3 ms·

ELI5, if someone is not vaccinated isn't the only person being put at risk themselves? I have heard speculation of how this could cause more variants to arise w

by rajup 5y ago

ELI5, if someone is not vaccinated isn't the only person being put at risk themselves? I have heard speculation of how this could cause more variants to arise which seems to be mostly just that: speculation. Or how this can be problematic for at-risk (elderly, immuno-compromised etc) but how frequently does that happen? I am 100% confident I have not encountered any such people in the last 6 months (or well atleast for any amount of time that would actually be harmful). FWIW I'm fully vaccinated, I'm genuinely curious about this.

chousuke 5y ago
That you haven't met someone who can't take vaccines is not a reason to dismiss them. Intuitively, such people may prefer to stay in self-quarantine to protect themselves, making you even less likely to encounter such a person during a pandemic. However, getting vaccinated should also help reduce the transmission of the disease to people who haven't yet had a chance to get a vaccination even though they could; the pandemic will end faster than if you let it run its natural course.
yaris 5y ago
For any vaccine (and the corresponding disease) there are people that cannot be vaccinated, but that can have quite severe symptoms (and/or die). If a person is not vaccinated - then this person can spread the disease among those vulnerable people. How this can be problematic - here is an example. One of the reasons Sweden has so high mortality from COVID is that during the first wave elderly care homes were hit hard, because workers spread the virus (mostly unknowingly). That you have not met such people in the last 6 months depends, I guess, on your social interactions style and on the structure of the society you live in in general.
hnthrowaway8493 5y ago
Read this: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/21/health/vaccine-nursing-homes-infections.html?0p19G=2103 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/21/health/vaccine-nursing-ho... "An unvaccinated worker set off an outbreak at a U.S. nursing home where most residents were immunized." One vaccinated resident died.
- spicybright 5y ago
  I hate pay walls...
  - sharken 5y ago
    A more accessible link https://www.businessinsider.com/kentucky-nursing-home-unvaccinated-worker-coronavirus-outbreak-2021-4?r=US&IR=T https://www.businessinsider.com/kentucky-nursing-home-unvacc... Some takeaways: * Elderly, especially with underlying illnesses should be vaccinated. * One vaccinated elderly person died, though there are not many details in the article. * 90% or 74 out of 83 residents were vaccinated.

by rajup 5y ago

chousuke 5y ago

That you haven't met someone who can't take vaccines is not a reason to dismiss them. Intuitively, such people may prefer to stay in self-quarantine to protect themselves, making you even less likely to encounter such a person during a pandemic. However, getting vaccinated should also help reduce the transmission of the disease to people who haven't yet had a chance to get a vaccination even though they could; the pandemic will end faster than if you let it run its natural course.

yaris 5y ago

For any vaccine (and the corresponding disease) there are people that cannot be vaccinated, but that can have quite severe symptoms (and/or die). If a person is not vaccinated - then this person can spread the disease among those vulnerable people. How this can be problematic - here is an example. One of the reasons Sweden has so high mortality from COVID is that during the first wave elderly care homes were hit hard, because workers spread the virus (mostly unknowingly). That you have not met such people in the last 6 months depends, I guess, on your social interactions style and on the structure of the society you live in in general.

hnthrowaway8493 5y ago

Read this: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/21/health/vaccine-nursing-homes-infections.html?0p19G=2103 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/21/health/vaccine-nursing-ho... "An unvaccinated worker set off an outbreak at a U.S. nursing home where most residents were immunized." One vaccinated resident died.

spicybright 5y ago
I hate pay walls...
- sharken 5y ago
  A more accessible link https://www.businessinsider.com/kentucky-nursing-home-unvaccinated-worker-coronavirus-outbreak-2021-4?r=US&IR=T https://www.businessinsider.com/kentucky-nursing-home-unvacc... Some takeaways: * Elderly, especially with underlying illnesses should be vaccinated. * One vaccinated elderly person died, though there are not many details in the article. * 90% or 74 out of 83 residents were vaccinated.