Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - [News] Josh Archibald out indefinitely due to Myocarditis caused by Covid

Macindoc · 10-04-2021, 10:43 AM

Wow, you can tell from many of the responses here that COVID-19 and the restrictions put it place to reduce its spread are causing a lot of stress and anxiety, and that's resulting in a lot of anger and resentment, which is understandable. But let's continue to try to be respectful of and kind to one another, even if opinions differ. That's not to say that someone posting inaccurate information about COVID-19 or the vaccines shouldn't be called out for what they post.

I certainly feel compassion for Archibald, regardless of his views. I can only hope that his experience will cause him to rethink his position on COVID-19 and vaccines, and hopefully he will become an advocate who reaches out to the unvaccinated, having been there himself. As others have said, although pericarditis can happen with both the vaccine and with COVID-19 infection, the risk is significantly higher if you actually get COVID-19, and the risk that the pericarditis will be more severe and have more long-term implications is much higher if you get the infection than if you get the vaccine.

Personally, I think that if anyone is going to get an adverse reaction from the vaccine, they were going to have that reaction anyway, because realistically, anyone who isn't vaccinated is going to get COVID-19 (as well as some who are vaccinated, but less severe). The myocarditis is probably caused by some rare cross-reactivity between the heart and the spike protein. In terms of the unlikely event of getting myocarditis, you basically have a choice between having your body produce the protein in a controlled fashion (with the vaccine) or having your body produce it in a fashion dictated by the virus, with a much higher load of the protein (through infection), and this is probably why you are more likely to get pericarditis with infection with the virus and why it's more likely to be severe. Not to mention that with the mRNA to produce the entire viral particle, infection with the virus has the ability to cause all of the other adverse conditions associated with the virus and the ability to spread to others, which you do not get with the vaccine.

Bottom line: get the vaccine. You can't avoid having the spike protein in your system and the very remote risk that it could lead to myocarditis, but you can choose the circumstances in which your body is producing the protein and the amount that your body is producing, so if you're worried about the risk, best to get the vaccine so at least the risk is lower than it would otherwise be.

Think of it this way: if you have a skin lesion that looks like a malignant melanoma and knowing that there's always the possibility of something bad happening, you have to choose someone to cut it out, who would you hand the scalpel to, a plastic surgeon (the vaccine), or a serial killer (COVID-19)?

10-04-2021, 10:43 AM	#102
Macindoc #1 Goaltender Join Date: Apr 2017 Exp:	Wow, you can tell from many of the responses here that COVID-19 and the restrictions put it place to reduce its spread are causing a lot of stress and anxiety, and that's resulting in a lot of anger and resentment, which is understandable. But let's continue to try to be respectful of and kind to one another, even if opinions differ. That's not to say that someone posting inaccurate information about COVID-19 or the vaccines shouldn't be called out for what they post. I certainly feel compassion for Archibald, regardless of his views. I can only hope that his experience will cause him to rethink his position on COVID-19 and vaccines, and hopefully he will become an advocate who reaches out to the unvaccinated, having been there himself. As others have said, although pericarditis can happen with both the vaccine and with COVID-19 infection, the risk is significantly higher if you actually get COVID-19, and the risk that the pericarditis will be more severe and have more long-term implications is much higher if you get the infection than if you get the vaccine. Personally, I think that if anyone is going to get an adverse reaction from the vaccine, they were going to have that reaction anyway, because realistically, anyone who isn't vaccinated is going to get COVID-19 (as well as some who are vaccinated, but less severe). The myocarditis is probably caused by some rare cross-reactivity between the heart and the spike protein. In terms of the unlikely event of getting myocarditis, you basically have a choice between having your body produce the protein in a controlled fashion (with the vaccine) or having your body produce it in a fashion dictated by the virus, with a much higher load of the protein (through infection), and this is probably why you are more likely to get pericarditis with infection with the virus and why it's more likely to be severe. Not to mention that with the mRNA to produce the entire viral particle, infection with the virus has the ability to cause all of the other adverse conditions associated with the virus and the ability to spread to others, which you do not get with the vaccine. Bottom line: get the vaccine. You can't avoid having the spike protein in your system and the very remote risk that it could lead to myocarditis, but you can choose the circumstances in which your body is producing the protein and the amount that your body is producing, so if you're worried about the risk, best to get the vaccine so at least the risk is lower than it would otherwise be. Think of it this way: if you have a skin lesion that looks like a malignant melanoma and knowing that there's always the possibility of something bad happening, you have to choose someone to cut it out, who would you hand the scalpel to, a plastic surgeon (the vaccine), or a serial killer (COVID-19)? Last edited by Macindoc; 10-04-2021 at 11:32 AM.