United Kingdom VII: Taking Pride in Your Success

[Brad]

Did you read the whole article mate? They weren’t just talking about his fitness. He seemed like a lovely guy (as people always do in tributes to be fair). He just thought that his level of fitness would protect him. I be there are others who feel the same. It’s unpredictable. We know a woman who is almost a hundred who survived it before the vaccines were even ready. People need to be vaccinated. There’s no way to know how it will affect you.

[wakka]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-dies-of-covid
Man thinks his muscles will protect him from COVID, rejects vaccine, dies from COVID

Not to sound callous but it also strikes me that it possibly says more that all the tributes about him talk about his training and focus on fitness rather than him being a decent person. That and how someone can supposedly be so focused on 'fitness' and think it's something defined by your pecs.

To be honest that is pretty callous. The poor bloke has snuffed it. He was wrong not to get the vaccine, but he's paid the ultimate price for it. There's no need to dunk on him at this point.

On a side note, I've noticed quite a few articles following this exact format in terms of story. If it gets more people (or even one person) to convert from anti-vax to vax, it's a good idea to keep publishing them.

[Neon Ignition]

Yep, it just struck me as odd the emphasis placed on it. To be honest though, to be this far down the road with this exact story having happened so many times now I'm doubtful it does make a difference to anti-vaxxers.

[wakka]

It's just because people don't expect people who are physically fit to be the ones to die from it.

To be honest though, to be this far down the road with this exact story having happened so many times now I'm doubtful it does make a difference to anti-vaxxers.

I agree that the hardcore won't be converted - they might even think a story like this is an outright fabrication. But I bet there are plenty of people on the fence about it. This is the sort of thing that could help to sway them.

[Neon Ignition]

If the daily first dose figures are anything to go by any push is probably a good one, feels like they're almost stalling out completely now

[wakka]

Yes I agree :/

[kryss]

This is my new pinned tweet:

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[charlesr]

I'm massively fit, but think the opposite. Even if I survive, I expect my fitness to be damaged, possibly forever. Vaccination seemed like a low risk no brainer to protect my fitness to some degree

[Hirst]

The main thing that surprises me is that all the people who are on the fence about getting the vaccination don't seem to expect that it is likely to be a requirement for overseas travel, which it almost certainly is. If I was one of these younger folks thinking "I don't want this vaccine, they're for losers" the logical side of my brain would also be telling me that if I don't, I'm probably not going on holiday for the foreseeable. Maybe there'll be some temporary leeway with some countries but I can't see it lasting.

[fishbowlhead]

I was in the first group for the vaccine and jumped on it soon as I could. I’ve got a business to run, people’s livelihoods to look after, my own as well obviously, i have too much to loose that I worked too hard to build. For the potential of feeling crap for a day (which i did) its nothing.

It paid off as well, my partner caught it still with double jab and didn’t end up hospitalised, I didn’t catch it at all which was a massive bonus.

If these morons want to be the tough guy and not get jabbed, mingle around like nothings going on then be my guest, more resources for the rest of us.

[MartyG]

If these morons want to be the tough guy and not get jabbed, mingle around like nothings going on then be my guest, more resources for the rest of us.

The trouble with that is the mingling still impacts other people, even those that have been double jabbed - so it's not a case of not being jabbed only affecting them - it affects the bigger picture too, because without high vaccination, herd immunity is next to impossible and this then impacts those who can't be vaccinated for medical reasons.

All-in-all, not getting vaccinated when there's no underlying reason not to, is quite the selfish act.

[Dogg Thang]

Have we got any solid figures now about herd immunity? With how contagious the Delta variant is along with what feels like a fairly large amount of vaxxed people getting it (and presumably able to spread it), is there even a threshold now at which herd immunity is actually possible?

[Neon Ignition]

The Government's definition of herd immunity seems to be let 100% of people get exposed then those who are susceptible will die leaving the less vulnerable majority who can they crack on supporting Pret a Manger again.

[Dogg Thang]

Yep, but I mean real herd immunity! As in working with a good vaccine, getting enough of the people vaccinated so the ability to spread the disease is hugely curtailed.

[Neon Ignition]

At 90% vaccinated, it would take 365 days at a rate of 16,348 daily cases for the remaining 10% to get infected. It'd never work like that but given the vaccination rate and number of daily cases presumably we're circling a situation where herd immunity is within the next 9-10 months (assuming protection and surpression lasts) - pure napkin math though