Covid mortality by vaccination status

[Johnny2X2X]

https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#rates-by-vaccine-status

I'll never get why this data isn't common knowledge and talked about daily on the news.

Even with the new variants you're 6 times less likely to die from Covid if you're vaccinated with 2 shots, and 9 times less likely to die of Covid if you're boosted, and 29 times less likely to die of Covid if you're double boosted. These are way down because of the new variants, but these numbers still represent a massive amount of protection. Every Covid discussion or newscast should really begin with these numbers.

And with the new vaccines that will be available this Fall, those numbers will rise significantly again. Might go back to 90 or more times more protected with being up to date vs unvaccinated.

Even on DU, I see posts about how the vaccines don't provide much protection anymore, 6 times is very very significant, even if it stayed at 6 times it would be well worth doing. But staying fully up to date means you're 29 times less likely, that's just an incredible difference. Everyone needs to be armed with the facts.

[tanyev]

1. Yes, but any day now the horrible vaccine side effects are going to kick in

and everyone who got vaccinated will suddenly keel over dead or get very sick. Any...day...now...

[RKP5637]

4. Yep, any day now, 1/2 the population will suddenly die!!!

Only Dr. Trump can save us. LOL

[irisblue]

85. What do you like on pizza mikefrommountains?

[HubertHeaver]

88. Missed him

By that __ much

[irisblue]

89. Naah, not really, a 1shot troll spouting RW propaganda a/b killing ppl

[jerseyjim]

94. Straight from Pence's sprayed hair

[Hugin]

5. I am thoroughly enjoying...

My vaccination induced prehensile tail.

It comes in handy to scratch my back while I am reading the news.

(This is, of course, a complete lie.)

I would think NOT DYING would be enough incentive. Humans are weird.

[Johnny2X2X]

8. Also, with my magnetized head

I no longer lose keys, I just slap them onto my head and they're there when I need them. Also, if I drop a screw or tool while doing a project around the house, they just go flying up to my forehead. It's a great spot to hold your nails too. there are times throughout the day where I've got 30 to 40 pounds of metal stuck to my head though, so I'm not sure that's good for my neck.

On a serious note though, why isn't every story about Covid started with some of these numbers?

[Hugin]

12. I have no clue.

Considering all of the horrible diseases that have historically been relegated to “rare” status by vaccination you’d think it would be big news.

[IronLionZion]

42. I'm more magnetic in the hot humid summer

my magnetism is reduced in winter even after getting the booster. But my 5G signal is super strong.

[underpants]

14. Yes!

Prehensile tail!!!

[central scrutinizer]

17. Damn, I want one!

I must have gotten the wrong vaccine. I’m suing.

[MuseRider]

6. OMG!

I am almost 69 years old, WAY too early to be made sterile by these vaccines. Almost a quote of my 70+ year old cousin who still thinks Bill Gates put chips in them that migrate from your arm to you uterus. I wanted to tell her but just could not, she is already sterile actually. We all know that but the fear must have replaced that info in her evangelical brain (granted, already small).

[DenaliDemocrat]

11. It's the Anti-Rapture

😅😅😅😅

[greatauntoftriplets]

15. My IQ went up 100 points!

[IronLionZion]

18. The vaccine turned me into a newt

I got better

[Moostache]

36. Well...we did do the nose....and the hat!

LOL...every day is a good day for an unsolicited Python reference!

[NullTuples]

91. Couldn't resist...

[thesquanderer]

28. The worst side effect of the vaccine could end up being...

...staying alive long enough to see Trump re-elected. I bet lots of folks would rather be dead.

[inthewind21]

61. OMG

I don't know if I should laugh or cry! Good one!

[Lemon Lyman]

37. ?

Are you blind?? Athletes have been dropping dead on the field/court of play by the hundreds for over a year now.

[RKP5637]

2. Thanks!!! Great trustworthy information!!!

[Farmer-Rick]

3. Thanks for the info

I'm double boosted and still wear masks. I live in a very red rural area.

No one wears masks or concerns themselves about COVID hete. But I do not want to get it and never have.

I did not know the protection from booster shots was so good.

