Vaccinated teachers and students don’t need masks, CDC says

[sun rise]

My understanding is that in some studies, it's as high as a 10% chance. Is that what you've seen? Also, for which age groups? I know that those who have been vaccinated and are elderly, that risk percentage increases. Or are you seeing those numbers higher, and across all age groups and health conditions? The latest I've seen is the delta variant is going to mow down the anti-vaccers much easier than those who have been vaccinated. If they lucked out the first round, the second may change their tune.

And yes, if they offer boosters, I plan to get one as well. For sure.

How well COVID-19 vaccines work against the Delta variant, according to the best available data says 86%/87% Pfizer after two doses but the Israel study says 64% effective. The article does mention how hard it is to come up with percentages in the real world because of all the variables involved.

But personally when I see 64% and 86%, it's enough for me to become more cautious.

 

[exchemist]

How well COVID-19 vaccines work against the Delta variant, according to the best available data says 86%/87% Pfizer after two doses but the Israel study says 64% effective. The article does mention how hard it is to come up with percentages in the real world because of all the variables involved.

But personally when I see 64% and 86%, it's enough for me to become more cautious.

The trouble with this is the article does not make clear what it means by "work". Prevent a +ve test results? Prevent illness? Prevent severe illness requiring hospitalisation?

What I read is the vaccines are very effective at preventing severe disease from the Delta variant, but less so at preventing mild infection, including asymptomatic infection that can still show up as a +ve test result.

 

[Left Coast]

I think the feelings on the vaccine could be compared to the political spectrum... there's a loud group on one side, and a loud group on the other, and a whole lot of quiet people in between...

I think there's a lot of 'on the fence' regarding the vaccine that are slowly trickling in to get them as they feel safer with things, or for other various reasons.

I was an 'on the fencer', but when my husband started refusing to wear a mask, I got vaccinated, and I made him do it, too. Got my second shot Wednesday.

First things first: congrats on getting vaccinated!

On the number of people still "on the fence," it's a pretty small minority when you look at the stats:

COVID-19 Vaccine-Reluctant in U.S. Likely to Stay That Way

And it's unclear what would cause this group to change their minds one way or the other (probably a variety of things for different people).

Like I said, I'll be pleasantly surprised if a bunch of people rush to get their vaccine once the FDA gives full approval.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

This is a stupid question(and may be slightly off topic), but curiousity has gotten the better of me...

What if you don't have a phone/internet?

I assume as it's a Western nation that isn't America the internet and cell phone thing isn't as big of a problem.

 

[JustGeorge]

I assume as it's a Western nation that isn't America the internet and cell phone thing isn't as big of a problem.

If I'm not mistaken, she's in Australia.

I just know a lot of old timers(and me) who don't use smartphones. Of those mentioned, some have internet, some don't, due to personal choice. I was just totally curious how those folks observed the mandate. I could be mistaken, but it seems like there's some who hold out against this or the other thing just about everywhere...

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

What's your opinion on people who in good faith just want to make sure it's formally approved

Good faith? No. They're not telling the truth.

Their actual reason for not taking the vaccine will be fear or possibly political posturing / tribalism. But it's simply not realistic to think that such people care about FDA approval. They don't care about science and they don't care what the FDA or CDC say, but they know that other people do, and don't want to admit that they have little respect for or use for science except to try to use a little to avoid giving an answer that they know others will find reprehensible.

It's analogous to the creationists giving sciencey counterarguments to Darwin. These are people who don't know science and don't care about it except to try to use the science they like against the science they don't like

Likewise with the anti-choice people, who will give every reason they can think of that they hope others will respect to criminalize abortion except their actual reason - it's what they think their god wants them to believe, to say, and act against. They know they can't argue for their religious beliefs and be taken seriously in a secular state.

It's easy to understand the actual motivations of such people, which is rarely the reason they give.

 

[Trailblazer]

Very good! But I wouldn't be surprised to see some right wing fool actually make that argument.

All people who have not chosen to get vaccinated are not right wing anti-vaccers. Whether they are fools are not is just your personal opinion.

 

[Trailblazer]

People just want to be sure. That's all.

There is no way to be sure. One just has to weigh their individual risks either way and make a decision based upon those.

