Apple Launches Employee Program for COVID-19 Vaccinations

[Frantisekj]

I'm really surprised by how many are really questioning if this is necessary?

I do not understand why anyone is willing to be vaccinated against virus that was intentionally made and spread. Unless your immunity is weak or are vulnerable person because some other illness. It won't end up with one or two vaccines. It is perpetum mobile.

 

[MN7119]

Sure nothing can go wrong with this decision. /s

If you want to be on campus, take the vaccine otherwise there is always distance learning.

 

[EricNau]

I do not understand why anyone is willing to be vaccinated against virus that was intentionally made and spread. Unless your immunity is weak or are vulnerable person because some other illness. It won't end up with one or two vaccines. It is perpetum mobile.

Even IF you believe that (which goes against the vast preponderance of evidence and consensus of the scientific community), I don’t know why you WOULDN’T want to be vaccinated against a deadly virus, regardless of its origins.

If an adversary were to release a mutated version of Smallpox as a weapon against your country, and your country was lucky enough to create a vaccine, why wouldn’t you want it?

The Covid vaccines available today are extremely safe and we’re fortunate that they are very effective—against a disease that’s killed millions worldwide, including many who didn’t have “weak immunity” as you say.

 

[zephonic]

The truth is nobody knows about long-term efficacy and/or side effects of rMNA tech as it has never been done before. What we do know is that prior studies with mink and ferrets showed great initial success, but upon reinfection with the wild virus all the test animals died because their immune systems overreacted. Now, I’m gonna assume they figured out why that happened and have made the necessary adjustments, but still, the truth is we simply don’t know if there will be side-effects further down the road.

What it all amounts to is essentially the largest ever beta test of something that is best described as a one-size-fits-all approach to gene therapy. It is simply unprecedented. I commend all who took the Pfizer/BioNtech and Moderna shots for their bravery. Chances are it will be fine, and if so it will open the floodgates for all kinds of mRNA therapies. If not, it will set public support for research back 30 years.

 

[EricNau]

If you want to be on campus, take the vaccine otherwise there is always distance learning.

Put another way: if you want to participate in society, you have to play by society’s rules that keep everyone safe.

If you aren’t willing to get vaccinated—to keep yourself and others safe—then society has every right to keep you at a distance. The choice was yours.

 

[zephonic]

Put another way: if you want to participate in society, you have to play by society’s rules that keep everyone safe.

If you aren’t willing to get vaccinated—to keep yourself and others safe—then society has every right to keep you at a distance. The choice was yours.

But of course, it is not as simple and black and white as you make it sound.

First of all, some may feel that the risk of the actual virus is acceptable for the vast majority of the people, and the data corroborates this.

Second, like I said before, these are not approved vaccines (in fact, the mRNA types aren’t even vaccines in the technical sense of the word), and we know nothing of possible long-term effects.

 

[EricNau]

The truth is nobody knows about long-term efficacy and/or side effects of rMNA tech as it has never been done before. What we do know is that prior studies with mink and ferrets showed great initial success, but upon reinfection with the wild virus all the test animals died because their immune systems overreacted. Now, I’m gonna assume they figured out why that happened and have made the necessary adjustments, but still, the truth is we simply don’t know if there will be side-effects further down the road.

What it all amounts to is essentially the largest ever beta test of something that is best described as a one-size-fits-all approach to gene therapy. It is simply unprecedented. I commend all who took the Pfizer/BioNtech and Moderna shots for their bravery. Chances are it will be fine, and if so it will open the floodgates for all kinds of mRNA therapies. If not, it will set public support for research back 30 years.

That dead ferret stuff has been making its way around Facebook, but it’s all bogus. 🙂

Like any great fabricated rumor there are dozens of variations; here’s a fact-check against one version.

But if you keep researching, you’ll see that no studies ever had such outcomes. mRNA vaccines have been in development for literal decades, and have proven extremely safe in human and animal trials.

But of course, it is not as simple and black and white as you make it sound.

First of all, some may feel that the risk of the actual virus is acceptable for the vast majority of the people, and the data corroborates this.

Second, like I said before, these are not approved vaccines (in fact, the mRNA types aren’t even vaccines in the technical sense of the word), and we know nothing of possible long-term effects.

I take issue with your claim that the data suggest covid is an acceptable risk, for any subset of the population.

The risk is lower in younger populations, but still non-negligible. And as long as covid exists in any subset of the population, it will continue to mutate—and that continues to put all of us at risk.

Additionally, if anyone feels the risk of covid is acceptable, then they must also feel the risk posed by the vaccine is acceptable, because the former is significantly riskier than the latter: by orders of magnitude. The numbers are that clear.

Also, the claim that mRNA vaccines “aren’t even vaccines” is not true either.

