The National Geographic e-Newsletter Should you get the COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant? Here's what experts say:
Plus, it's been a wicked, stratifying strange year, where the work of the world was all called into question for a few weeks, and essentials only were working, bridging a gap between when utter collective uncertainties about what degree of effect the pandemic would exercise over daily life, while we waited with baited breath, reading stats about China and then Italy, comparing their rate of infection with projections based on blooming cases in our nearby cities. Uncertainty, fear, and then grim but orderly decisions about return to work. For those who could, virtual work was and has been the preferred option, and this was a bright side for some people who maybe suffered fatigue from chemo or lupus or other diseases/conditions, and were relieved when their commute was canceled. Not only were they staying safe, their lives were improved, and social justice advocates questioned whether employers should broaden their perspectives on remote work. Environmentalists questioned whether similar shutdowns will occur when global warming becomes an increased health concern, and praised the reduction of traffic on roads. Little silver linings and a time of hope and industry of thought. Americans banded together and reassessed the structure of society. Priorities reshuffled when pandemic struck and looking for the silver linings after inspirations like the success of zoom, the complete turnaround of my son's school system, I was inspired to think more deeply about living and working conditions in general, and my heart went to mothers. I thought about protective laws as a way to shelter people in interest groups but not limit their free will, and what it means to be a good advocate. It's a Friday night, and I've reached the hour of babysitting where I'm sitting in someone else's quiet house, far away from my home where all those unorganized winter clothes and dead light bulbs and a dog needing a walk await me. I'm catching up on emails and settling into a long update about world health and the COVID-19 vaccine with a warm comforting mug of coffee I don't need. My day started with an (early) annual women's health visit, and I shed a few tears in the parking lot afterwards thinking about my son and the wonderful, awesome day he was born. Becoming a mother has changed my life and my priorities and so many other things. Matters of free will have been fierce in my news feeds because of a controversial presidency, and contentions about mask mandates, shelter-in-place orders and emergency protocols. Then, a topic that has been subject to intense debate for months, very much an issue of free will -- vaccines, suddenly becomes an urgent, do or die, jump moment. Ironic is one thought that strayed through my brain. But another is how motherhood has changed me personally. How I can identify with an interest group, and with that lens, assess societal issues: I've had more sympathy for people who don't feel comfortable with vaccines since I went through parenting an infant, because it is frightening to see a little baby get so many big shots. Some needles were bigger than others, and on days when he got 3-4 shots, I was wondering what percent of his body fluids they were now representing! One even made a big bulge on his thigh for a few seconds before the nurse rubbed it in. It was one thing when I went to get my shots with my mom as a child/ teen, but being a mom watching my baby get the shots, I experienced much more anxiety. Still, I followed the recommendations and just got it over with, but during the blur of business of the first months of motherhood, I barely knew which shots he got. I was glad to leave that part up to the doctors! Besides my memory of those first few months of maternity, this National Geographic topic drew me right in since I have a best friend who is a pregnant healthcare worker. Based on my recently refreshed experiences with vaccines, my first question for her or any pregnant woman eligible for the vaccine would have been whether they were scared, just because it was nice to have someone talk the issue out for me. I was glad that this article elucidated the potential facts behind my vague fears - that a fetus could potentially have side effects (mild fever or discomfort) if the vaccine can cross the placenta. Otherwise, any harmful side effects on the mother would not be good for the fetus either. But on the other hand, a severe illness would also be a scary thing and much more damaging than any side effects of the vaccine0. While the WHO recommends women wait a little if they are not at high risk for COVID-19, the CDC says the vaccine should be available to pregnant women, but the decision should be theirs.