[Ms. Toad]

57. The protection against getting COVID is not so not.

The main graphic didn't address boosters, but the protection against testing positive (age 5+ and older) after vaccination on the order of 2-3x.

Since we don't know the long term consequences of having had COVID, you are smart to continue to mask.

[uponit7771]

7. "I see posts about how the vaccines don't provide much protection anymore" report it

[Johnny2X2X]

10. I do report it

What I should also report is people posting that the vaccines no longer offer protection against getting Covid, they do, you are 6 times less likely to get Covid if vaccinated than if unvaccinated too. And I definitely hear that repeated over and over here on DU, "The vaccines no longer protect from getting it, they just protect against severe Covid." That's simply not true either.

[uponit7771]

13. +1,

[Ms. Toad]

58. At least the main graphic says 2-2.8 times less.

That's for May and June, and includes all ages.

So it still protects - but not as much as hoped.

[Tree Lady]

9. My husband got super sick for 2 1/2 weeks

He is just now getting over it and is still weak and he was double boosted.

He says he knows he would have died without the shots.

He is in his 70's, had cancer 20 years ago so his body doesn't fight things as well. He tried to take Paxlovid but he got violently sick from it and stopped. It's a good drug but not all can take it.

[BlueSky3]

19. Same here

I haven’t had cancer, but I’m double boosted and thought I’d skate through the first days of Covid on Paxlovid. My symptoms were light and after 5 days I tested negative, but then I was positive 2 days later. The rebound was far worse than the first 5 days. The Paxlovid made me horribly sick.

BUT — I’m not on a ventilator, never had to go to the hospital, and had a negative test yesterday, 18 days after my first positive.

If they come out with an additional shot this fall, I’ll definitely get it.

[moonscape]

25. Would you take Paxlovid again? Did it help

more than hurt you think?

[Solomon]

40. I'm pretty lucky so far. I'm 67, have copd and heart disease. (Had a heart attack 10 years ago).

Was double boosted. When I caught covid a couple of weeks ago I experienced very few symptoms. I was tired a lot but no fever, cough, or any other symptoms. I took paxlovid and so far have not suffered any rebound. It did make me a bit nauseous and it puts a nasty metal taste in your mouth.

[Farmer-Rick]

71. You didn't have a fever?

Damn, I was using a fever as the determining factor if I should get a COVID test or not.

I woke up at 3am one morning with a slight cough, headache, sore throat, my first thought was allergies.....I got some tough allergies. Since I had no fever, I just assumed it was allergies, took some antihistamines and didn't get a Covid test.

But I was fine the next morning so it was allergies. But I guess I can't rely on a fever as the point where I should take a test or not.

With such mild symptoms, how did you know to get tested?

[kcr]

78. It's different for everyone

My whole family got sick with covid a week ago (while we were on vacation. Fun). One had no symptoms at all. One had merely a scratchy throat for one day. One had a cough and runny nose with mild fever. I got hit with everything including high fever. I've had cancer recently so I'm sure that didn't help.

[Farmer-Rick]

80. So, how do folks with very mild symptoms

Know they need to test? I guess in your case since one was exposed they knew to look out for symptoms and tested. But I just sometimes wonder if my allergies maybe something else.

I use to rely on a fever as a symptom and tested....I usually don't get a fever with allergies.

[Tree Lady]

90. You have no idea how many times

I have wondered that in the last over 2 yrs. And once tests came out at least once a month I would think I had symptoms and negative every time.

Now I think only if I felt real bad or was exposed like the last few weeks with hubby will I test.

I got sick in March with super bad cold that gave me cough and fever. I was in bed for weeks. No Covid bunch of tests later. It's so hard to know!!

[Random Boomer]

99. I've asked myself this so many times

Since early 2020 I've been working from home, masking up and getting every vaccine/booster as soon as it was available. During those years, I've had a few episodes of slight sniffles that could have been allergies, or a mild cold, or.... ? I checked my temperature and oxygen levels, but since they were always fine, I didn't get a covid test.

Then this past week I hadn't been feeling well for days, so I finally broke out the home test kit. Negative.

I wouldn't be shocked to find out I'd had a mild case of Covid at some point, but as far as I can tell, I've dodged the bullet so far.

