1. Scariest thing I heard this week (and maybe ever)…
While reviewing the FDA’s meeting to approve the COVID-19 vaccine for children 5-11 years old, I was stunned to hear one of the doctors, Eric Rubin, make the following statement… “We’re never going to learn how safe the vaccine is unless we start giving it.” Oh my! If I wasn’t sitting down when I heard that, I might have fallen down. Here’s the thing, whether you are for or against the vaccine in general, we are talking about our young children being guinea pigs in an experiment. Historically, the adults in this country put their lives and safety on the line for the children. We have never put the health and safety of the children on the line for the adults. Because the risk of dying from COVID is so, so, so low for children, many argue the main reason for vaccinating these young children is to help stop the spread of the virus. First, the vaccines have not been shown to be effective with reducing spread. (Click here to see Reuters article published yesterday about the UK study showing that vaccinated people easily spread the Delta variant.) Second, exposing these healthy, low-risk children to known (and yet-to-be known) adverse effects of the vaccine to help the community as a whole is extremely unsettling. According to an article in The Guardian last month, U.S. researchers say that the data “suggests that boys aged 12 to 15, with no underlying medical conditions, are four to six times more likely to be diagnosed with vaccine-related myocarditis than ending up in hospital with COVID over a four-month period.” (For full article, click here.) As parents decide whether or not to vaccinate their young children, I think it critical that they have as much information as possible. This isn’t something where we can say oops! and undo our mistakes. The damage caused can be permanent. And remember, all the negative talk involves myocarditis, but there are other potential serious adverse effects that we cannot know until that damage is done. As with all medical decisions, you need to do your own research. You need to make an informed decision. And you need to include your gut feelings and instinct. And Dr. Rubin’s words during the FDA advisory meeting make it very clear that we DO NOT KNOW what the effects on these children will be, and that the FDA is willing to allow our children to be used in this experimental way. My gut feeling and instinct tells me that this could be the biggest medical mistake in the history of medicine. Time will tell. (I’m not telling you what to do, or trying to persuade you, but merely sharing information that I feel is critical when making these serious decisions.)
2. Something I was reminded of this week…
As the current world order seems negative and uncertain, it is easy to ball up, do nothing, and be paralyzed by that uncertainty and fear. I re-read an article on Benzinga.com titled, “10 Successful Businesses That Were Started During Economic Downturns.” It reminded me that there is always opportunity for advancement, achievement, and success, even in tough times. The ten companies listed in this article are…
1.Hewlett-Packard (1939), 2. Hyatt (1957), 3. Microsoft (1979), 4. Electronic Arts. (1981), 5. Mailchimp (2001), 6. Uber (2009), 7. Airbnb (2008), 8. Slack (2009), 9. Warby Parker (2010), and 10. Venmo (2009)
All started during a recession! Others include General Electric (1892), General Motors (1908), IBM (1911), Disney (1929), Trader Joe’s (1958), and FedEx (1971). So don’t let tough times stifle your creativity, your dreams, or your opportunities. Recessions, depressions, pandemics, and other rough times may just be the BEST time for you to succeed.
3. An image worth pondering for a moment…
I came across this image on WebMD, and it made me pause for a moment. It’s a sperm penetrating an egg. It got me thinking (as I often do) about the incredible human body. Think about this… about 40-300 million sperm start the journey, a few hundred make it to the egg, and JUST ONE gets accepted by the egg. Once accepted, the egg forms an outer coat that prevents all other sperm from entering. That sperm and egg together act as one cell, which then become two, then four, then eight, and on and on, until it becomes a fully functioning human being. Just think about the odds of you making it into this world. If you don’t think you’re special… think again. If you don’t appreciate the miraculous power of the human body and its ability to function, heal, and grow, take a moment to do so.
