Is The Covid Vaccine Safe? Summary
- Dr. David Long explains the concept of relative risk and how it applies to both seatbelts and the COVID vaccine.
- He recommends that everyone 12 years or older get vaccinated, regardless of any other factors such as rheumatoid arthritis, pregnancy, or prior infection with COVID-19.
- Getting vaccinated significantly reduces chances of getting sick enough to require hospitalization or death from COVID-19; it also helps decrease community spread which can save lives.
- Vaccines are available for free at almost any pharmacy in town.
Full Text
Have you ever wondered if the COVID vaccine is safe? When my patients ask me this question, I remind them about the 12 or so people that die every year because they wore their seatbelt.
Therefore, I can’t make the blanket statement that seatbelts are safe, but they’re certainly safer than not wearing a seatbelt. This is the idea of relative risk.
What’s the risk of doing something versus the risk of not doing it? When we approach the COVID vaccine or wearing seatbelts this way, it helps us make wise decisions.
The relative risk of taking the COVID vaccine is heavily in favor of getting it; it’s recommended for everyone 12 years or older. Well, what if I have rheumatoid arthritis? Yes. Well, what if I’m pregnant?
Yes. Well, what if I had COVID in November? Yes, everyone. It significantly reduces the chances of getting COVID. Although a few will still get it.
And even then it helps protect you from getting sick enough to require hospitalization and helps protect you from death. It also helps decrease the community spread, which will save lives. That’s right.
By getting the vaccine, you very well may be responsible for saving someone else’s life. You can walk into almost any pharmacy in town and get the vaccine for free.
I’m Dr. David Long. That was the long story.
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