Coronavirus

Shots – Health News : NPR

|

COVID Vaccines From Novavax And Medicago Could Debut Soon : Shots – Health News : NPR

A new kind of COVID-19 vaccine could be available as soon as this summer.

It's what's known as a protein subunit vaccine. It works somewhat differently from the current crop of vaccines authorized for use in the U.S. but is based on a well-understood technology and doesn't require special refrigeration.

In general, vaccines work by showing people's immune systems something that looks like the virus but really isn't. Consider it an advance warning; if the real virus ever turns up, the immune system is ready to try to squelch it.

In the case of the coronavirus, that "something" is one of the proteins in the virus — the spike protein.

I threw away my COVID-19 vaccine card 🗑

|

I threw away my COVID-19 vaccine card 🗑

The experts say you should keep your COVID-19 vaccine card but I threw mine away as I have too much paper in my life, and I think the whole COVID-19 vaccination card is kind of silly. The card offers zero protection from the virus, and any venue that requires it should be avoided in the future as it’s probably too risky to go there as no vaccine offers 100% protection. Even vaccinated, I have a six percent chance of getting COVID-19 after exposed to someone who has the virus.

Honestly, if I ever needed the card for travel or a megaevent, I would probably just go and get vaccinated again. I doubt at this point I would get very sick for a day after vaccination having full protection from the virus and the shot is free. Plus, it might not hurt to have it again as a booster especially if I am going to a high risk environment where the chances of getting COVID-19 are acute.

After all, I didn’t get my COVID-19 vaccine for President Biden or your liberal tribulations feeling guilty for the immunocompromised. I got the vaccine as I didn’t want to get really sick. If that hurts your feelings go cry in a corner.

The side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are extremely unpleasant ⚠

|

Warning: The side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are extremely unpleasant ⚠

I know this not a popular topic with proponents of the COVID-19 vaccine but truth be told that vaccine was pretty awful with the side effects of the second shot. It took 24 hours to show up beyond a sore arm but when they hit I felt like I was either very hung over or had the once very out of control Lyme disease last autumn. It was a bad next 24 hours, I was miserable well into Thursday but by Friday morning after I took my shower I felt a whole lot better.


Sometimes very unpleasant things are part of being an adult.

I am just glad knowing at this point I am very unlikely to get COVID-19, and that if I do it’s unlikely to severe enough to warrant hospitalization. Sometimes life isn’t painless but still worth living and surviving as one moves forward in the difficulties we all face. While I’m in no rush to ever get another COVID-19 shot and are glad it’s behind me, I’m glad it’s done.