I understand the hesitancy, but it’s not rational. Humans aren’t wired to understand and measure risk correctly, and we’re far more likely to accept a significant passive risk (catching covid) while avoiding minuscule active risk (getting vaccinated). No vaccine is 100% safe, but no matter how you look at the data, the benefits/risks from the vaccine FAR outweigh the risk posed by potentially catching covid.

 

[calstanford]

You Americans and your division will tear your country completely apart.

 

[I7guy]

I do not understand why anyone is willing to be vaccinated against virus that was intentionally made and spread. Unless your immunity is weak or are vulnerable person because some other illness. It won't end up with one or two vaccines. It is perpetum mobile.

If I am understanding your post correctly, and apologies if I'm not: it's irrelevant about the origins of this virus...it shut the world down. If the only way to keep ourselves as healthy as possible and to get to herd immunity I'm all in and I'll take my chances. If a booster is needed, so be it...I'm in.

Those who decide to opt-out, I wish them good luck and hope they don't get sick and have complications.

 

[incoherent_1]

Great! More the merrier.

The longer this virus is bouncing around the more likely it’ll continue to evolve and potentially mutate into something even more deadly or that can evade our vaccines. I hope the armchair “scientists” on the forum who reject vaccines keep that in mind, but I doubt they will — toxic selfishness seems to be the defining characteristic of many people these days, at least in the US.

 

[mikethemartian]

Could they even legally require it?

I don’t know but whenever I have attended universities I have been required to offer proof of vaccinations or have a titer done.

 

[mikethemartian]

The truth is nobody knows about long-term efficacy and/or side effects of rMNA tech as it has never been done before. What we do know is that prior studies with mink and ferrets showed great initial success, but upon reinfection with the wild virus all the test animals died because their immune systems overreacted. Now, I’m gonna assume they figured out why that happened and have made the necessary adjustments, but still, the truth is we simply don’t know if there will be side-effects further down the road.

What it all amounts to is essentially the largest ever beta test of something that is best described as a one-size-fits-all approach to gene therapy. It is simply unprecedented. I commend all who took the Pfizer/BioNtech and Moderna shots for their bravery. Chances are it will be fine, and if so it will open the floodgates for all kinds of mRNA therapies. If not, it will set public support for research back 30 years.

Plenty of people’s immune systems overreact when they get the actual virus. That’s why they prescribe the steroid Dexamethasone to suppress their immune systems. Anytime you have taken a fever reducer like acetaminophen, aspirin or ibupropen to control a high fever your immune system has overreacted and threatened your life.

 

[Kierkegaarden]

WWDC = We Will Destroy Covid

 

[supercoolmanchu]

I’m just gunna drop this here, then laugh and laugh...

MIT researchers say time spent indoors increases risk of Covid at 6 feet or 60 feet in new study challenging social distancing policies

The CDC and WHO guidelines fail to factor in the amount of time spent indoors, which increases the chance of transmission the longer people are inside.

www.cnbc.com

Funny stuff, Right!?!

Just after Tim Cook says:
“Shoot up everyone, because I’m a big, dumb, scared ‘fraidy-cat who probably watches too much TV and politics.”

Lol

Does the Apple Watch activity tracker also count backpedaling? Because here it comes... Bwhahaha!

You humans are hysterical with these cults, but the Branch-Covidians are the silliest yet! Good times. 🤣

 

[sdz]

It all boils down to personal risk assessment. Me for example, I will continue to protect myself up to the point, where the incidence numbers are very low.

Furthermore, at least here in Germany I doubt that they will be able to vaccinate >60-70% of the people. This already does not work yearly with the flu shots (vaccination rate ~25-30%)

 

[orthorim]

No. It’s currently authorized for emergency use only. They can’t mandate it until it’s fully FDA approved.

Even if it was "FDA approved" meaning no longer an experiment in genetic modification - which is uncertain because no other mRNA gene therapy has ever been approved by the FDA - it could never be mandated.

The reason is you can't force people into medical procedures.

For example, one, I am not afraid of the flu, it makes zero senseze to me to expose myself to a completely unknown and likely very high risk of injury from an experimental drug. Two, I've already had it, I've contracted it through intimate relations - I am still convinced you can't contract it by walking by or casual normal contact, never got it in 12 months of no precautions of any kind. Exchange of bodily fluids, yes, definitely, it transmits. It was harmless I was out for all of 2 days, no taste for 10 days, but more importantly I am immune to that strain now.

The gene therapy is targeted to that strain. Which I am already immune against. So why would I take this again? I don't alter my DNA for fun. In fact, I don't think humans know enough about DNA to be altering it; we're like neanderthals trying to fix up a spaceship when it comes to our "medical science" - that spaceship works way better without the "help" of governments.

