Vaccine Hesitancy and the Pandemic

[Dockhead]

As of this month, people are finally getting vaccines against the Coronavirus. This is fantastic news -- finally light at the end of the tunnel for this ghastly pandemic. A huge, heroic achievement of the pharma industry, global cooperation, public-private partnership to go from pandemic start to actually distributing an effective vaccine, in less than a year.

But now we have a different problem. It turns out that a surprising number of people around the world are reluctant to vaccinate themselves or their families. If we don't get a certain proportion of people immune, there will be no herd immunity, and we can't stop the pandemic.

The number one country in the world for vaccine hesitancy in the world right now is, of all places, FRANCE, the very home of Louis Pasteur, with fully 33% skeptical of vaccine safety as of 2018, and fully 61% (!!!) saying that they would not take a COVID vaccine in a recent poll (https://www.cnews.fr/france/2020-12-...iner-contre-le). This is an extremely serious problem. France will hardly make a dent in the pandemic inside France if only 39% are willing to be vaccinated. This is an extremely serious problem.

I'm astonished at the level of vaccine hesitancy around the world:


https://fr.weforum.org/press/2020/09...ent-suffisant/

The fact that these vaccines are 90% to 95% effective helps a lot in getting us to herd immunity with fewer people vaccinated, but if anything like these numbers of people refuse to take the vaccine, we are in big trouble.

[Dockhead]

And BTW just read that I am LAST in line to be vaccinated. I was sick with COVID almost a year ago and not sure I'm still immune. Healthy, under 65 and NOT an "essential worker" -- I probably won't be able to have mine until summer unless I go to Russia for it.


There should be a separate line for people who are frequent business travellers (so huge amount of social contact), and who are willing to pay €1000, or €3000 or whatever to be vaccinated. The extra money would help expand production -- win-win situation.

[grantmc]

I wouldn't get too stressed Dockhead, a whole bunch of surveys have been lumped together and the publication is some months old. Also vaccine(s) was a hypothetical back in Sept, and it was looking like the worst was over.

Further down the article has a survey response summary on the reasons why. Being concerned with the side effects is by far the most prevalent reason.

It's not that anti-vaxxers have been winning the public relations war.

Another question that wasn't asked but the answers would be very interesting in some parts of the world: Is covid a real disease?

As time goes on and people take up the vaccine, and assuming there are minimal horror stories about the resultant side effects, then public opinion will change, even in France.

[Belezar]

At least one survey I saw said 57% of Americans say they won’t get vaccinated. I agree that as time goes on the comfort level will increase. In the meantime my selfish side says fine, the quicker they will get to me.��

[Jason Flare]

If the scientists put you last in line why the doubt with scientists.

Seems out of character.

[Oohla]

Never a bad idea to check the scientific literature on an issue like this. Anyone can search Google Scholar. For example this is available:
Immunity Volume 52, Issue 5, 19 May 2020, Pages 737-741
Journal home page for Immunity
Primer Herd Immunity: Understanding COVID-19
Author: Haley E. Randolph 1, Luis B. Barreiro


There are others.


Basically, there is a theoretical and therefore debatable prevalence of vaccination to a given pathogen that should achieve herd immunity. It is likely be achieved even with so many declining vaccination. Again, look to the scientific literature.


Polls are notoriously inaccurate. People lie to pollsters. People change their minds. People rarely think clearly: viz Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman.


Nevertheless those who refuse vaccination pose a risk to others and to themselves. Although if a sufficient number refuse the vaccine the average IQ in a population may go up.


Restricting the mobility of refuseniks is an instrument that can be wielded by our political leaders. My non-scientific opinion is that they will do so in due course.


BTW I have my 1st Pfizer dose yesterday. I feel great and for the first time in months optimistic.

[SV Siren]

To be honest I am towards the end of the line, but hesitant about taking it. I am sure that will be alleviated as more take it and very few side effects and negative reactions are recorded(assumption).

