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0 pointspbhjpbhj5y ago0 comments

It may be ridiculous, but it seems necessary if you're managing populations of people:

Build a dam, which if it broke would kill hundreds-of-thousands, or let millions die for lack of water? Oh, we'll just over-engineer it, now we can't afford to buy food to keep the people alive long enough to need the dam; or the lead engineering firm embezzles the money and installs dodgy iron.

We can't wait around for long term studies, whatever point we decide to start vaccines - where they can still be effective for the current population - it's always possible we should have waited a bit longer.

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5 comments · 1 top-level

raverbashing5y ago· 4 in thread

You're blowing the problem out of proportion

Deaths by Covid are still much more likely than deaths by the vaccine.

Hospitalizations as well, except for the 20-29 cohort https://twitter.com/VikiLovesFACS/status/1379833789334089734

calvano9155y ago

Deaths by COVID implies that those at risk will forego all other options to decrease risk of infection, such as masks, distancing, etc. Those options are opt in the same as a vaccine, though the vaccine is 2x and done.

Nonetheless, just because version 1/2 COVID vaccines are good enough for you does not others should just jump on board when other options exist that can vastly reduce risk of infectionand/or death.

In short, blowing the death problem our of proportion unless the options are only nothing vs vaccine.

Mediterraneo105y ago

> Deaths by COVID implies that those at risk will forego all other options to decrease risk of infection, such as masks, distancing, etc.

Masks are supposed to protect others from you. Wearing a mask is not meant to help a person who may be at risk decrease his/her own risk of infection.

In any event, now that spring weather is here in the northern hemisphere and the vaccination campaign has given people hope, social-distancing rules are being flaunted in many countries and at-risk populations may find it hard to properly distance when they leave their homes for e.g. basic shopping. So, since the "other options" don’t always work, keeping up the vaccination campaign is very important to reducing infections.

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throwawayboise5y ago

Also: losing weight, getting more exercise, improving your diet, getting proper amounts of vitamins. All things that will greatly reduce your risk of death from many causes, not just COVID. But requires some effort compared to taking a pill or a shot.

pbak5y ago

If we are talking death, OK, but what about other issues in the "harm spectrum" in either the case of Covid or Vaccine ?

I mean there's still stuff between "fully healthy" or "deadly dead".

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