Facts the only cure for vaccine misinformation
By Letter to the Editor on October 6, 2021.
Editor:
It is a stressful time in Alberta with the current COVID-19 pandemic. But there’s a secondary epidemic that needs to be addressed – an epidemic of misinformation that’s rapidly spreading through our social and digital media platforms.
There has been a tidal wave of misinformation and the people responsible for it are causing confusion, as well as mistrust and uncertainty with public health responses. They are prolonging the pandemic and preventing access to our health system for some very ill patients.
Our hospitals are now under intense capacity pressures from a surge of mostly unvaccinated patients with severe COVID-19 illness.
This has required the health system to reduce services in other areas and delay care for many individuals with non-COVID-19-related conditions.
For everyone’s sake, it’s crucial all Albertans have reliable, verifiable and current information about COVID-19 to help inform choices and protect themselves and their loved ones.
So, here are the facts.
COVID-19 vaccines are effective. The evidence is conclusively demonstrated and has been articulated in-depth in multiple large, well-conducted, peer-reviewed scientific studies from around the world. Here in Alberta, we see evidence of vaccine’s effectiveness in our ICUs, where roughly nine out of every 10 people with COVID-19 are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. The risk for COVID-19 infection in fully vaccinated people cannot be eliminated as long as there is continued community transmission of the virus. No vaccine can be 100 per cent effective. However, evidence shows fully vaccinated persons are less likely than unvaccinated persons to acquire COVID-19 infection (including the delta variant), and by preventing infection, vaccines also prevent transmission to others.
COVID-19 vaccines are proven safe. As of Sept. 17, only a tiny fraction of the 54.8 million doses administered to Canadians led to adverse events – fewer than 0.03 per cent. Furthermore, of those reports of adverse events, even fewer were considered serious, representing only 0.008 per cent of all doses administered. A variety of vaccines have been administered for many decades with no indication of long-term side effects and we would not expect the COVID-19 vaccine to be different. To date, we have seen no indication of adverse events more than six weeks after the vaccine was given.
COVID-19 vaccines are not ‘experimental.’ Yes, they were developed rapidly but used science that has been around for decades. Extremely robust data from clinical trials and real-world use in many millions of people show that vaccination is safe, and offers good protection against becoming infected and excellent protection against serious illness or death from COVID-19. There are no reasons to believe that current COVID-19 vaccines should have long-term effects as they cannot alter cell genetic material. They just teach your body to recognize the code of the virus, then disappear.
COVID-19 vaccines provide more robust protection than infection-acquired (or natural) immunity. Let’s be clear that immunity acquired from infection requires becoming infected. This acquired immunity comes with a huge risk as roughly 20,000 Canadians will die from the disease for every 1 million infected. Many others will experience life-changing complications such as prolonged pneumonia, lung damage and blood clots. Previous infection has been found to provide 85 per cent protection against symptomatic reinfection, whereas vaccine effectiveness, even with the highly transmissible delta variant, exceeds 90 per cent.
True, the duration of any protection is not clear at this time. But we do know that vaccination after an infection boosts immunity and offers more protection against the delta variant. There is also evidence that people who had a previous infection are twice as likely to be reinfected with the delta variant compared to those who had a previous infection plus a dose of vaccine.
We provide more information and detail in an article you can read here:
https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/news/nr/ne-nr-2021-10-01-response-vaccine-concerns-misinformation.pdf
Acquiring COVID-19 is much more dangerous than getting the vaccines, which have been proven to be safe and effective in billions of people. Immunization against COVID-19 is an essential component to providing the highest standard of care for all physicians and healthcare professionals. We strongly support physicians and healthcare professionals in their continuing efforts to listen to patients, provide them with reliable information, lead by example, and help Albertans find the path to becoming vaccinated and protecting themselves and all Albertans.
Dr. Scott McLeod – Registrar, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta
Dr. Louis Hugo Francescutti, President, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta
Dr. Verna Yiu – President & Chief Executive Officer, Alberta Health Services
Dr. Francois Belanger – Vice President Quality & Chief Medical Officer, Alberta Health Services
Dr. Brenda Hemmelgarn – Dean, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta
Dr. Jon Meddings – Dean, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary
Dr. Vesta Michelle Warren, President, Alberta Medical Association
-8
Completely agree BUT will these skeptics and rabid antivaxxers listen or more importantly, change their minds? Those who are “on the fence”, please take note of this letter and go get the jabs.Society (and you) will benefit.
