Health News

The vaccine is an important step in fighting Covid-19

When our world realized the seriousness of the health risks associated with Covid-19, developing, testing, and manufacturing a vaccine seemed like the light at the end of the tunnel. However, even with the vaccine being widely available in the United States for several months and the startling reality that there have been 750,000 U.S. citizens who have died from Covid, only 57% of the people in the U.S. are fully vaccinated. In some states, such as Alabama, the full vaccination rate is as low as 42% of the population. While people have the right to choose whether they should be vaccinated, their choices may have serious and life-threatening consequences for those around them. Overall, the vaccine is vital to keep infections down, protect children and those more susceptible.  

To begin with, the unvaccinated are not only risking their safety, but they are also more likely to spread the virus to others. The CDC has determined that unvaccinated people are six times more likely to test positive for the virus than the vaccinated population. Moreover, unvaccinated people between the ages of 12 and 17 are nine times more likely to contract Covid. Additionally, unvaccinated adults are 19 times more likely to be hospitalized compared to the vaccinated population. The University of Oxford examined 150,000 contacts traced from 100,000 original cases and determined that the vaccine reduced transmission. This is because the vaccine prevents infection and increases breakthrough cases. After all, it reduces the amount of infectious viruses. With hospitals filling up with unvaccinated patients, those who require urgent care are unable to obtain it. For instance, when toddler Charlotte McCabe was diagnosed with Covid and her liver started to fail, she had to be flown out of state to receive treatment. There are hundreds of stories of people unable to get the medical attention they need because of the filling of hospitals. We are, for the most part, living through a pandemic of the unvaccinated.  

Secondly, young children, under the age of twelve, who are not yet eligible to receive the vaccine are at risk of getting sick, are losing caregivers, and are in jeopardy of receiving sporadic instruction through school shutdowns. With in-person instruction having just restarted, September 2021 was the worst month for Covid cases for children since the start of the pandemic. Without the ability to be vaccinated, young children continue to be at significant risk. In late September, Amelia Sophia Perry, aged twelve, died from Covid. Perry had just turned twelve and had planned on receiving the vaccine. Unfortunately, she fell ill with Covid before having the opportunity to do so. She was unaware that she had type one diabetes and died a few days after getting sick. According to Susan Hills, an epidemiologist at the CDC, 170,000 children have lost a caregiver during the pandemic. Their lives are forever changed, and a fundamental support system is lost. Families, such as the Mitchems, have been left destroyed after covid ravaged their homes. The family of five children in Virginia suffered the loss of both parents within two weeks. It is important to be vaccinated to protect the children who are unable to do so.  

Lastly, while some insist that they will not get the vaccine for fears of becoming infertile, scientists have repeatedly denied this claim. Albert Hsu, MD, a reproductive endocrinologist at MU Health Care has discredited theories of Covid caused infertility. He commented on the rumors that, “while studies are ongoing, there is no data that the COVID-19 vaccines may cause infertility and no credible scientific theories for how the COVID-19 vaccine may cause female infertility.” Additionally, there is a large risk for those who become pregnant without the vaccine. In a worldwide study completed by the University of Washington, pregnant women were 20 times more likely to die from Covid. Between July 1st and September 30th, pregnant women made up 32% of the female population, ages 16-49, that were in intensive care on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.  Pregnant women with Covid are more likely to give birth prematurely which can be accompanied by health risks for both mother and child. An unvaccinated woman, Amanda Perry, 36, succumbed to a month-long battle with Covid-19 while pregnant having been forced to give birth to her daughter prematurely. While the virus is more dangerous for pregnant women, they are less likely to be vaccinated.   

The vaccine has shown to be extremely effective. However, it cannot do its full job of preventing new and harmful strains from developing unless people decide to get the vaccine. A study recently conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services has prevented 265,000 infections, 107,000 hospitalizations, and 39,000 deaths. The decision to get vaccinated is an important and necessary one to save lives. 

Sources:

[email protected], Malachi Barrett |. “CDC: Unvaccinated People 11 Times More Likely to Die from Covid-19.” Mlive, 19 Oct. 2021, https://www.mlive.com/coronavirus/2021/10/cdc-unvaccinated-people-11-times-more-likely-to-die-from-covid-19.html. 

Pere, Alexandra. “Ua Health Official: Unvaccinated 'Very Likely,' to Get Covid, Thanks to Delta Variant.” Tucson Local Media, 19 Oct. 2021, https://www.tucsonlocalmedia.com/health_care/article_c5e44ac6-3116-11ec-94d1-6b0a8b110845.html. 

Coppola, Rich. “Unvaccinated Florida COVID Patient Flown to CT for Life-Saving Treatment after Reaching out to 169 Hospitals.” WTNH.com, WTNH.com, 23 Sept. 2021, https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/covid-patient-brought-from-florida-to-connecticut-for-treatment/. 

September Was the Worst Month for Covid in Kids, https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/september-was-the-worst-month-for-covid-in-kids/ar-AAPxiUl. 

Pinsker, Joe. “The Staggering Number of Kids Who Have Lost a Parent to Covid-19.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 16 Oct. 2021, https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2021/10/children-parent-death-covid-19/620411/. 

Covid-19 and Pregnancy: Women Regret Not Getting the Vaccine, https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/covid-19-and-pregnancy-women-regret-not-getting-the-vaccine/ar-AAPHHPQ. 

“Does the COVID-19 Vaccine Affect Fertility? Here's What the Experts Say.” University of Missouri Health Care, https://www.muhealth.org/our-stories/does-covid-19-vaccine-affect-fertility-heres-what-experts-say. 

“Pregnant Women with Covid-19 Face High Mortality Rate.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 22 Apr. 2021, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/04/210422181856.htm.