So it is clear that taking the COVID-19 vaccines - even those morally tainted - is permissible according to Catholic Teaching.
The question that remains for me is one of risk vs benefit.
For example the UK has started its vaccination program and there have been two anaphylactic reactions. Other results look good so far ...
With recent polls showing that a sizeable number of Canadians will refuse a vaccine altogether, or will wait some time before lining up for a shot, Pinnow said he wants Canadians to be assured the product is safe. CBC.ca
What follows is my personal approach to vaccination
As with the H1N1 vaccination program, I will take a rational risk vs benefit approach by:
- Reviewing the "monograph" data looking for the adverse events (risks) and contraindications.
- Compare this with the dangers of the disease and potential adverse reactions to both the person being vaccinated and the persons they would come in contact with (in this case the elderly).
- Assess alternative vaccines that are available to me and my family (ie morally untainted vaccines).
With the H1N1 the adverse events were as bad and in the same likelihood as the vaccination. So we elected to not vaccinate.
A key input to this process is the drug monograph, that will be publicly available. An example of the Pfizer monograph is available here.
Key Sections and points from the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine monograph:
- Indications: This section indicates when and to whom a drug should be administered. It will sometimes contain information about specific sections of the population.
- To prevent COVID-19
- For individual 16 years of age and older.
- Safety and efficacy has not been established for those under 16 years of age
- Geriatric safety and efficacy was tested.
- Contraindications: This section indicate who should NOT receive the medication.
- People who are hypersensitive to active substance or ingredient in the formulation (see list)
- People suffer from severe allergies should be cautious (noted in England and Canada)
- Serious warning and Precautions: No explanation necessary :-)
- Warnings and Precautions: Similar to above.
- If you have a fever - postpone receiving the vaccination.
- Vaccination does not automatically convey immunity
- Immunization may not be optimal until at least 7 days after the second dose.
- If you have a bleeding disorder or receiving anticoagulant - defer
- Pregnant women - no safety data
- Breast-feeding - no safety data
- Adverse Reactions: Bad reactions to the vaccination.
- injection site pain ( 84.1%),
- fatigue (62.9%),
- headache (55.1%),
- muscle pain (38.3%),
- chills (31.9%),
- joint pain (23.6%)
- fever (14.2%)
- were usually mild or moderate in intensity and resolved within a few days after vaccination.
Of interest is that some people developed swollen lymph nodes.
So for me it is simple, moral implications aside:
- The vaccine is effective about 95% of the time
- It should not be given to: pregnant or breastfeeding women, youth under the age of 16 or people with the other contraindications.
- The risks of taking the vaccine are less than the worse case Canadian data.
The following graphs were taken from infobase Canada.
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| Distribution of Hospitalized Cases |
So, 70.5% of hospitalization are over the age of 60, and the distribution follow a rough 10% per decade of age distribution.
The danger is the false sense of security that the young will feel in looking at this data. Their sense of mortality is typically ill-developed. While the odds sound 'great' for them, the reality is that they can dramatically increase the odds against them by their behaviour.
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| Distribution of Deaths |
While some carry over their false sense of security when looknig at the numbers,the reality is that although COVID is particularly dangerous to the elderly (see above). But this doesn't guarantee a young person that they will escape death. While all the young cases that I know have had only minor symptoms (head-ache, fever, lack of taste, difficulty breathing) a young man of 20 died last week.
So, be wise in your behaviour and precautions.
P^3
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