CliffStack Summary 6: The Epidemic of #DiedSuddenly
Why is the public turning to a single, ominous explanation for tragedies like Damar Hamlin’s collapse? Two doctors explain.
CliffStack summary from tfp.com
DATE: 25/1/2023
Original reading length: 16-20 mins
New length: 6-7 mins
The Brief
The article discusses the concern that people, particularly young and seemingly healthy individuals, are dropping dead and the belief among some that this is due to the Covid vaccine, specifically Pfizer and Moderna's mRNA technology. The authors, a cardiologist and a hematologist/epidemiology professor, express their concern about the lack of information on this subject and the recklessness of federal officials in pushing for multiple Covid shots for everyone five years and older, despite growing evidence that these vaccines may not be appropriate for all. They argue for transparency and honesty with the public, as trust in public health institutions has been lost.
The Summary
The article investigates:
the near-death of football player, Damar Hamlin, has become a potent political symbol on social media users, linking his injury to the vaccine
about prominent pundits and activists, mostly from the right but also from the left, are tying this event to a pattern of athletes collapsing on the field
how the public is increasingly turning to the use of the hashtag #DiedSuddenly on Twitter to track unexpected deaths
the existence of a discredited anti-vaccine documentary #diedsuddenly, and claim by Fox News host Tucker Carlson that there have been a large number of cardiac arrests and fatalities since the start of the vaccination campaign
On ‘the side effects of the Covid-19 vaccines’
can include short-term side effects such as arm pain, chills, fever, and headache.
It also mentions that the vaccines developed by Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca have been linked to a clotting condition that has caused fatal strokes in a small number of women of childbearing age.
argue that the J&J shot should be limited or banned for women under the age of 55 as a safer alternative (the mRNA vaccines) exists for this age group and the clotting side effect is catastrophic.specifically the J&J and Moderna vaccines.
very young women or women who have recovered from a Covid-19 infection, skipping the vaccine entirely may be preferable to getting the J&J vaccine due to the serious side effect of clotting which lead to fatal strokes
of most concern is myocarditis, from the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which is non-trivial and hospitalization is often required
On ‘how common is this side effect?’
public health officials were initially dismissive and downplayed it
they stated it was rare after vaccination, and that most cases are mild and recover on their own or with minimal treatment
yet, studies have shown the risk for young men is up to 30 times higher than for other population
young have the lowest risk for serious complications from COVID19
increased risk after the second dose of vaccine, particularly with the Moderna vaccine compared to the Pfizer.
some European and Scandinavian countries have limited the use of Moderna in people under age 30
The Danish allow boosters only for people over age 50 and those under 50 with specific medical conditions.
The UK has also limited the 2022 autumn booster to adults over 50.
The FDA authorized a Pfizer study on this population but the data has not been reported yet
A study from Thailand reported one case of myocarditis and seven cases of cardiac enzyme elevations in 300 adolescents
Two studies have been published in the past few months that raise concerns about this link, one from Harvard, and one from Germany. The authors of the study called for more detailed studies to explore the possibility of fatal adverse events from the vaccine.
Other potential safety signals include a risk of blood clots in the lungs
the new Pfizer bivalent booster may increase risk of strokes in over 65s
If someone has cardiac arrest, how can you know the cause?
there are difficulties in determining the underlying cause of sudden cardiac arrest in seemingly healthy individuals
doctors usually order a battery of tests which can include conditions that have nothing to do with vaccination, such as anatomical abnormalities or overly thickened heart walls
Myocarditis, though generally not fatal, can be
even the slightest bit of inflammation in the heart should be treated seriously, but making the connection between the vaccine, a case of heart inflammation, and a cardiac arrest is difficult.
How would one know if more people are dying suddenly than expected?
it is hard to prove if more people are dying suddenly than expected.
it may seem as though more such cases are happening now, which doesn't tell us whether there really is an increase.
to establish a connection between the vaccine and heart-related deaths would require painstaking statistical work
What’s up with our government health officials?
believe the speculation that vaccines have led to increased sudden deaths is largely due to a trust problem with public health leaders.
when the evidence emerged that myocarditis in young males was linked to the mRNA vaccines, the Biden administration denied it
also pushed the line that infection with Covid-19 itself causes myocarditis.
suggest that Americans have good reasons for their skepticism.
trust problem with public health leaders, as they have not been forthcoming with information about the side effects of the Covid-19 vaccines.
concerned about the myocarditis in young males linked to mRNA vaccines
dispute the claim that the vaccines prevent the spread of the disease
criticize the push for boosters for everyone and the violation of bodily autonomy in mandating the new bivalent booster for all students
frustration with the way public health officials have downplayed the significance of vaccine-related myocarditis, denied the existence of a link between the vaccines and sudden deaths, and failed to provide transparent information to the public.
Finally
The article argues that trust in public health leaders has been lost and that many Americans are turning to social media for information instead of official sources. It also criticizes the lack of studies and natural experiments to establish whether there is a connection between the vaccines and sudden deaths. It also mentions the lack of information about the vaccine's ability to prevent the spread of the disease.
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