“it gives your immune system a much higher chance of defeating the virus”
If the survival rate is already 99.8%, then I doubt it’s actually “much higher” with the vaccine. “Very slightly higher” maybe.
Statistically, you are correct. The odds are overwhelming that a younger person in reasonably good health will not die.
What is less discussed here on FR for whatever reason is the severity of the illness in those infected and the long-term ramifications of severe illness. Those are real concerns.
It is why I got the vaccine based on my age and risk factors. I know many people who had Covid even early last year who are still having issues because of it. I also know more than a few who were very sick and miserable for days or weeks. I have two co-workers who are in great shape in their 30’s who still have not regained their sense of taste and smell months later after being very ill with it.
This is a strange virus and the politicized news coverage on both sides has not been helpful. Our “leaders” have been even worse when talking about it so even now, over a year later, it is still a confused mess.
It is a real virus. To suggest otherwise as we see on every thread here on FR is absurd. If you are elderly or older with underlying conditions (generally obesity) you DO NOT have a 98% chance of survival.
The survival number should have always been provided by age and BMI. That is the best data available. Tragically or intentionally, our leaders and bureaucracies decided to use one number for the entire nation to implement their response. I have said from the outset that each person needed to do their own research and risk assessment and act accordingly. Sadly, we probably have a bunch of heavy 50 and 60 year olds here on FR who are diabetic or pre-diabetic who somehow think they have a 98% chance of surviving Covid.
I am not sure that is true and it’s one helluva risk to take based on politicized discussion here on this forum. As always though, it’s their life and their choices - not mine.