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> I'm pretty sure we did not eradicate smallpox by firing people for not getting the vaccine... Yes we did: > In 1901 a deadly smallpox epidemic tore through

> I'm pretty sure we did not eradicate smallpox by firing people for not getting the vaccine... Yes we did: > In 1901 a deadly smallpox epidemic tore through the Northeast, prompting the Boston and Cambridge boards of health to order the vaccination of all residents. But some refused to get the shot, claiming the vaccine order violated their personal liberties under the Constitution. > One of those holdouts, a Swedish-born pastor named Henning Jacobson, took his anti-vaccine crusade all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The nation's top justices issued a landmark 1905 ruling that legitimized the authority of states to “reasonably” infringe upon personal freedoms during a public health crisis by issuing a fine to those who refused vaccination.

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jml7c5 5y ago
I believe you replied to the wrong comment. (Just a note for anyone who is confused.)
- selcuka 5y ago
  Yes, sorry for not mentioning it, but the reply button was not visible for some reason (possibly HN thought that it's a flamewar), hence the closest comment and the quote. :/
dham 5y ago
Smallpox was actually deadly though. If Covid had the death rate of Smallpox then everyone would have gotten a vaccine. That's the end of the discussion. If your neighbor is bleeding from their eyes (Ebola) then people will take the vaccine. The reason Covid is different is because most people have to be reminded every day that it even exists, take a test every-time they sniffle to get diagnosed. So you can imagine vaccine uptick is just going to be less. It's a fact of life. The connection just isn't there.
- Ensorceled 5y ago
  COVID has killed 919,336 Americans, excess deaths over previous years indicate that is under reported by almost 50%.
  - brandonmenc 5y ago
    Smallpox is like - at minimum - 30x more deadly - probably up to 70x more deadly - kills fully half of infected children under age 1 - and renders blind around 1% of those infected. It's ridiculous to even compare the two.
- selcuka 5y ago
  > If Covid had the death rate of Smallpox then everyone would have gotten a vaccine. The point is even with smallpox some people refused to get the vaccine. People are weird.
henrikschroder 5y ago
> by issuing a fine to those who refused vaccination. ...of five dollars back then, which would be ~$160 today. The difference between a $160 fine and being fired from your job is enormous, but you just ignored that part to make your argument.
- selcuka 5y ago
  And you just ignored the main point, which was not the amount of the fine, but the "1905 ruling that legitimized the authority of states to “reasonably” infringe upon personal freedoms during a public health crisis". Not that I think this is a good (or a bad) thing, but it's a historical fact.
  - henrikschroder 5y ago
    I did not ignore it, it is simply unreasonable to fire people from their jobs over this.

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[deleted]

jml7c5 5y ago

I believe you replied to the wrong comment. (Just a note for anyone who is confused.)

selcuka 5y ago
Yes, sorry for not mentioning it, but the reply button was not visible for some reason (possibly HN thought that it's a flamewar), hence the closest comment and the quote. :/

dham 5y ago

Smallpox was actually deadly though. If Covid had the death rate of Smallpox then everyone would have gotten a vaccine. That's the end of the discussion. If your neighbor is bleeding from their eyes (Ebola) then people will take the vaccine. The reason Covid is different is because most people have to be reminded every day that it even exists, take a test every-time they sniffle to get diagnosed. So you can imagine vaccine uptick is just going to be less. It's a fact of life. The connection just isn't there.

Ensorceled 5y ago
COVID has killed 919,336 Americans, excess deaths over previous years indicate that is under reported by almost 50%.
- brandonmenc 5y ago
  Smallpox is like - at minimum - 30x more deadly - probably up to 70x more deadly - kills fully half of infected children under age 1 - and renders blind around 1% of those infected. It's ridiculous to even compare the two.
selcuka 5y ago
> If Covid had the death rate of Smallpox then everyone would have gotten a vaccine. The point is even with smallpox some people refused to get the vaccine. People are weird.

henrikschroder 5y ago

> by issuing a fine to those who refused vaccination. ...of five dollars back then, which would be ~$160 today. The difference between a $160 fine and being fired from your job is enormous, but you just ignored that part to make your argument.

selcuka 5y ago
And you just ignored the main point, which was not the amount of the fine, but the "1905 ruling that legitimized the authority of states to “reasonably” infringe upon personal freedoms during a public health crisis". Not that I think this is a good (or a bad) thing, but it's a historical fact.
- henrikschroder 5y ago
  I did not ignore it, it is simply unreasonable to fire people from their jobs over this.