Vaccinate if you can - Be smart

This letter is in response to Dr. John Farrar’s column of Jan. 27 and Feb. 3 in the Seeley Swan Pathfinder about COVID-19 vaccinations. Dr. Farrar, in highly science-y terms, shared some very credible information on how our immune systems works. Not the whole story, but some useful info. Sadly, he closed his column with an implication that vaccines for COVID-19 are not necessarily that important and perhaps should not be trusted.

Dr. Farrar effectively covers the weakness in the vaccine as far as stimulating the Mucosal Immune System we all possess. Simultaneously, he inadvertently downplays the effectiveness of the vaccines in stimulating the Systemic Immune System we all possess because it was not his focus. His implication is that there is a lot of lying going on about the effectiveness of the COVID vaccines and states outright that vaccine mandates don’t “make sense.”

Here’s some more helpful “covidology” information from the Missoulian issue of Feb. 7 which you can read here: https://missoulian.com/news/local/missoula-county-hits-200-covid-deaths/article_1e4eed15-b24a-501e-81af-9f9dd72b915f.html “Over the last 90 days, unvaccinated county residents have died at a rate 18.72 times higher than those who were vaccinated. Additionally, over the last 30 days, unvaccinated residents were hospitalized at a rate 3.36 times higher than those who were vaccinated.”

And more helpful and accurate information from National Public Radio on Feb. 7 which you can read here: https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/02/07/1057245449/the-future-of-the-pandemic-is-looking-clearer-as-we-learn-more-about-infection The gist, “And if you’re vaccinated on top of it, your protection is likely even better, studies are consistently showing.”

Please raise your hand if you would prefer to be in the group of Montanans 18.7 times more likely to die from COVID if you catch it and in the group 3.6 times more likely to be hospitalized. My suggestion is that you should not go to Las Vegas for a gambling trip.

Bottom line. Be smart. Be considerate and kind toward your friends, family and neighbors. Get vaccinated!!! And protect yourself at the same time.