Fundamentally, vaccines are always about making milder cases.
Not really. Milder cases and fewer fatalities are side effects; The
primary goal of a vaccine is at the population level - to get the case infection rate below one, so the pathogen goes extinct for lack of transmission. Individual benefits are secondary to population benefits; They make the sales pitch easier, but ultimately if a vaccine blocks transmission, it's worth having even without those individual level bonuses.
And it needn't even block
all transmission; If the vaccine raises the minimum innocculation for infection, such that standard barrier precautions (masks, gloves, isolation, etc.) are more effective, it can get the CIR below one as part of a wider attack on the pathogen, even though it only has a fairly small influence. But only if the vast majority of potential new hosts are protected.
Hence the disproportionate hazard posed by selfish and self-centred vaccine deniers and refusers.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think he was only referring to seasonal vaccines like flu vaccines, which don't always cover every new strain but almost always protect one from hospitalization or death.
The vaccines like the MMR, DPT, polio etc. protect you from the disease itself and there are very few diseases that might interfere with those vaccines. I've never known anyone who had a serious side effect from any of those vaccines. Anyway, the point is that vaccines are safe and effective and seasonal vaccines provide some degree of protection from serious illness. Regardless, my husband and I have not had the flu since our mid 30s when we skipped the flu vaccine. He was extremely ill since he has mild asthma. We have never missed another flu vaccine and now we are in our 70s.
Viruses like the flu and COVID mutate quickly so it's difficult to have vaccines that cover every variant, but unless one is allergic to an ingredient in a vaccine, they are safe and effective. I mentioned in the other thread that doctors or pharmacists tell those who receive vaccines that they should wait for about 20 minutes before leaving the area in case of a rare anaphylactic response, so it can be quickly treated. Such reactions are due to allergies to an ingredient in the vaccine, and are very rare. My neighbor can't take the flu vaccine due to an allergy to something in the vaccine. She is terrified of getting he flu this year since she is almost 80 and has some chronic diseases that put her at high risk if she gets the flu.
Vaccine deniers are ignorant and their ignorance often causes a lot of preventable illness and sometimes death to others, including sometimes their own children. The deniers sometimes deny the death was due to the disease that a vaccine could have prevented. I read about such a case last week. A little boy died from measles and an asshole doctor tried to say it wasn't measles that killed the boy. Imo, he should have lost his medical license if he is that stupid. Sadly, having a medical degree doesn't always equate with wisdom.
I am also old enough to have known a lot about polio victims. It's a disease that can leave one disabled.
I recall seeing people in what were called iron lungs on the news. I worked with a polio survivor who had a severe limp and had to wear a brace on her leg because the vaccine had not been approved until I was in grade school and she was about my age. I had measles, a horrible, itchy, feverish disease. I already mentioned in the other thread that I once had a patient who was in close to a vegetative state from brain damage from measles, leaving his elderly mother to care for him. We grew up prior to the development of the MMR vaccine. Since I never had the mumps, I had an MMR vaccine as an adult, even though the mumps is a less serious disease compared to the measles. I had no side effects. The so called German measles, is usually not serious, but it can severely impact the fetus of a pregnant woman if she gets it.
Vaccines are one of the most life saving medical developments and yet we have ignorant people who refuse to learn about the science behind them, who refuse to help protect themselves and others get herd immunity. I know one. She is a sweet person full of stupid ideas. I read recently that this isn't just happening in the US. Canada and probably other countries are also dealing with such ignorant people. Humans are irrational, but I never expected this level of stupidity among even highly educated people. I have lots of friends who barely made it through high school who have more common sense.
