Still scared of COVID? I’d ask you if you are also still scared of developing polio, measles, diphtheria or other diseases you’ve been vaccinated against? The infectivity and lack of information initially about the Wuhan virus has caused people to be terrified even after vaccination. But there’s no reason to be. Before I turned one year old, I was one of the initial group of kids vaccinated against polio, a terrifying illness that killed or maimed so many. Parents would do anything to protect their children (even closing pools, though the connection was never proven). But I was lucky. My father was doing his post-doc in a lab near Jonas Salk’s and was able to put my name in for the vaccine. Years later, when some children who had had the Sabin vaccine had to have booster doses, I was exempt. At 66, I am still immune.
When elected leaders fear something, that fear is enhanced and deepened in their constituents, very similar to how fear in managers becomes a serious problem when communicated to their employees. The fear arose primarily because of the suspicion that the CCP virus was created in a lab and could have been engineered to be more lethal and infectious. What we don’t understand, we fear. Instead, let’s look at the CDC guidance on this.
“Vaccines help develop immunity by imitating an infection. This type of infection, however, almost never causes illness, but it does cause the immune system to produce T-lymphocytes and antibodies. Sometimes, after getting a vaccine, the imitation infection can cause minor symptoms, such as fever. Such minor symptoms are normal and should be expected as the body builds immunity.
Once the imitation infection goes away, the body is left with a supply of “memory” T-lymphocytes, as well as B-lymphocytes that will remember how to fight that disease in the future. However, it typically takes a few weeks for the body to produce T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes after vaccination. For some vaccines (primarily inactivated vaccines), the first dose does not provide as much immunity as possible. So, more than one dose is needed to build more complete immunity. The vaccine that protects against the bacteria Hib, which causes meningitis, is a good example.
For some vaccines, after a while, immunity begins to wear off. At that point, a “booster” dose is needed to bring immunity levels back up. This booster dose usually occurs several years after the initial series of vaccine doses is given.
For some vaccines (primarily live vaccines), studies have shown that more than one dose is needed for everyone to develop the best immune response.
Finally, in the case of flu vaccines, adults and children (6 months and older) need to get a dose every year. Children 6 months through 8 years old who have never gotten a flu vaccine in the past or have only gotten one dose in past years need two doses the first year they are vaccinated. Then, an annual flu vaccine is needed because the flu viruses causing disease may be different from season to season. Every year, flu vaccines are made to protect against the viruses that research suggests will be most common. Also, the immunity a child gets from a flu vaccination wears off over time. Getting a flu vaccine every year helps keep a child protected, even if the viruses don’t change from one season to the next.”[1]
We might indeed need another shot as the virus mutates (which all viruses do). However, the mRNA technology developed around 10 years ago, changes everything. Though most people don’t know this, both Moderna and Pfizer had working vaccines available in January, 2020. It was only the demand for full-scale testing that delayed widespread distribution until December. And since that time, all companies producing these vaccines have made slight alterations to ensure their effectiveness against all variants. This process doesn’t change the safety and thus, can be rolled out immediately.
In this way, the amazing challenge of the Project Warp Speed coupled with the mRNA research will probably change our concern about natural and created viruses forever. The problem with the flu had been that we didn’t know what was coming, so the annual injections were based on a theory of how the virus would change. But with rapid development and deployment, new flu vaccines may increase their efficacy from the usual 30-60%. Keep in mind how effective the latest vaccines are. Pfizer and Moderna have vaccines that are 95 and 94% effective respectively.
Even if you get the virus, there are great treatments available now. And just like Tamiflu, which helps reduce issues with the seasonal flu, but only if you take it within 48 hours of the first symptoms, get in quick if you suspect you have gotten sick. Doctors can prescribe a variety of treatments that will lessen the symptoms and keep you from dying of the disease.
For those who don’t know me, I was in the biochemical genetics doctoral program at the University of Michigan in the late ‘70’s and worked with some bad bugs myself. As such, this bug didn’t scare me unduly and I followed the scientific research, rather than relying on the media or government reporting.