A short update on my Covid-19 Opinions:
I recommended vaccination for most people during the Delta wave after my own unvaccinated experience with Covid and after observing healthy middle-aged people die from it in my local community. It appeared to be the least worst option given Delta’s deadliness.
Thankfully, the Omicron variant appears to be mild enough in its effects (80% less deadly) to justify avoiding vaccination except for the very old and very ill, with natural immunity being superior to the vaccine (the problem being, of course, you have to not die from it to get natural immunity). I am also no longer hearing of Covid deaths among the relatively young. In fact, I haven’t heard of a single Covid death among people I know in over six months.
These remain the most dangerous vaccines ever widely distributed, and the continuing increased non-Covid cardiovascular mortality and life insurance claims are concerning, data that wasn’t available during the worst of the Delta wave. The data are unclear, with vaccine skeptics pinning these excess deaths on the rollout of the vaccine, and vaccine advocates claiming they are the result of neglected health care for chronic conditions during the shutdowns. Either way, since I have natural immunity, I do not plan to get vaccinated.
On an absolute basis, the odds of any serious adverse event with the vaccine are very low for any given individual, so I wouldn’t worry about it if you’ve been vaccinated. Still, the risk/reward has definitely shifted back to the “do no harm” position of avoiding them for most people without significant comorbidities, including the boosters.