Why is it that you pro-vaxxers/anti freedom people always have only answer “go get the jab”? You really think this scamdemic is still about health, it’s about control and freedom of choice. Our freedoms are being taken away the longer they pull this charade, but most people like you will continue to believe it. My great grandfather and grandfather didn’t fight in 2 world wars to have our freedoms taken away by a bunch of healthcare phonies who expect people to jump when the fabricate numbers. Although that is exactly what is happening but you seem to be O.K with that.
Sorry I’m not!
Once our freedoms are gone, we don’t get them back! A lot of people like me cherish our freedoms and want them to continue. If you want to see how bad it can get just look at what’s happening in Australia and tell me you’re good with that!
You say you’re sick of us anti-vaxxers well guess what, we pro-choicers are getting sick of you too. It’s exactly what the government wants, great division in this country because of the false narrative.
When you have to be coerced, lied to, humiliated, threatened, scolded, mocked and bribed into taking an experimental vaccine ;that has plenty of side effects, including death…I’m sure I don’t want what you’re selling.
exactly…and, the reference to australia, a conservative, embedded racist hot bed of place: a fake democracy, whereby people are forced to vote or they have broken the law. how sublime to establish laws that force people to support that which they may not support.
You are not the only one whose grandfather and father (in my case) fought in two world wars. That does not make one an expert. That they fought for freedom is not in question and the very concept of “freedom”, I do not believe is being compromised by vaccine mandates.
The fact that we can disagree and you can call for the incarceration of our PM (your “name”) without fear of reprisal is a tribute to our freedom in this country which I for one cherish .
I sincerely hope you do not contract this virus and end up in the ICU along with a majority of unvaccinated individuals.
I assume you have no time for the medical profession in any shape or form (“health care phonies” and “scamdemic”). But then again, perhaps you do not in fact visit the local doc under any circumstances.
Interesting you mention Australia – they were one of the worst countries instigating a vaccine roll out but were as I assume you allude to, quick to call for lockdowns (along side New Zealand).
Please stay well.
a fair reply, jpn. happy that you keep to the high road 🙂
Well I’ll take the low road.
You are cowards afraid of needles.
Spineless losers!
you indeed sir, did take the low road. I gauge by your profanity laced tirade you disagree which is well within your rights.
just specify what type of flowers you would like at your funeral after you get your 17th or 47th jab…I think Lilly’s are nice!
you have a pleasant day now!
Ha, You’re full of crap. You also lack sentence skills. What do you expect from some knuckle-dragging extreme righty hiding behind a juvenile user name? Kiss my ass, flower girl.
while not the worst information on what is known about covid and various vaxes to date, the issue remains for many that have not vaxed is how these vaxes might play out over years to come. that is unknown and, because many years have not passed, all we have are opinions and best guesses (educated and otherwise, mind you). and these are in fact vaxes and not merely some innocuous jabs.
what serves to undermine the veracity of this letter is this line: “This acquired immunity comes with a huge risk as roughly 20,000 Canadians will die from the disease for every 1 million infected.” that is purposefully misleading, as the vast, vast majority of deaths are among the 80+ (even more likely among the 90+), and even a greater proportion of deaths are among the 70+. put more accurately and honestly, very few canadians have died from covid that are under 80. moreover, the incredible majority of deaths in all age categories are among people that had significant health issues. therefore, the ratio of deaths to illnesses as presented in this letter is misleading and rubbish.
thus, while no one should be coerced and forced to take a vax, those 70+ and those with notable health issues should be the target audience of the pharm cos. of course, that would mean notable billions of dollars in reduced earnings. meanwhile, what is happening with regard forcing/coercing vaxes on everyone, and all of the patent lies and propaganda coming from both “sides,” is not only an affront to truth and freedom – it is damn reckless.
biff, I’m starting to wonder if this vaccine isn’t trying to create droids and the right dosage was not calculated
You don’t know your ass from a hole in the ground.
yes i was looking for it and it answered me.
YOUR ass, idiot. If it ‘answers’ you, you’re insane.
