What Polio vaccines can teach us about COVID-19
In 1949, I contracted polio. I have lived with the after-effects all of my life. When I was in the 2nd grade, I got the polio vaccine because there was a chance I could get polio again.
I worked with a guy who was badly crippled by polio. The vaccine was available when he was born but for some reason he didn’t get the vaccine.
Today, people are finding every reason they can to NOT get vaccinated for COVID. So, we don’t have a 50 year history on this vaccine to know what the ultimate side effects could be. Neither did we on polio back in 1955.
I will be talking to my doctor at M D Anderson next week about when & if I should get the 3rd shot. I will not be asking my governor or my congressman or pastor or the leader of either political party.
Yes, there are breakthrough cases of patients who were vaccinated. But the majority of those in the our local hospitals (91%) & ICU (86%) with COVID did not receive their full vaccinations.
Yes, I got two Moderna vaccinations. I had side-effects – fever & sore arm for a day or two. Then I participated in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society clinical study to check for spike antibodies to COVID. I developed ZERO because I have blood cancer.
If I get COVID with an impaired immune system, it will be very difficult, but you, you may have a good immune system which would respond appropriately to the vaccine. Do you want to risk your life? Or maybe you want to wait another 10 or 20 or 30 years to see what happens.
I’m sorry that this has become a political issue, and even religious for some. We do live in an imperfect world. In 2014, my doctor helped me make the decision to start on a brand new drug, and I am still alive after 7 years on ibrutinib. It makes sense to me that I would rely on my MDA doctor for his guidance with the COVID vaccine.
Image: https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/iron-lungs-polio-1930s-1950s/
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- Lyyn Bailey
Lynn married his high school sweetheart, and they have been married for 51 years surviving & clinging to each other during the raising of 5 children. He had a 40 year career with an electric utility as an electrical engineer working in design & operations, and then later in management.
Lynn also served in three churches as youth minister, and then later as music minister directing choirs and leading worship.
When Lynn dabbles in his hobbies you will find him playing his guitar, talking on ham radio, or updating the Linux operating system on one of his computers.
He may be a Texan but he doesn’t have a horse – instead he has diesel pickup truck that’s 23 years old and has almost ½ million miles on it.
He was diagnosed in 2013 with small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) and has been treated with ibrutinib since 2014. He sees a specialist at M. D. Anderson.
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