Vaccine
 

With vaccine coming, possibly very soon, what will be impact on operations? Can crew who have been vaccinated stop wearing masks? How about passengers? Will you have to carry some card or shot record to prove it?

Someone on the 4th floor must have COA’s ready for this, but I’ve heard no rumors.

I doubt it. Rolling out something equivalent to a national ID system greatly complicates the already difficult logistical challenge of getting up to 3 vaccines requiring more than one shot to 70% of the population. And then even if we could do that, people would have to constantly present that card. If the gate agent checks their card, then some anti-masker would simply take off their mask in the jet bridge. So, then the FAs have to check. Are the FAs supposed to remember the status of all 100-200 passengers on every flight? And contrary to our egos, pilots are nothing special. We don't get to flash a card at the hotel and expect everyone there to treat us differently.

Even once the vaccines are distributed, we will be wearing masks until we reach herd immunity. If everything goes to plan, that's expected to happen in May-June.

I think rickair777 posted in another thread that for now any CV vaccine is no bueno for pilots per FAA.

So until that gets sorted out I wouldn't worry about it.

Id not heard that. That is something our union and the company should be putting out loud and frequently if true. And the FAA needs to get of its ass and approve for pilots.

That's awesome, and I say that with zero sarcasm.

I always get high fevers with pretty much every vaccine...kinda makes me wonder what's the point? Still...every year, I'm off to CVS for the flu shot.

The individual "smart play" on any vaccine is let everyone else get it, then benefit from the herd immunity. (no vaccine is 100% safe). Nice to know I'll have government approved reason to skip out on this one. At least for awhile.

This is not correct. The FAA has no policy on vaccines at all. As long as they are approved by the FDA, they don't care. The only thing they have said is that pilots cannot participate in the vaccine trials. Once it is approved, there is nothing as of yet preventing pilots from getting it. The only issue I foresee is if the FAA counts an emergency FDA approval the same as FDA approval. I'm sure they will address soon enough.

To answer your question, no. These vaccines as described from the companies and CEO’s do not reduce transmissibility nor do they decrease your probability of infection. All they do is lesson the likelyhood of mild to severe symptoms once you are “infected”. It’s also one of numerous reasons why it makes no sense to mandate them.

“Second, Moderna and Pfizer acknowledge their vaccines appear to induce side effects that are similar to the symptoms of mild Covid-19. In Pfizer’s early phase trial, more than half of the vaccinated participants experienced headache, muscle pain and chills.
If the vaccines ultimately provide no benefit beyond a reduced risk of mild Covid-19, they could end up causing more discomfort than they prevent.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/22/o...Rs8pL_aQC68c0c

The first part of that is not really true at all.

Sorry, trials. My bad. Here's rickair's post:

https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/c...ualifying.html

Still not approved by FDA.

You go on and take it though when it is. Report back what it did to you. I'll quit my job before I put that M-RNA junk in me. Especially for cold bug with like a 99.97% survival rate for people < 75yrs old

Sorry, but Rickair isn't an authority. I’ll stick to guidance from the FAA, FDA, and company.

And why are you always so confrontational? Misinformation is a big problem and all I was doing was referencing actual sources. I never said I was going to take or that you should. All I said is there is nothing in place as of yet that would indicate the FAA won’t permit it.