outbreak! (ebola, sars, coronavirus, etc)

I'm kind of with your coworker here. We were told these were the most effective vaccines ever made (and they are!). So why do we need a booster six months later? I understand that getting a booster gives ultra-super-mega-immunity, but is it necessary? Even for someone without conspiratorial tendencies, this feels like a money grab.

Personally, I think I might wait for the nasal spray vax booster, since it seems like the virus camps out in your sinuses.

Fair enough. I'll probably get one at some point. I'm also a needle-hater, which I'm convinced is a much bigger piece of hesitancy than most people want to admit.

I agree and think that, when asked, most of the needle-haters rationalize their hesitancy as something else that sounds less irrational.

^^ And that's probably part of what I'm doing here.

I mean, it's not fun to pass out in a Walgreens parking lot in the Excelsior.

we don't know if the third booster is going to be the last. there's some evidence it will be. there's no evidence it won't be.

if you live in a country where covid is as prevalant as ... well, every country on earth, but the UK is the example, and you don't get a booster, you will more likely than not catch covid within a year or two. it will likely not be a serious case. you will on average give it to about one person if you catch it.

i want to say this as kindly as possible, since none of us are experts in epidemiology or virology, but i am not 100% clear on the mental gymnastics required to completely reject expert advice, based on arguments about where the virus "camps out" (??!?!?!) or "t-cells don't wane" (still wtf at this) while at the same time being unable to read a graph.

Fair enough. I'll probably get one at some point. I'm also a needle-hater, which I'm convinced is a much bigger piece of hesitancy than most people want to admit.

― DJI, Monday, November 22, 2021 5:23 PM (five minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

this is definitely true, and tbh the #1 thing the media could have done over the last 9 months to increase the number of people vaccinated is to stop publishing photos of needles going in arms. would have saved thousands of lives.

Also, this is why a nasal spray version will be great.

It will be, once it's available. But until then, this needle-hating passer-outer is getting the vaccines and whatever boosters are recommended. Because I hate dying when I don't have to more.

i would not wait for. emergency use authorizations may not be granted given there are other options. regular authorization is typically a multi-year process.

Also, read the graph for me then, caek. WTF does the Y-axis mean, and how does that help me determine how much more the booster is going to keep me from getting hospitalized vs just sticking with my current two Moderna jabs?

Yet another reason why I wish I took statistics before quantum mechanics.

it doesn't xp.

And also also, COVID does camp out in your nasal passages.

i know. what do you believe the clinical implications of that are?

skin cancer camps out on your skin. you can't cure it with lotion.

If you have more antibodies in your nasal passages, the virus doesn't even make it past them into your lungs, is the idea.

But whatever, the current needle-based vaccines are plenty strong.

i am okay with wearing a seat belt in my car with an airbag, why not?
we need to have public schooling regarding the destigmatization of needles; people need to recognize beyond the abstract that most hypodermic experiences are not dangerous bad or generally even painful.

At least for me, it's not about education. I have a messed-up physical response to needles. I didn't even fear the Moderna shot, and barely felt it. And yet, 10 minutes later, I had to lay down on the pavement because I was about to pass out.

you're saying that's a physical thing from getting jabbed by a hypo? what's that about?

my mother also fears needles to a very high degree. some of my first memories are really lynchian fucked up things with her in abject horror, screaming about needles. she has always been against them, but they were fine for me. it is just a very emotional thing for her, going beyond that to the point where it also becomes very physical.

like the panic in her voice when she is near a needle is very alarming and hard to forget

i don't have this response to getting shots or needles but i do to other things and it's "physical" in that there is an actual response in your nervous system. i can see how that can happen even though hard to explain or understand.

that was an xp, it's not really a fear of things that you are conscious of in that respect (not like KM's mom, sounds like)

Needle phobia, pain phobia, blood phobia, snake phobia: it looks like the phobias that lower your blood pressure and make you feel faint (rather than raising your blood pressure, like most phobias) have a strong genetic component.

i have a similar reaction to the prospect of delivering a presentation

yeah and at least for me i don't have to be consciously thinking about the thing or "afraid" of it at all to bring about the vasovagal response so it's not something i could be educated out of

i look away when i get blood drawn because seeing things go into my skin can trigger it but i don't consider myself afraid of needles

I respond to overwhelming stress by getting sleepy and feeling like I may fall to the ground.

