Common sense, Eric. Still, you can't provide proof that there is such a thing as "prevention" using vaccines. When polio ran its course, THEN modern medicine came out with "vaccines" and said "Look what we've cured!!" You can't possibly quantify nor qualify those kinds of smoke and mirrors. But modern medicine wants to take credit for "curing" a disease that had already finished running its course. Spanish influenza ran its course. Biggest cause was social stress in the aftermath of WWI and poor nutrition. Not some virus. Remember, figures lie. And liars figure. Modern medicine is chasing its tail. Besides, one last dig at modern medicine: Vaccine use is based on the germ theory of disease. But I proved with deductive reasoning a long time ago that germs don't cause any disease. (Another subject entirely.) So, again, Eric. the vaccine therapies are built on an erroneous assumption. Remember the Welhausen Theory of Higher Criticism. If a theory is built on erroneous assumptions, then the whole theory has to be thrown out. HerbDoctor

A little girl age 6 just died here in San Diego from swine flu. That being said, I will not get the vaccine, nor will I get it for my 7 year old. She's had the regular flu many times, and just as my parents did when I was a kid, you treat it with common sense. When she got the flu three weeks ago and missed three days of school I called her doctor to see what he thought. He said to let it run its course as long as she did not exhibit symptoms like shortness of breath, inability to drink/eat/go to the bathroom, etc. She recovered just fine. I've never had the flu shot, and neither has my daughter, and unless something drastically changes, we will never get the shots. She is fully immunized, btw. I just never saw the benefit to the shot since everyone I know who got it always got sick after, sometimes really really really sick! And I get it once a year, or once every other year, or sometimes twice a year, but I figure that's normal. Wash hands. Practice good hygiene. Cover your sneeze. Don't panic.

Another off-topic vaccine question. What about HPV vaccinations? Anyone who has had more than one partner, or has a partner who ever had another partner, could be at risk. My doctor told me that even long-term married people can pass the infection back and forth, if one or both was ever exposed in their younger years. The virus never goes away once infected. The immune system usually makes it dormant but it can flare up decades later and infect a partner, even if you've been monogamous for a long time. And if someone becomes divorced or widowed, and remarries, they are open to new exposure regardless of age. Hopefully everyone is doing their part to eradicate HPV as well, men included. Even if you've already been exposed, there are many different strains and the vaccine protects against multiple strains.

My daughter who is fully vaccinated will be visiting next week and although we made the decision before the CDC guidelines were released, they actually dovetail quite closely with what we'd planned. Since my husband has also had his shots 2/3 of us are fully vaccinated and the third person-me-is not in a high risk category. So we will forego masks in the house and I told her she doesn't need to take a COVID test before boarding her plane. My husband will pick her up at the airport after a direct flight from DC to Miami; they will come to our house where she will take off the clothes she wore traveling and shower down there, then come upstairs to our area, which is where the guest room is located. Her travel clothes can be washed downstairs so they never have to come anywhere near me. Which is probably overkill but why not? We feel comfortable with those plans. While I understand and don't disagree with the CDC advocating caution I do feel there is somewhat of a risk that by not promulgating ANY benefits of getting vaccinated, they aren't doing much to encourage people to do so. Frankly if after being vaccinated you still are told you might/probably can spread it, that you can't stop wearing masks with your family inside, etc....lots of people who are assiduously sheltering in place and staying away from others may figure why bother. My theory is that in the interests of not encouraging recklessness, the CDC is erring a bit too far on the cautious side. I'll put on my amateur immunologist hat and say I seriously doubt vaccinated people can spread the disease--there doesn't seem to be creditable data showing that to be the case. Suspect at some point that will be the scientific conclusion too. OTOH after I'm vaccinated I will not stop wearing my mask when I go outside and following other safety recommendations on distancing etc until scientific concensus indicates it is safe to do so. Luckily my age group is eligible beginning next Monday so I hope to test this plan very soon :)