[BlueSky3]

47. I don't know

My husband had the Covid first and since he’s on statin meds, he couldn’t take Paxlovid. So they gave him the Merck medicine called Lagevrio. It took him about a week to recover and he had more of a head cold than I got with Paxlovid, but he had no rebound.

[peacebuzzard]

93. to answer the Paxlovid question yes, it had some side effects

but the covid symptoms were : sore throat, strong and pronounced cough, fatigue. and more fatigue.
but I felt it did reduce the symptoms and the science is a reduction in the virus duplication. So I took it, I was so tired I think I slept through one of the doses because the 5 day regime was 6 for me. I still tested positive on the 5th and 7th day so I stayed home for 10 days and slept the majority of the time. My long covid result was the eternal fatigue. I would take Paxlovid again, I always masked, sometimes just the surgical mask but now I use the KN95. 4x vaccinated.

[C Moon]

83. Someone on DU asked why I still wear a mask in stores.

And that is why: I most likely won’t die (because I’m double boosted), but I don’t want to feel like I was hit by a truck for 3 days, either.

[Ms. Toad]

62. I have a former student in her 30s who has had it 3 times.

She was hospitalized the most recent time, and is now both in studies for long COVID and receiving ongoing treatment for the damage this last bout did to her body.

She is at least vaccinated. Not sure about boosted.

This disease is so unpredictable that we not only need to be reminded about how much more likely you are to survive if you are vaccinated and boosted - but also that a reduction in acute symptoms doesn't mean no risk of severe acute symptoms - and that the future is unknown as to long-term consequences.


Fortunately, the immediate consequece of COVID for me were mild and short-lived (despite having had cancer twice, as well as diabetes).

Long term - not so clear. No brain fog, than goodness. But I was hospitalized about a month after COVID with a uncommon constellation of gall bladder/pancreatitis/immune deficiencies. The risk factor for the flavor of gall bladder inflammation I had is literally being on death's door (in the ICU, with sepsis, etc.), which I'm not. Gall bladder with stones is known to produce pancreatitis - I had no stones. Excessive drinking (8+ drinks a day over a period of 6-12 years) is known to produce pancreatitis. I have one drink ~3 times a week, and only since COVID started. The immune deficiency I have doesn't line up with autoimmune pancreatitis.

There is an increased risk of post-COVID risk of gall bladder gangrene. The flavor of gall bladder inflammation I have is associated with producing gall bladder gangrene. So I'm taking it seriously, and as potentially related to having recently had COVID.

Get vaccinated, boosted, and wear a mask!

[demmiblue]

101. Bye!

[Heather MC]

16. Funny story about an antivax friend of mine

I have friends who refuse to get the vaccine simply because they don't trust the government and they believe that natural remedies will protect them.

Anyway I saw my friend's mom in the grocery store and I and I gave her a hug as soon as I did she goes "are you vaccinated"? And she asked me the question as if the answer "yes" was the problem.

I said "yes".

She kinda started grabbing herself like she was about to die.

I said "my apologies is everything OK"?

She said "no no I'm fine it'll be OK I'm sure it'll be fine"

I changed the subject and talked about something else, but I believe that she was concerned about vaccine leaching from me me to her and giving her the virus. Because I already have been vaccinated and she hasn't🤦🏾‍♀️


Anyway the weirdos are everywhere lol

[IronLionZion]

20. Social Distance!

Antivaxxers are worried about "shedding".

[Heather MC]

23. 🤣🤣🤣

Right I am the public health threat for having the audacity to be vaxxed and boosted
🤣🤣🤣

[Solomon]

41. As well they should be!

[Rebl2]

22. Okay

that’s a bit weird. I wonder if she was purposely being overly dramatic after you said you had been vaccinated.

[Johnny2X2X]

27. It's crazy

I have a friend, someone I respect, he's a brilliant engineer. But he thinks FOX News has the truth on Covid. He honestly thinks that anyone who gets vaccinated, but gets Covid and dies was killed not by Covid, but by the vaccine. He thinks that the vaccine kills more people than Covid.

If those basic facts I posted about Covid were in every single news article about Covid, there would be almost no vaccine hesitancy.

