The Moderna vaccine and the small community I live in: 6 days with 0 new cases now

[GusBob]

The Agency upon which I live and work as a health care provider has nearly a week of no new covid cases This information may be considered anecdotal but is factual due to the small size of the Agency things can be tracked easily by our clinic

The Agency has a Native population of about 2900, an exact census is difficult. In early December we were getting about 12 new COVID cases a day our total positives ended up being just under 775 so far. We had 2 waves : after the Sun Dance this past summer and then this Fall

Around Dec 20th they started the Moderna vaccine. The Indian Health Service had fast track access.
They are now into folks getting their second shots starting last week.

For the record the nurses are reporting no serious side effects so far. My friends say very sore arms, mild flu-like symptoms, muscle aches, etc. I got my first shot last week and had no side effects at all. I was late getting my shot because I was on assignment elsewhere when they started

But check this out: we have just recorded our 6th DAY IN A ROW WITH ZERO NEW CASES RECORDED

Furthermore all the active cases have recovered and we have ZERO ACTIVE COVID CASES on the Agency. All the positives have recovered

EDIT TO ADD by contrast the small county next over ( pop 6000) had 23 cases Friday. I dont know their vaccine situation but they are not the masking types

My understanding is that after 14 days from the first dose your risk of contraction declines significantly. Are we completely out of the woods? No. One of the basketball teams was exposed and not all students have received the vaccine

But still, after a long year of shutdowns, lock downs, curfews, quarantined, tribal police checkpoints, etc we are coming out of the woods

It hit me today: right now I live and work in one of the most safest places on earth! I moved here to get out of Trumpland originally

Was it all due to the vaccine? No of course not but we were still getting active cases with all the above precautions. The 775 positive cases that resolved of course should have antibodies

Also interesting note in the entire county, not just the Rez, zero cases of Flu this Fall and Winter

[chowder66]

1. This is terrific. I hope it only gets better.

Thanks for sharing!!!

[bluecollar2]

2. Great news...n/t!!!

[JudyM]

3. Loved reading this. Hoping this will be a trend that spreads soon.

Meanwhile, enjoy the breather... you’re lucky!

[lunatica]

4. This is the best news I've heard about the vaccine

It allays my fears about any horrible side effects or reactions to the vaccine. I already suffer from widespread and painful tendonitis which I got from taking medication. The thought of the vaccine makes me very nervous.

[GusBob]

5. I understand your worries

One of my colleagues who had the worst side effects, muscle aches and fatigue for 36 hours, is highly allergic to many things and made them have their crash cart and epi pen ready. In the end even after a tough day she said Damn it was worth it!

This does not apply to you but I would say this to the anti vax herd people out there: Even the tribal elders whom we rarely see in the clinic because they don't trust white mans medicine came in for the shots. Why? Because they knew it was best for the tribe as a whole. And the deaths we had were all elders as well

As a side note, they usually go to the traditional healers which I am OK with because I have researched their methods a bit and their is actually some science behind it

[lunatica]

7. Thanks

This makes me feel better. I’ve been paying attention and haven’t heard anything other than a mere handful of people having relatively bad reactions.

It’s just that having my body basically crippled BECAUSE I took prescribed medicine makes me nervous about trusting doctors too much. But the news about the vaccines so far has been good. I’ve registered for it and it looks like I’m on the later rather than sooner list so there should be plenty of anecdotal and medical information by then.

Thanks again. You’ve help me trust a little more.

[Wounded Bear]

6. Nice to hear some good news!

So glad your community is feeling the benefit of the vaccine.

[GusBob]

8. Update to add info on the second doses

My colleagues and coworkers are reporting worse side effects from the second dose of the vaccine

Arm pain, muscle aches, severe fatigue, headaches, nausea and vomiting of around 24 hr duration

Muscle aches and fatigue are the most common complaints


Also we have had 1 new case for the past two days. I think they are from the basketball team