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Qualifying for COVID vaccine solely on BMI

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Replies

  • pfeiferlindsey
    pfeiferlindsey Posts: 163 Member
    To piggyback off the COVID vaccine debate...what are your thoughts on states vaccinating people who are classified as overweight or obese as defined by BMI?

    I think we need to choose how to look at this, there are two obvious extremes:

    * We can be moralistic, blame fat people for being fat, and refuse them the vaccine until cats and dogs have had the shot.

    * We can try to keep ICU beds available which means vaccinating vulnerable people who might wind up needing them if they get sick.

    The first one is cutting your nose off to spite your face, the second one is sensible policy if the goal is public health.

    Remember that 1 in 4 Americans had already had a shot and that vaccinated people are much less likely to spread the virus.

    I'm not blaming anyone for being overweight or obese. Especially coming off a 170 pound weight loss.

    I think you are not seeing where I am coming from on this. Yes, overweight and obesity carries a higher risk of severe complications from COVID. A BMI above 30 carries a 27% higher risk of severe complications and above 40%, that risk doubles. Not denying that one bit. - https://www.houstonmethodist.org/blog/articles/2020/jun/obesity-and-covid-19-can-your-weight-alone-put-you-at-higher-risk/

    Based on my state's criteria, someone carrying 5 extra pounds will be in the next group. Vaccinators will be allowed to prioritize based on supply, but given that 64% of my state is overweight/obese, they basically opened it wide up.
  • 33gail33
    33gail33 Posts: 1,155 Member
    I've gotten a few "how do YOU manage to get a vaccine" when I tell people I have had it as I am 55 and healthy, and vaccine has been in short supply here.
    I actually do feel a little bit guilty that maybe someone else needed it more, but I remind myself it is for the protection of the residents in my moms home that I was allowed to get it, not really for me.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
    To piggyback off the COVID vaccine debate...what are your thoughts on states vaccinating people who are classified as overweight or obese as defined by BMI?

    I think we need to choose how to look at this, there are two obvious extremes:

    * We can be moralistic, blame fat people for being fat, and refuse them the vaccine until cats and dogs have had the shot.

    * We can try to keep ICU beds available which means vaccinating vulnerable people who might wind up needing them if they get sick.

    The first one is cutting your nose off to spite your face, the second one is sensible policy if the goal is public health.

    Remember that 1 in 4 Americans had already had a shot and that vaccinated people are much less likely to spread the virus.

    I'm not blaming anyone for being overweight or obese. Especially coming off a 170 pound weight loss.

    I think you are not seeing where I am coming from on this. Yes, overweight and obesity carries a higher risk of severe complications from COVID. A BMI above 30 carries a 27% higher risk of severe complications and above 40%, that risk doubles. Not denying that one bit. - https://www.houstonmethodist.org/blog/articles/2020/jun/obesity-and-covid-19-can-your-weight-alone-put-you-at-higher-risk/

    Based on my state's criteria, someone carrying 5 extra pounds will be in the next group. Vaccinators will be allowed to prioritize based on supply, but given that 64% of my state is overweight/obese, they basically opened it wide up.

    For what it's worth, I'm taking about social attitudes, I'm not going to assume what you're thinking. I'm talking about what I see and what it makes me think a lot of people think, because decisions about how to prioritize a resource like a vaccine or anything else are made partly based on the public's values.

    It doesn't seem very crazy to make 64% of the public eligible when 25% have already got a shot. Especially since production seems to be ramping up.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,843 Member
    There's some controversy regarding the states who have prioritized current and former smokers.

    Without applying any moral judgement, smokers are at higher risk of death from the virus, so we should prioritize people who would be most severely affected.

    That said, it seems a good way for some people to cheat the system by saying that they smoke or used to. But, as said, every person who gets vaccinated helps, even if they skip the line.

    When this group opens up in our area, I may try to get my husband an appointment. He's 60, smoked heavily for over 20 years. He quit about 20 years ago, but still.

    Oh, technically I AM a former smoker. It was almost 40 years ago, but all the CDC says is "former." Hmm.

    https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html#smoking
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Looks like our county has snuck on an "additional" list beyond the one the state published, and it also includes "overweight."

    Even more oddly, my provider sent a personal invitation to sign up for one of their vaccine clinics this weekend (ie, can't sign my husband up, even though he has the same provider), so I am getting mine before people who are morbidly obese or uncontrolled diabetes or whatever else is on the list...
  • penguinmama87
    penguinmama87 Posts: 1,158 Member
    edited March 2021
    There's some controversy regarding the states who have prioritized current and former smokers.

