To Vaccinate or Not---The Rat Flu Odyssey Continues

[LongShortLong]

So when y’all are feeling ill, are you taking any personal measures to minimize spreading whatever you have to others and doing RATs to confirm whether it’s covid?

The country as decided that not getting sick is your responsibility. And we treat our frontline workers like shit, so they'll be at work spreading. In this environment, there's limited value in your personal efforts not to spread stuff. That said, I will stay away from others if I catch covid (and that's also my policy for colds).

I generally avoid indoors. Wear a mask if I have to go in briefly, e.g. to pick up a pizza. I mostly visit people outdoors. If I've been indoors and I'm visiting my parents, I'll usually test to protect them. Occasionally I break my rules. I've acquired no respiratory disease this decade and I like it this way. Sometimes I miss walking to a local restaurant.

[old goat]

COVID attacks whatever your personal physiological Achilles heel happens to be. Add in the effects if increased heat, forever chemicals in the water tables, crappy food additives/preservatives, Round Up, etc..

It's no wonder that everyone feels like shit nowadays..

And yet there's 8 fucking billion of us.

When I got Covid in Feb I stayed home for 5, wore a mask for 5 more. Missed 10 days of storm skiing/storm closures but I did get to shovel a ton of snow (literally). I was asymptomatic after 24 from starting Paxlovid. I caught it from my wife who caught it from our nieces family who she spent a week with and who were too dumb to tell her they were sick before she flew down there. So wearing a mask in public wouldn't have helped. I test if I feel sick. With this event I tested neg day 1, pos day 2. The only time I wear a mask other than when I was sick was when I go to Kaiser which still requires (but Tahoe Forest ER doesn't), when my allergies are bad, or when the smoke is bad.

[Percy Rideout]

https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/18/polit...ing/index.html

In Monday’s memorandum, HHS’s deputy assistant secretary for acquisition concludes that the Wuhan Institute’s “disregard of the NIH’s requests” and the NIH’s conclusion that the institute’s research likely violated biosafety protocols present a risk that the institute “not only previously violated, but is currently violating, and will continue to violate, protocols of the NIH on biosafety.”

[TNKen]

My office manager just recovered from Covid Round 3. Had the initial vax and two boosters. No contact w/ anyone for 5 days.

[bennymac]

I’m around confirmed covid positive people all the time. I’ve not tested positive for covid ever despite numerous tests for work, international travel, mild illnesses etc.

I’ve had two vax and two boosters. Something tells me they are working.

[old goat]

I’m around confirmed covid positive people all the time. I’ve not tested positive for covid ever despite numerous tests for work, international travel, mild illnesses etc.

I’ve had two vax and two boosters. Something tells me they are working.

According to RFK jr it's because you're either Jewish or Chinese.

[Thaleia]

I've had four shots and haven't caught it (unless I was asymptomatic) either. Multiple exposures, including family members within the household having it.

[yeahman]

I’ve had two vax and two boosters. Something tells me they are working.

So how do you explain the guy mentioned above who's had three shots and yet caught covid three times? Are the shots working for you but not for him?

[skaredshtles]

So how do you explain the guy mentioned above who's had three shots and yet caught covid three times? Are the shots working for you but not for him?

Yep.

[yeahman]

Yep.

Well isn't that special.

[Mofro261]

Maybe you guys are part of the 10-15% of the population who are genetically HLA-B*15:01, and have a level of pre-existing immunity from previous infection with other non-SARS Coronaviruses that cause common colds, that leads to asymptomatic infection with Sars-2.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06331-x

A common allele of HLA is associated with asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection

Abstract
Studies have demonstrated that at least 20% of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 remain asymptomatic1,2,3,4. Although most global efforts have focused on severe illness in COVID-19, examining asymptomatic infection provides a unique opportunity to consider early immunological features that promote rapid viral clearance. Here, postulating that variation in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loci may underly processes mediating asymptomatic infection, we enrolled 29,947 individuals, for whom high-resolution HLA genotyping data were available, in a smartphone-based study designed to track COVID-19 symptoms and outcomes. Our discovery cohort (n = 1,428) comprised unvaccinated individuals who reported a positive test result for SARS-CoV-2. We tested for association of five HLA loci with disease course and identified a strong association between HLA-B*15:01 and asymptomatic infection, observed in two independent cohorts. Suggesting that this genetic association is due to pre-existing T cell immunity, we show that T cells from pre-pandemic samples from individuals carrying HLA-B*15:01 were reactive to the immunodominant SARS-CoV-2 S-derived peptide NQKLIANQF. The majority of the reactive T cells displayed a memory phenotype, were highly polyfunctional and were cross-reactive to a peptide derived from seasonal coronaviruses. The crystal structure of HLA-B*15:01–peptide complexes demonstrates that the peptides NQKLIANQF and NQKLIANAF (from OC43-CoV and HKU1-CoV) share a similar ability to be stabilized and presented by HLA-B*15:01. Finally, we show that the structural similarity of the peptides underpins T cell cross-reactivity of high-affinity public T cell receptors, providing the molecular basis for HLA-B*15:01-mediated pre-existing immunity.