I’m afraid you still don’t know the difference
“Facts” about vaccine.There is a lot of opinion but no facts.
Its been said before: manufacturers/sellers of vaccine demanded immunity
from prosecution prior to delivery of product.
2 weeks -flatten the curve
1 shot vaccine, oops not- – – 2 shot vaccine 14 days apart(no mixing)
oops you can wait weeks / months for your 2nd shot,supply problems you know.Mixing brands? Why not we MAY have been mistaken.( new medical research I guess) 70 % vaccinated is all it takes- – – oh wow ! new variant
92 % vaccinated is required for herd immunity.Masks – gloves- hand sanitizers- 2 meters apart – – – – – the crap is endless and you say facts about vaccine? 1 shot. 2 shots? Oh no we need yearly boosters – – oh crap big pharma says bi- monthly boosters. 30 and older ,oh wait 20 and older,
no, maybe not ,let’s say everybody – – kids 12 no 6 no 2 years old .
At 10 bucks a shot someone stands to profit from a prosecution immunity ,no responsibility distribution of a so called vaccine.
IMO. (See if the Herald censors most of this again because it don’t fit the (their) narrative.)
The Herald censors…paranoid much?
Face it, Old fool, you just as soon have a plumber pull your teeth out.
Maybe try consulting an actual medical professional with your stupid questions.
i am loving the auto-pilot neggers to biff posts 🙂 seems they just see a biff comment, and neg, and move on lol
a bunch of negs for giving kudos to jpn for an entry for which he has received a bunch of positives…go figure.
as for my point that the vast majority of covid deaths are in the 80+ group, and that is even moreso in the 70+ group, look up the numbers: out of about 28k covid deaths, 17.k are 80%; another 5k+ come from the 70+ group. within those groups, it has been found that additional health issues have been the further catalyst to their demise.
but, hey, go ahead and deny the facts…whatever it takes to justify your choice to take a vax. and yet, the truth is that the vast majority of people will not be killed by covid. the fact is that it may be worth the risk for the 80+ crowd, perhaps even the 70+ crowd, and for people with significant health issues in general to roll the dice with vaxes.
meanwhile, old school rolls out the other “facts” very well indeed, highlighting the truer fact that we have been a fed a ton of make it up as you go bs for the past year and a half. even the good doctors with their letter here have decided to fudge what is fact with their general claim that “…roughly 20,000 Canadians will die from the disease for every 1 million infected.”
scared into buying the propaganda that everyone needs a vax; scared into overlooking the actual facts because one – rightly so – fears that there may be long term issues with some or all of the vaxes, because the long term has never been studied: the vaxed are the study. i am hopeful for you each that nothing adverse will come from any of the vaxes in the long run; however, given all the propaganda and fudged “facts” and lies thus far, there appears a basis upon which a cause for concern exists. there also remains the question as to how many of these shots…er, boosters…can the body safely endure.
and, here we are in the midst of the “4th wave”! scary stuff! this wave, called delta, continues the great exercise in learning the greek alphabet. so bad is it that international flights abound; direct flights from “delta” ravaged india are a-happening! the only way we get covid here at all is through int’l travel – but, hey, that is a right, right? the only way we get the alpha is through int’l travel; the only way we get beta and gamma is through int’l travel. and delta? well, “delta is ready when you are.”
Hey Biff.
I came across the following, and thought you might enjoy it. A couple of the points are arguable (like #8), but overall, it’s flavorful fodder for your position.
https://off-guardian.org/2021/09/22/30-facts-you-need-to-know-your-covid-cribsheet/
seth – glad you are still with us, and doing well, i hope 🙂 will give it a click. thanks
The Echo Chamber is now fully populated.
quite a read
at the end, i came across this recent article outlining the israeli experience with covid. it also tells us that spain’s court has ruled vax passports unconstitutional, and denmark has abandoned them.
https://swprs.org/israel-highest-infection-rate-in-the-world/
That’s very helpful, thank you also for the link!
I followed the two links listed in this thread and they were, in a word, astonishing. I suggest that anyone on this thread who is interested familiarize themselves with Google Scholar, or better still spend $30 to take out a community membership at the University of Lethbridge Library. After that, you can book an appointment with a professional librarian who will introduce you to several bibliographic search tools that will take you into the journal literature.