I think the line of thought is "unknown long term side effects of a new vaccine compared to unknown long term side effects of a virus."
One can only hope they get to worry about the long term side effects of having the virus. You may be the one that dies within days of contracting it. Russian Roulette boys and girls….step right up & pull that trigger. Obviously the death rate isn’t super high in the grand scheme of things but a lot of the people passing this go around are very young. Yes, most are all obese and have some comorbidities but I personally know of healthy men in their 30s with zero health issues that have died.
The main difference I have seen this go around in my hospital from the last initial outbreak is that the initial outbreak typically struck the elderly, immuno-compromised, obese and people with multiple comorbidities. No one was vaccinated then. This go around, 97% of the people admitted in our hospital are unvaccinated. As of today that’s 110 people needing acute hospital care. We have a 230 bed hospital. So 48% occupancy because of people “scared/unwilling” to get the vaccine. Is that just random dumb luck or does the vaccine actually decrease virulency/symptoms……not necessarily transmission? Sure, there are vaccinated people that have contracted COVID again, however only 3% of our current numbers fall into this category that have needed hospitalization. Everyone else who has been vaccinated and contracted COVID again are able to recover at home. Why, because the vaccine decreases the virulency/symptoms.
Both my wife and oldest son had COVID before the vaccine. And both have contracted it after having received the vaccine. Both episodes were very mild. I have never contracted it amazingly and I take care of COVID patients directly on a weekly basis. I like my odds being vaccinated.
I guess my point is, when you are on my operating table having been intubated for days, and are now needing emergent surgery to open up your arteries because they have clotted off from your belly button to your toes, your husband just recently passed days prior and your young kids are at home without parents, I hope you believe in miracles. Rest assured I and the rest of my team will do everting in the world to save your life, but we cannot play God and we do not always prevail. I hope you don’t blame medicine for offering a current solution that you refused, that undoubtedly would have prevented your poor outcome. And at the very worse, you might not have to worry about it at all because it will have taken your life without you even knowing it. Sometimes it has to hit home before you are believer. Just ask my 11 year old daughters friend whose 40 something yo father just passed away yesterday, simply because he was against the vaccine.
Your body your choice. I am all for that. I don’t like mandates. Whatever you choose, be at peace with your decision. I recommend the vaccine but I don’t have any ill will toward anyone that thinks otherwise. Unfortunately science, politics, social media, overnight YouTube medical experts…..they all have created a huge mess of this all. I feel for those that have to navigate the muddied waters to find truth and answers.