TI Family, as some of you know I've been living in North Africa for the last 3.5 years. Just returned 3 weeks ago to the states for a season of furlough. Have been really taken back by the amount of division concerning the COVID vaccine. I think what's hard about something like this is the varying degrees of information and opinions going along with the fact that these opinions seem to change as well. This is something seasoned medical personnel have to deal as part of our job. Knowing where to find good data and research and being able to interrpet it requires you working in the field and being taught how to do that.
With that in mind, I didn't want to create another threat arguing about vaccines but I wanted to offer my services to anyone who truly has questions or concerns about the vaccine. Please feel free to PM me and I'll work to respond as soon as I'm able. Just stick to vaccines. The mask and closure thing has obviously been really effected by politics and I that will be really specific to your region, most likely. Yet, the vaccine data is super extensive and there is some really good data if you know where to look; unfortunately not the news. It's really been tearing me up emotionally to return to America and see how many people are in the ICU and dying from something that could have been prevented.
If you have a trusted doc/med personnel in your life, please consult them yet I know that's often not the case for many especially men. Please feel free to shoot me a message. I feel like this website and the message board has made me feel at home so many times when I've been so far away that I want to give back. I know that seems silly but being able to talk football and sports brings a lot of relief to culture stress when you're away. Take care and God bless.
FYI on me (don't trust a stranger right): Family Med doc who trained in a full spectrum residency in Memphis, TN. Med school at MUSC. Prior to that did the pre-pharmacy program at Clemson with a year of pharmacy school at MUSC. Have a masters in Biomedical Studies where I did immunology research as part of a grant for NASA.
Mods feel free to move this thread if needed.
Thanks for what you do. I am a board certified internist/medical oncologist/hematologist & practiced for 40 years before retiring. I have been very involved with Covid planning at a 555 bed hospital in the midlands & so I am up to date.
Friday, we had 181 patients Covid + after only 5 on July 5. Of these 181, over 88% were unvaccinated. There were 68 patients on ventilators, of which 90% were unvaccinated.
We have had to cancel elective surgical procedures and move staff to the main hospital to care for Covid + patients.
As you can see, this surge in cases is real, deadly, and we are seeing younger, previously healthy patients on ventilators, with longer hospitalizations. Those who are vaccinated are doing much better than those who are not.
I took the Pfizer vaccine & will take the booster when available. The vaccine is effective, and has helped patients who were infected with the delta variant to survive.
The Pfizer vaccine will likely be approved by the FDA early this week.
I’m back to a mask in crowded areas, washing hands, hand sanitizer & I foresee that this virus will be around for awhile. Don’t be surprised if we need annual booster shots, similar to flu shots.
Stay safe, Tigers!!
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