What a difference a week makes! The rate the South Georgia community went from “the light at the end of the tunnel” to beating previously established records was simply shocking. A lot has been discussed, and there is a lot to share.

Vaccines
Vaccines are really the only way out of this. They are how we are going to be able to deploy anywhere at any time, not debilitate a duty section with quarantines and isolations, and not lose an Airman to a severe complication. If an operator can’t pass a Tier 2 test because their lung function or cardiac function isn’t recovering, the mission still loses them. If brain fog causes a maintainer to skip steps during an inspection or a repair, it can lead to an aviation mishap.

It’s so much more than whether or not it kills you.

Breakthrough Infections
A vaccine is like an armor plate. When you are surrounded by a bunch of other people wearing armor plates, yours does a really good job protecting you when your group is taking fire on all sides. But when you are the only one wearing a plate, the bullets are going through those other people and hitting you. Eventually, with enough hits close enough together, that plate can fail. Something may get through. But it’s still likely to be a partial something, and still better than if you never wore the plate at all.

Resources
Our website, https://www.vaxmoody.com, has the vaccine fact sheets, the DHA form we have you fill out each time, and the ability to schedule your Moderna vaccine. If you can’t get a date, contact the Allergy and Immunization clinic to be added to the waitlist. If we have extra doses at the end of the day, we’ll call you. Currently, you can go to any pharmacy downtown and get a free shot. After receiving the vaccine, bring us your vaccine card so we can update it in ASIMS.

This website was really good at breaking down what ingredients are in each vaccine and what they do. The vaccine has better transparency than most supplements and less ingredients than common energy drinks.
https://www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/HealthU/2021/01/11/a-simple-breakdown-of-the-ingredients-in-the-covid-vaccines/

Social Distancing
Physical distancing not only protects from getting the virus, it also negates being a close contact. The vaccine is the only thing different - if you don’t have that, we are fighting exactly the same war. No credit for time served.

We are social animals and need interactions. Just do them farther away from each other, while covering your mouth and nose. With the seeming backward slide we are in, check in on your people. Some folks are not doing well. This is something we will only overcome together, as a people, all making the decision to protect our fellow Airmen and those around us. This is hero-level stuff.

Misinformation
As the emphasis on vaccines heightens, real information is more paramount than ever. A lot of people have opinions, and are more than eager to share them with you in the media space to make themselves important. Look for the voices that aren’t getting paid outside of their usual jobs, aren’t coming across as overly emotional (though there are a lot of exhausted docs and nurses out there begging for people to help by just getting themselves vaccinated), and aren’t the lone voice in a sea of their true peers. Conspiracy theories are alluring, because they make us feel special, different and more aware than everyone else, but fail to provide the same degree of evidence and proof that we ask of the scientists.

Final Thought
In closing, we have some great folks here in the 23d Medical Group, who would love to talk to your units about the vaccine. Just hit us up!