[Byte1]

Originally Posted by justjim

I was amazed to see in the Orlando newspaper that Orange County (Orlando) approximately 80% of Firefighters were not vaccinated. That number “blew me away” and I had to ask myself why? In most cases it’s your choice and Firefighters are a homogenous group and I suspect that is the why. Still, the number (if accurate) is a surprise. I read recently that it is estimated that 25% don’t wear seatbelts on a regular basis. We humans are a strange bunch…. It shouldn’t be a surprise that some just won’t get a vaccine shot.

I sincerely hope that no one on here will accuse them of not being "patriotic." It seems to be the theme. This would be a subject for another thread. Did the paper expound on any guess as to why they are not vaccinated? It would be interesting to know, whether it has anything to do with politics, vaccination ignorance or if they know something we don't know regarding the subject.

[GrumpyOldMan]

Originally Posted by Byte1

That's a very kind reply. Thank you.
However, regardless of "intelligence" I have always been under the assumption that most of what is discussed on this outstanding social media platform is personal opinion, sprinkled with just a minute bit of facts to back up some of the posters. "Misinformation" or not, I find your comments interesting. Some of the obvious "experts" on here are a bit boorish, but they usually provide good sources even if the material is only a tool to support their own opinions.
I have to admit that I am a sucker for some folks' irony, wit and humor. One of the great things about following most of these posts is the ability to see both sides of opinions on subjects, and that almost everybody has something in which we can agree upon.
But, getting back to the original question, I still don't see why anyone would be concerned about someone's first post or how long they have been a member. If I don't wish to engage, I just don't. If I do not like the subject, I skip it. Is it because some folks can't resist the temptation?

Exactly agree.

[GrumpyOldMan]

Originally Posted by Byte1

I sincerely hope that no one on here will accuse them of not being "patriotic." It seems to be the theme. This would be a subject for another thread. Did the paper expound on any guess as to why they are not vaccinated? It would be interesting to know, whether it has anything to do with politics, vaccination ignorance or if they know something we don't know regarding the subject.

I have no knowledge of these people and do not judge them one way or the other. But, your post appears to imply that because of their profession they should be given a pass on other behaviors. If they were all pedophiles in addition, would you feel the same, would you call them patriotic pedophiles? If they were closet terrorists?

My point is a person is the sum of all their behaviors, and should not be judged on anyone to the exclusion of the others but in conderation or it all.

[Byte1]

Originally Posted by GrumpyOldMan

I have no knowledge of these people and do not judge them one way or the other. But, your post appears to imply that because of their profession they should be given a pass on other behaviors. If they were all pedophiles in addition, would you feel the same, would you call them patriotic pedophiles? If they were closet terrorists?

My point is a person is the sum of all their behaviors, and should not be judged on anyone to the exclusion of the others but in conderation or it all.

I agree. What I meant was, it seems to be the theme of certain folks on here to accuse someone of being UN-patriotic and/or selfish if they do not get vaccinated. I have no idea why someone decides NOT to get vaccinated, but I do not accuse them of being selfish or UN-patriotic. I kind of assume that if one is a first responder then they have proven that they are patriotic and unselfish.

[drducat]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

But is 3% a small number that should make you feel safe?

A 3% difference in gas prices would make me drive to the next station. A 3% increase in taxes would make me quite unhappy. A 3% increase in social security payment is about double what it has been likely. A 3% chance of being in a car crash would keep me off a busy highway. A 3% chance that a bridge might fail would have me finding a different way around.

A 3% chance of winning the lottery is something I would run towards; a 3% chance of being hospitalized and possibly dying is something I would run away from.

The hospitalization rate of flu ages 65 plus is H about 5% to 6%.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Byte1

I agree. What I meant was, it seems to be the theme of certain folks on here to accuse someone of being UN-patriotic and/or selfish if they do not get vaccinated. I have no idea why someone decides NOT to get vaccinated, but I do not accuse them of being selfish or UN-patriotic. I kind of assume that if one is a first responder then they have proven that they are patriotic and unselfish.

Just for a trip down memory lane, weren't these the same people who a year ago would accuse others of being "selfish" and "unpatriotic" if they didn't wear a mask???(like 24/7)???

[drducat]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Sumter county has the highest percentage of vaccinated people in Florida. There is no valid way to assess The Villages....other than "feel".

Most of us in Sumter County do not oppose vaccination. How is that?

Sumter County, FL COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker | theadvertiser.com

I don't think those numbers are real....they have no idea how many doses where administered.......look at the chart they have.

In talking to groups of people in The Villages.......60% tops....if that.

[Packer Fan]

Originally Posted by Supalupa

The protected need to be protected from the unprotected by forcing the unprotected to use the protection that didn't protect the protected.

Actually, yes we do. Here is why. I have VERY personal knowledge of how this works, since I have a friend that just spent 2 weeks in The Villages Hospital because he would not get vaccinated. He may have damaged lungs permanently, he is currently on 4 liters per minute of oxygen and not getting better and he is 7 weeks from getting Covid-19. Kind of stinks since he is 59. This is one of the undiscussed issues - permanent things like reduced lung capacity and loss of taste that go along with this, not just dying.

So I went through this in August - he spent 4 days in the ER before getting a room, because there were no rooms. Per his doctor - "they are all filled with unvaccinated people". Even the antivaxxers get that it is the unvaxxed in the hospitals, even if they won't admit it.

So the hospitals are full, and here is where this effects us all. What if we have a heart attack? What if I break my leg? The hospitals are clogged with antivaxxers, so no rooms. On top of that, guess who is PAYING for these idiots - you got it - US.