I had to get an epidural steroid shot for my horrible no-good lower back a few weeks ago and I started passing out in the middle of it and they had to lean the table over so my head was down. Total nightmare as they had needles in my spine at that point. From now on I'm asking for general anesthesia if I have to do that again.

What harbl said. I'm guessing it's a brain-based response but it feels autonomic to me.

it is autonomic iirc? that happened to me when i gave blood. i thought it was due to...having less blood, but thinking back on it maybe not. i feel like i keep saying "i'm not afraid of needles" because i'm not, but something deep within me is. it's not me!

honestly not something i considered, thanks for sharing

I didn't realize these things were so mysterious for people who really suffer from it. I don't think anything of needles but right after one of the covid shots i swear i fainted for a tenth of a second... and then was fine.

For weeks it seemed like every headline image on every news site was a needle sticking out of an arm... yeah that really couldn't have helped.

over the past two months, between blood draws and surgery and preop and acupuncture and various bullshit, i probably had something like 250 needles in me. it's not desirable exactly but i generally don't much care.

Two of my best friends have needlephobia. It outright ruins their day

usually photos and talking about things like blood etc don't do it to me, has to be irl. but one time i watched a dr. pimple popper clip on youtube and my whole world started to go dark even though i wanted to keep watching it. and i LIKE dr. pimple popper!

dr pimple popper my favorite Walmart soda flavor

I used dr pimplepopper videos to help desensitize my severe needle panic. I would pass out if I so much as saw one. It took a year or so but am thankful for her lidocaine usage.

she's a national hero imo

I get that vasovagal response too. I guess it’s nice to know it’s not just me. It’s weird because you never really know when it’s gonna happen! But when it does it sucks. You wouldn’t think that “feel like you’re gonna pass out” would be such an unpleasant feeling but it really is

When I was getting my booster a woman there at the same time was complaining about it and whining “when will this end? what are they not telling us?” but stopped when I asked how this is different than the annual flu shot she’s gotten for years.

wait a second what aren't they telling us about flu, then!?!?!

wait...what aren't they telling me about everything in general

*runs to the bunker*

When I was getting my booster a woman there at the same time was complaining about it and whining “when will this end? what are they not telling us?” but stopped when I asked how this is different than the annual flu shot she’s gotten for years.

This one has 5G iirc.

My wife and I scored a booster appointment for tomorrow afternoon. By mid-December we should be oozing antibodies from all orifices.

Got a booster of Pfizer yesterday morning. Sore injection spot is my only side effect, glad to say.

My son and I both got Pfizer boosters yesterday morning and we've both been feeling pretty rundown and achy today, so though it seems to be wearing off a bit now

SANTA CRUZ, Calif — An indoor mask mandate has been reinstated in Santa Cruz County due to increasing COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. The mandate took effect at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, requiring everyone to wear face coverings when indoors regardless of vaccination status. Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel said in a statement last week that a potential winter surge appears to be a significant threat to the health and safety of the community. The health officer order even requires masks to be worn in private settings, including homes, when people who are not from the household are present. The previous mask order was rescinded in late September.

How many mask mandates made the distinction of requiring them in private homes? This leads to a lot of questions about compliance and enforcement, but I was a bit surprised to see that added at this point in COVID.

That mask-at-home order is not remotely enforceable, and comes closest to the sort of imposition anti-mask people are always complaining about.

here’s the UK case graph. and before you say “yes but deaths are low” there are still about 150 people dying every day from it

https://i.imgur.com/cHrasbl.jpg

That mask-at-home order is not remotely enforceable, and comes closest to the sort of imposition anti-mask people are always complaining about.

Yeah, I was being tongue in cheek about the compliance and enforcement bit, but this does seem like such a weird thing to even include at this point. People who are going to be safe about who they let into their home will remain safe, those who haven't given a fuck all pandemic won't start now. All this seems to do is give ammo to the anit-mask people to bitch about overreach.

It's getting really ugly in the Midwest, was surprised to see that Michigan is now at a higher peak than they've ever seen.