Vaccine Information Resources
News from the Internet on Covid 19
So What do Masks Actually Do?
We’ll keep it simple: Studies show droplets of from 20 to 500 micrometers are generated when saying a simple phrase AND nearly all can be blocked by putting a simple damp washcloth over the mouth. Similar studies showed reduction in droplets by wearing a mask by those having the flu or a common cold. However, mask wearing has been shown to slow down Covid transmission only by single digits, typically by about 2 percent over the 3 weeks following a mask mandate.
So that’s why some people say masks don’t work. They DO work, just not as well as advertised. What does work very well is a vaccine. And that’s easy to prove.
Getting the Vax – Setting the Record Straight
Why is there vaccine hesitancy? It’s understandable as so many figures are thrown around like hotcakes and consistency and transparency are lacking. But let’s be very clear. The overall risk in the United States of dying from covid (after getting it) from 12/15/2020 through 8/25/2021 has been a relatively consistent 1.7%% to 1.8%. The risk was higher early on due to the larger number of older Americans being infected and also that the medical community has gained more experience in treating patients.
Risk of Covid 60,000 times greater than risk of Vaccine
In any case, the current risk of dying if you get Covid is still about 60,000 times the risk of dying if you get the vaccine which some numbers show is .0032%. (And that number is disputed as being way too high by the medical community. So to be clear, even using the ant-ivaxers numbers, the risk of dying from Covid 19 (once infected) is still 60,000 times the risk of dying from the vaccine.)
Risk in the young, therapeutics, and candor
Yes, it is true that the younger you are, in general, the risk of dying from covid is relatively low with the death rate being almost non-existent in young children. But there is a substantial risk in all adults over 18, still thousands of times higher than any risk of getting the vaccine. We urge adults to get the vax. We also urge the medical community to work at a quicker pace to get proven therapeutics to patients to improve the survival rates for those who do get Covid. And, we encourage government officials to be more transparent with data irrespective of whether it supports their narrative. Lack of government candor has caused more vaccine hesitancy and thus arguably more covid deaths. Honesty is still the best policy.
What About the Masks?
The extremely small number of covid deaths in children overall is why there has been a huge objection by parents to the practice of forcing young children to wear masks in schools. However, there have been some areas with an alarming number of children suffering with covid. Put that on TV and fear fuels the mask mandates. So what about the rest of us? If we got the vax, why should we wear a mask. Well, it depends on your appetite for risk. A vaccine which is 95% effective means your chance of getting covid is only 5% of the risk taken by an unvaxed person. But, there is still a small risk. – Fortunately, if you do get covid after getting the vaccine, you will likely survive it, because severe cases are the exception rather than the norm. The decision on whether to wear a mask is an individual one, unless your rights are usurped by a mask mandate.
The Record is Straight
Adults getting the vaccine helps and we encourage it, based strictly on the math. Mask wearing can make sense indoors in close quarters. But having kids wear masks can do more harm than good so why are we doing it? We haven’t seen any science supporting a kid masking policy. We know fear is driving vaccine hesitancy. Fear is driving mask mandates. Fear drives human behavior in general. Public policy should be based on fact rather than fear. Each of you have a unique medical history and we encourage you to consult with your doctor regarding any important medical decisions.
Where to get the vaccine?
Here’s a link to places to get the vaccine within 25 miles of Gardner MA: from Vaccines.gov search – You can also do your own search here: Vaccines.gov custom search
Please get the VAX.
We love you.
