Navy Reserve COVID Vaccinations by October

[ABMD]

I'm not losing my head ? I just highly doubt that military folks will get anywhere with the religious thing.

NAVSPECWAR has already made their stance on those requesting religious exemptions.

Yup, waiver...denied.

In that same vein, that is why I asked about medical exemptions. If I can't do my job because I'm not vaccinated, or you won't grant me a religious exemption, what do you do with those that have a legit medical exemption? Are they being booted from the service/rate or are they being told they are no longer deployable and can no longer serve in that capacity?

 

[wink]

Again, well aware and am vaccinated. Your response is still an oversimplification of Catholic thought on the matter. Just because il Papa encourages it, does not make it dogma/doctrine/a rule etc.

I know as well. Including the fact this has been reviewed over and over by the Catholic Church even regarding the other vaccines mentioned here. Be happy to discuss, but I fully support thread topic integrity and want to do my part. I really just wanted to make a joke about the Navy mandate being an act of love for their people.

 

[ABMD]

il Papa himself encourages the vaccine for all Catholics and has said, "It is an act of love to help others get the vaccine." So, the Pope says the Navy loves it's sailors. He also heaped praise on the researchers and scientist that developed the vaccine with fetal cell lines. It should be noted that the fetal cell lines used were only in research and testing, and those were gown in the lab "based" on cells from aborted fetus decades ago. The vaccine does not contain any fetal cells. I think if one were a Catholic resfusenik the problem is less a religious one than a hyper strict moral one.

I look at it as we can use the life of the aborted child to protect the life/lives of others.

*Although not vaxxed at the moment, I am still a few weeks post COVID, I plan to get vaxxed and continue my service.

 

[Brett327]

So here is a question for those more senior than I. Is the Navy allowing sailors to remain in the service and in their current role if they have a legit medical exemption? They can't be vaccinated and are still able to get and transmit the virus. I realize this population is very small, but just curious.

Also, spoke to some of the FTS who are vaccinated, and people are still popping positive (after displaying very minor symptoms) and being sent home for a 2-week quarantine. How is that not impacting readiness...when we have vaccinated still testing positive and being sent home to isolation for 2-weeks?

To answer your first question, unknown at this time. I imagine those will be evaluated on a case by case basis, but I suspect that some may find that they're physically disqualified from continued service.

Secondly, breakthrough cases are a thing - we've had some where I work. That said, the vaccine reduces transmission and the severity of symptoms for those breakthrough cases.

Whidbey now has about 98% of Navy and civilian populations with at least 1 shot. Their number of active COVID cases for Navy and civilian is now zero, and that's with a moderate positivity rate in the surrounding counties. Vaccines work.

 

[Brett327]

*Although not vaxxed at the moment, I am still a few weeks post COVID, I plan to get vaxxed and continue my service.

Curious what your experience was like. Did you regret not getting vaccinated sooner, even though there's a small chance it may not have prevented your infection?

 

[SlickAg]

Small chance?

Or a 53% chance six months after being “fully vaccinated” with the Pfizer vaccine.

 

[ABMD]

To answer your first question, unknown at this time. I imagine those will be evaluated on a case by case basis, but I suspect that some may find that they're physically disqualified from continued service.

Secondly, breakthrough cases are a thing - we've had some where I work. That said, the vaccine reduces transmission and the severity of symptoms for those breakthrough cases.

Whidbey now has about 98% of Navy and civilian populations with at least 1 shot. Their number of active COVID cases for Navy and civilian is now zero, and that's with a moderate positivity rate in the surrounding counties. Vaccines work.

Thank you

Q1: that is what I am thinking to. Unable to be vaccinated = physically unfit for duty.

Q2: Agreed, the cases I was told about were extremely minor (symptoms of a common head cold/sinus congestion). Like what we all know, the vaccine reduces the severity of the illness. But still has an impact on readiness when half your shop is home for 2 weeks.

 

[MGoBrew11]

I know as well. Including the fact this has been reviewed over and over by the Catholic Church even regarding the other vaccines mentioned here. Be happy to discuss, but I fully support thread topic integrity and want to do my part. I really just wanted to make a joke about the Navy mandate being an act of love for their people.

