The futile discourse between opinion and fact:
- Jeanette Thomas
- Jan 12, 2024
- 4 min read
Kid one: “did you hear Mom’s super awkward conversation?”
Kid two: “what now?”
Me: “I was at a Covid superspreader event, but fortunately, did not get sick. Everyone who did hadn’t been boosted. And nobody was seriously ill.”
Acquaintance: “well, I haven’t been boosted.”
Me: “Really? Why not?”
Acquaintance: “I haven’t had the first shot and don’t plan to.” Shakes head. “I just don’t....” Shakes head again.
Me: “Huh. We probably should stop talking about this then.” Changes subject.
Kid one: “awkward, right?”
We are nearly 4 years from the global spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. This led to not seen in our lifetime shutdowns, quarantines, and deaths, as well as long term sequelae from those who have had the disease. If at this point you do not believe the link between widespread adoption of effective vaccines and boosters to the drop in severe disease and death rate, morbidity and mortality, then I do not see the point of the discussion. I’d rather change the subject and still converse than get into a discourse about who is wrong and why. We can disagree and not be mortal enemies.
It doesn’t mean we can’t be civil, acquaintances or even friends. But it is clear that neither of us is going to be persuaded to switch opinions at this point. When I was practicing, I was obligated to continue this discussion. I had my patients’ health to consider, and for the pregnant patients, that of their babies. How can I respect your fears and distrust, while conveying the science and advocating for your safety, that of your baby? It’s a tricky line to walk, and misinformation makes it harder.
From Scientific American June 7, 2022:
You’ll notice that this is from almost 2 years ago. Much like influenza, as variants continue to evolve, boosters will be needed. The goal isn’t to keep you from ever getting Covid, as nice as that would be. It’s to keep you from having long term issues from it, severe disease, or the ultimate long-term issue, death.
Also, the pandemic has been declared over. We have 3 years of vaccine data (3 years from when health care providers eagerly took the first doses. After 9 months of only masks and gowns and other PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) for protection, an ER doc friend said “I would take a shot in my eye if I had to at this point.” Very few of us chose the risk of getting Covid over the risk of a new vaccine.) There is little funding for ongoing research like this. We are monitoring wastewater, detecting new variants. Cases are on the rise again as I write this in early January 2024.
Yes, most of the cases of Covid now are in people who have been vaccinated. Most of them are not as severe as prior to vaccine development. Most people don’t die.
Ask anyone who has long Covid symptoms if they would have preferred a vaccine in hindsight. I think you will get a lot of yeses. Ask just about any health care provider about their vaccine status. Again, you’re going to get a lot of yeses. Hell yeses.
With most vaccines, there will be a very small number of people who really shouldn’t get a vaccine or booster—usually severely immunosuppressed, like actively undergoing chemotherapy. Their bodies just cannot mount an effective immune response. Or people who have had a known severe response to the vaccine—the risks may outweigh the benefits. These people rely on herd immunity to keep them from getting the disease.
Herd immunity is a terrible term. Let’s go with Community Immunity. For it to effectively protect people who can’t get vaccinated, the immunization rate has to be above 95% for any given disease. This is why when parents get spooked by the measles vaccine for their otherwise healthy child, and their kids get exposed at Disneyland, there is a measles outbreak. As social creatures, it is our responsibility to do what we can to decrease exposure to and severity of disease for all of us. That’s why many states require basic vaccines for kids to attend schools. It’s also why you don’t remember getting polio or smallpox. Because our parents were vaccinated, didn’t get wacko false information about what harms the vaccine would/could/in your dreams cause. We as a society accepted that we are beholden to each other to prevent the things that we can.
The vast majority of vaccine related paranoias have been debunked. They don’t cause autism or infertility. There are no microchips or alterations of your own DNA with the Covid vaccine.
Do we know all there is to know about the vaccine, about Covid itself? Of course not. Like everything else in medicine, we learn more and know more as time goes on. The data evolves to reflect this. We do the best we can with the information that we have. We choose the option with the greatest benefit and least risk for most of us.
Have there been horrific past events where people were lied to and experimented upon without their consent, by the US governments and others? Sadly, yes. Can I promise that will never happen again? Certainly no. Can we function as a society if nobody trusts anyone? I'll let you draw your own conclusions on that.
The CDC and NIH really have no reason to lie to you. Check out: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home if you want to read what health care professionals read.
The following are more user friendly for the rest of us:
Of course we’re afraid. Change is scary. Death is scary. The unknown is scary. Shouldn’t we base decisions, particularly when the stakes are high, on science and facts instead of rumor and propaganda? If you want science and facts, I’m here for you. If you favor misinformation, it’s better that we discuss other things. Preferably at a distance and outdoors.
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