My girlfriend was diagnosed with a case of pericarditis. Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium, a sac-like structure with two thin layers of tissue that surround the heart. Her doctor told her that a side effect of the COVID vaccine is that it can cause pericarditis in some patients. Since she was recently diagnosed with this condition, her doctor recommended that she not get vaccinated. Because of this we rarely leave our home and wear a mask when other people are around. My girlfriend's daughter, who is in the healthcare profession, refused the vaccine and has claimed an exemption based on her religious beliefs. She is not a very religious person, but she does harbor some paranoid anti-establishment beliefs. (Most likely a result of her military service.) Never the less, it is discouraging to hear someone express negative views of a scientifically proven vaccine.
Stories are in the news about workers quitting their jobs rather than getting vaccinated. These are people who are being forced to make the choice by government mandate. Religious exemptions are allowed in 44 States in the USA. New York, California, Mississippi, Maine, and West Virginia do not allow non-medical exemptions. Medical exemptions are allowed in any State. Getting the last 40% vaccinated is going to be a big challenge. Yesterday the governor of Minnesota announced a new incentive program to get kids vaccinated. Kids ages 12 to 17 are eligible for a $200 reward, if they start and finish their COVID-19 vaccine series between Oct. 18 and Nov. 30. They also have a chance to win one of five $100,000 scholarships. About half of Minnesota's 12-15 population is fully vaccinated against the virus and about 60% of 16 and 17-year-olds are fully vaccinated. They will need a similar program for 18+ year olds, if they want to get over 70% of adults vaccinated.
No comments:
Post a Comment