Much of the current political discourse, especially in England, is about how Covid isn’t a problem any more, something we can live with. This is accompanied by removal of testing, so people will have Covid but not know. Likewise mask wearing isn’t being enforced, and many people stopped long ago. Note wearing a mask primarily protects others, not you, including the clinically extremely vulnerable you aren’t aware of just by looking at them. And this is all supposedly ok.
I’m one of those at greatest risk from Covid, being severely immunosuppressed for life, due to treatment controlling my incurable neurological disease and keeping me alive. I have been told very clearly by my medics that Covid could kill me and I must avoid catching it.
The first two Covid vaccines left me with very little protection against the vaccine. I am very lucky to have finally after my 3rd primary vaccine (an extra bonus vaccine given to the severely immunosuppressed in the UK) developed a good number of antibodies. But Covid could still potentially kill me, and I still need to avoid it.
I have been stuck in the house for two years, partly due to the risks out there, partly as my neurological disease rages. Both during the official shielding periods when I was advised by the NHS to shield, and after. The inequalities of so-called “living with Covid” are immense. It isn’t safe for me to go into a dining environment or coffee shop, or a general shop, or anywhere where people may be unmasked. Nor can I easily meet family or friends.
Yet even vaccines that may save my life have a high price. My unstable life threatening neurological disease has flared after all four past Covid vaccines. It takes me three months each time to recover. I have just about recovered from the December jab 4. I have jab 5 (Spring Booster) due any time now, which will almost certainly cause me to flare for another three months. But my medics and I are all agreed I need these vaccines.
It is no wonder I am so bitter at politicians and some of the public blithely dismissing Covid as a threat. If you haven’t lived in the shoes of someone extremely vulnerable, especially severely immunosuppressed, you can’t grasp what we’re facing, and why the risks are so high for us, especially now. In the last few weeks I have known many friends and clinically extremely vulnerable catch Covid. One friend with zero antibodies from four vaccines is fighting it now. The dangers to us are huge, but according to many politicians and the public it is just fine.
This post was prompted by a blog post from fellow academic Martin Paul Eve. He has even lower protection from the vaccines than me, and describes the situation he finds himself in eloquently.
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Viv's Academic Blog 