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We got rock stars in the White house
And all our pop stars look like porn All my heroes hit the highway 'Cause they don't hang out here no more -Sheryl Crow "Steve McQueen" First Lady Melania Trump used a rock star attitude to fill her role as first lady and she set the precedent when she gave her election acceptance speech. Maybe the Jackie O shades, maybe the sultry stare behind it. Finally, I, who didn't follow the campaign in it's details, in the actual speeches beyond debates, finally got to meet the first lady. And in effect, the speech was highly criticized for too many similarities to First Lady Michelle Obama's speech from the previous presidential term. Language barrier or no, the public craved a more personal message from the First Lady, and so did I. I wanted her to come right out and talk to the public about how she felt being the second international woman in the position. But I think, because of so many political ironies, the First Lady was a little like a bug, pinned to a paper. The most heartfelt, emotionally charged part of her speech, it seemed to me, was when she marched onstage to "Age of Aquarius," and threw a peace sign out in front of her. If you ask me, she looked like she was trying to ward off a bunch of vampires the way her head bowed. I had been looking forward to the first lady's speech - all politics aside, and I think, just for the intensity of her situation, because she was the politics. Women's rights, immigrants' rights, blended families -- there was so much there to respect about her, to relate to -- and yet, so much of her character that wasn't mainstream party platform, a meet and greet with Melania would stray right off the podium. She was like a walking, political entity. And I imagined I could feel the emotion she was releasing with the gesture just from watching on screen. Have you ever been so full of emotion and your hand feels full of uncontainable energy and you shake for a moment and then feel a little better? I would have excited jitters like that from stage fright, but I'm not a star and a model, a public figure. Did the First Lady, like her husband, feel self-aware, stepping into a role from a non-traditional public background? Our previous presidents have been shop owners, teachers, military servicemen, actors. The previous four presidencies, however, were held by career politicians. Perhaps what tipped the scales in a closely-contended race was the public's desire for a change, and it wasn't for a new ground-breaking precedent - a female chief of state, but for a shift away from career political leaders. A different strategy for leadership. So the leading lady of the White House took the stage for me in a time of more conservative collective change, even though the nation's choice did break a fair few rules, she represented, to me, a blended modern conservatism, and it was exciting and interesting. But when she faced the auditorium, I was really wondering if she, an individual, actually felt full of like, attitude/ feeling towards the American public as a whole. Since this was maybe her first time addressing everyone - not just campaign supporters... you know, it's the whole, is a corporation a person debate and did she have something definitive to say to the entire American public, opponents included? After a grueling campaign that uncovered sensitive, straining issues to a marriage, I felt like the First Lady was defensive, too, amidst all the Russian election scandals and once she became First Lady, maybe under pressure to take stances on controversial issues just because of who she represented to the public. Instead of addressing issues, I think she kind of took the high road, let them speak for themselves, and used international pop culture symbols to immediately identify herself as part of a generation, as someone who remembers controversies of her generation and her approach was pretty succinct and marvelous. She diffused all the energy with a gesture, a peace sign, and whether for herself, for the public, or if it was all in my head, I just thought she said more than I could have asked. And when someone who comes from another culture, someone whose upbringing and experiences are unfamiliar to me, takes an important political office, I thought her gesture was a mix of funny, bitter and serious -- she was taking a political stance, I think, warding off accusers, and also poking fun at her immigrant status by saying "I come in peace," to the entire watching nation! And letting us know she likes disco. Now, months after the 2021 election, I'm wondering if all Donald Trump got across by calling Hilary Clinton a "nasty woman" was that he is a Janet Jackson fan? I'm decidedly a Millennial trying to pick apart the jargon of another generation, regretfully wondering if I got caught up in a generational language barrier, misconstrued the culture references, and missed out on the action. Let me know if I'm wasting my time! “Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here!”
― Dumbledore to the Great Hall, J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Our country, and the world it seems, are on fire. Instead of a spectrum or circle, where you're allowed to be non-linear and unaligned with extremes, to circle back and revisit, reexamine, and refine your own beliefs and progress, you have to pick one of two terrible opposites. Either one you pick, the other will accuse you of horrible, despicable character faults and not want to associate with you -- if you don't pick, they pick the opposite of what they are to further alienate and pressure you to join, which deepens the nausea for their cause and this way of life in general.
Dramatic as it may be, this is the state we seem to be in. I blame our president, but it's much more intricate and firmly rooted than just one person -- he seems to have just ignited the kerosene doused wick on a mound of explosives, but it's been accumulating and was bound to burn, and now we've found ourselves in an untamable wild fire that's engulfing the planet. It's not just the United States either, look at Lebanon and the religious wars in the Middle East, political corruption, and overall human indecency and injustice. I thought it might be enough to be good to the people in our lives, that we care about -- or at least cared about once or might pretend to... but those people turn on you too. We live in such a divided world and become so impassioned by our alliances and political identities that we forget about the humanity and feelings for those in our lives we care about, or at least once cared about, or might pretend to... we fight for the humanity and feelings of others without treating those in our lives right because we think it's for a bigger and better cause, and makes us feel better than actually nurturing the relationships and caring for the people close to us -- instead, just pushing them away and demonizing them for not being 100% like ourselves. I'm tired. I'm tired of feeling torn between both worlds and extremes, and accused of harvesting hatred and negative worldviews I do not. My leftist loved ones think I have hate and ugliness because I am not totally left, and my right-winged loved ones think I have hate and ugliness (or a bleeding heart) because I am not "right." I see hate and ugliness on both sides, and think it's unfair to expect me to abandon the ones I love on either one because you don't agree with and assume the worst of them, and vis versa. I'm tired of giving and giving and giving, and trying, for it to not amount to anything, or enough. I know all of the effort in the world doesn't matter if it doesn't yield the right outcome, but for some reason I still haven't figured out human interaction and relationships -- it's something I have and want to continue to work on, but maybe should just give up on. I've never been good at friendships, romantic relationships, even ones with family, and (sometimes) professionally. I can't figure out what is wrong with me, or what I can do to improve it besides be a more chill, "normal" human being... and just pick a fucking side already. |
AuthorWe are Kieran and Michelle, two 32-year-old William & Mary grads living in Virginia. Archives
March 2024
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