[Heather MC]

31. I wish that were true but let's face it there's a huge swath of our population that enjoys being

Stupid🤷🏾‍♀️🙄🤦🏾‍♀️

[Mariana]

68. Most of them insist that everyone who dies of anything after they've been vaccinated

were killed by the vaccine. Heart attack? It was the vaccine. Stroke? It was the vaccine. Cancer? It was the vaccine. Suicide? It was the vaccine. Car accident? It was the vaccine. Plane crash? It was the vaccine. Hit by a meteorite? It was the vaccine.

My brother-in-law died of a heart attack a few weeks ago. 69 years old, alcoholic and abuser of various other drugs, several long-term underlying health issues. Nothing whatsoever unusual or surprising about his death. He was a MAGAt but was vaccinated. Now all their MAGAt friends are telling her the vaccine killed him, and she's upset about it.

[ProfessorGAC]

87. Has He Ever Tried To Explain...

...all those deaths before there was a vaccine? I'm guessing not. Because there is no rational way to cover that & his silly contention.
I'll also differ with your use of the term "brilliant". Clever & highly competent in engineering, but not brilliant IMO.
The anecdote you shared seems to support that.

[peggysue2]

21. My husband and I credit our double vaxxed, double boosted status . . .

to escaping infection when our son (who currently lives with us) tested positive for Covid. He tried his best to quarantine himself upstairs and wore a mask but we live in very tight quarters at the moment. He was double vaxxed but not boosted. For 4+ days he had all the classic symptoms and was pretty much flat on his back with the virus. On day 5 he rallied and by day 7, he was back to normal energy levels.

I fully expected we'd start showing symptoms but did not. I'm in good health but my husband is diabetic. Vaccines save lives, period. In our case, that 29x protection was a God send.

Thank you, President Biden!

[Tree Lady]

63. I never got covid either when my husband

Got it and I credit all my shots too along with isolating and anal disinfecting.

He's had it 2 1/2 weeks so long time to try to keep everything sterile. I feel like I live in a Cdc lab.

But worth it not to get it. He is getting better his last test was only a very faint line where before it was dark.

[peggysue2]

65. Hope your husband's all clear soon, Tree Lady

My son's case--though abbreviated in length--put him on his back. And he's extremely healthy and fit. In fact, he's convinced he picked it up during one of his daily gym workouts. Didn't keep him down long. Once he tested negative, he proceeded with his months-long planned trip out west. He's hiking the Continental Divide Trail right now.

Helps to be young.

[Tree Lady]

72. yes helps to be young

I think I know how he got it, we were at end of long vacation by car and ferry to Island in Canada where we stayed at cabin in woods. We had a great time and he was getting cocky and I told him to be careful and wear mask but he was like thinking he couldn't get it!

On the ferry back to states we were in dining area sharing some poutine fries and a couple sat down next to us and she was coughing a lot. I immediately got up and went to check on dog in car. When I came back 20-30 min later he was still sitting by them. I never sat down near them I saw them there and left again after saying I was going out on deck. His stubbornness to stay near sick people is how he got sick.

He now says he will never go out without a mask and wants to cancel everything. So for now he has learned a tough lesson.

[Texin]

24. I'm double vaccinated and double boosted. I contracted Covid last month.

No doubt it was the Omicron BA-5 variant which is hugely transmissible. As it happened, my husband became infected and then within four days, I got it. He asked for and received the antiviral medication, and since all my symptoms were mild and not progressing much more than a summer cold, I decided not to go on Paxlovid, which was becoming more known to result in rebound infection (or it worked well to mitigate symptoms faster but led some to experience more symptoms and positive tests later -- like Biden experienced). I developed that sloppy croup which is typical, but it didn't cause anything more than coughing of phlegm for about 10 days. I never had a fever over 99.5 and virtually no other symptoms except a bit of a runny nose, congestion and tiredness. And, while I didn't lose the ability to smell, it did damper my ability to taste, but I didn't lose that altogether. It's an annoying infection, and can easily see that if someone wasn't protected through vaccination and boosters, how fast and how bad it could be over the course of infection, leading to pneumonia and worse.

Get vaccinated and fully boosted, and keep boosting as soon as new boosters become available.

