D&D and the rising pandemic

[J.Quondam]

Sometimes, you gotta give people the benefit of the doubt - most of them were parenting the best they could based on what they knew at the time and their own experiences - many from entirely before most immunizations.

Agreed. In the case of chicken pox, it seems like the notion of intentional infections of young kids was perfectly reasonable for the time. As I understand it, similar things were even done for small pox way back-- intentional infection with "cow pox" (?) as I recall, as sort of a stand in for what has become formal vaccination today.

The problem is that that so many people today are making incorrect assumptions that (1) that approach to immunization applies for any/all viruses; and/or (2) that "common sense, old timey" approach is superior to modern techniques. It's a very reactionary view that is driven by cynical or irresponsible media stirring up distrust of experts (of all sorts) in the last few decades.

 

[Ryujin]

I don't know. I know that I had never heard of "chicken pox parties" until I got online. If it was done around in rural Ontario, it's news to me. OTOH, it was pretty much one of those things that everyone goes through. Someone managing to make it into adulthood without catching it was pretty rare, AFAIK.

I had mine over the Christmas holidays. Just a gift that kept on giving.

Toronto, 1968, for me.

 

[Thomas Shey]

Agreed. In the case of chicken pox, it seems like the notion of intentional infections of young kids was perfectly reasonable for the time. As I understand it, similar things were even done for small pox way back-- intentional infection with "cow pox" (?) as I recall, as sort of a stand in for what has become formal vaccination today.

I was shocked how late this was, but I didn't realize there was no vaccine until the 90's.

The problem is that that so many people today are making incorrect assumptions that (1) that approach to immunization applies for any/all viruses; and/or (2) that "common sense, old timey" approach is superior to modern techniques. It's a very reactionary view that is driven by cynical or irresponsible media stirring up distrust of experts (of all sorts) in the last few decades.

Yup.

 

[Bedrockgames]

Agreed. In the case of chicken pox, it seems like the notion of intentional infections of young kids was perfectly reasonable for the time. As I understand it, similar things were even done for small pox way back-- intentional infection with "cow pox" (?) as I recall, as sort of a stand in for what has become formal vaccination today.

Chicken pox is also an illness that is much worse if you get it when you are older, so the reason for our parents doing that was they wanted to prevent us having a bigger problem later in life. When I was a kid my sister gave me chicken pox on purpose because she thought it was something you could give away (that it would leave her body and infect me). But that is a whole other issue. Also chicken pox was pretty manageable. All I remember is feeling itchy.

 

[Zardnaar]

Chicken pox is also an illness that is much worse if you get it when you are older, so the reason for our parents doing that was they wanted to prevent us having a bigger problem later in life. When I was a kid my sister gave me chicken pox on purpose because she thought it was something you could give away (that it would leave her body and infect me). But that is a whole other issue. Also chicken pox was pretty manageable. All I remember is feeling itchy.

I remember itchy and scabs falling off. That was the 80's.

 

[Ryujin]

I remember itchy and scabs falling off. That was the 80's.

For me it was many days of being slathered with Calamine Lotion and being so itchy that I thought I would go insane, scratching until I bled, etc..

 

[niklinna]

A bit of vaccine news from Your Local Epidemiologist: Two underdog but game changing vaccines: NVX-CoV2373 (Novavax) and CORBEVAX

 

[J.Quondam]

A bit of vaccine news from Your Local Epidemiologist: Two underdog but game changing vaccines: NVX-CoV2373 (Novavax) and CORBEVAX

That's some sorely need good news.
I've gotten the impression in the last few weeks that the Corbevax one has generated some positive buzz among some factions of the antivaxxer crowd here in the US, because it's been deemed more politically correct. But whatever, if these new ones get more antivaxxers on board, that's an excellent development.
So... fingers crossed!

 

[niklinna]

That's some sorely need good news.
I've gotten the impression in the last few weeks that the Corbevax one has generated some positive buzz among some factions of the antivaxxer crowd here in the US, because it's been deemed more politically correct. But whatever, if these new ones get more antivaxxers on board, that's an excellent development.
So... fingers crossed!

Aye, and also because of this: The Guardian view on vaccine justice: the developing world won’t wait | Editorial

 

[Cadence]

Son has felt just fine the last few days (test yesterday was still positive, it's been a week since his first symptoms). Other half and I were a couple days behind with symptoms - yesterday and this morning were my worst, I just need to not be stupid about working at home this weekend and get some sleep I think. She's doing a bit worse, but nothing near seeing a doctor for yet (sinus congestion, headache, and drowzy).

On the plus side, if it goes down as fast as it went up in SC, there's at least hope on the horizon. This is the new hopspitializations per 100k.