Originally Posted by
Snow mom
I agree with you, but even with mandates it’s amazing how much animosity remains about the vaccine and it being “shoved down my throat” or whatever. Our state has mandates for many types of employees and people have been pissed, even if compliant. It’s just hard to see how they will ever become accepting.
From a math of herd immunity perspective, it’s absolutely true that we’d be better off vaccinating the unvaccinated, and it’s a noble goal, but from a policy perspective I’m not sure how we will reach the numbers needed. Basically modeling herd immunity you have different populations who have contacts and risks of being infected if exposed. It would be better to move a larger portion into the mid-low risk of having received the vaccine series, but barring that, we need more people with the greater protection of having been boostered. Even then, it seems the number of holdouts will keep us from ever reaching herd immunity. New variants will continue to appear (some smart friends suggested this current variant could be from an animal population and those reservoirs of virus are going to continue to be problematic even as we potentially move to greater portions of the human population being vaccinated).
One of the unfortunate things is that the lack of herd immunity just continues not only infection rate of vaccinated folks but also the variants which just leads to more of the unvaccinated population to say "see the vaccine doesn't work!" when it's because they aren't vaccinated that it isn't working as effectively. It just adds fuel to their flawed argument.
Originally Posted by
essnce629
From what I'm seeing in my Covid loss Facebook group is that the unvaccinated will get vaccinated once they experience a Covid death in their immediate family or friend group. For many many months now, all the new members in the group have lost loved ones who were not vaccinated, by choice. Most were Trump supporters who believed Covid was a "hoax" and "not real." It's not until they experienced the death of their husband, wife, or sister and watched them suffer in the hospital for weeks and saw the tremendous stress and burnout that the healthcare workers are under, that they changed their tune. They have to experience it for themselves firsthand. Only then have many decided to finally get themselves vaccinated and actually encouraged their friends and family to do the same. Many of these members have even had to plan double and triple funerals due to multiple Covid deaths in their family. For instance, I believe if my grandma hadn't died of Covid, several of my uncles would still be unvaccinated. My aunt, who was the last to get sick before my grandma, still refuses to get vaccinated and says she never will unless her work mandates it. She also refused to take a rapid test in order to come to my house for Thanksgiving.
On TWIV, they talk about how just listening to the unvaccinated and going over their concerns, in person one on one, is the best way to get them vaccinated. So this would fall primarily on primary health care providers and pediatricians. Probably not those who believe everything is a hoax, but for those that have legitimate health concerns.
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I think this is so true. There was a recent news article from the next closest major city to me where a family of four (mom, dad, 2 adult sons) all got COVID. Mom and one son were vaccinated. Dad and other son were not. None of the 4 had any preexisting conditions or risks and so Dad and son didn't think they really needed to be vaccinated. Well, all come down with COVID at the same time. Within 3 days mom and son 1 report beginning to feel better. Dad and son 2 go down hill fast. Mom ends up taking both to the ER and has to drop them at the curb because of course she too has COVID and has to isolate. Within 2 weeks both dad and son are dead, dying just days apart. Other family members who refused to be vaccinated have now all gotten vaccinated because not only did they suffer this tragic loss, but they also had a front row seat to how the vaccine changed the outcome for the other two.
Mom to two amazing DDs ('07 & '09) and a fur baby.
Gluten free since Nov '11 after non-celiac gluten sensitive diagnosis. Have had great improvement or total elimination of: migraines, bloating/distention, heartburn, cystic acne, canker sores, bleeding gums, eczema on elbows, dry skin and scalp, muscle cramps, PMS, hair loss, heart palpitations, fatigue. I'm amazed.