[OrinocoFlo]

I'm a front line healthcare worker as a registered nurse at a major Boston Hospital, and I resent the fact that so many cowards are jumping ahead in line to get vaccinated, which has pushed my co-workers and I into the second level of those getting vaccinated. Every day the do-nothings are pushing their money and influence to get a shot before those of us who are actually caring for those afflicted.

What about the ambulance workers, ER nurses or registered nurses like my husband who lost three weeks of covid unit related work while home with covid but received no benefits?

Pam

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by OrinocoFlo

I'm a front line healthcare worker as a registered nurse at a major Boston Hospital, and I resent the fact that so many cowards are jumping ahead in line to get vaccinated, which has pushed my co-workers and I into the second level of those getting vaccinated. Every day the do-nothings are pushing their money and influence to get a shot before those of us who are actually caring for those afflicted.

What about the ambulance workers, ER nurses or registered nurses like my husband who lost three weeks of covid unit related work while home with covid but received no benefits?

Pam

Doesn't EVERYONE agree that front-line health care workers should be vaccinated first? I don't think there is any controversy about that. How in the world did you and Ken end up in a "second level" category? That makes no sense at all.


And thank you for your service. The front-line health care workers, putting their own health on the line in order to take care of the rest of us, are the real heroes of the pandemic, in my book

[OrinocoFlo]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Doesn't EVERYONE agree that front-line health care workers should be vaccinated first? I don't think there is any controversy about that. How in the world did you and Ken end up in a "second level" category? That makes no sense at all.


And thank you for your service. The front-line health care workers, putting their own health on the line in order to take care of the rest of us, are the real heroes of the pandemic, in my book

We are being placed in the second wave of vaccinations to be given due to all the cowards pushing their way to the front of the line, administrators, politicians, the wealthy, sports heroes, basically anyone who thinks they know somebody or seems wrapped up in their own self-importance.

They should all be ashamed of themselves.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/fro-re...accine-rollout

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by OrinocoFlo

We are being placed in the second wave of vaccinations to be given due to all the cowards pushing their way to the front of the line, administrators, politicians, the wealthy, sports heroes, basically anyone who thinks they know somebody or seems wrapped up in their own self-importance.

They should all be ashamed of themselves.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/fro-re...accine-rollout

But that article only talks about some doctors at Stanford being vaccinated before some other doctors and health care workers. Nothing about "administrators, politicians, the wealthy, sports heroes. . . "

[OrinocoFlo]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

But that article only talks about some doctors at Stanford being vaccinated before some other doctors and health care workers. Nothing about "administrators, politicians, the wealthy, sports heroes. . . " uzzled:

I work in the field and see what's going on all around me, read whatever you wish, but please try to interpret and understand the article I referenced for what it is, just one small example of what's taking place all over America with the vaccine. Did you happen to notice that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pushed ahead of all frontline healthcare workers in America for her vaccine?

[OrinocoFlo]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

There should be a separate line for people who are frequent business travellers (so huge amount of social contact), and who are willing to pay €1000, or €3000 or whatever to be vaccinated. The extra money would help expand production -- win-win situation.

A shameful suggestion IMO.

Pam

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by OrinocoFlo

A shameful suggestion IMO.

Pam

Why? If a limited number of people are willing to pay 300x what it costs, this money can be used to expand production, and actually vaccinate more people faster.



Of course not ahead of front line health care workers; I never suggested that.

[Mariefred]

People weigh the risks. If they have a high risk of being wiped out by Covid, they disregard the risks of a rapidly developed vaccine. If they have minimal risk of being wiped out by Covid (and that's the vast majority of the population), then they're more concerned about the risks of a rapidly developed and rapidly mass produced vaccine. They look at things like Gulf War Syndrome and the narcolepsy caused by the mass produced H1N1 vaccine.


They also figure that if those that are vulnerable to Covid get vaccinated, then what's the problem if they don't?


And by the time they enter the vulnerable group, the world will have had several years with plenty of test subjects. If all's good, and those test subjects didn't develop nasty complications, then they'll get vaccinated. If it's not, they might give it a miss.


If travel is dependent on some form of vaccination passport, it'll just lead to a black market in vaccination passports. Easily done.