PM sent to avoid hijack

 

[Brett327]

But still has an impact on readiness when half your shop is home for 2 weeks.

What do you mean by this? Exposure to a COVID positive individual does not require ROM if you're vaccinated.

 

[number9]

Yeah, I’m mostly with you there. Just pointing out it’s not so black and white as “well the Pope says you should get it, therefore you can’t seek an exemption”.

It is also worth pointing out that the claim of "well it's made from stem cells" is not black and white either.

According to a quick Google, vaccines for chickenpox and rubella and Hepatitis A and rabies are made from stem cells. If those vaccines are required, did the service members object at the time?

 

[SteveHolt!!!]

Q2: Agreed, the cases I was told about were extremely minor (symptoms of a common head cold/sinus congestion). Like what we all know, the vaccine reduces the severity of the illness. But still has an impact on readiness when half your shop is home for 2 weeks.

What are your current ROM policies? We still do 2 weeks for positive cases, but don't ROM vaccinated close contacts anymore, so it's pretty rare to lose huge numbers.

It is also worth pointing out that the claim of "well it's made from stem cells" is not black and white either.

According to a quick Google, vaccines for chickenpox and rubella and Hepatitis A and rabies are made from stem cells. If those vaccines are required, did the service members object at the time?

The few Sailors I had basically added things saying "we didn't know those were made that way when we got them, so you can't hold them against me." They then routed requests to be exempt from a huge long list of vaccines, most of which they already had and there were no future boosters for.

 

[ABMD]

Curious what your experience was like. Did you regret not getting vaccinated sooner, even though there's a small chance it may not have prevented your infection?

Thanks for asking @Brett327

Everyone's experience is different, and COVID doesn't care about your age or your level of physical fitness (more on that later). I would call what I had a "mild" case, surgeons my wife works with called me lucky. I still had the fever, chills, body aches and headache followed by excessive fatigue and loss of smell and taste. I never had a hard time breathing and pulse ox stayed above 95 the whole time. Most symptoms lasted about 48hrs, before new symptoms would start. The symptom that brought the most concern was after 2 weeks I developed an "irritation" that would cause me to cough A LOT when breathing deep/heavy, but after 3 weeks (from testing positive) in it was all over. Still not certain what the long-term impacts will be.

I had an employee test positive, mid-30s male, at his worst he was coughing up blood with a pulse ox in the mid 80's (very low) who was writing out all this password to his online accounts for his wife because he didn't think he was going to make it through the weekend. He has recovered and is doing fine.

Knowing what I know now, I would have gotten the vaccine earlier even though my case was "mild". If you can avoid having to deal with a rotating door of symptoms and the unknown long-term impacts, there is no need to wait.

My biggest fear now is what impact, if any, will getting the vaccine pose getting it so close to recovering from the actual virus. If you received monoclonal antibodies they are asking you wait 90 days.

 

[ABMD]

What do you mean by this? Exposure to a COVID positive individual does not require ROM if you're vaccinated.

What are your current ROM policies? We still do 2 weeks for positive cases, but don't ROM vaccinated close contacts anymore, so it's pretty rare to lose huge numbers.

I talked to one of our Med O's and he told me vaccinated positive case are being sent home. No one who is unvaxxed is even allowed into the command (physically inside the building) so there is zero chances they are unvaxxed. Perhaps different communities are operating differently.

 

[SteveHolt!!!]

I talked to one of our Med O's and he told me vaccinated positive case are being sent home. No one who is unvaxxed is even allowed into the command (physically inside the building) so there is zero chances they are unvaxxed. Perhaps different communities are operating differently.

Yes, that is correct. Vaccinated positive cases still quarantine. What shouldn't be happening is that knocking out whole shops, as the close contacts don't need to ROM.

 

[bubblehead]

The Navy is a unique organization and has a long history of mandatory vaccines. Anyone that is already serving knows this and it’s not a surprise this one was going to become mandatory.

That's kinda my point... But, you know, politics...