With Apple in California, zero chance they will even try to mandate it or force employees to take it, no law in the world can protect you from human rights violations.

Laws that permit human rights violations are illegal. Laws that go against the constitution are null and void. Laws that provide legal protection from human rights violations do not exist, and cannot exist.

Apple is hyper aware of all these things, since they constantly get sued for everything under the sun. They can't afford to expose themselves to this- a lawsuit like that could end the company. At the very least, cost them billions. And that's without damages - if there were provable damages from the experimental injection, it would be even worse.

 

[norbinhouston]

But of course, it is not as simple and black and white as you make it sound.

First of all, some may feel that the risk of the actual virus is acceptable for the vast majority of the people, and the data corroborates this.

Second, like I said before, these are not approved vaccines (in fact, the mRNA types aren’t even vaccines in the technical sense of the word), and we know nothing of possible long-term effects.

They are approved.

 

[gnipgnop]

Additionally, if anyone feels the risk of covid is acceptable, then they must also feel the risk posed by the vaccine is acceptable, because the former is significantly riskier than the latter: by orders of magnitude. The numbers are that clear.

THIS. So much contradictory nonsense from people who first claim that Covid is no big deal despite millions already dead, then turn around and claim a vaccine is the danger.

 

[JoeInMilwaukee]

They are approved.

Incorrect. The vaccines have been AUTHORIZED for emergency use. There are no FDA-approved vaccines.

 

[norbinhouston]

Incorrect. The vaccines have been AUTHORIZED for emergency use. There are no FDA-approved vaccines.

Semantics, still approved for use by the FDA and CDC. Because of science, not what they heard from a blogger on the internet.

 

[DanTSX]

Employers, schools, concert halls, any private business can absolutely require you to be vaccinated.

Like it or not, that is not true at all in the USA.

Which isn’t a big deal since most are willing to vaccinate anyways. A small minority of anti vaxxers only pose a danger to themselves.

Personally I'm not anti vax but I’m hesitant to accept the Trump vacccine that Trump rushed through. And I’m disappointed that others are not more skeptical of Drumph’s vaccine. I’ll get it eventually.....but you guys go ahead and take my place in line.

 

[DanTSX]

Semantics, still approved for use by the FDA and CDC. Because of science, not what they heard from a blogger on the internet.

Semantics is not science or the law. Your belief changes nothing in our reality. Now you are the “blogger on the internet”...

 

[Roller]

That dead ferret stuff has been making its way around Facebook, but it’s all bogus. 🙂

Like any great fabricated rumor there are dozens of variations; here’s a fact-check against one version.

But if you keep researching, you’ll see that no studies ever had such outcomes. mRNA vaccines have been in development for literal decades, and have proven extremely safe in human and animal trials.

I take issue with your claim that the data suggest covid is an acceptable risk, for any subset of the population.

The risk is lower in younger populations, but still non-negligible. And as long as covid exists in any subset of the population, it will continue to mutate—and that continues to put all of us at risk.

Additionally, if anyone feels the risk of covid is acceptable, then they must also feel the risk posed by the vaccine is acceptable, because the former is significantly riskier than the latter: by orders of magnitude. The numbers are that clear.

Also, the claim that mRNA vaccines “aren’t even vaccines” is not true either.

I understand the hesitancy, but it’s not rational. Humans aren’t wired to understand and measure risk correctly, and we’re far more likely to accept a significant passive risk (catching covid) while avoiding minuscule active risk (getting vaccinated). No vaccine is 100% safe, but no matter how you look at the data, the benefits/risks from the vaccine FAR outweigh the risk posed by potentially catching covid.

Agree completely. I'm particularly troubled by people who cite statistics about the relatively lower likelihood of significant short term symptoms or death in younger populations as reasons why universal vaccination isn't needed, not to mention nonsensical statements about gene therapy and other supposed vaccine risks.

To those who counter that they have a right not to be vaccinated, I say fine, but that choice doesn't extend to putting others at risk. There are indeed some individuals, albeit very few, who have legitimate medical reasons to not be vaccinated. But if enough people in a population have immunity from vaccination or infection, transmission eventually will not be a concern as long as vigilance is maintained.

I sometimes wonder how anti-vaxxers deal with other therapies for illness, whether it's antibiotics for bacterial infection, chemotherapy for malignancy, or any one of millions of pharmaceutical and other treatments. I encourage patients to do some research on their own, ask questions, and seek second opinions if needed. But never in my career have I seen anything like the response to COVID-19 and vaccines for it, largely fueled by disinformation and willful ignorance.

