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Original poster

Are there data on how unvaccinated people are reacting to the mega cold?

72 replies

Bellaisoneluckywoman · 29/10/2021 11:39

For context - I am not in the anti-vaxer camp. I've had both vaccines and am booked in for my booster.

BUT....

I got the dreaded 'mega cold' thing nearly a month ago now and am still not fully well. Not is DH (who is also fully vaccinated).

A vaccine sceptic has told me 'the vaccine destroys your immune system'. Now - this may well be utter nonsense, but I have been shocked and frankly quite scared by how ill a sodding cold has made me.

So - am wondering if there are any data on how unvaccinated people have been responding to the same mega cold virus. I would find it hugely reassuring to know (rather than hope/assume) that they are responding in exactly the same way. If not - would rather suggest that the sceptics have a point.

Whether that is enough to offset the risk of dying from Covid is another question, clearly, but am trying to be entirely objective hre.

Are there any medical experts on here who might know the answer to this question? The data must be out there.

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 29/10/2021 11:46

So - am wondering if there are any data on how unvaccinated people have been responding to the same mega cold virus. I would find it hugely reassuring to know (rather than hope/assume) that they are responding in exactly the same way. If not - would rather suggest that the sceptics have a point.

Why would there be data on that? It isn’t sending people to hospital. It’s just making us all feel totally miserable.

Look, the reason everyone is finding this cold worse is we didn’t have colds last year because we were all wearing masks, obsessively washing hands, only meeting outside and avoiding contact with other people. We’ve all forgotten what it’s like to have one and our immunity to the cold viruses is down from not having been exposed so recently.

The sceptics really don’t have a point and in my experience, no reasonable, clear, objective data will convince them that they’re wrong.

ThesecondLEM · 29/10/2021 11:47

Vaccines do not destroy your immune system.

I'm double vaccinated, dp and dd are not. We have all had covid.

We have all had this virus - It's fucking awful and we've all been floored by it. Worse than covid tbh. Four/five weeks in and we are not fully recovered.

Dd (16) was the worst affected and I actually had to call 111 for her as I was worried. Ended up with antibiotics for secondary chest infection.

Wnikat · 29/10/2021 11:48

There is plenty of data that vaccines improve your immune system and therefore stop you from dying from previously fatal diseases. Hope that helps.

Wilkolampshade · 29/10/2021 11:51

There is no data on that no. Why would there be?
And even better, you don't NEED any data on it because vaccines DO NOT destroy your immune system, as a cursory Google will show you. That's not how they work. They trigger your own immune system to mount a response.
I honestly think people have just forgotten how shitty a heavy cold is.

Tomatalillo · 29/10/2021 11:52

I think your friend ought to be the one backing up their opinion with solid scientific arguments as to exactly how the vaccine could “destroy one’s immune system”.

Otherwise it’s just one person’s ramblings and leaves you in the illogical position of almost trying to prove a negative.

What would be really interesting (but impractical) would be to have the “mega cold” DNA sequenced so we know what it is. But it could be any one type of virus or many different ones circulating.

There was a nasty virus round our way back in the autumn of 2019 which might or might not have been COVID depending on the suppositions about dates and origin, but if it wasn’t COVID then it’s likely that it’s going around again. It wasn’t fun at all.

Mischance · 29/10/2021 11:52

The cold virus that is currently doing the rounds is very virulent and is having a field day because it was kept under control last year by the covid precautions.

When you feel concerned about your immune system being damaged by the vaccine, it is worth remembering that every minute of every day your immune system is successfully fighting off millions of viruses and bacteria. The covid vaccine simply programmes it to be especially good at fighting off covid. It is a sae and necessary vaccine and we are very lucky to have it. 100 years ago vast numbers of us would have been wiped out.

Mischance · 29/10/2021 11:55

safe

whitehorsesdonotlie · 29/10/2021 11:57

Think of all the vaccines we've had since childhood, since newborn babies. Do they destroy your immune system? No.

What evidence does your friend have for this?

The reason we're all getting colds now is that last year we were in lockdown, masked and washing hands, so nobody got colds. Now we are, and our immune systems are reacting!

Original poster
Bellaisoneluckywoman · 29/10/2021 11:58

Thanks ThesecondLEM - that is useful. Sorry you've all suffered so badly too - but encouraged to hear there was no difference in degree of it.

Goes without saying I'd absolutely assumed it was just because we'd all been hiding away, sanitising surfaces like crazy and not been exposed to germs - but nothing wrong with being interested in testing the hypothesis, IMHO.

As such, I would be interested in the data if it existed. If only because clear proof that everyone is reacting in the same way would be a good way of countering scepticism on this particularly front.

OP posts:
Corkit · 29/10/2021 11:59

Anecdotal I realise OP but DH and I (both double vaxxed) and DD (unvaxxed) have all just had the 'mega-cold' and have all had pretty much exactly the same experience both in terms of severity of symptoms and duration. I'd heard the same theory regarding the vaccines (DB is anti vax/conspiracy theorist) but there was certainly no evidence to back it up in our case. It's lingered for all of us, think we're about 4 weeks in and we're all still coughing occasionally and not feeling 100%.

