Brian Cohen writes The Gate travel blog and has declared that he will not get vaccinated against Covid-19. I want to take his arguments seriously, because vaccine hesitancy – while continuing to decline – remains one of the major barriers to ending the pandemic.
Cohen says he doesn’t need a vaccine, and doesn’t want to virtue signal by getting one. And he has concerns. He says he is “not completely convinced that it is effective” because “we [do not] know what side effects may result in the short term and long term.”
Ultimately he says “no vaccine is guaranteed to be 100 percent effective for 100 percent of the people — and the side effects can potentially be significant.”
The ways in which this is wrong are manifold.
- These vaccines are highly effective not just in trial data but in real world data. When we talk about effectiveness like ‘95%’ (phase 3 trial for Pfizer-BioNTech) that’s just against symptoms, the vaccines are even more effective against severe disease, hospitalization, and death – the things we care about. Pfizer reports 97% effectiveness in Israel.
- These vaccines protect other people, not just yourself Pfizer reports 94% effectiveness against asymptomatic cases (so the possibility that someone is a silent carrier who spreads the virus). The CDC found that Pfizer and Moderna together were 90% effective against asymptomatic infection.
The case fatality rate for those diagnosed with Covid-19 who are over 80 years old is around 15%. Since vaccines reduce the chance you’ll spread the virus, getting vaccinated keeps you from killing grandma.
You might say but older people should get vaccinated to be protected but vaccines are also less effective in those taking certain drugs for other medical conditions. And this is a travel blogger writing, remember that vaccine availability is much greater in the U.S. than elsewhere, 80 year olds in much of the world haven’t had a chance to get vaccinated yet.
- Contra Brian, we do know the short-term side effects. For the mRNA vaccines there’s about a 1 in 100,000 risk of anaphylaxis, due to allergy to the lipid nanoparticles used to deliver the mRNA. And since that’s a known risk, vaccinated patients don’t leave immediately after getting their shot and those providing doses have medicine on hand to counteract the effects.
The most common side effect is soreness at the injection site, but some people experience headache, fatigue, and chills – especially for the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines after the second shot (unless they’ve already had Covid-19 then more frequently after the first shot). These generally resolve themselves within 24-48 hours.
- Risks of vaccines have to be compared to risks of Covid-19. Even rare blood clotting which has been attributed to the AstraZeneca vaccines – which isn’t approved for use in the U.S. but is approved in over 70 countries – is treatable and overall worth the risk given the effectiveness against Covid-19, especially against hospitalization and death.
Already almost one in 500 Americans has died of Covid-19, and we’re not done. And death isn’t the only bad outcome, being hospitalized is miserable, and so is having a terrible version of the flu for two weeks. While there are ‘risks’ associated with vaccines, there are greater risks associated with that which the vaccines protect against.
- Getting vaccinated reduces the risk of mutations. Covid-19, like all viruses, mutates within human hosts. The more potential hosts, the more possible mutation opportunities. If you don’t get vaccinated you’re more likely to contract the virus, and allow it to mutate in ways that could become more transmissible, lead to more severe disease, and potentially escape vaccines. Do you really want to risk moral culpability on par with the guy who first ate that bat? (I know, I know, it likely wasn’t direct bat to human transmission.)
- Brian sets an impossible standard. We haven’t followed test subjects for 20 years so by definition we cannot say based on empirical evidence what happens 20 years post-vaccination. But we do understand the science of the vaccines – viral vector vaccines deliver the spike protein, mRNA vaccines tell the body to create it – the body fights these off and then it disappears.
Moreover we have evidence of safety from over 600 million vaccine doses administered worldwide. There’s never been a vaccination campaign this closely watched in human history. Trial subjects were scrutinized to an incredible degree, did you know that one of Moderna’s phase 3 trial participants was struck by lightning and that incident had to be dismissed as not being the result of vaccination?
Brian writes that he’s gotten other vaccines, even ones that aren’t 100% protective, and against risks that are far more remote than contracting severe Covid. He says he doesn’t like virtue signaling but seems to be doing just that, against getting vaccinated for what’s a very real risk right now. That’s disappointing.
Thank goodness we’ve had access to these vaccines. Getting to shots in arms less than a year since human-to-human transmission of the virus was first identified is akin to the first moon landing. We all owe bioscience a huge debt of thanks. And Pfizer is now even prepared to file for full FDA approval, which is great because that will take off the table the misleading talking point of the anti-vaxxers that the vaccines ‘aren’t fully approved’.,
“Nothing is impossible to the man who will not listen to reason”, John Belushi in Animal House.
