Why I'm Not Getting the COVID Vaccine
I know many people are under increasing pressure to get the COVID vaccine - whether it's from peers, employers, family, or the media, it can be stressful to be bombarded by messages that you NEED to get the vaccine, "or else."
I want to share some of my reasoning for why I won't be getting the vaccine, and hopefully it can help you in responding to that pressure.
Reason 1: I don't need it.
The infected fatality rate for my age group, according to the CDC, is 0.02%. I am not in a high risk category, and I am taking steps to protect myself such as taking whole food supplements for vitamin D3/K2 and selenium. Vitamin D3 deficiency is a common factor in almost 90% of COVID deaths, and so doctors are recommending it as a preventative method. Selenium is also being shown as effective in preventing the virus from infecting cells and reducing the inflammatory response. (Note - make sure you're getting a natural, whole food form, as the wrong form can be toxic in higher quantities!)
Reason 2: Getting vaccinated does not necessarily protect those around me.
The FDA frequently asked questions page for the Pfizer vaccine has the following statement:
Q: If a person has received the the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, will the vaccine protect against transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from individuals who are infected despite vaccination?
A: Most vaccines that protect from viral illnesses also reduce transmission of the virus that causes the disease by those who are vaccinated. While it is hoped this will be the case, the scientific community does not yet know if the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine will reduce such transmission.
The Moderna page mentions nothing about transmission or infection, and to date I have not seen any studies that show whether the vaccine prevents transmission or infection.
"But they said it's 95% effective!" Yes, at preventing moderate or severe cases of COVID-19 (which is the illness, not the virus). That means, in theory, you could have and transmit the virus without having symptoms. AKA, the asymptomatic transmission they used to justify the lockdowns in the first place.
Therefore, the decision to get the vaccine should be mine alone, since it does not impact anyone but myself.
Reason 3: Long-term effects are unknown.
With any new vaccine, and especially with a new vaccine technology, it takes time to see what long-term adverse reactions are possible. mRNA vaccines are new technology. While they could turn out to be perfectly safe, based on reasons 1 and 2 above I would rather wait for that data to come out.
Reason 4: I am at higher risk for an adverse reaction from the vaccine.
Three groups are at higher risk for side effects, or adverse reactions, to the vaccine: young people, women, and those who have had COVID already. I'm 2 out of 3 of those.
Also, I have chronic vasovagal syncope. We don't have hard data on how the vaccine may interact with my condition, but anecdotally I am seeing that many people in my vasovagal syncope support group on Facebook who have gotten the vaccine are having significant reactions. And they are VERY pro-vaccine, so they are not inclined to over-dramatize their reactions.
Reason 5: Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J used cell lines derived from aborted babies at some point in the development process.
For Pfizer and Moderna, cells derived from aborted babies were used to test the vaccine, but for J&J these cells are used in creating the vaccine doses themselves (but the cells are not actually in the vials).
While the Catholic Church and several pro-life organizations have said they think it's ethical to take the vaccine despite the connection to abortion, I personally have an issue with it and I know that as long as we continue accepting vaccines developed using aborted babies, pharmaceutical companies will have no incentive to do anything different with the next vaccine.
Reason 6: I don't want to.
Any one of these reasons would be sufficient for me to say no to the vaccine. And yet I know there will be people who respond to this saying I should get it anyway.
If you want the vaccine, go for it. You can have my dose. If you don't want it, I hope this helps you explain your choice to family, friends, employers, or anyone else - even though you really shouldn't have to.
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