Lizlou85 · 29/10/2021 12:02

In our house one is Double vaxxed and one hasn't had any vax. Both had mega colds, both lasted about a week and symptoms the same.

zafferana · 29/10/2021 12:02

Vaccines BOOST your immune system, as does regular exercise and a healthy balanced diet. How healthy are you OP? Is your weight within the healthy range? Do you take regular exercise? Do you eat a varied diet with plenty of fruit and veg?

Original poster
Bellaisoneluckywoman · 29/10/2021 12:03

whitehorses - not entirely sure about her 'evidence'. She knows I'm fully vaccinated so we tend to avoid the subject (!), but she is highly intelligent (former barrister) so suspect she's read something that sounds plausible, at least.

I think it's something to do with the way the Covid vaccine operates - that is (apparently) different to the way other vaccines work. Not an area I have any specialist knowledge of whatsoever - so have taken the view that the majority of experts are likely to be right.

In general just think it's right to remain curious and be prepared to listen. If the consensus view is right then it should be fairly easy to disprove this theory with data.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bellaisoneluckywoman · 29/10/2021 12:05

Really, really interesting to hear everyone's experiences. Small data set, but so far does reassure me.

OP posts:
NeverDropYourMoonCup · 29/10/2021 12:06

[Sigh]

If vaccines (or this one in particular) destroyed the immune system, they would have inadvertently discovered a cure for, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriasis, Celiac Disease, Myeloma, anaphylaxis and thousands of other disorders of the immune system and there would be loads of people saying 'hey! I had cancer/whatever, then I had my vaccinations, woke up feeling a bit weird - and it's just disappeared!!

It's just a cold.

Spacecadetagain · 29/10/2021 12:07

It’s most likely down to the fact that we weren’t constantly exposed to respiratory viruses last year which isn’t actually good for us as our immune systems weren’t primed to deal with them . On average they say most children will get eight colds a year and last year my dd had one .. that was it .. so this year we are being bombarded with all the usual colds and bugs and it’s hitting us hard sadly

Londonwriter · 29/10/2021 12:28

We’ve recently recovered from the ‘mega-cold’. My DH and I had it for four weeks.

I have an (unknown) autonomous immune system disorder, which means I get sometimes dramatic inflammatory reactions with ordinary respiratory viruses. I’ve been deliberately suppressing my immune system using clinical doses of fish oil for several months (> 2g a day).

I’d been double vaccinated when I had a cytokine test, which looks at aspects of autonomous immune system activity. I still have above-average NK cell activity and systemic inflammation from release of inflammatory chemicals. In short, despite two vaccinations, my autonomous immune system remains moderately overactive.

So, no truth in the anti-vaxxer nonsense at all.

Walkaround · 29/10/2021 12:30

I’m fully vaccinated, work in a school and everyone I work with got the mega cold, except me. I had a mildly dry-feeling throat and that’s it. So, anecdotally speaking, the idea the vaccine harms your immune system is a load of absolute bullshit. Everyone I work with got covid before Christmas last year, too, except me. Tbh, I’m waiting for some kind of payback when I get a really nasty virus whilst everyone around me stays healthy.

Tootsey11 · 29/10/2021 12:39

I'm not jabbed, and have no desire to be. Had covid. Had the mega cold going round. Better in 4 days.

A cold usually takes me 2-6 weeks to recover. Hth.

Whyevencare · 29/10/2021 12:40

I am unvaccinated and have had the cold since Sunday, it's been very mild. Blocked nose and headaches only, no cough. I've definitely had much worse colds.

SirensofTitan · 29/10/2021 12:51

@Whyevencare

I am unvaccinated and have had the cold since Sunday, it's been very mild. Blocked nose and headaches only, no cough. I've definitely had much worse colds.
Why do you say the cold?is that a typo or are you saying there is only one cold going round?
Whyevencare · 29/10/2021 12:57

@SirensofTitan the OP is asking about this mega-cold going around, how the hell am I supposed to know if that's what I have. Is there a test for that, eh no Confused
She's interested in others experiences therefore I've giving her mine Smile

TinaYouFatLard · 29/10/2021 13:02

Lockdowns weaken your immune system.

BackBackBack · 29/10/2021 13:17

I'm double jabbed but have people in my circle who aren't - for a variety of reasons. Most including me have had the mega cold. But there's been no correlation between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated. I know vaccinated and unvaccinated people that have had it mildly and others in both categories that are still coughing and pulled down by it 3-4 weeks after getting ill. Your overall health - and probably a bit of luck - are the relevant factors.

Esssa · 29/10/2021 13:19

Both me and my husband are double jabbed, with different vaccines due to ages. He has had the cold for nearly a month, I had it for a few days and not until he'd been ill for a week or two. He should have the better immune system due to going out to work and I'm a sahm to an 8 month old so don't go out much. Luck of the draw.