We Will Not “Defeat” the Virus

Ronald Reagan ^ | 1982 | Ronald Reagan

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

It was after the institution of martial law in Poland that Reagan said that the Soviet Union was "the focus of evil in the modern world" and he. was. right.

Reagan then said that "we will not defeat Communism, we will transcend it.”

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

“Defeating” the virus is nonsense; a virus isn’t sentient. But society can, and inevitably will, transcend the pandemic. The only issues are how much damage it does in the meantime and how much utility we gain from what we learn in the process.

"Operation Warp Speed" isn’t so much a war as it is a commitment to “land a man on the moon in this decade.” Transcending the virus is something society inevitably will eventually do.

The mission of “Operation Warp Speed” is

To create the tools to transcend Covid within a year.

[Erik Latranyi]

A virus cannot be defeated. It cannot be eradicated. It will always exist in some form.

The only issue is how much damage we do to ourselves with nonsensical shutdowns and symbolic masks.

Once again, this is the difference between left and right.

Left fights the virus with symbols while the right is actually doing the hard work.

Not one citizen was denied a hospital bed, ventilator, mask or treatment....thanks to the early efforts of Trump’s Coronavirus Task Force. They got the supplies needed and more was ready.

Trump used a public/private partnership to achieve this, not top-down, authoritarian dictates from DC and madates that Fargo enforce the same rules as those being employed in New York City...the typical one-size-fits-all approach from socialists that always fails because it fits nobody.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

The Democrats denigrate the safety of the vaccines; I trust that any virus which becomes available will be “safe.” Scare quotes are appropriate because safety is not absolute. But as far as “safe” is safe, it will be safe.

And I trust it will appreciably reduce the likelihood of getting sick, or even dying, from the virus. And since I am old enough to be at risk, meeting those criteria is sufficient to make it sensible for me to submit to vaccination.

And if Democrats who are at more risk than I am want to pass on the vaccine, I will take their place in line.

[snoringbear]

Being only about 50% of Americans get their flu shot each year I doubt that the rate will be any higher for the Covid-19 Vaccination. And, being 50,000 ~ 60,000 die from flu each year (keep in mind that’s with half the population vaccinated) Americans will have to learn to live with Covid-19 same as we’ve learned to live with influenza. Get on with our lives.

[RJS1950]

In addition to the low rate of vaccination, respiratory virus vaccines are only 40-50% effective in building enough immunological resistance to prevent a full blown infection. Part of the reason why those who are vaccinated still can experience the flu from different strains. Vaccines cure nothing.

Flu is a general name for a number of respiratory viral infections; it is not a specific virus. Coronavirus strains are also one of the two primary viruses causing the common cold. It will never be defeated.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

In addition to the low rate of vaccination, respiratory virus vaccines are only 40-50% effective in building enough immunological resistance to prevent a full blown infection. Part of the reason why those who are vaccinated still can experience the flu from different strains. Vaccines cure nothing.

It is interesting to note that 5 vaccines are under active development. How different are they? To what extent would one vaccine be protective against a particular mutation, whereas another would be protective against a different one?

“Only” 50% protection cuts my risk in half, and my risk already wasn’t 100%.

Your implication would be that I shouldn’t take the vaccine as a magic bullet personally - but knocking down the virus by 40% society-wide would come pretty close.

Operation Warp Speed should be institutionalized, becoming business as usual. So that all virus “influenzas” get attenuated by scientific/medical intervention rather than just doing us dirt and running their courses untrammeled. And I include improving the science of deciding a vaccine safe enough and effective enough.

We have had “enough” of scientists bureaucrats demanding that no one should ever have been done any harm by a medicine.

[snoringbear]

“ Your implication would be that I shouldn’t take the vaccine as a magic bullet personally - but knocking down the virus by 40% society-wide would come pretty close.”
************

Actually, I made no suggestion nor inference that folks should not take the Covid-19 vaccination when it’s available. I’m 75 years old and have taken the flu shot religiously every year for at least the past 35 ~ 40 years maybe longer. I even took the Swine Flu shot back in the 70’s. And, I haven’t had the flu since whenever I started. But, about half the population don’t take the flu shot and it’s likely that these same people won’t take COVID either. So, no reason to wait around. Let’s get back to living our lives. That was my point.

[snoringbear]

“ Your implication would be that I shouldn’t take the vaccine as a magic bullet personally - but knocking down the virus by 40% society-wide would come pretty close.”
************

Actually, I made no suggestion nor inference that folks should not take the Covid-19 vaccination when it’s available. I’m 75 years old and have taken the flu shot religiously every year for at least the past 35 ~ 40 years maybe longer. I even took the Swine Flu shot back in the 70’s. And, I haven’t had the flu since whenever I started. But, about half the population don’t take the flu shot and it’s likely that these same people won’t take COVID either. So, no reason to wait around. Let’s get back to living our lives. That was my point.

[RJS1950]

Not saying don’t get a vaccination. Just saying that vaccines are not a cure and are not a sure preventative. Vaccines do not knock down a virus; they build up your immune response to the virus so that your body can better fight it. This is why you can get the flu vaccine and still have mild flu symptoms or get a different variety of the flu.

These vaccines are being developed against a specific strain and variants. Coronaviruses have a number of variants that have been part of flu outbreaks, MERS, SARS and colds. They may get it right or it may be partially or somewhat effective. We won’t know for sure until it is tried just as we don’t know from year to year whether the most current “flu” virus vaccine will be effective. Also, largely depends on the person and their health. I am in that category for some things, 70 yo, type II, but under control.

I’m going to get the flu vaccine and will probably get this vaccine as well. I have been getting flu shots for 50 years so I have not problem with a COVID vaccine. I just don’t take it as being a cure as a lot of the public are being led to believe.

Just like taking the various flu preventatives and things like Zicam, there are no guaranteed results.

I won’t avoid a vaccination unless the early adopters show ill effects.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

I won’t avoid a vaccination unless the early adopters show ill effects.

Be not the first by whom the new is tried,
Nor yet the last to throw the old aside. - Pope

But in this case it is a question of political leadership - like voting is. I will vote, and I will model my belief that just because President Trump made it possible to clear regulatory hurdles at “warp speed” does NOT mean that the vaccine will constitute a significant danger nor be a mere placebo.