[moonscape]

26. Did your husb take Paxlovid?

[Texin]

66. Yes, he did.

[moonscape]

82. Ack, I meant to ask if it went

smoothly for him, i.e. no rebound, etc. While I realize all stories are anecdotal, am collecting them anyway to be prepared what I would do

[Texin]

98. It doesn't appear that he had a rebound infection; it did take about 10 days after initial infection

for him to test negative. It was about that for me, and I didn't take Paxlovid. Every time we go through a sneezing bout, our first instinct is to hurry and open a test kit. We're in a really high pollen/chenopod time of year (we're in Dallas), and he is extremely allergic to ragweed, as am I, but I usually just get a runny nose. But the high infection rates due to BA-5 make it dicey to tell if we're infected with Covid or just suffering seasonal allergies.

[Texin]

67. Yes, he did.

[WestMichRad]

29. I'm vaccinated, double-boosted...

… and waiting for my government marching orders via the chip implanted inside me.

/s

[33taw]

30. It would help if the charts were a little easier to read.

[progree]

32. What I'm reading from the CDC link for the 6X, 9X, and 29X is 3 different age groups:

https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#rates-by-vaccine-status

# Unvaxxed age 5+ had 6X risk of dying in May 2022 compared to people vaxxed with AT LEAST a primary series (and 2X the risk of testing positive)

# Unvaxxed age 12+ had 9X risk of dying in May 2022 compared to people vaxxed with a primary series and 1+ booster dose (and 1.7X the risk of testing positive)

# Unvaxxed age 50+ had 29X risk of dying in May 2022 compared to people vaxxed with a primary series and 2+ booster dose

Somehow I'm just not getting the hang of this page, how to figure out how to compare the same age groups for the different vax statuses. And also I don't see anything where it shows primary series only, boosted once, boosted twice etc.
Its all "at least a primary series", "1+ booster doses" (meaning 1 or more), "2+ booster doses" (meaning 2 or more).

Maybe I'm missing some combination of buttons to click...? Anyway, I'd love to see what buttons to click in order to see the stats in the OP, thanks.

Not that I'm complaining -- I'm 50+ and twice boosted, and it clearly says my risk of dying is 29X less than for an unvaxxed 50+

[Ms. Toad]

60. I think you're correct.

I didn't find the 9x (since the main chart only has two groups), and thought the 4x for 50+ must have been misread for 9x.

(For age 50+ the decreased risk of dying with one booster is only 4x).

[hay rick]

33. The media "love the poorly educated..."

and are happy to keep them that way. It improves their ability to devote coverage to foolish sideshows instead of stories that might be uncomfortable in a consumer culture.

[Javaman]

34. I'm in austin...

back in the office 3 half days a week.

most people here are back full time.

only myself and a small handful of others are wearing masks.

total staff of about 140.

all the young morons still think they are bullet proof or think "they will eventually get it anyway so who cares about masks"

I've seen the effects of multiple infections, I've seen what long covid does to a person. no fucking thanks.

we live in truly fucking stupid and very selfish society.

[Wild blueberry]

35. Thank you

[Quakerfriend]

38. We've had 8 family members get Covid in the

past 3 weeks- one went to hospital for one week.
The others all had fairly mild cases.
All were fully vaccinated/boosted.
All were traveling via air- Ireland, Florida, Colombia etc.

[4dog]

39. Getting Covid can also make you stupider

"brain fog" and a bunch of things you don't want. Look it up.

[IcyPeas]

75. I took a test yesterday because I had brain fog for a couple of days. negative luckily.

[33taw]

43. It would help if the charts were a little easier to read.

[Johnny2X2X]

46. It would help if the media just reported it daily

We shouldn't have to look for this on the CDC website. The results of these charts should be common knowledge because it's the most important data in regards to Covid that there is.

[33taw]

69. The CDC public website should be easier to follow. Internally, it is a different matter.

[Farmer-Rick]

73. You know you're right

Why don't they report it daily? I always have to look up the death rate to see if it's come down to flu like levels, no it hasn't.

But why should I have to spend all that time hunting down a number that should be at the top of the news ever day. I can find the stock market DJIA easily enough. It's at the bottom of most news program screens. Why isn't COVID data that easy to get?

