Not surprisingly, I get many questions about vaccination against Covid-19. There is a lot of concern due to the rapid development of them as well as how they work. There are many questions, too: do they work, what are the side effects, what are the long-term effects, do I really need one, are they safe, do they reduce the spread of Covid-19, etc. These are all legitimate and thoughtful questions. And, as you probably already know, there are not answers to all of our questions. But here is what I can offer . . .
- The vaccines have been shown to reduce the severity of Covid-19 illness.
- While I am not a fan of the mRNA/DNA versions because of their possible impact on autoimmunity, viruses operate by usurping our DNA to proliferate–and our bodies know how to fight this and recover. Personally, I opted for the JNJ version as much because it was one injection (less interruption to my work schedule/patient appointments) as it is a more traditional-style vaccine.
- Vaccines (in general) work. Yes, there can be side effects and complications, but they do work against their target infections. Yes, I pray for the day that the more dangerous ingredients (aluminum, Thimerosal, formaldehyde, etc.) are no longer in vaccine formulas.
- Covid-19 has known potential long-term complications (kidney failure, long-haul syndrome, respiratory distress). The potential long-term complications of the vaccines are unknown.
- I’m not afraid of Covid-19. I don’t mean this in an arrogant way. I could certainly fall ill with it and either recover swiftly or have long-haul syndrome or even die. I just mean that I try to live healthfully and that I use both allopathic and naturopathic measures for treatments. I focus on a life of Hope not fear.
- I WANT to do my part in reducing spread of Covid-19 to others–whether they are high risk or not. My goal is to support health, not spread illness. I wear a mask. I practice physical and social distancing. I got my vaccine. None of this has been fun.
- I want this pandemic to become a memory as quickly as possible. Because of the focus the world has put on vaccination, it is our current option. The more that we can do to reduce the spread of Covid-19, the fewer opportunities the virus will have to mutate into more dangerous versions. Please understand the the virus “learns” how to get around our defenses with each infection.
- Are there other treatments and/or preventative measures? I cannot officially say “yes” because there has been no meaningful research. There was a report that Vit. C and Zinc did not change outcomes to Covid-19 infections–but they used doses below accepted therapeutic doses (think “spitting in the ocean”). There is a House bill that has been presented recently (as of the time of this post) to research Vit. D–I am praying solid research results! I can say that I’ve been able to offer treatment support to effectively keep my patients that have had Covid-19 out of the hospital and support their recovery. Please note that I cannot say that I’ve treated Covid19 because there are only a few approved treatments for Covid-19.
With you on this journey. Questions. Concerns. Hope. Life.
Dr.. Brown