Unfortunately you cannot use logic on people who have their minds made up and willfully ignore facts. I say this as a person who has been teaching for over 40 years. Hopefully Mr. Cohen will neither get sick nor infect others, but for whatever reason he has decided to set a terrible example. Like the parents who let their kids get measles and mumps, ignoring the danger they pose to others, it’s always somebody else’s fault.
An excellent deconstruction of the stupid arguments over at The Gate.
I am not planning to read The Gate any more.
I’m never shy to criticize Gary: but credit where credit is due. This is an excellent post.
Nonsense from the Gate.
And “I’m getting the vaccine” is absolutely a virtue we should be signaling.
Is there a way to block this guys post on boardingarea? I’m done with his blog when he claimed that Uber rolling out a female only service was a total mistake.
First I am proud and pleased to report, not only am I vaccinated, I am past the two-week period. We have had others who are vaccinated over and it was great to not worry and wear a mask in the privacy of our home with family. I listen to people who do not want the vaccine and assume without hesitation they will take meds their Dr. prescribes that have known side effects that are worse than the original problem. Yet they will not accept a vaccine for a virus that is known to kill some who get it and has no significant side effects so far beyond the first 48 hours. A vaccine that will save lives and help end the pandemic. But they will take meds that can cause a list of adverse effects and in one commercial I listen to plus others we may not know about.
Brian is an idiot. Wow. Rarely have ever read him. Always read you Gary. Thank you for pointing out the science and sense of vaccines.
Excellent article. Agree 100%. About to get my second shot of Moderna and couldn’t be more excited. The more of us that get it, the sooner travel will feel normal!
Brian is cherry picking his science and engaging in whataboutism to deflect from the fact that he made up his mind beforehand and doesn’t feel like altering it now. My reasons for getting vaccinated are both selfish and altruistic: selfishly I want to travel, eat indoors, watch a movie, etc. without getting sick; altruistically it was pounded into me as a child that I have a personal responsibility and patriotic duty to this country (insert comment about this being trite if you must) and sometimes that means doing things I may not like, such as jury duty or getting vaccinated to protect my fellow citizens.
I don’t always agree with you, but you’re 100% right on this. Brian has lost his mind.
Everyone over 16 should get vaccinated at the earlier opportunity. The sooner everyone is vaccinated, the better for everyone.
Brian is a shit bag.
As others have said, I am quick to call out your bad posts, however on this one you are spot on. Credit where credit is due. Get your shots, and lets move on. The longer people DON’T get their shots, the more this will go on for.
Does anyone know why Brian uses a picture that is at least 15 years old on the front page of his blog? He certainly has taken a passport portrait since then.
I am sorry about Brian Cohen. I do not wish him to have long term health problems nor for him to get infected then infect someone else who dies. These are not low probability scenarios as evidenced by over half a million Americans who have already died. That is what would happen in a nuclear warhead exploded over Chicago….there would be half a million dead.
If you’re over 80 and already on death’s door, or have other serious morbidity factors no matter what age you are, the common flu or cold could easily be the final straw that leads to health complications and end of life. So if you’re consistent, you should be demanding everyone wear a mask and socially distance forever or until we have a vaccine for the common flu or cold. But you don’t. Because you’re not consistent. You’re fine with people dying from the common flu or pneumonia or whatever. Just like we all were pre-covid. But now you’re dutifully regurgitating the Left’s dogma on this sudden health awareness. Hate to break it to you, but old people are going to die of something eventually. It’s just so weird that you’re all perfectly fine with all those deaths because “that’s life” EXCEPT when anyone dies of anything covid-related. Nobody is allowed to die of that. Pneumonia? That’s cool. But NOT covid. So weird. Feel free to get vaccinated. But please stop all of your hypocrisy on this. (It’ll never stop.) Carry on.
You can’t fix stupid. I’ll not be reading The Gate. The Gate’s next trip should be to visit an ICU full of vented Covid patients.
Bravo. I’m a physician and when I read Brian’s article, lots of head shaking occurred. The argument about not getting the flu vaccine because he’s never gotten the flu is the exact rationale that anti-vaxxers use when they refuse vaccines for their kids. That’s like saying why should I wear a seat belt if I’ve never gotten into a car accident? Why buy home owners or car insurance if I’ve never had a tornado destroy my house or gotten into a car accident? Why buy life insurance because I’ve never died? The whole point of the vaccines are that if you happen to be exposed to it, it mitigates the severity of the disease and even better, prevents the virus from ever getting a foothold in the first place.