[Stuart G]

44. K and R...Thanks for posting..

[BradBo]

45. In my late 60s, had Covid 2 times, double boosted, a little sore throat both times.

Get vaxxed for sure.

[Zambero]

50. COVID infection outcomes range from asymptomatic/slight symptoms to death

An individual who becomes COVID-infected with an emerging variant and was previously vaccinated will fare much better than someone who "trusts their immune system" and foregoes the shots. Long COVID is also a greater risk for those willing to play Russian roulette with their health.

[iluvtennis]

48. Thanks so much for posting this information! n/t

[fescuerescue]

49. I hate it when we talk about these things in terms "6 times" or "29 times"

It distorts the figures.

for instance, I'm literally 1000% more likely to win the lottery if I buy ten tickets. But my actually odds are in 1 in the millions.

I prefer the actual numbers, instead of relative numbers.

[pandr32]

51. K + R

People all around where I live (Hawaii Island) act like Covid is no worse than the common cold.

[Augiedog]

52. Took last of my paxlovid last night...feeling just fine...tested negative this morning.

I’m 72, got Covid and was seriously ill before any treatments were available. I’ve been vaccinated twice and boosted twice. I’ve had reactions each time and still will get the next boosters in the future. I’m a firm believer in science.

One of the keys to Paxlovid is starting it as soon as possible. The constraints are for starting the regimen within five days of symptoms showing. I started a day and a half after my symptoms showed, a headache and a sore throat. I think that that may be a key to the best outcome. My only side effect to Paxlovid was my mouth tasted a bit weird. Kinda like my youthful drinking days waking up in the morning and having beer tongue.

So, bottom line, get vaccinated, boosted and when needed get Paxlovid.
Just to be clear, some clinics may not be up to date on the fastest path to acquiring Paxlovid. If they seem slow or hesitant go online and you will find government agency links to assist in getting Paxlovid.

OMG…not government agencies😱. Yes, they know what they are doing.

[AllyCat]

59. Paxlovid is da bomb!!!

Despite vaccination and boosts, my husband, son, and I all got last week. Husband and I went on Paxlovid (he has pre-existing conditions, I just got really sick and getting worse on day 4). We felt 80% better at 18 hours, 100% at 36 hours. Tested negative on day 7. Son did not take Paxlovid and had mild symptoms but tested positive until day 10.

[DallasNE]

53. The Other Day Biden

Contrasted Trump's serious Covid case where extraordinary treatment was undertaken and his very mild case. Just keep playing that back over and over again

[Johnny2X2X]

74. I was happy to see Biden do this

Because I know for sure if Biden would have gotten it worse than Trump the Rightwing media would have been all over it saying Biden is weaker than Trump. You know he was doing it to not only spread the word about the vaccines, but also to poke Trump and his minions about it too.

[appleannie1]

54. My mentally challenged son came for a visit. He was A-symptomatic and we did not know it.

I am 79 with heart and vascular problem, fully vaxxed and 2 boosters. The day after I took him back I woke feeling blah. I laid around watching TV all day and took a couple naps. Next morning I woke with a runny nose and scratchy throat running a slight temp. I tested and it came back positive. I called the facility and told them to test Michael. He was positive also. He never got any symptoms at all and mine were mild the 5 days I had symptoms. I am soooo grateful I took the time to get all the shots because I know that without them, things could have been much, much worse.

[Ms. Toad]

55. Unless I'm missing something your boosted number is off.

The 6 x data is for vaccinated people 5 years of age or older.

The boosted and double boosted data is for people age 50 and older, and the numbers are 4x (not 9x) and 29x

That doesn't detract from your main point - vaccination and boosters are highly effective, and this data should be more widely publicized.

[Johnny2X2X]

76. Only people over 5 can be boosted, and only people over 50 can be double boosted.

And 9X is the chance of someone over 12 and unvaccinated vs someone over 12 and vaxxed and boosted.

There are several groups to account for.

But one of my whole points is that the media ignores this vital data, that's why we're having to go to the CDC website. This stuff should be being reported on the news daily.

[Ms. Toad]

79. I agree with your main point that the media is ignoring vital data.

I'm just a stickler for data being complete (so inclusion of group data is important).

