So my anti-vaxxer cousin in Canada finally came down with covid. I knew it was only a matter of time. She refused to get vaccinated because she has "auto-immune" issues (she's a drama queen and while she does have some health issues she is fully ensconced in the naturopathy bullshit, etc.) and believed she'd have a serious adverse reaction to the vaccine. She told me her friend died from the vaccine - this story has changed over the months since her friend died.
She is a firm supporter of the Freedumb trucker caravan in Canada.
I still have a fb account but don't use it regularly. I heard that my good friend's mom had passed away yesterday so I logged in today to leave a message of condolence on her page and caught sight of my niece's post that her family was recovering from covid.
Turns out my cousin got sick about 12 days ago and had to be hospitalized, got Remdesivir (at least she isn't so much of an AV that she's refusing treatment and relying on Ivermectin), developed bacterial pneumonia, etc.
She is home with in-home nursing care but may be having a dead cat bounce as she had this to say: "I’m not out of the woods yet but I feel like I have turned a corner, I’m so grateful to be alive."
I don't think she realizes yet what she has done to her health but not getting vaccinated and then getting covid was a really stupid move on her part. I hope she recovers but I suspect we will all be hearing about long covid now for the forseeable future.
I think I have one cousin who isn't vaccinated and it's just sad. She won't get vaccinated because her boyfriend she's been with for well over a decade and has a child with who refuses to get married until they can afford a wedding (I'm sure. . .) won't allow her to. She has no self-esteem and won't go get it anyway. I hope she'll be okay. She's never shared any anti-vax crap or anything, just let's her partner dictate her actions.
Yah V, being unvaxxed causes or can cause a chain reaction of serious problems. Mike mentions a method of motivation for AVer's. Perhaps tax them at a higher rate if they refuse to vax and then get sick. It does seem prudent to develop some methodology to prevent a repeat of these circumstances at a future date. As is, the world's healthcare systems have been overtaxed and societies pushed to and over the brink to violence.
It seems think tanks have worked out various scenarios, consequences, and solutions. As I recall Obama's team had a plan that was dismantled by tRump.
This site popped up as a result of these circumstances as a sort of grassroots educating/shaming strategy that provides some outlet to vent about those socially irresponsible. However, success in actually changing the minds of AVer's is negligible but not zero.
Sorry, but in the end, these people fuked themselves into destruction. Perhaps earlier education in health areas would be helpful? Yeah I've wanted to get in these people's faces and scream at them..."What's your F'n problem!?!"
The solution to this pandemic is to get vaccinated. It's not a chess game only won by masters or demanding of great thinking.
I would have been OK with a denial of service option to really flush out the AV'ers.
By X date if you have not been vaxxed and don't want to be - fine. If you need care when you get it, sorry. Back of the line, we will call you when space is open for the unvaxxed. Try home care.
I saw this post pop up again and thought I'd check in on my cousin's fb page to see what was going on and saw this posted today. Her husband got covid too (they truly are idiots) and a couple of days ago he was complaining to her of a heaviness in his chest and breathing hard with exertion. Both are in their early 60s with plenty of comorbidities.
Hope for the best prepare for the worst
I've discussed my half-sibling here before. 2 vaxed, 3 unvaxed, and their mother was hospitalized for a time with it. Another who I lost communication.
I think the 3 are all more or less trumpers, one is a family of odd juxtapositioning, Trumper, new age yoga, and evangelistic church stuff (the planet is 6 k years old etc.). His son got a mild case but seems to be good.
Another male sib is a neocon with extreme prejudices against all colors or Jewish though he is mixed blood himself. He had covid early on and believes the Wuhan conspiracy crap. About anyone, not in that game, is a commie to him.
They basically know where I'm at attitudinally. They choose how they wish to address or deny the situations and I am entirely out as any influence on their activities.
The female is in Alaska and has more or less an AV attitude. She claims adverse reactions to such treatments...so whatever. She showed up last year due to a genetic test. She's overweight and a smoker so good luck to her.
I have one other 1/2 brother I lost touch with. Last I heard he had a stroke. The neocon brother says he won't visit him cause he might give him covid or cooties?
Whatever happens, happens. I'm a bit offended by their attitudes and condescension towards me, but too bad too sad. I am older and frankly wiser. They are indifferent to their heritage unless it produces $. Their mom is white mine was not. Culture is passed on by the mother as I understand it. They can all pass if you get my drift.
This rift really appeared or became more pronounced with Trump and all his stupid rhetoric which caters to those gullible to it.
As far as I know, I'm the only one with an education beyond high school. Most of them believe in BS and any hint of disagreeing or pointing out stuff like facts or history is rejected. They probably wouldn't tell me if they got it or not.
Things are pretty dire in some provinces, wait times for ER are eternal, lineups outside kids hospital in Edmonton. Wonder how long she had to wait to get her dumb ass triaged so she could take a space away from someone who really needs it. I'm really starting to hate these idiots.
https://calgaryherald.com/news/braid-18
Thanks for the reply. I'm really torn about how to feel about this. We are the same age. I've been vaccinated and boosted twice.
I left Canada in 1995 so it's been a long time since I had any dealings with the Canadian health care system (since my Mom/Dad passed in 2003). I was an RN in Canada for five years in the 90s and we faced resource issues and backlogs back then. I can't imagine what Covid has done to the system.
I am angry with her for not getting vaxxed and participating in the new age anti-vaccine nonsense. I also think that she is absolutely a selfish, science-denying asshole but particularly because she got covid and sought hospital treatment when the vaccine would have prevented all of this. Of course, her post mentions none of this and is 100% all about her.
She's probably going to get it again as I doubt she'll get vaccinated now.