Your point about the variants/mutations is my main concern about not getting as many people vaccinated as much as possible. We need to get as many shots in arms as fast as we can to decrease the prospective pool of uninfected/unvaccinated people in order to decrease the substrate for mutations.
Brian probably thought he had a clever argument but the logic has flaws.
Thank you for pushing the vaccine! Everyone should be getting the vaccine if eligible and if there’ no health reasons not to get it. Not getting the vaccine is incredibly selfish, as the vaccine also helps protecting others.
Shot #2 already in the arm. #trustscience
Waiting to hear the “Getting the vaccine is like Jim Crow” excuse…..don’t laugh…..its coming from one of these idiots. The USA needs to set a date…..say, August 1st. By this time, anyone in this country who wants a vaccine will have had it. So this will be the date that ALL restrictions end…. and I do mean ALL. If you’re too thick-headed to get vaccinated, fair enough, that’s your right but my rights don’t end where yours start. You can take your chances in an open society. If you contract it, (which you probably wont) I wish you a speedy recovery.
Selfish! Just unsubscribed to his blog. One who travels so much should know better.
Stupid is as stupid does. – Aristotle.
Brian is a travel blogger? What type of travel is he expecting to do in the future, if he isn’t vaccinated? Can’t imagine he will have much to write about if he is limited to domestic travel. Oh yeah, maybe RV park reviews and the best roller coasters at local amusement parks. Writing from his recliner, I guess–a real authoritative source. Hmmm.
Why are you so afraid of other people having a different opinion?
I hugely applaud Brian for having the guts to go against the narrative. For me, it’s a shame being part of BoardingArea nowadays. Too scared to lose your “clicks” by saying anything that contradicts the narrative… We don’t need nor want this toxic “vaccine”. Nobody who is capable of critical thinking does. Gotta respect that, Gary.
I’m officially done with The Gate. It is almost a lampoon of a good Boarding Area writer. Gary, Thanks for providing excellent and thoughtful content that I can trust.
It’s helpful to get insight into the minds of the vaccine hesitant, so I appreciate his transparency.
As we transition from the time when people are hustling to be vaccinated to the time when supply is ample and we’re begging laggards to take them, the nonvaccinated like Brian will be the folks who keep us out of herd immunity and allow covid room to mutate into forms that resist available vaccines, hit children harder, or spread more effectively.
People like Brian will be directly responsible for these foreseeable consequences. Understanding how society should treat the nonvaccinated will be an important way of charting our way out.
Interesting to read that he never gets the seasonal flu shot too — I didn’t realize that. The strain of late 2019/early 2020 was really bad for pediatric mortality :/
Going into fall 2020 I was cautious about vaccines because of the ultra rushed process and regulatory control by a federal government who didn’t always seem to have American lives as a high priority. What I did was actually watch the VRBPAC materials and read the supporting documents, including the peer reviewed articles with efficacy data, and talk to trusted MD friends. I was excited to take the Moderna vaccine when it was available for my demographic.
Here’s what’s undeniable: we don’t know what we don’t know. “Informed consent” is simply not possible where no long term studies exist. There’s little to no information on potential reproductive system impacts. The vaccine is not “FDA Approved.” It is instead authorized for emergency use only. The two most widely available vaccines stateside are predicated on a technology that has never before been used in the vaccine sphere. And outside of nursing homes, survival rate vs. the disease is 99.97%.
Now, if you look at that, take your personal health profile into account, and determine that getting the shot is the right play, then good for you. But lots of folks are going to conclude otherwise, and their underlying reasoning is often sound.
Very well said Gary…and as far as the one person on here (AL) that disagrees…..so far.
Getting the vaccine isn’t just about protecting yourself or your chances of dying if you do get
Covid, it’s about protecting others from getting it. It’s profoundly selfish to say you aren’t worried about getting Covid because you are not in a high risk demographic or think you know more then the experts on the subject and “Covid is overblown”
Essentially you are saying you have no problem with you getting infected and sitting next to an 80 year couple on an airplane and passing it on to them.
That’s the reality of your perspective.
The vaccinations have already saved 1000’s of lives and the more people that get vaccinated the more lives will be saved. The Q anon/Plandemic/ Mercola anti vax crowd all come from a very self centered point of view. Their entire argument is always about what about me and never a hint about what’s good for society.