    Without applying any moral judgement, smokers are at higher risk of death from the virus, so we should prioritize people who would be most severely affected.

    That said, it seems a good way for some people to cheat the system by saying that they smoke or used to. But, as said, every person who gets vaccinated helps, even if they skip the line.

    When this group opens up in our area, I may try to get my husband an appointment. He's 60, smoked heavily for over 20 years. He quit about 20 years ago, but still.

    There's been an uproar in some states because prisoners have been prioritized, too - since they literally cannot practice social distancing, and for many people their time incarcerated is relatively short, so if they're exposed while incarcerated there's a decent chance they would transmit when they left, too.

    I think any way you put the order, someone will criticize it. And some of the criticisms might be valid. But the important thing is that they're making them and getting them out. I'm reasonably confident that it will work out and be OK. But I also have been pretty level-headed throughout this whole deal so freaking out about it now doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I can wait my turn. But would also like the kinks to get worked out so distribution can be as swift and efficient as possible. :)
  • NannMC
    NannMC Posts: 19 Member
    I think you should take the vaccine whenever you can. It can sound selfish, but actually each person who has it is one less to potentially burden an ICU and one less to pass it on to someone else, so it's actually rather selfless. (Just like taking other precautions, such as wearing a mask.)

    I just want to pass this on since a couple of people have said otherwise:

    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a person who is vaccinated against COVID-19 can still be infected with or “carry” the virus that causes COVID-19 while not feeling sick or having symptoms. Experts call this “asymptomatic infection.”Mar 5, 2021
  • NannMC
    NannMC Posts: 19 Member
    I just copied it. Tell the CDC if it should be rewritten.
  • penguinmama87
    penguinmama87 Posts: 1,158 Member
    NannMC wrote: »
    I just copied it. Tell the CDC if it should be rewritten.

    Well, they probably won't listen. But I think it's a mistake to phrase it that way for a variety of reasons. This isn't the first beef I've had with the CDC and their recommendations (which for me started well before the pandemic), and it probably won't be the last, either.

    I told myself I wasn't going to get into this kind of thing here because it's so contentious and controversial, even with my loved ones offline, and I wish now I just hadn't replied. So, let's drop it and I'll have to remind myself to stop posting on covid-related threads for the time being. :)
  • lkpducky
    lkpducky Posts: 16,632 Member
    edited March 2021
    NannMC wrote: »
    I think you should take the vaccine whenever you can. It can sound selfish, but actually each person who has it is one less to potentially burden an ICU and one less to pass it on to someone else, so it's actually rather selfless. (Just like taking other precautions, such as wearing a mask.)

    I just want to pass this on since a couple of people have said otherwise:

    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a person who is vaccinated against COVID-19 can still be infected with or “carry” the virus that causes COVID-19 while not feeling sick or having symptoms. Experts call this “asymptomatic infection.”Mar 5, 2021

    Your immune system isn't a force field preventing the virus from entering your body in the first place, so if you're exposed, some virus will get into your system, so you would be "carrying" some virus. But your immune system after you're vaccinated goes after the virus when it gets into your body, and blocks it as much as possible from getting inside of cells and multiplying. Therefore you would develop a much smaller viral load if at all.
  • NannMC
    NannMC Posts: 19 Member
    lkpducky wrote: »
    NannMC wrote: »
    I think you should take the vaccine whenever you can. It can sound selfish, but actually each person who has it is one less to potentially burden an ICU and one less to pass it on to someone else, so it's actually rather selfless. (Just like taking other precautions, such as wearing a mask.)

    I just want to pass this on since a couple of people have said otherwise:

    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a person who is vaccinated against COVID-19 can still be infected with or “carry” the virus that causes COVID-19 while not feeling sick or having symptoms. Experts call this “asymptomatic infection.”Mar 5, 2021

    Your immune system isn't a force field preventing the virus from entering your body in the first place, so if you're exposed, some virus will get into your system, so you would be "carrying" some virus. But your immune system after you're vaccinated goes after the virus when it gets into your body, and blocks it as much as possible from getting inside of cells and multiplying. Therefore you would develop a much smaller viral load if at all.

    I've seen the excitement in a person's eyes over the ability to visit vulnerable loved ones because of the vaccine, so it worries me. If there's a chance of transmitting the virus even after being vaccinated, people should know so they can make an informed decision. That's my only motivation here.