I got the booster shot for the Pfizer COVID vaccine because it has proven to be safe and effective.  A 95% effective rate means vaccinated people can still get COVID but at a rate that is 95% lower than unvaccinated people.  Moreover,  vaccinated people survive COVID infections at rates much higher than unvaccinated people. The reason that there is a need for a booster shot is because peer reviewed studies have shown that the effectiveness of the vaccines wanes over time for people over 65.  With the delta variant of COVID producing 1,000 times more viral loads than the original version, breakthrough infections of vaccinated people who got their vaccine early in 2021 is increasing.  The booster shot will increase the effectiveness of the vaccine.

As a vaccinated person,  I can still get COVID, and if I have no symptoms, I can pass it on to others without knowing I have.  I take this seriously, I get a COVID test before visiting my granddaughter.  It’s my way of protecting my 2 year-old granddaughter who currently has no COVID vaccine options. Getting vaccinated and wearing a mask, is not just about protecting myself, it’s also about protecting others.

I want this Pandemic to be over and the Vaccine, combined with mask wearing,  is the only path that will work.  There are no peer reviewed studies that support any of the miracles cures being push by Anti-Vaxers/Anit-Maskers.  I find it puzzling that there are people who believe their superior googling skills allow them, in 15 minutes,  to find miracle cures that Doctors who have spent their entire career fighting virus are unable to find. There are no clinical study that shows that either ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine are any more effective in people than placebos. Clinical studies are being run, but so far they show no advantage. At higher doses, they can actually cause harm.   https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/why-ivermectin-should-not-be-used-prevent-or-treat-covid-19.

I have seen some people quoting anecdotal evidence to support their Anti-Vax theories.  Anecdotal evidence is not a clinical study.  Anecdotal evidence is not based on fact. I find it amazing that people will declare something that their co worker’s, gym buddy’s, sister-in-law’s, friend said constitutes medical evidence.

There are tens of millions of vaccinated and unvaccinated people in the US, so it is easy to see the positive impact of the vaccine and the negative impact of not being unvaccinated.  It’s the unvaccinated who make up the huge majority of folks filling ICUs.  I agree with Dr Fauci when he said, “The current covid surge is a pandemic of the unvaccinated.”

It is easy to compare states with high and low vaccination rates to see the difference in the deaths from COVID. As of September 25, 2021, West Virginia has the lowest fully vaccinated rate of 40.5%.  Wyoming, Idaho, Alabama and Mississippi round out the bottom five (41%, 41.2%, 41.8% and 42.9% respectively).  Vermont has the highest fully vaccinated rate of 69.2%. Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island and Massachusetts round out the top five (68.3%, 68%, 67.7% and 67.6 % respectively).  Source https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/vaccine-tracker

The following graph shows that West Virginia (Population 1,792,147) is being hit harder by the current surge of the Delta Variant than Vermont (Population 623,989).  The West Virginia’s current COVID death rate is 20 times Vermont’s COVID death rate.  For the entire pandemic Vermonts’ overall COVID Death rate has been 487 deaths per million citizens and West Virginia’s COVID Death rate has been 1,966 deaths per million citizens.

Sept 24, 2020: Daily COVID Deaths in Vermont

Sept 24, 2020: Daily COVID Deaths in West Virgina

There are other factors such as mask wearing and social distance differences between these two states. However, it is clear that the higher vaccination rate in Vermont is saving Vermont citizen’s lives and a rate of 28 times West Virginia. Over the last seven days Vermont has had a COVID death rate of 0.16 per 100,000, and West Virginia has a rate of 1.43 per 100,000. https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/public-health/us-coronavirus-deaths-by-state-july-1.html

A comparison that is more relevent to me would be comparing California other states with large urban centers such as Texas.  These states have taken very different approaches to dealing with COVID.   As of September 24, 59.5% of Texas’s citizen’s have received their first shot and 50.8% are fully vaccinated.  California as a first shot rate of 71.3% and a fully vaccinated rate of 58.5%. Currently California has a COVID death rate per one million of 1,739 for the entire pandemic. Texas has a COVID death rate for the entire pandemic of 2,212  per one million.       https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/. Over the last seven days Texas has had a COVID death rate  of 1.0 per 100,000 and California has a rate of 0.26 per 100,000. It should be noted that Texas has a natural climate advantage in fighting COVID because the state is more humid.  Aerosol particles, such as COVID-19, travel shorter distance in humid air as there are more obstacles in the air for the aerosol particles to hit.

The charts below show the difference in the daily death rates in Texas, California and Florida. I have Included Florida as it used as an example by people who would like California to follow the Florida approach to dealing with Covid. Over the last seven days Florida has had a COVID death rate  of 1.53 per 100,000, the second highest in the country. Alabama has the highest with a death per 100,000 of 2.74.  Florida’s overall death rate for the entire pandemic has been 2,473 per one million citizens.

Sept 24, 2020: Daily COVID Deaths in Texas

Sept 24, 2020: Daily COVID Deaths in California

Sept 24, 2020: Daily COVID Deaths in Florida

California’s better number are a result of number of factors;  higher vaccination rates, better social distancing and mask mandates.