 

[exchemist]

All people who have not chosen to get vaccinated are not right wing anti-vaccers. Whether they are fools are not is just your personal opinion.

The point I was making is that describing the removal of a restriction as coercion is the sort of argument some rightwing idiot might make.

 

[Trailblazer]

The point I was making is that describing the removal of a restriction as coercion is the sort of argument some rightwing idiot might make.

True.

 

[Twilight Hue]

The point I was making is that describing the removal of a restriction as coercion is the sort of argument some rightwing idiot might make.

A removal of a restriction means for everyone. Not just one group over another. That's where the coercion comes from.

 

[exchemist]

A removal of a restriction means for everyone. Not just one group over another. That's where the coercion comes from.

No, allowing a safe group to drop a restriction that continues in force for a dangerous group is not coercion.

 

[Twilight Hue]

No, allowing a safe group to drop a restriction that continues in force for a dangerous group is not coercion.

The group is not that dangerous to those already vaccinated.

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

You cannot spread Covid-19 if you are not infected. It is not like Typhoid Mary, where you are not infected, yet you are a carrier. The only way to be a carrier, is if you are infected.

I agree with your first and last comments, but would quibble about your use of the word infected in the middle sentence. Typhoid Mary would have to be infected to be a carrier as your third sentence suggests. I think what you might have meant is that she was not symptomatic (sick). And of course, one can be infected with the virus and not know it, as with asymptomatic infections and the pre-symptomatic phase of what will become clinical illness.

 

[SomeRandom]

This is a stupid question(and may be slightly off topic), but curiousity has gotten the better of me...

What if you don't have a phone/internet?

Oh you do it on paper. So you basically “manually” sign in.
All shops and business are required (at the moment) to have both options

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

But man you think you guys have a big brother like government? Right now in my state it is mandatory to “check in” using one’s phone when shopping or going out in public. Which means the government knows exactly where I shopped when I shopped and which shops or businesses I went to on any given day. I understand it’s for contact tracing purposes so I will comply.

That's very scary!

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Only in America, sheesh.
I get that people might be wary of new vaccines. I understand there may be some anxiety about such an occurrence. That’s fine. But geez guys. This is a pandemic. Even young people are experiencing severe long term affects of COVID.
My country absolutely stuffed up the vaccine rollout. Here I am, low risk, under 40. Absolutely desperate to roll up my sleeve. I can’t because we first need to vaccinate those at higher risk and their carers. Which is fair enough. I will wait my turn to serve my community. But man you think you guys have a big brother like government? Right now in my state it is mandatory to “check in” using one’s phone when shopping or going out in public. Which means the government knows exactly where I shopped when I shopped and which shops or businesses I went to on any given day. I understand it’s for contact tracing purposes so I will comply. Of course. It’s still really creepy though. I’d much rather have herd immunity through vaccines.
Trust me when I say, I honestly think the vaccines will save us (at least in my country) of an encroaching big brother. Because at the moment, it’s all very “plausible deniability.” Just tracking people’s movement for better overall public safety. But I mean would you like your government tracking your movements in such a fashion?

They check to see if you're vaccinated?

I know New York has come out with something like that but in VA where I live, I don't hear anything of it. Kind of like walking in our own little world the further you get from the city.

 

[SomeRandom]

They check to see if you're vaccinated?

I know New York has come out with something like that but in VA where I live, I don't hear anything of it. Kind of like walking in our own little world the further you get from the city.

Oh no. You have to “check in” meaning you open your phone with the appropriate app and scan the code. Effectively it’s like telling the government where you went out on any given day, so when someone tests positive and has been at those locations, they can call you in for a test to make sure you’re not also positive. At first it was just “strongly encouraged” now it’s apparently mandatory
I think they track who’s been vaccinated using Medicare (our national public health care system.)

 

[SomeRandom]

That's very scary!

Right? Double plus ungood.
Downright Orwellian. That’s why I would much rather herd immunity through vaccinations. Such measures are seen as “for the greater good” but what happens in the future?

 

[SomeRandom]

I assume as it's a Western nation that isn't America the internet and cell phone thing isn't as big of a problem.

Well to be fair, the West also has a lot of old folks who don’t know how or won’t bother with smart phones