I get #2 on Monday and am happy to be getting it ahead of schedule. I will continue to wear mask when in a crowd -- just want to do my part to stop the spread.

Seasoned and trustworthy medical doctors in my own family have taken it and highly recommend it. That is good enough for me.

Where is your quote coming from Clawhammer? Curious, just because I don't find it here. Am I blind, or are you paraphrasing from more than one post? Truly not trying to be argumentative, but I don't understand. Wondering whether it's from my post or Dusty Old Man's posts? And thus, whether I should respond or not.

---------- Post added at 02:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:31 PM ----------

I also think it's a very loaded topic, and am sure not where Ray thought this thread would lead. I'm fine with it being addressed civilly, but let's remember we can have varying opinions and disagree without being disagreeable.

I was paraphrasing more than one post and suggesting the unprecedented nature of the vaccine push directly results from the unprecedented nature of the pandemic.

My reservoir of forced civility is running dry these days, I only am able to muster of modicum of it here because I like you people. I am holding back a rage at what I feel is a secondary pandemic of self-centeredness and ignorance.

Gotcha, and thank you for your response and attitude. And I like you too. :biggrin: I would agree the nature of the Covid virus and its mutations has been a key to the push for a vaccine. Frankly, it's irrelevant in my case as I've been told by my physicians to not take it. Not because they think it shouldn't be taken... has to do with my body and how medications and a lot of environmental schtuff already impact me. I'm not a candidate for much of anything these days.

At times it's very hard for me to muster civility as well. So I just have to step back and take a deep breath, or five, and sometimes just back away. Unfortunately, if we can't have civil conversation, there is no discourse. Which is also a societal problem now.

I don't think self-centeredness and ignorance is a secondary to the current pandemic. I think it's always been there, and the ways we have now of relating to so many more individuals with different ideas, thoughts, opinions, than we did even thirty years ago has made it more apparent. Communication moves at a much more rapid and wide-reaching pace than before. There is a much larger bully pulpit for those who choose to stand on them.

It's "us" vs the anti-vaxers or vaxers. It's "us" vs. conspiracy theorists, "us" vs. those who think we should or shouldn't legalize marijuana, etc. Maskers vs non-maskers. I could go on forever. Heck, my husband and I don't discuss politics, theories, etc, because we know it just ends in an argument. Life's too short for that.

It's why I said it's a loaded topic for the Orchid Board. We come together here to discuss orchids. All different walks of life. And yes, we get "off topic" often. But not usually in a bad way. Hopefully this ain't one of them.

Well said and agree WaterWitchin, glad to have you moderating this forum.

People without medical exemptions need to be vaccinated to protect those like you who cannot take the vaccine. Like you said, unless we get a high level of vaccination, potentially dangerous mutations will continue to occur.

I'll say two things here the no more. I don't want to fight about this, especially here. First, all viruses of this type mutate. For that reason last year's flu shot won't do much against this year's flu. It is different. Covid will also mutate. They've already been talking about it.
Second, it isn't theory if it can be proven. There is tons of evidence. Those few things I mentioned are just the tip of the iceberg. Whether you choose to believe it or not is up to you.
But, do your due diligence just like you do with your orchid care.

Ray posted his experience intending to make folks less intimidated by- or concerned about getting the vaccine. The second dose will likely give greater short-term side effects because the first dose already “primed” your immune system to be on the lookout.

To that end, I’m now a bit shy of 24 hours in. My arm was a little sorer (if contacted) than yesterday, but it has hurt worse when accidentally running into a doorway. Just sitting here, nothing.

My head felt a bit “puffy” when I woke up, but far less than a little excess wine the night before has done. Now that I’ve been awake a few minutes, it’s gone.

That’s it!

It might take some months for me to get the first dose.

Still waiting for my chance for the vaccination. Two of my offspring work at a hospital so they were vaccinated...they came here after the second dose just in case they had side effects but, fortunately, they did quite well. My father, thankfully, just got his first dose. I have been so worried he would get it.

Late to the party. I'm a counselor, you can only imagine what I hear. I've been cooped up for a year. I had my first shot Thursday. My arm is sore, as is normal, and I slept really well, through the news (mercifully) and all night. Thankfully, we live in a country where we can (for now) decide to take the shot or not.