4 ms·

It's unfortunate that you've been downvoted as this is a worthwhile discussion to have. I think the short answer is that we simply don't know yet which one is

It's unfortunate that you've been downvoted as this is a worthwhile discussion to have. I think the short answer is that we simply don't know yet which one is "better", especially since there are so many dimensions for what can make one vaccine better than the others: - dosing schedule - logistical constraints like refrigeration, shelf life - rate of severe side effects (like allergic reactions) - rate of mild side effects (like the severe cold symptoms I got from the J&J shot) - duration of immunity - effectiveness against emerging variants - effectiveness at preventing hospitalization vs severe disease vs transmission vs infection altogether We just don't have data to fairly compare the vaccines on all these dimensions. The answer from a public health perspective is to get as many shots in as many arms as fast as possible, as long as they have low rates of severe side effects and are reasonably effective. However I agree that it sows distrust to not be honest & upfront about the fact that it's highly unlikely that all vaccines are actually equal, and that we simply don't have the data to know exactly how they differ. That could easily be followed up with a "once we figure out which ones are actually better we'll give additional vaccines and/or booster shots to those that drew the short straw". Pretending they are all equal is only going to further erode trust when we inevitably figure out how they're not actually equal.

sharkweek 6y ago
I'm not going to go deep on this right now because I don't have the emotional will to type out the entire story but my in-laws have kinda fallen off the "trust healthcare professionals" boat over the last couple of years. This pandemic has really shined a light on their lack of trust in institutions, and while they both got the J&J vax, they are proactively sending me and my partner literature about why mRNA is dangerous / should be avoided / how it's all a big plot to... X/Y/Z. They're not crazy, I swear. In fact if you sat and had a conversation with either of them, you'd think they were some intelligent / kind people. But for some reason, I have to spend way more time than I care to combating misinformation they send us to the point where we had a harsh talk recently that we need them to stop bringing it up or we'll cut off communication for a bit. If I had to take a guess... they got to retirement with too much free time on their hands, so they spend all day on their phones reading crap they see on the internet. They might have had their initial biases, but when they see a headline that strengthens the bias they can't get enough.
- irq 6y ago
  > They’re not crazy, I swear > I have to spend way more time than I care to combating misinformation I find these statements at odds with each other. FWIW, my in laws and my extended family all believe in various vaccine conspiracy theories and that makes them all literally, truly crazy.
  - sharkweek 6y ago
    Yeah, you're probably right, but it's like deep down I think they're just gullible. I think if I really pushed hard on correcting this thinking (I honestly don't have it in me right now), we'd probably get somewhere back to normal.
    - irq 6y ago
      Anecdata but, I have not witnessed this happening or even heard of this ever happening. Once people accept a kernel of bullshit into their knowledge map, they’ve lost the ability to separate fact from fiction from uncomfortable truths, and then they start adding more and more bs to their knowledge base at an accelerating pace. It's quite a lot like cancer, really, and there are doctors that can help with this, but of course these people don't typically trust doctors. So don’t feel bad if you don’t have it in you, chances are it would make no difference except potentially destroying your relationship with them.

sharkweek 6y ago

I'm not going to go deep on this right now because I don't have the emotional will to type out the entire story but my in-laws have kinda fallen off the "trust healthcare professionals" boat over the last couple of years. This pandemic has really shined a light on their lack of trust in institutions, and while they both got the J&J vax, they are proactively sending me and my partner literature about why mRNA is dangerous / should be avoided / how it's all a big plot to... X/Y/Z. They're not crazy, I swear. In fact if you sat and had a conversation with either of them, you'd think they were some intelligent / kind people. But for some reason, I have to spend way more time than I care to combating misinformation they send us to the point where we had a harsh talk recently that we need them to stop bringing it up or we'll cut off communication for a bit. If I had to take a guess... they got to retirement with too much free time on their hands, so they spend all day on their phones reading crap they see on the internet. They might have had their initial biases, but when they see a headline that strengthens the bias they can't get enough.

irq 6y ago
> They’re not crazy, I swear > I have to spend way more time than I care to combating misinformation I find these statements at odds with each other. FWIW, my in laws and my extended family all believe in various vaccine conspiracy theories and that makes them all literally, truly crazy.
- sharkweek 6y ago
  Yeah, you're probably right, but it's like deep down I think they're just gullible. I think if I really pushed hard on correcting this thinking (I honestly don't have it in me right now), we'd probably get somewhere back to normal.
  - irq 6y ago
    Anecdata but, I have not witnessed this happening or even heard of this ever happening. Once people accept a kernel of bullshit into their knowledge map, they’ve lost the ability to separate fact from fiction from uncomfortable truths, and then they start adding more and more bs to their knowledge base at an accelerating pace. It's quite a lot like cancer, really, and there are doctors that can help with this, but of course these people don't typically trust doctors. So don’t feel bad if you don’t have it in you, chances are it would make no difference except potentially destroying your relationship with them.