Oh, and why are we forced to wear useless masks on airplanes? Yeah, its the moron antivaxxers..

Sorry, this DOES affect us all. It is the ativaxxers that are prolonging all of this, and it is really getting old. I am a conservative republican, and I am totally for mandates.

I have multiple 40 somethings I know that have died, who were perfectly healthy, along with the older ones I know. This is like Russian Roulette - most are fine, but you don't know who it will take.

It appears to me that a lot of people are just not good at understanding odds, and are really good at believing crazy people on the internet. So that is why we have to mandate this. Sorry, thats how I feel.

So the alternative is to stop treating unvaccinated people for Covid-19 in our hospitals, are you willing to do that?

Best solution - make anyone who is unvaccinated pay a $200 a month medicare surcharge. Delta and others are already implementing this sort of thing, since they will have to pay when people end up in the hospital because they excercised their "personal choice"...... Maybe these people should start thinking of others for once in their lives.

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by Byte1

Still wondering why this bothers you. When I read posts like this, I wonder if the same folks that worry about others posting, also keep an eye out the window to watch their neighbors. I guess we all need a hobby....

[GrumpyOldMan]

Originally Posted by Byte1

I agree. What I meant was, it seems to be the theme of certain folks on here to accuse someone of being UN-patriotic and/or selfish if they do not get vaccinated. I have no idea why someone decides NOT to get vaccinated, but I do not accuse them of being selfish or UN-patriotic. I kind of assume that if one is a first responder then they have proven that they are patriotic and unselfish.

I agree with you, there does seem to be a lot of people here that prefer name-calling to discussions. I was making a general comment not an accusation.

[GrumpyOldMan]

Originally Posted by Packer Fan

Actually, yes we do. Here is why. I have VERY personal knowledge of how this works, since I have a friend that just spent 2 weeks in The Villages Hospital because he would not get vaccinated. He may have damaged lungs permanently, he is currently on 4 liters per minute of oxygen and not getting better and he is 7 weeks from getting Covid-19. Kind of stinks since he is 59. This is one of the undiscussed issues - permanent things like reduced lung capacity and loss of taste that go along with this, not just dying.

So I went through this in August - he spent 4 days in the ER before getting a room, because there were no rooms. Per his doctor - "they are all filled with unvaccinated people". Even the antivaxxers get that it is the unvaxxed in the hospitals, even if they won't admit it.

So the hospitals are full, and here is where this effects us all. What if we have a heart attack? What if I break my leg? The hospitals are clogged with antivaxxers, so no rooms. On top of that, guess who is PAYING for these idiots - you got it - US.

Oh, and why are we forced to wear useless masks on airplanes? Yeah, its the moron antivaxxers..

Sorry, this DOES affect us all. It is the ativaxxers that are prolonging all of this, and it is really getting old. I am a conservative republican, and I am totally for mandates.

I have multiple 40 somethings I know that have died, who were perfectly healthy, along with the older ones I know. This is like Russian Roulette - most are fine, but you don't know who it will take.

It appears to me that a lot of people are just not good at understanding odds, and are really good at believing crazy people on the internet. So that is why we have to mandate this. Sorry, thats how I feel.

So the alternative is to stop treating unvaccinated people for Covid-19 in our hospitals, are you willing to do that?

Best solution - make anyone who is unvaccinated pay a $200 a month medicare surcharge. Delta and others are already implementing this sort of thing, since they will have to pay when people end up in the hospital because they excercised their "personal choice"...... Maybe these people should start thinking of others for once in their lives.

I am hoping to be scheduled in October for Cataract surgery at the VA. They said they could not guarantee a specific date this far out because they get allocated so many surgeries each day depending on the COVID load that day. So, they will call me when they can give me a tentative date.

Not that cataract surgery is an emergency, but the fact that the VA hospital in Gainesville is so impacted by the non-vaccinated it ripples down to all surgeries. It is even hard at the moment to get a call with my PCP she is so busy and said she is very wornout out at the moment.

[EdFNJ]

Originally Posted by Byte1

I still don't see why anyone would be concerned about someone's first post or how long they have been a member. If I don't wish to engage, I just don't. If I do not like the subject, I skip it. Is it because some folks can't resist the temptation?

LOL! Exactly, You don't see why. Turn around your comment back to yourself. Why do YOU CARE if someone voices a concern about something that doesn't concern YOU? Simply don't respond. Obviously it bothers you. If you don't see that it is not "just about the subject" then there is no possible further discussion which is probably the best idea.

[Byte1]

Originally Posted by EdFNJ

LOL! Exactly, You don't see why. Turn around your comment back to yourself. Why do YOU CARE if someone voices a concern about something that doesn't concern YOU? Simply don't respond. Obviously it bothers you. If you don't see that it is not "just about the subject" then there is no possible further discussion which is probably the best idea.

Have it your way Whatever floats your boat.
Just out of curiosity, how many posts does it take to pass your approval for a first time, TWO YEAR member before they are considered "one of the gang?" Never mind, if you deem the person a "troll" it must be so...

[EdFNJ]

Originally Posted by Byte1

Have it your way Whatever floats your boat.
Just out of curiosity, how many posts does it take to pass your approval for a first time, TWO YEAR member before they are considered "one of the gang?" Never mind, if you deem the person a "troll" it must be so...

Sure, with ZERO previous posts in the TWO YEARS of the trolls membership, at least 2 total posts including at least one reply by the troll in the thread the troll started because s/he had so much interest in the posted topic.. Yea, that! Then s/he gets the badge of approval. Sound reasonable?

[SilverRose]

Covid has now claimed the lives of one in every 500 Americans.
1 in every 500 US residents have died of Covid-19 - CNN