I developed gout in my mid 20s after a viral infection. My uric acid is always in the normal range and I get stereotypical gout symptoms including Tophi now that I’m 50. I can usually predict a gout attack when I get a cold, I have a feeling my immune system gets ramped up and my feet are collateral damage.

So I guess my point is, what percentage of the population is like my case and will eventually get an autoimmune issue from a viral infection? Omicron looks like it’s be eventually going to infect everyone, so avoiding the vaccine for a one in a million autoimmune reaction might be delaying the inevitable when you get infected by Omicron for real.