showing people receiving vaccinations, many people are afraid of needles and that is not encouraging. I think it would be more effective to show people on a ventilator, or people struggling to breathe (with the patients' permission) so maybe people still thinking this is the flu can get an idea that it is much more serious than the flu for many, many people.
ReplyDeleteI saw a video clip of a woman who believed that the vaccine made her magnetic. It is not really funny for such ignorance to flourish, but I have to admit, I laughed at that video as she stuck a metal key onto her chest. That wasn't magnetism, it was her sweaty, oily chest. Can you imagine what would happen if she was magnetized and she tried to walk through her kitchen. She would suddenly be stuck onto her refrigerator like a giant refrigerator magnet, and then all of her cookware would fly through the air and she would be covered in skillets, sauce pans and knives, forks, and spoons
I have never judged anyone by what their religion is, or if they don't have a religion. I always felt like that wasn't my business. Now I know people who think aspects of their religion protect them from the virus and they have no need of a mask or vaccination. They think that their religion or the deities of their religion will protect them.
It makes me sad that so many people are going to get sick and/or die, and spread Covid to others from this type of thinking.
What has happened to education about science in our country? Have people forgotten all of the science they ever learned or did they never learn any science, and have now turned to magical thinking?
Another thing that I cannot understand is why wearing a mask for protection of ourselves and others is such a horrible thing to do for most of the people who don't believe in the vaccines. I know there are a few people who have either a medical or mental (claustrophobia) problem that may make it difficult for them to breathe in a mask, and I understand that. But for other people to refuse to wear masks is just selfish. My daughter worked as a nurse right up until the 4 days before giving birth and she said that toward the end of her pregnancy she was having a little bit of trouble catching her breath in her N95 mask,but she continued to wear it, so I definitely understand that masks could be a problem in certain situations.
Here in Missouri our Delta variant numbers are very high. I am very concerned about my 11 year old grandson returning to school, when we have a governor who doesn't believe in mask mandates. I am really becoming concerned about what other variants will be developed as all of the unvaccinated people get this Delta variant Covid. Something needs to be done, but I don't know how that can be accomplished.
The irony is so obvious. They are skeptical of the vaccine but blindly accept as truth any conspiracy theory.
ReplyDeleteI heard case counts have doubled in Alberta Canada due to loosening of restrictions.
ReplyDeleteSince this is an international medical emergency, all countries, including our own, should Mandate vaccinations. It is stupid to have a way to prevent getting it and spreading it and there are so many ignorant people out there who will cause this pandemic to continue to spread because they are so selfish.
ReplyDeleteKay, just 25 minutes ago my friend Danielle was telling me about her & her husband canceling their vacation to Florida this September because of the rise of Covid cases there. At the same time, on this morning's news, a wife and little boy are outside a hospital window waving at Dad, who has a 20% chance of recovery. From his bed he says "We're a strong conservative family with strong conservative values, which is why we weren't vaccinated... please folks, get the vaccine..." Good Lord! The Covid virus doesn't give a sh-t what your political affiliation is, Republicans need to stop making it political! PS. I agree about the needle in the arm segments too, I do NOT see where that helps!
ReplyDeletePS. I agree with Margie's Musings, she's absolutely right.
ReplyDeleteI know why some people distrust the government. Back in the 40's, the government gave black men syphilis in order to test their attempt to cure it. Many died of it and it went on for decades before it was stopped. This was a big secret before it was finally acknowledged a few years back.
ReplyDeleteThis was called The Tuskegee Timeline. You can read all about it under that name. President Clinton finally apologized for it on behalf of the government.
ReplyDeleteMy antivax nephew is sick with the Delta strain but he is glad he wasn't vaccinated because the phlebotomist at the hospital told him she was certain that vaccinated people were much sicker than those who are not. Phlebotomists don't go to medical school but they do have that ten weeks of training on how to draw blood so I am sure her opinion is quite credible.
ReplyDeleteOops! I don’t think people realize you were being sarcastic, Olga.
DeleteI agree seeing more people struggling to breathe would promote vaccines better than the hundred needle sticks every news cast. Sadly ignorance kills.
ReplyDeleteYou can't rationalize the unrational.
ReplyDeleteI disagree. Their opinion is not credible....if they are promoting that opinion.
ReplyDelete"Phlebotomists don't go to medical school but they do have that ten weeks of training on how to draw blood so I am sure her opinion is quite credible"
Ten weeks of training on how to draw blood does not make her an expert on the virus.
ReplyDeleteDear Olga, unfortunately your nephew got his information from the wrong person. I hope he recovers. The phlebotomist was very inaccurate. They draw blood and take it to the lab. The hospital CEO should be aware, and she should be FIRED for giving that inaccurate information. No telling how many others are dying because of her incorrect statements and own beliefs. In my hospital nursing experience, although phlebotomists are trained, the best ones seem to have a natural talent to prick, draw blood and hurt as little as possible. Please inform your nephew so he may be able to give correct information to those in his life. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteDear Kay, said no thanks to the flu vaccines, all along. Reason: our bodies have a way of fighting off infections. Too many vaccines and such can damage our bodies natural defenses.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, sometimes you come down with something really nasty - that won't go away; that's the time you call for a doctor's appointment...and get a shot, pills, or whatever.
So you haven’t had the polio, small pox, tetanus, whooping cough, diphtheria, etc. vaccines? Oh my!
DeleteWe too have had a dramatic surge of the variant. I haven't been out in a crowd since the delta virus showed it's ugly head. Hospital: Facemask.
ReplyDeleteI am hating how transmissible Delta is and that NO logic or facts (or even deathly cases of the virus) seem to convince these people to vaccinate. If they want to kill themselves off, we can't stop them but I would appreciate them staying far away from my unvaccinated 14 month old grandson.
ReplyDeleteSame her,infections from the variant rising daily right now. Our hospital is almost on it's knees and they are flying people out to other hosptals. They asked people to stay away from the ER unless having a heart attack or badly broken bones etc. I wear a mask when out but don't go out but rarely. We cancelled family gatherings again when a relative and his wife came down with it. So far so good for the rest of us. Scary times. Good luck all you all. Vaccinate and wear a mask.
ReplyDeleteSame here, etc.
DeleteI wanted to become Magneto from X-Men but alas no super magnet powers
ReplyDeleteIt's so frustrating to read lists like this and hear reports of people actually saying these stupid things. We are losing the Covid battle because of ignorance and stubbornness.
ReplyDeleteKeep in the truth! Liars only win for a short time.
ReplyDeleteI knew Olga was being sarcastic, but I guess others didn't. I am afraid the Delta variant is going to keep on changing itself to get even more transmissible. Scary, scary times. :-(
ReplyDeleteMakes one wonder where this will wind up. Facemask for me for the foreseeable future.
ReplyDeleteI know I feel irked at the unvaccinated. We could be moving past this pandemic instead of stalling. You did a good job with the list. They are all poor excuses.
ReplyDeleteI will be cranking up my mask making machine again!
ReplyDeletescary world we are up in cases too and many aren't getting vaccines...
ReplyDeleteIt is ridiculous, isn't it. Such conspiracy theories!
ReplyDelete