Covid remains a mortal threat not just for people like me, over 50 years old, but for almost anyone, no matter how young and healthy they are.
Too many people don’t seem to realize just how easily the novel coronavirus spreads and how awful Covid-19 can be. It is prompting far too many either to a) avoid getting any vaccine, b) skip the second dose or c) assume that the vaccine they got means they are now free to gather in any way they choose without taking any public health precautions.
Covid remains a mortal threat for almost anyone, no matter how young and healthy they are. Although infections, hospitalizations, and deaths are down from their dreadful peaks in 2020, we are still a long way from herd immunity — if we ever get there.
61% of people live in counties where the risk of infection right now is very high or extremely high, and whenever someone gets infected with the coronavirus, a mutation to an even more dangerous variant could arise.
After months of uncertainty about whether any vaccine would be safe and effective, the final highly reassuring results from the vaccine trials late last year were almost beyond belief.
I got my first vaccine on May 12 and I will continue to wear masks and maintain an appropriate distance from others when I am outdoors in close settings or indoors in public venues with people I don’t know.
There are good reasons for continued precautions. More than half the population, including young children, are not yet immunized. It is not known whether immunized people can acquire the virus and remain symptom-free, then unwittingly spread it to others who are vulnerable. Not everyone who wants the vaccine is able to get it for logistical or health reasons, and the vaccines may not fully protect people with immune deficiencies.
Furthermore, even though the authorized vaccines result in a stronger immune response than natural infection, we don’t yet know how long their protection will last.
Speaking of which, that second shot of the vaccine should not be skipped. Although a delay of a few weeks in getting it is likely not critical, the immune response after one dose is relatively weak and may leave people vulnerable, especially to the more virulent variants now circulating.
Two doses are 90 percent effective in preventing infection, and that protection is expected to last much longer. You should be given an appointment for the second dose when you sign up for the first dose or when you receive it.
Some people hesitate to get the second shot because they’ve heard the side effects can be nasty. But no matter how nasty, the vaccine side effects are short-lived and not nearly as severe or persistent as the disease the vaccine protects against. After recovery from even a mild case of Covid-19, a distressing legacy like a foggy brain or chronic fatigue can persist.
And, of course, the virus can also kill, even people who are relatively young and free of underlying health risks. The fatality rate from Covid-19 based on more than 32 million confirmed cases in the United States is 1.8 percent.
Nearly everyone gets a temporary sore arm from the shot, but at worst people may have flu-like symptoms that last a day or two. If you have the option, consider planning a day off after the second shot in case you need to take it easy.
And a final word: If you know people still struggling to get a vaccine appointment, please try to help them if you can.
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