This is especialy true because of the disparity in age-based risk of the disease itself, so comparing the reduced risk of hospitalization/death between three different age groups is a bit misleading. Especially when the reduction in risk for vaccinated + boosted is only 4x at age 50, compared to 9x at age 12.

[AllyCat]

56. And Paxlovid is a great treatment if you do get sick.

Reduces risk of hospitalization and death per the studies. Anecdotally, shortens course of disease for many I’ve talked to. Science to the rescue!

[liberal_mama]

64. My primary concern with avoiding Covid infection is long Covid and other serious health conditions

I live in New York State, in a county that's had many bad surges due to people not masking or taking other precautions. My area has a great vaccination rate, but most of the people I know who have had Covid, including family members, have been vaccinated. I know many people who have developed lasting health conditions, including my husband, after getting Covid.

People who are vaccinated and boosted should still be wearing well-fitted masks and avoiding crowded areas.

There was just a big medical convention last week that had very strict Covid precautions. Vaccinations, masks, and health assessments were required for all participants. They stated that they widened the aisles to allow for more social distancing. These precautions are necessary to prevent Covid infections that can have long term consequences and health officials know this and wanted to protect their attendees. Here is the link to see the strict requirements for attendance.

https://www.iceid2022.com/Conference-Information/Health-&-Safety-Plan

I have a neighbor who is vaxxed and boosted and has caught Covid 3x (once before the vaccines and twice after) due to not wearing a mask and attending parties/going to bars. After his last Covid infection, which caused pneumonia, I am happy to say that he has decided to wear a mask again and even changed his Facebook profile picture to say, "Mask up!"

My daughter decided to skip a family bridal shower last week and that turned out to be a smart choice as about half of the people who attended have since tested positive for Covid.

I will be masking and taking precautions until a vaccine comes out that can prevent infection better or Covid disappears completely.

[Pinback]

96. Your perspective closely matches mine.

I know several people with 4 shots who've gotten Covid. Those over 60 or with compromised immune systems have been far more likely to develop Long Covid (fatigue, brain fog, respiratory problems that drag on and on, etc.)

My sister in her mid-60s, who long ago ditched masks and distancing (but still uses hand sanitizer!), thought vaccination made her immune from infection. She finally got Covid for the first time last week. She got on paxlovid after a couple days of symptoms and is just about over the worst of it now. Time will tell whether she has any lingering after effects. I'm also certain she will not change her behaviors, but I hope she'll at least recognize her role in continuing the spread and maybe occasionally wear a mask in public.

Many here on DU have loudly proclaimed that Covid is over for them because they've got all their shots, and "Why should I wear a mask to protect those unvaccinated idiots?" It's disheartening that there is so little regard for the health and safety of older and immune-compromised people who are fully vaccinated -- and so little recognition that more infections means more variants. But that's where we are, so the rest of us need to continue with masks and precautions, both for our own safety and to help slow the spread.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

70. The unvaccinated are idiots

[FakeNoose]

77. Yes but they're the ones who will get "raptured"

We are the vaccinated ones, we'll be left behind with Satan.

[Rhiannon12866]

81. K&R! Thanks for all the helpful and reassuring information!

And the laughs downthread!

I got both boosters, but just couldn't manage to convince my brother to get booster #2. From the very beginning, he kept asking me "how many more??" I'm going to have to start working on him that it's not over yet. *sigh*

[Hermit-The-Prog]

102. I got the booster that provides extra arms. My wife is a little weird and chose antennae.

Will have to venture out into civilization again when the next booster appears.

[sarge43]

92. Vaxx'd and double boosted

Tested positive about a month ago. Called doc, was told to isolate and test again at the end of the fifth day. For a couple of days felt like ten miles of bad road, flu like symptoms. Tested again, was negatory. Felt blah for about a week, then back to terrorizing the peasants and annoying the gentry.

Thank the Maker for vaccinations. Otherwise I'd be in hospital on a ventilator or at the veteran's cemetery. I'll be in line at the clinic as soon as the new vaccines come in.

[COL Mustard]

95. Some people don't want to believe the data

They don't trust the science, and will only believe what they can see with their own eyes. These people are also the most likely to be deeply evangelical and believe that their God will protect them from the virus because they pray to the unseen and unknowable. Makes my f-ing head hurt.