# Gandalf gets "Cure Disease" Spell **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [December 18, 2020, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gandalf-gets-cure-disease-spell/928309 "2020-12-18T05:25:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2020, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gandalf-gets-cure-disease-spell/928309/1 "2020-12-18T05:25:05Z")
> **[Sir Ian McKellen 'euphoric' to receive Covid-19 vaccine](https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55345131)** > > The Lord of the Rings actor says he "would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone". > [@](#): > > **Sir Ian McKellen has become the latest celebrity to be photographed receiving the Covid-19 vaccine.** > > The 81-year-old star of the X-Men and Lord of the Rings films said he felt “euphoric” to be vaccinated at Queen Mary’s University Hospital in London. > > “ **Anyone who has lived as long as I have is alive because they have had previous vaccinations** ,” said the veteran actor. Clearly speaking as a pro-vaxer. Good for him. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2020, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gandalf-gets-cure-disease-spell/928309/2 "2020-12-18T10:24:58Z")
I like his message and I hope it takes. ---
**Author:** ![gdave](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gdave/32/3683_2.png) [@gdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gdave)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2020, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gandalf-gets-cure-disease-spell/928309/3 "2020-12-18T13:00:02Z")
I tried to resist the urge to nitpick, but I just can’t. It’s not a “Cure Disease” spell. It’s a “Protection From Disease” spell, which gives him a massive saving throw bonus. I have actually seen some real world confusion between _treating_ diseases and _preventing_ diseases, with respect to vaccines. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2020, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gandalf-gets-cure-disease-spell/928309/4 "2020-12-18T22:39:08Z")
> [@gdave](#): > > I have actually seen some real world confusion between _treating_ diseases and _preventing_ diseases, with respect to vaccines. Considering we give pets shots to prevent them from getting rabies and give humans (different) shots _after_ they’ve already been exposed to rabies to keep them from becoming symptomatic, and how rabies is a frequently referenced disease in both movies/tv and news stories, IMHO it’s not very surprising some people get confused about what vaccines aka “shots” actually do. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2020, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gandalf-gets-cure-disease-spell/928309/5 "2020-12-19T19:49:47Z")
AFAIK, rabies is the only disease for which a vaccine after exposure can be effective. And this only because it takes upwards of 6 months for the disease to develop. Please correct me if I wrong. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2020, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gandalf-gets-cure-disease-spell/928309/6 "2020-12-19T20:02:50Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > AFAIK, rabies is the only disease for which a vaccine after exposure can be effective. Vaccination after exposure to some other diseases is recommended (at least in some cases) for tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, anthrax, diphtheria, and measles. See the article [Postexposure Prophylaxis for Common Infectious Diseases](https://www.aafp.org/afp/2013/0701/p25.html)