[bennymac]

So how do you explain the guy mentioned above who's had three shots and yet caught covid three times? Are the shots working for you but not for him?

If you’re only satisfied with perfection then you’re gonna go through life very sad and disappointed.

Maybe that person should try doing what all the antivaxxers were screaming about and live a healthier life?

Not my job to explain anecdotal stories - the data at a population level is very clear about how effective the vaccines are.

No vaccines have ever been 100% successful - if that’s not good enough for people then they must be unhappy with everything on the planet and therefore are beyond reach. Vibes.

[::: :::]

I have also managed to avoid it as has my immediate family. Just about all our friends and extended family have had someone in their households get it.

[bagtagley]

If you’re only satisfied with perfection then you’re gonna go through life very sad and disappointed.

Maybe that person should try doing what all the antivaxxers were screaming about and live a healthier life?

Not my job to explain anecdotal stories - the data at a population level is very clear about how effective the vaccines are.

No vaccines have ever been 100% successful - if that’s not good enough for people then they must be unhappy with everything on the planet and therefore are beyond reach. Vibes.

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/...ccines/620023/

[Harry]

So how do you explain the guy mentioned above who's had three shots and yet caught covid three times? Are the shots working for you but not for him?

I’m on 6 Covid shots total, 2 of them Bivalent. All Pfizer. I don’t mask anymore, I’m going about my life as normal. I go in crowded indoor spaces without worry.

I’ve never been infected with Covid. All my boosters give me the freedom to enjoy my life, and not cower in fear.

I use Mayo Clinic as my primary care, and they are the ones who recommended shot #6. I’ll get shot #7 when my Mayo Clinic doc recommends it.

[bennymac]

Maybe you guys are part of the 10-15% of the population who are genetically HLA-B*15:01, and have a level of pre-existing immunity from previous infection with other non-SARS Coronaviruses that cause common colds, that leads to asymptomatic infection with Sars-2.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06331-x

A common allele of HLA is associated with asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection

Wouldn’t my 4 covid vax doses make me more likely to have asymptomatic covid infections - more so than any genetic anomaly and/or pre-immunity from previous infection with other coronaviruses?

[yeahman]

If you’re only satisfied with perfection then you’re gonna go through life very sad and disappointed.

Maybe that person should try doing what all the antivaxxers were screaming about and live a healthier life?

Not my job to explain anecdotal stories - the data at a population level is very clear about how effective the vaccines are.

No vaccines have ever been 100% successful - if that’s not good enough for people then they must be unhappy with everything on the planet and therefore are beyond reach. Vibes.

So basically you're saying your vaccinations are NOT the reason you haven't caught covid. It's because you live a "healthier life."

[bennymac]

So basically you're saying your vaccinations are NOT the reason you haven't caught covid. It's because you live a "healthier life."

Try reading it again. Take Tylenol if you get any headaches.

We don’t live in a binary world. A person can get vaccinated AND live a healthy life - that’s gonna offers more protection than just one or the other - or neither.

You should ask your parents and schoolteachers why you never learned how to think and appraise at a level beyond a 10 year old if this simple matter is that difficult for you to wrap your head around.

[berko]

Hadn't thought about Covid for a while until daughter got it.

Nice thing about not thinking about covid is that you are generally not thinking about science deniers and antivaxers either.

Whoever said that curing disease would be easier than curing dumb was right on the money.

[bennymac]

Whoever said that curing disease would be easier than curing dumb was right on the money.

Amen. We cure diseases all the time. So much so that it allows dumb people to think their dumb behaviors are healthy - and these dumb people then raise dumb kids. They also post dumb shit online that they think says something relevant.

[yeahman]

Try reading it again. Take Tylenol if you get any headaches.

We don’t live in a binary world. A person can get vaccinated AND live a healthy life - that’s gonna offers more protection than just one or the other - or neither.

