waysider

This is great news if everything plays out. There are still parts of the world that don't have access to the vaccine for various reasons, such as logistical difficulties and lack of funds. This could be a real life saver if all goes to plan. In the meantime, our best tool available is the vaccine. We need to be getting as many people vaccinated as possible so there will be no need to treat the disease after it's already taken hold.

Fascinating. An opinion piece critiquing peer review. Having children does not change whether something is true or not. It may, however, change how you perceive that truth. In other words, it may change your opinion . Yes, Einstein had a controversial opinion. It was based on lots of hard work, calculation and data.

Allan, do you understand what an opinion piece is? I'm beginning to wonder.

Heh. Pretty sure that's not the same usage of the word. Although there does seem to be some parallel in them "executing" each other for the right to rule.

Are you sure about that? It seems to me that an awful lot of people still can't comprehend the concept that your immune system, no matter how strong it might be, does not automatically launch an antibody response to a novel virus the first time it's encountered. People see that there is a risk of pericarditis from the vaccine and neglect to recognize that the virus, itself, presents a risk of pericarditis that is several times greater.

I think some people use the term "God Given" to mean you were born with an immune system to fight off pathogens. The problem with SARS-2, though, is that if you have never had previous exposure to the virus, your immune system has no idea what it is. (That's why it's call "novel".) It can't instantly launch a counter attack because it doesn't have a memory of having seen it before. That's where the vaccine comes in. It teaches the immune system what to look for without making you vulnerable to serious disease or death like a natural infection would.

We have orthopedic surgeons now. There's no longer a need to look both ways when crossing the street. Hey, fun fact! Know what other disease is largely asymptomatic (90-95%)? Polio Yeah, that's right. Why bother getting the Polio vaccine? Take a chance on herd immunity. What could go wrong?

Hi, Wet Blanket. I'm Stick in the Mud. This is my brother Bump on a Log and this is my other brother Bump on a Log.

That's just crazy. Q. How do patients with serious Covid die? A. The infection advances to pneumonia and they drown in their own fluid. You might as well say they didn't die from Covid, they just died from drowning. edit: "...this is really just an opinion piece where the author is poking fun at the NIH while trying to make a point about the risks of Covid." So it's poking fun at this NIH report. Talk about up being down and down being up.

"Hey kids, remember how we used to be able to sit cross-legged on the cold floor, sing Kumbaya and then get back up without any help? Boy, those were the days, weren't they?"

This is an opinion piece. Professor Curtis produces no hard data whatsoever to support his opinion. Reread the article. It even presents data that refutes his position. I don't understand why "not dying" has suddenly become the gold standard for safety. Plenty of other things can happen besides dying, such as organ damage, long lasting symptoms, and transmission to others who may have their lives put in jeopardy by exposure to this disease, as well as opportunities for the virus to mutate to forms that may be more transmissible and/or dangerous. It even says that "Dozens of scientists and children's doctors disagree with Professor Curtis and say vaccinating children is urgent.". Additionally, journalists typically do not write their own headlines. That's an editor's job. Headlines are a marketing tool, designed to entice the reader to further investigate. Sometimes the headline is a valid representation of what the journalist is saying and sometimes it is not. It's a real problem in our information saturated culture. People tend to read the headline and skip the article. That's never a safe approach. Editors can intentionally manipulate a headline to persuade the reader to reach a false conclusion. The jury is not "out" on this, as Professor Curtis would have us believe.. The vaccine is safe and effective for kids. Lots and lots of data supports that stance. The sooner we all get on board, the sooner we can return to at least some level of normalcy.

They don't need to have other health issues to develop MIS-C. Only time will show us what the long-term effects may be, just as we are now seeing the long-term effects of Polio in people who, years later, have PPS (Post Polio Syndrome). Yes, that's a genuine health issue. I know someone who suffers from it. Imagine what the world would be like if we had reacted this way to the Polio vaccine. Just looking at a photo of someone in the Iron Lung gives me the heeby jeebies.

