5 ms·

The recommendation wasn't about vaccine supply. It was about the dubious benefit of boosters for the general population.

Turing_Machine 5y ago
It doesn't matter whether the benefits are dubious or not, IMO. People take all kinds of OTC (and prescription) drugs for dubious benefits. If there's plenty to go around, why not let people decide that for themselves? Edit: https://www.unicef.org/supply/covid-19-vaccine-market-dashboard https://www.unicef.org/supply/covid-19-vaccine-market-dashbo... 20.9 billion doses have been secured. If someone can't get a first or second dose, it's because their government is fucked up in some way, not because there is a shortage of the raw vaccines.
- mikem170 5y ago
  Much of the world still can't get their first shots. > Rich countries have about twice the population of low-income countries, yet they have received about 50 times as many Covid-19 vaccine doses [0] [0] https://www.vox.com/22759707/covid-19-vaccine-gap-covax-rich-poor-countries-boosters https://www.vox.com/22759707/covid-19-vaccine-gap-covax-rich...
- sojournerc 5y ago
  OTC drugs have gone through _long-term_ studies. 12 months is not long-term.
- throaway46546 5y ago
  >why not let people decide that for themselves? I agree completely.
justinpombrio 5y ago
What in the world? Really? My understanding is that Booster shots are extremely effective at further preventing the spread of Covid. Indeed, the first result I get when searching "covid booster effectiveness" says that booster shots reduce infections by a factor of 11: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/09/studies-show-good-covid-booster-effect-waning-2nd-dose-protection https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/09/studies-... And if you don't get infected, you can't spread it. So there should be a big public health benefit to giving boosters to as many people as possible. Am I misunderstanding something, or was the reasoning behind the recommendation stupid?
- throaway46546 5y ago
  It is my understanding that they found there was not enough evidence showing the benefit to healthy adults vs the increased risk of side effects. Now that there is more evidence they might reconsider.

Turing_Machine 5y ago

It doesn't matter whether the benefits are dubious or not, IMO. People take all kinds of OTC (and prescription) drugs for dubious benefits. If there's plenty to go around, why not let people decide that for themselves? Edit: https://www.unicef.org/supply/covid-19-vaccine-market-dashboard https://www.unicef.org/supply/covid-19-vaccine-market-dashbo... 20.9 billion doses have been secured. If someone can't get a first or second dose, it's because their government is fucked up in some way, not because there is a shortage of the raw vaccines.

mikem170 5y ago
Much of the world still can't get their first shots. > Rich countries have about twice the population of low-income countries, yet they have received about 50 times as many Covid-19 vaccine doses [0] [0] https://www.vox.com/22759707/covid-19-vaccine-gap-covax-rich-poor-countries-boosters https://www.vox.com/22759707/covid-19-vaccine-gap-covax-rich...
sojournerc 5y ago
OTC drugs have gone through _long-term_ studies. 12 months is not long-term.
throaway46546 5y ago
>why not let people decide that for themselves? I agree completely.

justinpombrio 5y ago

What in the world? Really? My understanding is that Booster shots are extremely effective at further preventing the spread of Covid. Indeed, the first result I get when searching "covid booster effectiveness" says that booster shots reduce infections by a factor of 11: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/09/studies-show-good-covid-booster-effect-waning-2nd-dose-protection https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/09/studies-... And if you don't get infected, you can't spread it. So there should be a big public health benefit to giving boosters to as many people as possible. Am I misunderstanding something, or was the reasoning behind the recommendation stupid?

throaway46546 5y ago
It is my understanding that they found there was not enough evidence showing the benefit to healthy adults vs the increased risk of side effects. Now that there is more evidence they might reconsider.