You should ask your parents and schoolteachers why you never learned how to think and appraise at a level beyond a 10 year old if this simple matter is that difficult for you to wrap your head around.

I think you've regressed to juvenile name calling and put downs to cover up the fact that you made a nonsensical, contradictory statement.

[bennymac]

Nope I’m not covering anything up.

I said maybe why the vaccinated person in question still got covid is that he isn’t living a healthy life. Could be that or a million other reasons like other chronic illnesses, poor hygiene practices, smoking, bad luck, genetic susceptibility etc etc etc.

It’s an anecdotal story. Just like mine. You’re looking for the answers you want in anecdotes while ignoring the greater body of robust evidence that shows that vaccines work.

My story of never getting covid despite being exposed to it regularly is as useless as someone talking about their supervisor getting it despite being vaccinated. 2 meaningless stories amongst billions of people. I don’t make health decisions based on the experience of the supervisor of a padded room denizen. I suggest you do the same.

But please show us where I made a nonsensical contradictory statement.

Follow that up with showing where I called you a name.

[yeahman]

Nope I’m not covering anything up.

I said maybe why the vaccinated person in question still got covid is that he isn’t living a healthy life. Could be that or a million other reasons like other chronic illnesses, poor hygiene practices, smoking, bad luck, genetic susceptibility etc etc etc.

It’s an anecdotal story. Just like mine. You’re looking for the answers you want in anecdotes while ignoring the greater body of robust evidence that shows that vaccines work.

My story of never getting covid despite being exposed to it regularly is as useless as someone talking about their supervisor getting it despite being vaccinated. 2 meaningless stories amongst billions of people. I don’t make health decisions based on the experience of the supervisor of a padded room denizen. I suggest you do the same.

But please show us where I made a nonsensical contradictory statement.

Follow that up with showing where I called you a name.

You were crowing smugly about how your four vax shots were "working" because you haven't got covid. I pointed out that a lot of people who get vaxxed still get infected, and asked you to explain why your protection was so superior to theirs. You couldn't answer the question without walking back your bullshit statement about how the shots are "working" for you in terms of not getting infected. So instead you pivoted to a bunch of hoohaw about how your experience is just anecdotal and people who are getting infected need to lead a "healthier life," and I'm stupid because I can't see how smart you are, and it must be the fault of my teachers, etc. Lol. I've read enough of your posts and attacks on others in this thread to have formed a pretty clear opinion on your level of intelligence and maturity, not to mention your ability to parse information.

[SumJongGuy]

The primary function of vaccines is NOT to ensure that I don't get COVID. It's not to ensure that you don't get COVID. The primary function of vaccines is to reduce the community spread. With COVID this is achieved because the window of shedding is lower among vaccinated people (and previously infected people) than it is with people who get it for the first time without the previous vaccine or previous infection protection to soften the blow.

[bennymac]

You were crowing smugly about how your four vax shots were "working" because you haven't got covid. I pointed out that a lot of people who get vaxxed still get infected, and asked you to explain why your protection was so superior to theirs. You couldn't answer the question without walking back your bullshit statement about how the shots are "working" for you in terms of not getting infected. So instead you pivoted to a bunch of hoohaw about how your experience is just anecdotal and people who are getting infected need to lead a "healthier life," and I'm stupid because I can't see how smart you are, and it must be the fault of my teachers, etc. Lol. I've read enough of your posts and attacks on others in this thread to have formed a pretty clear opinion on your level of intelligence and maturity, not to mention your ability to parse information.

Pointing out that my vaccines appear to be working is not crowing smugly - but you got pretty triggered by it though LOL

Yes lots of people get vaccinated and still get covid. Lots of people get vaccinated and don’t. Someone felt the need to post an anecdote about the former. I posted one about the latter. Yet you’re not attacking them or challenging them to explain their post. I wonder why? Fits your narrative better perhaps?

How the fuck am I supposed to explain why I haven’t got covid and some random other vaccinated person did? You know that’s an impossible task - yet you seem to think this is some gotcha moment because I can’t explain it. That’s fucking super lame and I suspect you know it.

The shots ARE working for me along with everything else I’m doing - and you can’t show me where I tried to walk that back because I never tried to.

And all that being said my anecdotal experience is not some “hoohaw” whatever the fuck that means. My anecdotal experience is just that….anecdotal - look up “anecdotal” if you’re struggling with that word.

You might not be stupid - but your posts in here today are. You keep making claims about what I’m saying and when I ask you where you just pivot. You’re flailing bro.