It's rare for kids to die from Covid. It can and does happen, though. HERE is an example. Most (but not all) the kids in the article had other health problems, such as obesity, which is a major problem here in the U.S.A. But, suppose for a moment that kids really don't die from Covid. (They do, of course.) Kids that are in otherwise good health can develop MIS-C (multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children.) Internal organs can be permanently damaged. Even the brain can become damaged. They might have to live with disabilities the rest of their lives. If that's not enough, what happens if they bring it home to Grandma and Grandpa or old Mr. Johnson, who lives in that big blue, rundown house on the corner? Who'll feed all those cats if he catches it and dies? Well, it won't be me. I can tell you that. Incidentally, that century-old mandate mentioned earlier is Jacobson v. Massachusetts (1905).

Okay, now you have my attention. (I'm an old guy, ya know?) But on a serious note, last year, Ohio had more deaths than births. (143,661 vs. 129,313) This year is on a similar track. (107,462 vs. 100,781 so far) Ohio isn't the only place this is happening. In fact, only 5 states show a birth rate that exceeds the death rate. https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20211026/ohio-more-deaths-than-births

Both these statements are false. Also, statisticians use something called "increase in mortality" rates to gauge deaths. In other words, if, for example, your town typically experiences 10,000 deaths per year and suddenly experiences 13,000 deaths per year, they start to look at reasons for the increase. This is how they were able to come up with estimates of the death toll for the 1918 flu deaths. This takes time, so we won't know for quite some time what the real death toll has been. There are other methods they use, as well, but it's not as straightforward as it might seem.

Decisions regarding dosage of supplements is best left to medical professionals who take into consideration such things as medical history, age, weight, current general health status, interaction with other medications, results of blood tests, etc. It's not intended to be a DIY process.

What?? How dare you. We have a whole world to save from the powers of evil. You could be reading Ephesians or Hitchhikers Guide or....something.

Yep. It's a fine line we walk in this world. Sorry to hear the sun was not so kind to you. As always, take your medical advise from people who are qualified to dispense it.

This is false. There was high quality information released just last night or this morning that contradicts that. Natural immunity appears to be short lived and unpredictable in its level of efficacy. Bear in mind that we're talking about short term, antibody levels, not B-cell, T-cell presence. It is absolutely recommended that, if you have had Covid-19, you also get the vaccine. I do continue to take high doses of Vitamin D (10,000 a day) plus Vitamin C, zinc and Ivermectin once a wk for maintenance Maintaining healthy Vitamin D levels is an excellent recommendation, as Vitamin D is essential to maintaining the immune system. Most people have levels that are too low due to lack of exposure to sunlight. (U.V exposure leads to Vitamin D production.) This is especially true during the winter months when people spend more time indoors than outside. Proper Vitamin C and Zinc levels are essential to overall health, as well. There is lots of established medical information in this regard. As always, it is best to discuss these matters with a medical professional who can use standardized testing methods, such as blood tests, to establish dosages and protocols. With Ivermectin, it's a bit more complicated. Billions of doses have been administered for human parasite infestation over several decades with extremely low levels of adverse effects. That being said, it is extremely dangerous unless given with precise dosages and treatment regimens .It's also used frequently for livestock treatment. It's important to note that the appropriate dosage and formulation for a 2,000 pound animal is not at all the same as it would be for a human. Do NOT take veterinary medications. Never attempt to self-medicate with this drug. If you have a genuine interest in using it, please discuss it in depth with a health professional who is intimately knowledgeable with its application.

Lots of analogies could be packed in there.

Oh cool! I can go twice.

Yeah, this reminds me of an incident I had at a previous job, years ago. When I arrived in the morning, the boss told me he had bad news and worse news. I said give me the bad news first. He said "All but one of the technicians just quit and walked out." I asked "What could be worse than that?" He said "Well, you're the one who didn't". It took a long time for me to see the hilarity in that. (True story, BTW.)

Like realizing there is no Santa Claus or Tooth Fairy?