Pittsboro, NC – It has been made clear that the state of vaccinations in Chatham and the country have stalled and the unvaccinated are responsible for most of the new resurgence in positive cases, hospitalizations and deaths. While significantly lower than earlier this year, this still an issue and is largely appearing in areas will lower levels of vaccination. The data is quite clear on this.
The data in Chatham show this to be an issue centered in the rural West end (especially Siler City). Our Health Department and Mike Zelek know this and seem to be looking for a solution in part by happily point out the political affiliations of both the vaccinated and unvaccinated. While this is a statistically viable argument, it also demonizes part of the population and makes any solution more problematic. While this is not a surprising reaction by the Health Department, which is not shy at politicizing their work, it is not constructive. They are also posing valid solutions and reasoning, which shouldn’t be ignored.
I would venture that the obstacle to getting these people out for their shots is either a lack of communication or fear of the new. I will try and step in with my own message.
First, they have yet to be fully approved by the FDA and are operation under the aegis of EUA (Emergency Use Authorization). Under normal conditions, this would arouse my suspicions Given the needs of the pandemic, the FDA approval process (which is virtually complete with Pfizer and Moderna) is usually a multi-year process. Most of the research and verification was accelerated, but the data provided was clear enough by late last year to warrant public use- everybody seemed to agree on that.
Second, it was a “new” method of vaccination, moving from the classic introduction of a weakened virus into the body to a simple RNA trigger. This is not new tech, it has been in the works for over a decade. It was just accelerated into national use by the addition of huge Federal funding and urgency demanded by the worries of the pandemic.
Third, I think from what I’ve read, the idea that there are micro chips in the vaccines is nonsense. I say this in part because lots of other manufacturing concerns can’t get chips because of the shortages in Taiwan.
Fourth, the notion of it changing your DNA is idiotic nonsense. This is unsupportable.
The percentages of people who have had reactions to these vaccines is very small, even those in the worrisome health groups like COPD, diabetes and immune deficiency issues.
Myself, I am not happy being a guinea pig. But I did the research, and this Republican happily got the Moderna shots as soon as the last group was able to take them.
I heartily encourage anyone who has not gotten their shots to do so as soon as possible. They are available at WalMart and most drug stores – for free. The Board of Health will be happy to answer any questions you have about them better than I would. Checking with your doctor beforehand would not be unwise in the least.
Anybody who gets vaccinated will likely be adding to the solution in the long term. It will make it less likely for all of us to enter into more mask mandates, vaccine passports (Ugh!) and lockdowns. If the very unlikely issue appears of you being vaccinated gets you into an infection (because 95% effective is not 100%), the data shows that your odds on hospitalization or death is microscopic.
It was rushed, yes. It is a new medical tech, yes. But it’s working. The data supports that. Get your shot.