Got Pfizer Feb- SIRVA next day -concerned that vaccine did not take

In the news early in the week, you may have also seen that 74% of COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts were fully vaccinated. Also, reports from healthcare officials in both Israel and London that 40% of people being admitted for COVID-19 (serious illness) were fully vaccinated. I have wondered why it seems the fully vaccinated people are the ones still riddled with fear and anxiety that they will become ill with COVID-19 and die. Maybe their fears are justified since the actual effectiveness of the vaccines is as much in question as is the long-term effects. But, since these are the people whose fears have never subsided and likely never will, I believe they are a group that deals with Cluster-C type anxiety disorders.

This is an experimental vaccine technology. We are guinea pigs. My mother looked at the pros and cons, and though still feeling apprehensive, chose to take the vaccine based on her age, putting her in the high-risk category. Though she and the rest of the family were quite sure she had COVID through Jan-Feb, 2020 right before the pandemic scare started. Looking at her symptoms, conditions and the findings at the time, her doctor also concurred that that is a distinct possibility. And the fact that the family was there with her almost daily, hugging, kissing and caring for her, and the fact that we all had some degree of illness weeks later probably means we all had it. But where are the T-cell tests that were once talked about that would just immunity after antibodies in the blood have run their course? And why is past infection not seen as a natural immunity as it has been with other viral diseases? Why are those who have had COVID-19 still being pushed to take the vaccine? The CDC even said in the beginning that natural immunity will come from a mix of natural immunity and vaccinations. Now natural immunity is no longer discussed and the push for vaccination for all has become almost militant. I'm over the hill — not quite in the high-risk group yet — but I have zero health issues, I do not take any medications, my weight is average (or was before the lockdowns), my checkups and bloodwork come back perfect every year. I would rather take the chance with a virus that statistically is not that dangerous to my specific demographic (and one I've likely already had) than volunteer to be injected with a new type of vaccine still in human testing trials that is showing a growing number of serious side effects and of deaths.

Why does my decision so frighten the fully vaccinated? Many of whom want government-mandated (forced) vaccination. If they truly believe the vaccine works and they are protected, why are they worried that I get vaccinated? Why would they fear me and my personal decision? If they do not believe the vaccine works and they are still just as susceptible to severe illness and death from COVID-19, then why on earth would they worry that I or anyone else, get vaccinated? There is no logic in that. There is no science in that. There is only fear and anxiety and some narcissistic, and quite frankly fascistic, mentality that others just need to do-as-they-say, period, in order to soothe their irrational fears and stroke their inflated egos. No. My freedom and my individual liberty, whether you call it constitutional, God-given or natural law, will not be subjugated nor abrogated by their personal fears. Fear is not a virtue.

They are many answers I would like to know: Why is natural immunity now not considered immunity? Where are the T-cell test that could show past infection and long-term natural immunity? Why have safe and effective treatments like drug combinations including hydroxychloroquine been lied about, restricted, and erased from the public forum? People with Lupis and arthritis take hydroxychloroquine. People in third-world countries where Malaria is prevalent take it every day like a multi-vitamin. If you believe hydroxychloroquine is not safe, you are listening to fear and not facts. You are listening to a political/media narrative and not science from the last 70 years. Clinical studies have also shown a lot of success with a combination of Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Zinc and Queceritin given in certain monitored doseages. Have you heard about that? If not, why? There are new FDA-approved anti-viral medications being talked about (no more effective than the ones listed above), but at hospitals, they are only being given to patients who are in an advanced state of illness. Why? Why do people need to wait until they have severe illness, dropping oxygen levels and likely permanent lung damage to begin a medication regimen? Should that not begin right away with positive test results? This is a virus with a 99.8% overall survival rate with all demographics combined. A virus where 94% of deaths occur in people with an average of 2.6 comorbidities in play. Where the average age of death is 78 (same as life expectancy in the US). Mostly people who would also die from the flu, bacterial respiratory infections or other bacterial infections like strep and staff. These are facts. This is a nasty virus. Is it akin to the black plague or even the 1918 influenza? No. The authoritarian reactions to this illness do not fit the facts.

