It never ceases to amaze me how people can write stuff on this forum that is so clearly wrong, yet garner so many thanks. Is it authority with which this is written? Or just that people are so desperate for someone to be proven wrong?

Simply dividing the number of deaths from the number of closed cases is a really inaccurate way of determining the mortality rate. It misses asymptomatic cases and people who haven't been tested yet who have had the virus. Furthermore it makes no account the number of tests available or that are being carried out (which is far lower in developing countries), as well as allowing for all the inaccuracies in the way that different countries and regions report their numbers.

Mortality for Covid isn't a fixed parameter but is linked to the age and comorbidities. Even considering comorbidities the survival rate for those under 60 is about 99%, in the worst hit areas like Northern Italy, the mortality rate for everyone has been estimated at 2%.

https://link.springer.com/article/10...54-020-00698-1

Looks like US health workers are not as keen on the vaccine as many on the thread.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybe...VUSwF6EdAX5oO0

I don't find that surprising at all considering the background of many of those workers. There's a strong distrust of the government and the speed of the vaccination development which would naturally cause hesitation in receiving the vaccination.

I'd never take advice from my cousins living in the US, ever

They should have given them a choice. Either this or Sputnik.

Press release from 5 January:
https://www.sz.ch/public/upload/asse..._mm_impfen.pdf

Nice example of vaccine craziness here. Despite more than 12 years of data supporting HPV vaccine being safe and effective against genital warts and cancer, a new study found that Facebook posts help facilitate the belief that HPV vaccine is dangerous to health, with nearly 40% of posts about HPV vaccine amplifying a perceived risk.

Facebook posts help facilitate belief that HPV vaccine is dangerous to health https://showme.missouri.edu/2021/fac...ous-to-health/

Original published study:

From bad to worse II: Risk amplification of the HPV vaccine on Facebook https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33303232/

Just think... we have people on this forum who think the same and don't vaccinate their kids with these life-changing preventative measures. Scary.

As my daughter works as a chef in a retirement home, she was offered the vaccine, but declined for the moment (I just spoke to her).

Tom

Your daughter works in a care home with vulnerable people... and refused the vaccine? Truly she must be her fathers daughter; a chip off the old block.

I'm torn. My age says I'm a risk, but several friends around my age and even older, got the virus and got over it - some quicker than others. One friend my age got it, and didn't know he had it. Another had it and all he took were two aspirins!

My 35 year old son got it, very ill for 2 days, weak for 3 more days then back at work.

So my dilemma is, we're told it's safe, it protects at either 70 or 90% depending on the manufacturer, but it has had a very short testing period, so we don't know the long term effects. Say what you want, and be persuaded by the scientists it's safe, but the truth is they cannot know. They thought Thalidomide was safe and look what happened there.

So my take is, I'll wait at least six more moths. I'll continue to wear masks, wash hands, disinfect etc and then evaluate the situation then.

My wife's doctor also recommends waiting.

Tom

Thalidomide Never went through trials

... also it’s still in use today for cancer treatment etc.

She works in the kitchen of a care home, not with vulnerable people, she has no contact with them.

Tom

Just their food

It's also worth noting that the FDA never approved thalidomide in the 50s so the regulatory oversight, at least in the US, was stronger than Europe.

They have approved these vaccines though

Well, it did go through some trials, but the requirements were nothing like as strict back then.

It was in fact one of the main driving forces behind the regime for safety testing that has been put in place, and tightened continually over time, ever since the 1960s.

She gets tested, most recently two days ago.

Tom

If your son shares your genes and was very ill despite his much younger age I'm not sure it's sensible for you to refuse.

Reality is that protection is probably close to 100% in terms of stopping you getting very sick or dying. The 60-95% is the efficacy in preventing you from catching it. Does it really matter if its relegated to a slight cough as a result of the vaccine? Not really.

I work in Pharma - Thalidomide would never have been approved now for pregnant women. Don't let that sway your thinking. Its a very long time ago and lessons have been thoroughly learnt.

If you were my dad I'd be giving you blue murder until you had it.

stop confusing anyone weighing the risks of a new vaccine against their covid risks and crazy anti-vaxers. its nothing like the same.

Stop confusing everyone by stating that the argument is their risk of getting COVID against getting the vaccine when the argument should be about being selfish and not getting the vaccine against getting COVID and passing it on to others who may have much more serious and potentially fatal side-effects.