My ex has survived covid 19. He coughed quite a bit and continued working, since the entire nursing home was sick.
So far, 28 of the 72 patients in the nursing home have died of covid 19. They did have other illnesses as well as being elderly. My ex said, "They are all on oxygen masks and having trouble breathing and one can be okay and then dead 12 hours later."
I have gotten my first of two vaccinations, on December 21. My arm was mildly sore at the shot site. That seems like a normal reaction to sticking a needle in to a muscle and an injection.
Someone asked if I would stop wearing a mask once I am fully vaccinated. Hell no. The vaccine is not putting a flashing blue "safe" light on anyone's forehead. And anyhow, 95% effective sounds pretty great, but if I think of it as a 1 in 20 chance of not being covered, it doesn't sound as good. I've had three rounds of pneumonia. It hurts. I don't like it. I nearly died.
I read that 27% of US citizens say they won't get the vaccination. My concern is the dual wave this will cause and that has already started. Health care people are retiring, quitting, breaking down, dying of covid 19. Add to that having the number of patients ICU nurses are caring for increased beyond the agreed safe limits and with even sicker than usual patients. Not just a stroke or heart attack patient but a patient with stroke or heart attack and covid 19. I think we will lose our health care providers. What would motivate one to continue working when the flood continues because of vaccination refusal?
The test this time is of community.
Before you refuse the vaccine, consider. Do you hope to have an emergency room and a physician and a nurse and a hospital for something that is not covid 19? People say support the health care workers. To me that looks very concrete: wear the mask and get the shot.