By Benjamin Morrison
July 19, 2021
” . . . if you think you are immune from the virus because you are vaccinated, my family can now tell you from personal experience that this is not true. I also hope that does not discourage anyone from seeing the vaccine as a positive decision, as I certainly do . . .”
Like many of you, my knowledge of the term “breakthrough cases” was limited to the occasional mention during the nightly news of what is often described as a very rare circumstance in which individuals test positive for COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated. My wife, a frontline healthcare worker, received the Pfizer vaccine last December. Following that, I received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in April when it first became available to my age group. Since then, like millions of other Americans who received the vaccine, we have largely returned to a lifestyle resembling pre-COVID normalcy. Whether it is dinner parties in our home, mask-free shopping trips, and even a much-needed vacation to California about a month ago, we have gleefully accepted the CDC’s recommendations that those of us who chose to receive the vaccine can participate in all these activities with very little concern. And it has honestly been wonderful, especially after a year of giving up so many things that we love.
As the Fourth of July approached this year, we made plans to celebrate with many of our friends. When you live in an area of the country where COVID-19 vaccine rates are lower than the national average, you must accept the reality that socializing means you are likely exposing yourself and your loved ones to individuals who have made the personal decision to not receive the vaccine. And that was something we were comfortable with, as the CDC has repeatedly told us that there is very little risk in doing so. I did not even think twice about it until about 4 days after the holiday when I started to become congested and slightly feverish. Surely it could not be COVID, I thought to myself. But I was wrong.
After you test positive for COVID, the health department contacts you and talks to you about your symptoms and what to expect. The epidemiologists here in Nassau County informed me that cases of individuals who are vaccinated that test positive are still quite rare but are noticeably increasing in our area as the new variants become more prevalent. They reassured me that the data and research indicate that because I was vaccinated my symptoms would most likely be less severe and the duration of the symptoms would be shortened. I have no way of knowing whether the vaccine I received had anything to do with it or not, but I will say that my symptoms only lasted about 48 hours and were relatively minor compared to those that I have heard friends describe to me who were infected and unvaccinated. I personally believe the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was successful at preventing severe illness, and even though I am disappointed I was still able to contract the virus, I am glad that I received the vaccine when I had the opportunity to.
When I was contacted by the epidemiologists at the health department, they explained to me that it would be very unlikely that I could transmit COVID to others who are also vaccinated. Unfortunately, the odds were once again against us. About 6 days after my symptoms first appeared, my wife also tested positive for COVID. As I mentioned earlier, she received a different vaccine than I did, but neither offered us full protection from contracting the virus. On a positive note, like myself, my wife had relatively minor symptoms that only lasted a few days. Additionally, our 8-month-old son has made it through the past week and a half with no notable changes to his health. Our pediatrician informed us that he received antibodies through breastfeeding after my wife was vaccinated, and that likely has kept him symptom-free, despite the likelihood that he has been directly exposed to the virus. By the end of the week, we will all be through our required isolation periods, and hopefully back to work and life as we had once again become accustomed to.
Spending about 10 days contained within a 1,400 square foot house with an 8-month-old baby has been challenging, and at times I know we have all wanted to run out the front door and scream. But like millions of others across the country over the past year and a half, we stuck together and made it through as a family. We are truly blessed to have gotten through it without significant illness, and for that I am very grateful. It has certainly made us revisit our thoughts on what our comfort level is being around unvaccinated individuals, and whether venturing out in public without a mask is the right decision in all circumstances.
Receiving the vaccine is a personal decision that everyone needs to make for themselves, as is what your comfort level and risk tolerance is based on your own health and those of your loved ones. I hope this helps individuals in our community understand that statistically if you think you are immune from the virus because you are vaccinated, my family can now tell you from personal experience that this is not true. I also hope that does not discourage anyone from seeing the vaccine as a positive decision, as I certainly do, even after what we have gone through. The more knowledge we have, the more informed decisions we can make for ourselves and our families.
Benjamin Morrison lives with his wife Olga and their son Julian in Fernandina Beach. He is a regular contributor to the Fernandina Observer on issues related to our community.
Thank you Benjamin for sharing this personal and informing report. And just maybe more people will get vaccinated and wear masks because of it. Glad your family has now recovered.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Benjamin!! It provides important information to those of us who have been vaccinated and hopefully encourages more people to get vaccinated. If we don’t improve our vaccination rates substantially, we will never get this virus under control, and that will be a problem for everyone.
Very well written and explained. Thanks for sharing. I believe we all should do our best to prevent this horrible pandemic and the shots are our possibility along with masks, etc. I’m almost 75 y/o and try to stay safe.
I fail to see the point of this article; however, given your tone, you have now had second thoughts about choosing to allow injection of a substance that has not gone through sufficient clinical trials.
I am sorry that you were coerced by a regime that continues to have no regard for America’s health; rather their own self-serving interests and quest for ultimate control of the populace.