I agree with Brian but not for his reasons…. show me a vaccine that has absolutely no connection to abortion and I’ll take it. Otherwise just can’t do it.
Gary,
Interesting article. I happen to agree with your points, and got my vaccine several months ago (I’m in the health care field). But what happened to civil discourse? The name calling from commenters because someone expressed a different opinion is ridiculous. Would you speak to any person that way face to face? While you can discuss the facts about the vaccine (and this article presents them well) Brian’s opinion about what to do for himself is just that, an opinion. It’s not right or wrong, it can’t be “fact checked.” And we all wonder why there is such a decline in sophistication in debating and discussing public policy- everyone is a genius or a moron, with nothing in between. My experience is that there are very few geniuses or morons (well, maybe more than a few). And trying to “shut him up;” are we afraid of any point of view different from our own? That’s what leads to book burning.
I have no idea who this guy is. Given he averages 0 comments on his posts I imagine few do either.
Its people like Brian that will make travel in the near term questionable. The problem he is not alone in his views. While vaccinated my wife and I decided to cancel our trip to London this summer, reason being how enjoyable can travel be with FA’s dressed like they’re working in an operating room, food service margin, then facing the same in London a city we love. To date we hav cancelled two previous trips now this one hoping next year will be more agreeable.
So Brian like you so goes your column to shit.
The blog I see on Boarding Area and call “The Face” isn’t worth reading anyway.
The guy should change the site name to FoolsGate. In my mind I already have and will never again click through to any further information or points of view that he has because he as identified himself as a huge fool. The dangerous thing is that unfortunately there are far to many people in the world that will listen to an idiot.
These vaccines have been shown to be effective and safe in millions of people.
I wonder if Brian and friends will refuse to fly on a new plane until it has made millions of successful new trips
I’m happy to get vaccinated so that free riders like Brian don’t have to. That’s all he’s doing. Once everyone has easy access to a vaccine, let Darwin take the wheel.
I was hoping Brian’s post was a poor attempt at April Fool’s humor, but it seems he’s serious. I’ve never found The Gate interesting or useful, but now it’s advocating dangerous behavior. Boarding Area should stop hosting his blog.
You gave this way more logical thinking and rationale then it deserves. Brian is a moron plain and simple
His blog is the worst one on boarding area. “Get $5 off of when you buy 2 snickers bars at Walmart”… ring a bell?
I got my first shot yesterday. I finally feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Where is your left wing tolerance, Gary?
Why can’t you (and some of your low information readers) simply be accepting of different or opposing viewpoints?
“getting vaccinated for what’s a very real risk right now”.
A real risk from what .. getting COVID or dying? If it’s COVID,, big deal. The survival rate is 99% or higher for most people under 70. If it’s dying.. this narrative has been proven to be a big nothing-burger. But don’t let facts get in the way of a good narrative..
Meanwhile.. you all are so gung-ho with Mrna-based vaccines, but are you aware that these types of vaccines CAN alter DNA? Personally, I’ll let you all “beta” test this vaccines out – and I’ll carefully watch the results for the next few years. Even then, I still might not take the vaccine – SIMPLY BECAUSE I DON’T NEED IT. And stop this line about also “hurting others” by not taking it because are you all going to apologize when you require another COVID vaccine a year from now because the current ones didn’t work?
Oh – for those so strung up at at Brian’s post – one thing you have to admit (but you prob won’t because you are too prideful): he was dead right out COVID a year ago as he stated COVID was a big nothing-burger. He was the only travel blogger around this time last year to outright state that COVID was not worth living in fear for and to stop traveling, and he is 100% CORRECT on that. There is very little difference in terms of infection rates between communities that got locked down and those that didn’t. Bottom line: stop acting like a total fascist when it comes to other people’s opinions. I don’t know what colleges you folks went to, but they are doing a great job to make sure you try to silence all dissent to the officially approve narrative. If COVID was such a threat, why is big tech and big gov going over the top in trying to convince people it is soooooo scary… when the CDC stats say otherwise.
In all.. NO – we’re not all in this together. The l3ftist nut jobs that keep locking down human beings in the name of COVID should be put in jail permanently. Tens of millions of jobs were lost for absolutely nothing.. all caused by heartless and cowardly bureaucrats who didn’t miss one paycheck – only to be funded by those who they screwed over.
You folks who think that Brian should be cancelled or say “well i’m not going to visit his blog again”… get a life and learn how to accept opinions that don’t align with yours.
