4 ms·
The argument that this is a semantic game is not a very good one. The whole point of the article is to demonstrate that there really is no such thing as a ster
by sjg007 5y ago
The argument that this is a semantic game is not a very good one. The whole point of the article is to demonstrate that there really is no such thing as a sterilizing vaccine; As our scientific knowledge and technology has improved over the years we see that.
- azekai 5y agoThe Atlantic article says, and I quote: "microbiologists can’t even agree on what an infection actually is." This seems to have the sole aim of shutting down discussion, basically throwing up one's hands and saying 'who knows.' In any case, the term 'sterilizing' may not be one hundred percent biologically accurate any more, but denying that there are no sterilizing vaccines isn't really addressing the issue. So there are no 'sterilizing vaccines.' I think we can all agree that we want a COVID vaccine that is as effective as the polio or smallpox vaccine, a vaccine capable of eradication. Currently, that may not be an option due to how the disease mutates, but we should still talk about it, and discuss why we are not at least attempting to come up with a vaccine that is the flu vaccine (which may include 50 weakened or dead variants). Acting like the current vaccine options operate mechanistically like the old, very effective vaccines is misleading, and I think part of what is driving a lot of the consternation.