3 ms·

I've never traveled anywhere yellow fever is endemic so I don't know a ton about it other than the vaccination requirements you mention. I carry my vaccination

by pc86 5y ago

I've never traveled anywhere yellow fever is endemic so I don't know a ton about it other than the vaccination requirements you mention. I carry my vaccination card in my wallet so I'm not immediately opposed to some sort of verifiable way to confirm one's vaccination status. There are absolutely some instances where it makes sense to mandate it, but it's wrong to try to structure society so that you can't take part unless you're vaccinated. There's a point at which mandates and guidelines aren't helpful anymore and they become theater. I'm not going to put a mask on at the entrance to a restaurant, walk ten feet to a table, and take my mask off. That's theater. I have unvaccinated family members. They're not changing their mind, I'm done trying to change it, but they're still in my family and they're not disowned or excommunicated because they happen to be wrong about something. Omicron seems as transmissible or slightly more-so, but much less deadly. That sounds like exactly what we thought multiple variants would lead to a year ago. It sounds like things are in the right track and we're on our way out of the forest, so to speak. But, government being government, I don't see mandates slowing or going away any time soon. I think what's here is here to stay, whether it works or not.

zivkovicp 5y ago
This sounds about right. I'm not informed enough to comment on the virus or quality/efficacy/safety of any of the vaccines, but I am vaccinated, and have friends and family in both camps. All I know is that this is not a naive virus, I know about a dozen people who have had it, not everyone has survived, but everyone who has was genuinely afraid for their lives. That anecdotal evidence is enough to convince me to accept a vaccine/medication because I feel the risk/reward is favourable. I can't bring myself to support mandated vaccination or making pariahs out of those who don't share my risk/reward considerations, however, because I think clawing back individual liberties that we give up is much harder than finding the compromises necessary to hold onto them in the first place. I might be wrong, it wouldn't be the first time, but I would prefer compromise and tolerance to a knee-jerk reaction. There is already too much bad legislation born from "times of emergency" and such, no need to stoke the flames.
throwaway2037 5y ago
Thank you for your honest and balanced reply. I spent some time to think about it. How do you feel about "anti-vaxxers" (a weird term by itself) refusing to get measles vaccines? (It is regularly quoted as one of the most infectious human viruses.) In the United States, some communities that have a high ratio of people whom refuse to vaccinate their children have seen outbreaks of measles. (Southern California!) It's a devastating disease for children who don't yet control their own destiny. Frequently, parents are themselves inoculated, but refuse the same vaccines for their own children. I can understand and appreciate: For adults the decision for COVID-19 vaccine is a bit different. They are only controlling their own destiny.

by pc86 5y ago

zivkovicp 5y ago

This sounds about right. I'm not informed enough to comment on the virus or quality/efficacy/safety of any of the vaccines, but I am vaccinated, and have friends and family in both camps. All I know is that this is not a naive virus, I know about a dozen people who have had it, not everyone has survived, but everyone who has was genuinely afraid for their lives. That anecdotal evidence is enough to convince me to accept a vaccine/medication because I feel the risk/reward is favourable. I can't bring myself to support mandated vaccination or making pariahs out of those who don't share my risk/reward considerations, however, because I think clawing back individual liberties that we give up is much harder than finding the compromises necessary to hold onto them in the first place. I might be wrong, it wouldn't be the first time, but I would prefer compromise and tolerance to a knee-jerk reaction. There is already too much bad legislation born from "times of emergency" and such, no need to stoke the flames.

throwaway2037 5y ago

Thank you for your honest and balanced reply. I spent some time to think about it. How do you feel about "anti-vaxxers" (a weird term by itself) refusing to get measles vaccines? (It is regularly quoted as one of the most infectious human viruses.) In the United States, some communities that have a high ratio of people whom refuse to vaccinate their children have seen outbreaks of measles. (Southern California!) It's a devastating disease for children who don't yet control their own destiny. Frequently, parents are themselves inoculated, but refuse the same vaccines for their own children. I can understand and appreciate: For adults the decision for COVID-19 vaccine is a bit different. They are only controlling their own destiny.