I used to read The Gate. Then he wrote some nonsense post basically supporting antimaskers, and that pretty much sums up his idiocy. I even posted on his blog pointing out the fallacy and lack of societal responsibility. His replies were just rehash of the tired arguments of an antimasker.
The guy claims he’s presenting balanced views, but he’s kinda like Fox News / Breitbart / OAN for travel.
I’ll append my prior post to clarify; it wasn’t about the masks, it was about social distancing, restricting businesses and closing parts of the economy to flatten the curve. His point was basically willing to let a percentage of the population become infected with COVID-19 (herd immunity) and die off (himself included in his reply), instead of shutting down parts of the economy. That was back in February / March of 2020, and now with 550K+ deaths, I wonder what his take is now. Especially considering it could have been even worse if everyone were allowed to go about without closing up gyms and other high risk areas.
Gray can sometimes hold opinion that I do not necessarily agree with, but this piece deserves kudos.
It boils down to comparative risks: are you and your community at a lower risk should you choose to (a) vaccinate everybody or (b) refuse to get a jab? Based on existing evidence (a) stands out.
Hahaha that guy has always been straddling the line between moron and imbecile so this comes as no surprise. The only redeeming feature of The Gate is that when you inevitably flame him for his retarded posts he won’t censor you; he just takes it in stride.
Lol, the self-righteous attitude in these responses is hilarious. And Gary is still sanctimonious. Good luck, America. Brian may well be wrong to avoid vaccination at this time. He is not alone. Getting 330 million people to agree on anything at the same moment is not common. Americans, particularly Gary’s biggest fans, have fallen in love with insulting all that disagree with them. And for their brilliant counsel america delivers poor health outcomes, violence and toxic social interactions. Gary, you whip this up for an extra click or two. Don’t you think you might just be part of the problem?
gotta say there are many who have had the wool pulled over their eyes here.
You really believe the 95% efficacy? You’ve been suckered. The biggest thing was the results are from summer/early fall. Peak immune strength in the N. Hemisphere / USA. Lots more holes…manipulation as well. Namely – nobody died of C19 in the trials (Ok – 1 in Moderna)…meanwhile in USA – 75,000+ died in same time frame.
Website/Books to read:
Dissolving Illusions – 1500 Amazon reviews
Miller’s Review of Critical Vaccine Studies – #1 on Amazon – Health Policy now
Learn the Risk website – easy to read…can see the vax fraud for what it is easily.
oh yeah…the 4 primary VOC (Variants of Concern) all originated from the primary vax test countries – USA, UK, South Africa, and Brazil. Brazil is #1 test country for VARIETY of vax. Guess who is having mega problems now?
Vaxinated in USA / Europe will be dying in big numbers soon enough…
Not sure on Brian’s reasoning…but it ain’t dumb.
Check out a video on Youtube – it’s bacteria but same principle:
evolution of bacteria petri dish – a 2 min video from Harvard.
In the Miller’s Review book you find published science like:
Pertussis vaccines caused new, vaccine-resistant strains of pertussis to emerge and increased cases of the disease – study #92 of 400 in the book
from this study: Population diversity among Bordetella pertussis isolates, United States, 1935-2009 [search that…look at the graphs]
pHARMa vax will kill many more people than if we just did nothing for something 99.6%+ under 70 or so (99.9x for younger set) survive.
but hey…believe it’s all a conspiracy / fake news…when the joke will be on the masses.
@whocares
Does that incoherent drivel work on your FB friends?
Your article is wholly inflammatory from the first line: “he will not get vaccinated against Covid-19″… when the article is actually titled “Why I Am Not Getting a Vaccine At This Time.”
This is a blatant misquote meant to make an inaccurate point. You should be ashamed at this attempt to flame a fellow blogger for your own gain. Honest disagreement is one thing. This is a despicable display.
There is no vaccine for any ailment required in this country. TB? No, despite 1.8 million people dying from it in 2019. Measles? No. Pneumonia? No. Flu. No. Nothing. Yet, you and others set out to vilify anyone who will not blindly toe the line and accept the Covid vaccine. Why this mob mentality over only one of the countless ways we are in danger every day?!
That guy and his woeful blog is still around? And the head in the header, c’mon! His denial would have been worth a footnote at best, now you’ve given him the voice he so strongly desired.
Mistake or not, at the end it’s HIS mistake and he’ll have to live with that decision as does everyone else who makes personal medical decisions. People believe whatever they choose to believe in, usually mistakes aren’t visible until years later.
How about it’s his choice same as yours to make?!