Let’s see… over 187 million people have received the vaccine and you’re still waiting on more “clinical trials.”
So when you’re lying there in the ICU choking out your life you can say you held out from unfair coercion that was trying to force a life-saving remedy on you.
God preserve us from this level of ignorance!
Sorry Kris, but clinical trials require time – usually years – to fully assess ultimate efficacy and determine side effects. Per Johns Hopkins “A typical vaccine development timeline takes 5 to 10 years, and sometimes longer, to assess whether the vaccine is safe and efficacious in clinical trials, complete the regulatory approval processes, and manufacture sufficient quantity of vaccine doses for widespread distribution”. We have no idea what the long term effects of these vaccines will be. For those 65 and older, it is of less importance. However, for children, teenagers and young adults (the age groups least at risk from COVID), caution is warranted.
Name one vaccine where side effects were noted after eight weeks of being administered.
Researchers have been working on mRNA vaccines since the SARS outbreak in 2003. It is not brand new. I suggest you read this article published by the University of Alabama-Birmingham on the history of mRNA therapy development which notes
https://www.uab.edu/news/youcanuse/item/12059-covid-19-mrna-vaccines-how-could-anything-developed-this-quickly-be-safe
Or at least read this excerpt. “But the development of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 is no overnight success. In fact, they have a remarkable back story stretching back decades.”
I’ve researched mRNA vaccines extensively. I was specifically referring to Mr. Moore’s statement about the unknown long-term effects of the Covid vaccines. He appears to suggest that long-term is greater than 8 weeks. I know of no vaccine where side effects weren’t found in the first 8 weeks of being administered. Hence, worrying about the long-term effects of Covid vaccines has no basis in science.
Mr. Ferberson, 166 million of us have been part of the single largest clinical trial in medical history. I understand you want to play Russian roulette with your health. But you need to find a better reason, one that reflects reality.
I’m glad for you and your family that you all fared well with only a couple of days of illness. I find it interesting though that you blame your illness on socializing with “unvaccinated” friends when you say in your article that you (the vaccinated you) passed it on to your wife and son. How do you know those nasty unvaccinated friends were the culprit?
In a pandemic, receiving a vaccine should never be a personal decision – everyone should be vaccinated to protect those who for medical reasons can not be. Those who are “choosing” not to be vaccinated are putting the whole community at risk and are acting as incubators for new covid variants.
I respectfully disagree and agree with Benjamin 100%…….everyone can choose whether or not to get vaccinated. The key is not to force it on others, but education with truthful data and info on the benefits will lead most to willingly get vaccinated. This case is a prime example……the vaccine will prevent serious illness if you get a breakthrough infection……it will protect you. The more people hear this, the more they will get vaccinated.
Most people I know in America “resist” when they perceive they are being forced into something……rather success comes from “convincing” them what the best path is. This article is very convincing. Thanks for sharing it, Benjamin.
The question I have is why the major push for vaccines but little to no mention of proven treatments like Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquine which have been used to successfully treat COVID. Both of these treatments have been used safely for treating other illnesses – in the case of Hydroxychloroquine, for decades, and re: Ivermectin as quoted by Donna Laframboise (search on “World Ivermectin Day)
“…Inventors/discoverers were awarded part of the 2015 Nobel Prize in medicine. Per the Nobel Committee:Ivermectin is used in all parts of the world that are plagued by parasitic diseases. Ivermectin is highly effective against a range of parasites, has limited side effects and is freely available across the globe. The importance of Ivermectin for improving the health and well being of millions of individuals with River Blindness and Lymphatic Filariasis, primarily in the poorest regions of the world, is immeasurable. Treatment is so successful that these diseases are on the verge of eradication, which would be a major feat in the medical history of humankind.
More recently, research has identified Ivermectin’s impressive anti-viral and anti-inflamatory properties. This is important, because a serious case of COVID-19 has at least two phases: viral and inflammatory”.
Both treatments are relatively inexpensive and safe. Despite the documented success of both of these treatments, it is difficult to get prescriptions filled. Why is that?