 

[DanTSX]

Agree completely. I'm particularly troubled by people who cite statistics about the relatively lower likelihood of significant short term symptoms or death in younger populations as reasons why universal vaccination isn't needed, not to mention nonsensical statements about gene therapy and other supposed vaccine risks.

To those who counter that they have a right not to be vaccinated, I say fine, but that choice doesn't extend to putting others at risk. There are indeed some individuals, albeit very few, who have legitimate medical reasons to not be vaccinated. But if enough people in a population have immunity from vaccination or infection, transmission eventually will not be a concern as long as vigilance is maintained.

I sometimes wonder how anti-vaxxers deal with other therapies for illness, whether it's antibiotics for bacterial infection, chemotherapy for malignancy, or any one of millions of pharmaceutical and other treatments. I encourage patients to do some research on their own, ask questions, and seek second opinions if needed. But never in my career have I seen anything like the response to COVID-19 and vaccines for it, largely fueled by disinformation and willful ignorance.

Anti vaxxers have some legitimate concerns regarding preservatives and other additives within the vaccine, which are not present within oral antibiotic therapies. Not saying I agree with them. However, there are rational arguments that they are entitled to. However, if you listen to flyover Steve the anti vaxxers, you’ll get the flying saucer conspiracy arguments instead of the more reasonable concerns.

We really all should be suspicious of Trump’s rushed vaccine that is making big pharma tons of money. Our Covid collective fatigue creates our own agenda that we want science to solve. Is there enough science here?

 

[zephonic]

That dead ferret stuff has been making its way around Facebook, but it’s all bogus. 🙂

Like any great fabricated rumor there are dozens of variations; here’s a fact-check against one version.

But if you keep researching, you’ll see that no studies ever had such outcomes. mRNA vaccines have been in development for literal decades, and have proven extremely safe in human and animal trials.

I take issue with your claim that the data suggest covid is an acceptable risk, for any subset of the population.

The risk is lower in younger populations, but still non-negligible. And as long as covid exists in any subset of the population, it will continue to mutate—and that continues to put all of us at risk.

Additionally, if anyone feels the risk of covid is acceptable, then they must also feel the risk posed by the vaccine is acceptable, because the former is significantly riskier than the latter: by orders of magnitude. The numbers are that clear.

Also, the claim that mRNA vaccines “aren’t even vaccines” is not true either.

I understand the hesitancy, but it’s not rational. Humans aren’t wired to understand and measure risk correctly, and we’re far more likely to accept a significant passive risk (catching covid) while avoiding minuscule active risk (getting vaccinated). No vaccine is 100% safe, but no matter how you look at the data, the benefits/risks from the vaccine FAR outweigh the risk posed by potentially catching covid.

There's a lot to unpack here, but it is Saturday and I have other plans, so quickly: Your fact-check only talks about one specific study, but here are some studies that show it definitely happened:

SARS vaccine linked to liver damage in ferret study

www.cidrap.umn.edu

A perspective on potential antibody-dependent enhancement of SARS-CoV-2 - Nature

The antibody-dependent enhancement of disease is reviewed, with an emphasis on implications for the prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

www.nature.com

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3335060/?fbclid=IwAR3MwuDPVSxxNGjaCafSZAQQ0eHLj-bT258y7oJLJn54J8EBQ3egCHsuds0

Which brings me to another point that worries me greatly: big tech and corporate media censorship and narratives. When you google this stuff, you won't find it in the search results until page 20 or something, with the first pages all 'debunking' stuff. this is relevant scientific and medical info, I can only guess as to why it's being buried. I have a pretty good idea, but that's all conjecture and this is not the place to discuss that.

About mRNA not being a vaccine, here is a presentation by the Chief Medical Officer of Moderna: https://www.ted.com/talks/tal_zaks_the_disease_eradicating_potential_of_gene_editing

This is not a vaccine in the traditional sense of the word. Vaccines and mRNA are both being injected into the body, but that's all they have in common.

As for your assertion that taking the vaccine is less risky than the virus, I say: we don't know. There is NO long-term data on efficacy and side-effects for the vaccine, and what about people that had covid and got better? They have the antibodies, do they need the vaccine too?

And finally, while I agree with the "greater good" in principle, we live in a democratic society, and I think something of this magnitude should be decided by the people. Last I heard about 38.5% of the US population has been vaccinated, and they're having trouble getting others to take it. It's too soon to tell, but if that implies that without coercion 6 out of 10 people do not want the vaccine, I think it is unconscionable to impose the will of the minority on the majority.

FWIW, I'm not anti-vaccine. I've been vaccinated to the hilt for all kinds of stuff, but I think people are right to have concerns about vaccines that were put to market this quickly, with its makers exempt from any liability. Especially for a disease from which the majority of healthy people seem to recover just fine.

Before I sign off, I'd like to leave you with this video about virtue: