# Should I get the vaccine? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 14, 2020, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-the-vaccine/928055 "2020-12-14T21:20:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-the-vaccine/928055/21 "2020-12-15T01:16:11Z")
I would assume that, elsewhere… ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-the-vaccine/928055/22 "2020-12-15T01:53:37Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > A medical professional does not say “Yes, you have it”, without a formal diagnosis, including testing results as needed. Even in the USA, where meaningless tests are the rule, lots of medical decisions are made (by medical professionals) on the basis of medical history. This particular vaccine has no data on it’s effect on people who’ve had COVID, so the advice available is just general theoretical advice: People who’ve had COVID, or might have had COVID, should be vaccinated. My personal advice, which is just general theoretical advice, is that if the first dose of the vaccine makes you very sick, you shouldn’t have the second dose. Which is probably not needed anyway if the first dose makes you very sick. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-the-vaccine/928055/23 "2020-12-15T01:59:51Z")
“Even in the USA, where meaningless tests are the rule, lots of medical decisions are made (by medical professionals) on the basis of medical history.” Cite for this portion of your post? ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-the-vaccine/928055/24 "2020-12-15T02:00:55Z")
Which part? Overtesting in the USA, or medical decision making? ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-the-vaccine/928055/25 "2020-12-15T02:16:46Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > lots of medical decisions are made (by medical professionals) on the basis of medical history. I should hope. As well as examination and assessment, augmented by testing if necessary to confirm or rule out. Then, diagnosis. History is the first step. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-the-vaccine/928055/26 "2020-12-15T03:48:02Z")
The part where “over testing is the rule”. Where did you get this from? ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-the-vaccine/928055/27 "2020-12-15T04:47:10Z")
Here’s any easy read: [Overtesting & Overtreatment in Healthcare | Your Medical Imaging Cloud | Ambra Health](https://ambrahealth.com/uncategorized/overtesting-overtreatment-in-healthcare/) Here’s a peer-reviewed generic study: [Baseline Performance of Real-World Clinical Practice Within a Statewide Emergency Medicine Quality Network: The Michigan Emergency Department Improvement Collaborative (MEDIC) - Annals of Emergency Medicine (annemergmed.com)](https://www.annemergmed.com/article/S0196-0644(19)30356-7/fulltext) ---
**Author:** ![Esprise\_Me](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprise_me/32/2947_2.png) [@Esprise\_Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprise_Me)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-the-vaccine/928055/28 "2020-12-15T04:59:19Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > Unless your personal health care expert specifically advises against it then I’d get it. Just my humble opinion, do with it what you will. I second this. I very much want everyone around me to get the vaccine ASAP, but I don’t consider it wasted on you. Any immunity you might’ve had could have worn off already, and you’re high risk for catching and spreading it, as well as for being seriously harmed by it. Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, get the shot. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-the-vaccine/928055/29 "2020-12-15T16:02:08Z")
Thanks, friends! My conscience is eased and I can get the shot with little fear that I’m taking it from the arm of the truly needy. White Guilt loses this round. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-the-vaccine/928055.md?page=1)