November 18, 2020
The light
The news about both the Pfizer vaccine and the Moderna vaccine shows that we may be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, still far away, but visible. These preliminary results of 90-95% effectiveness are remarkable and give me hope that we actually will be able to get protective immunity without becoming ill. New data is starting to support long term immunity that lasts for years, despite our worries of it waning and people getting reinfected, a rare occurrence. Along with the news that the companies will start the process for emergency approval, results of a survey shows more Americans are in favor of getting immunized after all. This is good news and will help us get on the road to recovery. This is still a long haul, more data is needed, and helping everyone get vaccinate will still take months, but this is the news we have been waiting for. Having this hope can help us all hang on a little longer.
Especially through the upcoming holidays. Stay home if you can, with just the people you live with. But if you must, follow Dr. Sax’s advice and eat outside and keep it small, keep your distance, wear your masks, if possible quarantine before and after. Better just to stay home so that everyone can be together next year and really give Thanks. Just a little bit longer. We have come so far safely, we can celebrate together later.
Sometimes saying no to family and friends who want your company can be challenging and not easy for many of us. This King County Health department blog has good advice about difficult conversations and being able to say no. These conversations can save lives.
But the news that brought me some joy and light was the story about Dolly Parton donating a million dollars to Vanderbilt Medical Center that helped the Moderna vaccine be developed. I love her. What a great story.
Wash your hands, cover your nose, keep safe six, have hope.
And finally, my caveat is that this is my experience and my opinions, which are subject to change as more information is available, and not related to the organization I work for. Thanks for reading
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/dolly-parton-helped-fund-modernas-vaccine-it-began-with-a-car-crash-and-an-unlikely-friendship/
https://www.npr.org/2020/11/18/936342881/dolly-parton-donations-helped-in-developing-coronavirus-vaccine
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/17/health/gallup-poll-coronavirus-vaccine.html
https://civicscience.com/after-new-of-promising-vaccine-trials-coronavirus-vaccine-comfort-starts-to-tick-up/
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/immunity-to-the-coronavirus-may-last-years-new-research-suggests/
https://blogs.jwatch.org/hiv-id-observations/index.php/just-another-urgent-plea-from-your-friendly-id-doctor-for-risk-mitigation-as-the-holiday-season-approaches/2020/11/18/
https://medium.com/wadepthealth/difficult-conversations-8e3bb67b440f