Ivermectin works great on my dog for parasites. Covid isn’t a parasite and neither it nor hydroxychloroquine work on Covid in the real world. “In comparison to SOC or placebo, IVM (Ivermectin) did not reduce all-cause mortality, length of stay or viral clearance in RCTs in COVID-19 patients with mostly mild disease. IVM did not have an effect on AEs (Adverse Effects) or severe AEs. IVM is not a viable option to treat COVID-19 patients.” https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciab591/6310839
Well Emily,pubmed would disagree with the acedemic group, as would hundreds of ICU doctors around the world who have actually used these drugs in “the real world” to successfully treat patients with covid. Per pubmed “Conclusions: Ivermectin is safe in patients with SARS-CoV-2, reducing symptomatology and the SARS-CoV-2 viral load. This antiviral effect appears to depend on the dose used, and if confirmed in future studies, it suggests that ivermectin may be a useful adjuvant to the Standard of Care treatment in patients with mild COVID-19 symptoms” .And, just in case you missed it in not fully reading my post, the developers of Ivermictin were awarded part of the 2015 Nobel Prize in medicine for the use of the drug on humans – not to treat your pets for fleas. If we are willing to fast track a vaccine in under 1 year where the typical time required for clinical studies of vaccines takes years, why would we not be willing to repurpose drugs that have been used for years or decades to treat covid. Per sciencedaily, “Repurposable drugs have significantly reduced safety risks for patients, because already known and registered drugs have been thoroughly studied with respect to their toxicity and possible side-effects.” I suggest you take the time to read nofrakkingconsensus.com/2021/07/19/world-ivermectin-day/ and click on the many links provided to become a bit more informed.
Mr. Feberson, I encourage you to go back and read the original article with an open mind. He obviously has no second thoughts on getting the vaccine, and in fact says it helped both he and his wife have mild symptoms.
sorry –barnes moore & george feberson——the short term effects of ‘not’ getting immunized r quite evident with over 90% of new cases being people not vaccinated who r now dying & suffering with this disease & those who survive having organs replaced & ‘living’ with real long term effects of covid & not some perceived future possibility of long term effects of the “SHOT”. mr. moore–from what u describe as the traits of ivermectin & hydroxychloroquine i can agree with your curiosity as to why either is not important enough to be used against covid———–isn’t hydroxychloroquine the substance administrated to president trump??
So Terry, where did I suggest that people not get vaccinated? That being said, I still believe that it is a matter of personal choice. I suggest you take the time to read the information I provided. There are many doctors around the world that have stated that using Ivermicten and HcQ as treatments would have saved many lives, so, it is an important question as to why the powers that be have downplayed their significance while pushing hard for vaccines. If we are willing to fast track a vaccine when vaccine clinical trials typically last years, why are we not also using drugs to treat covid that have been safely used for years, if not decades, that have been shown to be effective in practice. Per sciencedaily, “Repurposable drugs have significantly reduced safety risks for patients, because already known and registered drugs have been thoroughly studied with respect to their toxicity and possible side-effects.”
Terry Jones. No Trump did not receive that drug and I heard that from a physician at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester so I would say reliable.
Why the debate? Do what you feel is best. Protect yourself and your family. I believe that is what Benjamin was trying to say. I am just so grateful that this precious family is healthy. Thank you so much, Benjamin, for sharing your story. Your family is an asset to our town.
Per the CDC – 99.5% of new cases are for unvaccinated persons. I find it interesting that Nassau County is not reporting specific local data on that for all to see. CDC also reports those who are being admitted to hospitals and those who are dying are folks who are/were not vaccinated. Clearly the take away is – get vaccinated. In a free country, getting vaccinated is and must always be a matter of personal choice. So – might there be any additional ways we could ensure success in the defeat of Covid? I think so. Approximately 600,000 unvaccinated individuals from 140 countries across the globe have been permitted to cross our US southern border just since January of this year. They are literally being dispersed across all of our country by planes, trains and automobiles in the dead of night to communities in every state including Florida. There admittance to the US is and has been absent any testing, tracing, vaccinating, or quarantines. Anybody think the wholesale suspension of US immigration law might be playing a role in our lack of success in defeating Covid? How and when did the highly transmissible Delta (former Delhi variant) get here in the first place? How does a continued abandonment of US immigration policy protect Americans with regard to new and possibly even more troublesome variants that pop up (because there will be variants of Covid)? Is it really a good idea to let Title 42 go at expiration given the current rise of Covid cases? It is literally in the first sentence of our US Constitution that our government’s job is to “insure domestic tranquility” and “promote the general welfare”. Canada would not let us in until yesterday. And even if we want to go, we cannot go to Canada if we cannot prove we have been vaccinated. Why is that your policy exactly, Canada? My dad used to say “success always leaves clues”. In addition to vaccinations for those who are willing and able, what additional clues do you see that could help resolve our US Covid conundrum?
Thank you for sharing your experience. There are many of us who have been vaccinated, but have been hearing of others who have contracted COVID despite being inoculated. These numbers are rising. Older adults, and many who have health issues, are particularly concerned. If we become infected, how will that affect us? We could have minor symptoms, or we could not. It’s scary. I feel the CDC has not caught up with the “real world” yet. They should, and they are, relying on data to inform citizens on what we need to do. However, it is this anecdotal information that is still troubling. Thank you again Ben.
Doubters should read this history of mRNA vaccine therapy which documents how it was “30 years in the making.”
https://www.uab.edu/news/youcanuse/item/12059-covid-19-mrna-vaccines-how-could-anything-developed-this-quickly-be-safe