Originally Posted by
Dan Druff
So let's talk about this Delta variant.
As a guy who locked down more than almost anyone during 2020 and the first 4 months of 2021, and then completely ditched all "safety" protocols after being vaccinated, I'm very interested in the variant situation.
I will start off by saying that variants DO concern me. I'm not so naive to where I believe the vaccine will keep me safe for life. At the same time, I can't stay locked up forever, fearing every possible variant which can emerge. Indeed, we may never be rid of COVID, and the remainder of my lifetime might see a long list of COVID variants which develop. My locking down was under the belief that the vaccine would eventually bring life back to normal, and then I would go from there regarding the best way to handle possible variants.
I've seen a lot of false alarms and false panic regarding variants. Remember the panic about the "California variant", which came and went?
But I will agree that the Delta variant is probably the most concerning one to date, and needs to be watched.
HOWEVER...
I've been trying to find hard data on fully vaccinated people being sickened by COVID, to where they show moderate or worse symptoms. I define "moderate" as symptoms which are signfiicantly worse than the typical flu, but not bad enough to be hospitalizd. So I want to know -- how many fully vaccinated people are getting that sick or worse?
I'm not finding that information. I've read TONS of Delta variant articles, and none give this data. Instead, I see quotes like these:
"The Delta variant is more transmissible"
"The Delta variant may be more deadly"
"In Israel, half the new Delta variant infections are of fully vaccinated people"
"Many fully vaccinated people have tested positive for the Delta vairant"
NONE OF THIS MEANS MUCH TO VACCINATED PEOPLE! We need to know how many vaccainted people are getting sick or dying from the Delta variant!
The fact that this information is omitted is very suspicious. I have a feeling that they aren't publicizing this, because it will make the Delta variant look non-threatening to vaccinated people. It appears that the vaccines DO work against the Delta variant, but at the same time, vaccinated people may be transmitting it. This creates an additional danger for UNVACCINATED people, but not for vaccinated people.
However, as said before, unvaccinated people made their own bed. They are knowingly taking a risk. The only people with no choice in the matter are kids under 12 (who are unlikely to get serious COVID illness), and people who are very immunosuppressed (who won't be helped that much by any vaccine). So honestly, if unvaccinated people are getting sick at higher rates again, that's tough luck on them, and it's the risk they took by avoiding the vaccine.
Oddly, instead of a strong push to get the unvaccinated to get the shot, the media is pushing an implied message that the Delta variant is dangerous to vaccinated people. The purpose is to get the vaccinated to act more cautiously and wear masks again, but the result will be even more vaccine resistance, with those people thinking, "Wow, the vaccine is already failing, glad I didn't take it!"
I did see one quick line in a CNN article which admitted that the Pfizer vaccine is "88% effective" in preventing infection from the Delta variant, but of course it left out the effectiveness in preventing serious illness or death (which I imagine is much, much higher).
Looks like more lies and omissions to get people to wear masks again.
If I'm wrong, someone show me the data indicating that the Delta variant is causing significant illness and death in fully vaccinated people.