I ask the same questions and wonder. I determine similar statistics through collected data concerning covid infections given by reputable online sources. It seems only certain information is allowed for us to see for whatever reason. For me, I am waiting for more information to become available about covid infections and covid vaccinations. I am not comfortable with the information thus far to be making a decision to get vaccinated. We all have a choice to make for what we think is best. As you, I am aware of additional health issues of people I know after deciding to get vaccinated. I supported their decision because they felt it was best for them at the time. We all have our different reasonings for getting vaccinated.. Who am I to argue when there is not much information out there. We only hear of short term side effects. What may be good for one person may not necessarily be good for another. I hear of health issues more than I do of any deaths related to the coronavirus. I have not heard of one death with the people near me that I know. I am so glad for that but makes me wonder after repeatedly hearing many people are dying from the covid infection. I am not saying people are not dying but makes anyone wonder about how many deaths are happening around us. I often hear I will die if I get the coronavirus from others who do not know me. Is that a scare tactic? I am sorry but I find it rather odd for someone who does not know my medical history or my exposure risks to tell me I will die if I contract covid especially coming from a non medical professional. I am sure they meant well. I am able to crunch up my own numbers using the data given to us to determine what is threatening in our community.
In the local news at noon today I was surprised to hear of the FDA Emergency Use Authorization for Monoclonal Antibody Cocktail - Casirivimab and Imdevima. I knew about the approval a few days before. The ABC affiliated news channel reported it was the same treatment given to our former president after contracting covid. It was said the drug treatment helps to keep people with covid infection out of the hospitals. There is an urgency for people to get tested to receive immediate treatment if the result is positive for covid infection. The noon news also reported that local testing sites(Florida) are opening up again. Hopefully we will hear more about this treatment. It sounds much easier on the patient since no hospitalization and therefore no ventilator. Why was this not an option earlier to decrease the suffering and deaths? I guess we will find out more as information becomes available.

Inquiring minds are good. Citizens as well as researchers pose many questions about COVID, the infection, immunity, prevention measures, treatment and long-term effects. For many of the questions, there are, as yet, no answers or incomplete answers. Guidance continues to evolve as specialists learn more.

The Mayo Clinic News Network follows developments closely and provides evidence-based information as it becomes available. Please see the COVID news section https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/category/covid-19/

Here are some recent articles that may be of interest:
- Why do masking recommendations change? https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/why-do-masking-recommendations-change/
- COVID-19 Resource Center addresses surge in delta variant infections, vaccination rates and hot spots https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/covid-19-resource-center-addresses-surge-in-delta-variant-infections-vaccination-rates-and-hot-spots/
- COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/vaccine
- Post-COVID-19 information https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/post-covid-19-conditions

Also follow our podcasts with Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group.
- Podcasts https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/podcasts/

Here is the most recent podcast from Dr. Poland
- The COVID-19 delta variant has changed everything https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/podcasts/newsfeed-post/poland-4/

Note: Dr. Poland takes questions from listeners. Feel free to post them in the comments below the podcast.

@sueinmn you write….
“This is because fully vaccinated people are protected from severe disease and death with the COVID-19 virus, including from COVID-19 variants.”
I am sorry I did not see that information on the CDC website. My understanding is that even fully vaccinated individuals can get infected from covid and transmit the infection to others. Those are called breakthrough infections. People vaccinated have been hospitalized for a covid infection and some have even died.

This is a statement on the CDC website from today.
“ There is some evidence that vaccination may make illness less severe for those who are vaccinated and still get sick.”

The key word is “may”.

This is the data the CDC provides on their website: I hope it is helpful.

And if you read the CDC table above, there have been 6239 breakthrough cases resulting in hospitalization and 1263 resulting in death through July 27th (about 7 months of vaccines). Compare that to over 35,000 current non-ICU hospitalizations and 1100 Covid deaths in the past 2 days.

Locally, our department of health reports 5% of hospitalized patients and .1% of deaths are in the fully vaccinated. 70% of our people over 12 are fully vaccinated.

I would say that is a pretty clear statement of efficacy.

I understand that some people have made a personal decision to forego vaccination, I wish them well.

Thank you your bringing that to my attention. I indeed did read the information on the CDC website. That is why I raised the question. The deaths cases are clearly lower from the unvaccinated individuals. To me your statement was misleading because it implied no severe illness or death can occur from a covid infection if vaccinated. We can see otherwise through the CDC data. The fact remains that infection, hospitalization, and death can still occur after vaccination regardless of your statistics. Thank you for clearing that statement.

@colleenyoung Thank you Colleen for providing additional information for us. Is it the same reasoning behind the Mayo Clinic attaching an editor’s note to my post or is it due to something else? I was wondering.

Very well written piece. I have the same questions and can not find any answers. All I am told is just get the vaccination. What frightens me more is the big push to have children vaccinated. Thank you for speaking up.

A treatment has been available since the beginning of the year. Both my husband and I came down with Covid the first week of January. Once diagnosed positive we were given Bamlanivimab, a monoclonal antibody therapy. It knocked it out of us immediately. Left the clinic with only fatigue; temp, aches, and other symptoms were gone. We both still have antibodies at this time and are not in a hurry to get the vaccinations because no one (medical) can or are willing to tell us the reaction we can expect when mixing the monoclonal antibody therapy and vaccinations. On another aspect of all this, I heard about a new vaccination that does not use M-DNA made by Novavax. I hope to hear more about it in the near future.
Thank you for your comments.

@connie1977 thank you for sharing your experience with the covid infection and treatment. I am grateful it worked well for you and your husband. We will have to wait for more information. It looks like these treatments for infection are more readily available now since the covid infection surge despite vaccination of the majority population and a decline on vaccination has arisen. In the mean time stay safe.