Well, hello there internet Model RR peeps
It's Troy again
Today, lets talks about sleeping in style, best wishes for those who are dealing with their or a loved one's medical issue... and about responsibility.
First off, for my contributions to the mail call thread, but i'll post it here. This is what a $60 donation to the local Railroad Historical society will get me... a new sleep shirt. Since I don't normally wear non-collared shirts (guy with big fat neck problem)
Normally, the FWHRR society or whatever they're called, focusses on the Nickel Plate RR. But, they'd just completed a Wabash Caboose restoration, so Wabash RR gets the attention. Told the wife i'd be sleeping with some high class apparel tonight.
Now, when it comes to vaccines, I have the benefits of:
1. having a wife who working in the medical lab industry, in dealing with pharm companies who are working to bring drugs to human testing and FDA approval.
2. I've been all over the political spectrum. Right now, I fall under anarcho-disillusioned. I've been on staff for statewide political campaigns (executive staff as media director) for two statewide campaigns. One with Rs and one with Libertarians. I'm no longer a part of either party. I'm as non-partisan as you can find outside of a hermit. They all have problems.
When it comes to vaccines, my journalism training and experience kicks in. I go ask my wife.
And she asks the docs she knows and trusts.
And we talk to our family docs.
And we seek out opinions not from radio talk show hosts (although my wife is still firmly ensconced in some of those despite my best efforts to get her to stop listening so she can enjoy life....) but from docs who follow the science, not the political agenda.
And, yes, this has been politicized by all sides.
The question I ask anyone who says they don't want the covid vaccine: Why?
Before I can understand, I need to know what their reason is. If it's "I talked with my doc, and he/she says I'm too high risk to get it due to...." No further questions beyond: "Are you taking precautions to prevent infection until the rest of society around the world gets this nipped?"
If, however, I start hearing talk of privacy, shoddy science, rushed processes... there is room for discussion. For example,
I don't want it because the vaccine was rushed...
Well, yes and no. A shortcut was taken, by dual tracking stage 2 and stage 3 of the clinical trial process. Stage 2 is testing on animals (usually rats and other rodents...) This is the Warp Speed that VP Pence and his task force oversaw. The FDA here in the USA would normally require stage 2 (animals) to be finished and a review done before proceeding to stage 3 (double blind, placebo controlled, human testing). The FDA looked at prelim data from a few animal studies (believe it not, there are specialized lines of mice and rats that have to be bred to react to certain types of tests... one of the biggest delays was getting enough of the right genetic type of lab rat to test it on)...
Warp Speed ran those two stages in (mostly) tandem. IF the FDA (and they are sticklers for process) saw problems in the data coming out of the animal testing, they were more than ready to cut all approval for the stage 3 ongoing trials. But both stages progessed well. Some people got the vaccine, some didn't. Even the docs didn't know which patients got which.
The FDA saw enough data come through this winter that they halted the placebo side of the study and authorized telling the placebo patients to go get the real vaccine. Anyone who deals with the FDA in the pham sector knows how beyond "unusual", how rare, how unprecedented that move was. The science showed the MRNA vaccines WORKED. And worked well (until Delta showed up)
But MRNA is new tech?
Well... not really. MRNA was discovered in the 1960s. In the 1980s, research into using the tech in vaccines was beginning. That means we're looking at 30+ year old tech. Recent breakthroughs are what made it feasible for super cold storage and transport. The delivery mechanism is the newest tech, and even that was in process for decades.
I'm not comfortable...
I understand. It's a scary situation.
Were you in the military? Did you get those 17 shots on induction day? Feel like crap the next day but the drill sergeant made you hump a ruck and do pushups? We're in that same phase of the pandemic.
However, if you really don't want it, OK. Your employer may tell you that you have to. You're free to walk, of course. It's their company, and they have responsibilities to their clients and their employees.
Usually, though, you've got the option of getting tested weekly to prove you're in good health. And masking. It's an airborne virus, so making is how we reduce the potential innocullum that might be transmitted.
And remember, you too have a responsibility. It's a pesky notion that comes with freedom.
Back to that old adage: I have the right to swing my fists about as much as I want... but that right ends where your nose begins. It's my responsibility to make sure my swinging fist doesn't impact your nose when we're out in public.
That's why I mask up when I go into a store, or hospital, etc that has a policy for such. They're doing what they feel is best for their clients/patrons/employees. I have the responsibility to follow their rules when I'm in their facilities.
The same with the vaccine. I got my as soon as I was able. But, if you still have reservations, I only hope you'll remember your responsibility to those who are advised by their docs to avoid the vaccine for medical reasons. They are counting on other people to help them not walk into Covid's flailing fists.
Anyways, it's just a thought. Have a good evening.