A friend and his wife have a major disagreement. She has received her second COVID booster shot, noting studies that show protection from the first booster declining over time in older Americans.  He is resisting, convinced from internet blogs that the majority of COVID-related illness comes from those who received the vaccine. 

She calls him an “idiot” who wallows in conspiracy theories rather than sound medical science.  He says she is part of the “woke” establishment who believes the government-pharmaceutical company cartel.

Studies, of course, are interesting, with differing results based on the methodology and the study groups.  The study a few years ago on the health benefits of red wine has since been debunked.  The benefits come from the grape itself, not wine, and since wine drinkers tend to have higher income levels, the health benefits may come from access to medical care and healthier diets, not the alcohol.

A similar case was seen last month when an exhaustive study was conducted on the benefits of coffee.  An earlier study found coffee drinking could slightly reduce longevity with caffeine being the suspected culprit.  However, a larger study separated coffee drinkers who smoke from those who didn’t and those who didn’t drink coffee at all.  The results:  Those who drank coffee but didn’t smoke had slightly less cancer and a major reduction in diseases like Alzheimer’s.  An analysis reported that coffee drinkers who didn’t smoke had less diseases than those who didn’t drink it at all.

Here are a few other studies:

PORNOGRAPHY – About 12 years ago, a national study found Utahns were number one in the nation in their consumption of pornography.  A later study rebuffed this, putting Utah at 40th.  Who knows?  A “Utah Stories” magazine reporter suggested Utah’s high rank in pornography viewing could be based on the state having the youngest average age in the nation, and most likely porn viewers are between 15-34.  Frankly, I don’t know how one can estimate the extent of pornography since there are more than 420 million porn sites on the internet and porn industry’s profits are larger than the combined revenue of the National Football league, National Basketball Association, and Major League Baseball.

FITNESS – Some studies have Utah as one of the most physically fit states in the U.S., especially if the study ranks its low percentage of alcohol and tobacco use.  Other studies rebut this, pointing to an abundance of “meat and potatoes” diets, high sugar consumption, and a low incidence of physical exercise.  Again, I have to question this:  Utahns typically live longer, and most 70-year-olds are not eager to be running half-marathons.

EDUCATION – Studies putting an emphasis on high class loads place Utah low on education rankings, but others rank Utah higher based on national test scores.  Honestly, it’s difficult to compare Utah with California or Washington, D.C. since the Beehive State has fewer poverty neighborhoods and a comparatively low number of English as a Second Language households. 

And then there’s my favorite SINFUL study.  One reported that Utah was the most religious state based on church attendance and contributions made, while another found it highly sinful due to gluttony (high meat and sugar intake) and greed (lower than average donations to non-profit social organizations). 

Pick your study to fit your own bias.  But as for my friend’s suspicion of the COVID booster, all I know is that before the vaccine was distributed, the hospitals were bulging with dying and seriously ill patients on ventilators. The science is irrefutable. The vaccine works to prevent serious illness – so get the booster shot!