The very elderly do not respond to the vaccine as effectively as younger people. There have been breakthroughs in senior facilities. So I think for those of us for whom this is relevant (family and friends of very elderly residents), our vaccines reduce risk for the folks in nursing homes and assisted living.
If a person has had COVID, and is reexposed at some point (30-90 days?) I thought it would be possible for them to transmit. Even if that individual does not get sick, are they putting others at risk? There should be more public info on this.
The idea that the elderly and other vulnerable people should just āprotect themselvesā is kind of cruel in reality. My mother has already spent a year in isolation, sometimes restricted to her room. Is that what vulnerable people should continue?
The other issue is serving as a reservoir for variants but that has been covered.
vaccine: my 80-yr old parents were reluctant, but finally got it because we pressured them; 90 yr old inlaws got it. my adult kids got it; my college kid is getting it; we both got it; iāve volunteered in a friendās pharmacyās clinic. Itās a relief and peace of mind. I am so thankful for the vaccine!
yet . . . . i feel reluctant with my 15 yr old D. The fertility talk bothers me. The trials are really still new to know the details. she had CV in Nov and has had no noticeable effects; sheās actively engaged with HS tennis and dance classes. I know other vaccines for youth havent proven to have side effects; why should this be different? Yet, i keep going back to the newness of it all; and the fact that the adults in her life are all protected. SO - feeling reluctance here right now. I will be interested to see how many youth get the vaccine.
This is just talk and rumor, unsubstantiated by science. If there is science, please provide some links. Here is a recent study of the covid vaccine in nearly 36,000 pregnant persons: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2104983
CDC, ACOG, AAP, and SMFM all recommend the vaccine for people of child-bearing age, those trying to get pregnant, and those who are pregnant.
Immunity from natural infection varies. Many have strong response, but some have weak response. Also, variants can be an issue.
Natural infection also tends to result in antibodies against other parts of the virus that do not neutralize the virus. But some of these other antibodies are linked to antibody dependent enhancement, which can make a later infection worse if the person did not produce much in neutralizing antibodies to the spike protein.
I personally think that it is not the nicest thing to say, but it is prudent for those most vulnerable to protect themselves. I personally believe that the isolation driven by the pandemic will affect children more than any other group (at least that is what I have seen in my āvillageā at least). They have the least amount of experience of dealing with hardships.
I know a few elderly in facilities who have died after being basically locked in their room for a year. Dementia worsens, as does depression.
And yet aides come in who are not vaccinated and give them COVID anyway. This is exactly what happened to my mother. These very elderly folks need outside care even if home.
The idea that they can protect themselves is false.
Main problem is that many of the more vulnerable depend on others for daily life assistance (e.g. people in assisted living or nursing homes, or living with assistance from relatives or hired help). When (for example) nursing home staff refuse vaccines but also bring the virus in, that makes it hard for the vulnerable residents to protect themselves beyond vaccine that they may have weaker than usual immune response to.
I blame those facilities, because they should have required vaccines (and strongly asked medically cleared residents to get vaccinated) once they were available and those workers should have been at the front of the line. I took the vaccine to protect others, but not everyone feels that way in our divided society. My mom has sacrificed her own lifestyle to take care of my elderly grandparents (one is in at home hospice) to protect them and keep them in a familiar and safe environment, so I definitely understand that some of the vulnerable can not take care of themselves. But I also understand that everyone is not going to feel that way (I am definitely not counting on everyone in the US being vaccinated to protect my household or anyone I love). I am just a realistā¦
Iām not sure that anyone has claimed there is a credible source relating to the vaccine and fertility. The fear is that it has not been out long enough for long term studies. As of now they are saying it is safe for fertility but it is a very reasonable concern to want to wait for long term studies.
As I said before, I have been on at least two medications in the past that were recalled several years after FDA approval for health safety issues not detected in the original studies. That could happen with this vaccine also but it may very well prove out that there will be no issues at all, as they are showing with the short term studies. Again, everyone needs to weigh their own risks and make their own decisions. That being said, I do hope enough people get it to reach herd immunity. Covid is a very complex issue for everyone.
Some surveys suggest that vaccine refusal among health care workers has to do with lack of trust in and dissatisfaction with their employers. If so, then pre-existing conditions of distrust built up over years may be a cause of (for example) nursing home workers refusing vaccine and bringing the virus into the facility.
Residents of nursing homes, etc. tend to have high uptake of vaccine, though they may be more vulnerable to breakthrough infections. In addition, staff-caused outbreaks tend to keep facilities in lockdown, limiting visits by relatives.
Something to consider is if a pregnant mother has covid then her baby could be born with covid. Conversely, if the mother was vaccinated then the baby can be born with her antibodies.
It would be nice if nursing homes and assisted living facilities could require that their employees to get the vaccines. 2 possible reasons why that wonāt work
the vaccine is under a temporary emergency approval. Itās very difficult to require a vaccine that doesnāt have permanent approval through the FDA.
if youāve read the other thread about service workers, there has been much discussion about finding employees who are working for lower wages in this country. Nursing home aides fall in the category of not making a lot of money and are hard to find even in the best of times.
So if you force nursing home aides to get the vaccine, you may get some of them to seek other employment, where they will be hard to replace.
Itās a viscous circle with no a lot of great answers.
There are plenty of children who are also vulnerable due to illness or medication.
I donāt know that I agree that children will be affected more than the elderly and many adults who have no support system or who are struggling financially and/or with physical or mental health. Children are remarkably resilient.
I figured that was the caseā¦ I am glad that my family takes care of their own until we are just not capable to do so (I watched my grandmother take care of my great-grandmother, my mom is taking care of her parents and I will take care of my mom if needed) because no one will care more about her more than I do.
Itās not surprising that fertility has come up with the Covid vaccine.
It has long been a strategy of antivaxxers to use concerns about fertility, pregnancy, and things like breast and cervical cancer to create fear about vaccines.
They start it and it spreads to the general population.
fladadk4q -
no, i donāt have a credible source about vaccines and fertility. Itās hearsay on one end; yet not time proven on the other end. Thatās why Iām reluctant.
just heard on NPR about a survey of parents and their children and the vaccine. they referenced a survey monkey poll; i fall into the vaccinated-but-unsure-about-my-youth group. There is reluctance in vaccinated parents with their youth for sure. . . . much more so than the unsure group with the parents who are refusing to get vaccinated. Not quite sure why others are reluctant or unsureā¦ . .
@ChangeTheGame its great that your relatives are able to take care of elder relatives. But I will say that you will hurt the feelings of those posters who desperately want to also take care of their relatives, when the suggestion is that they donāt want to. But are unable to for a variety of reasons, one being that the elder requires too much care for them to do it anymore.
It is a very wrenching decision to put your loved one in a nursing home. One that is not taken lightly.
