A Question for Anti-Vaxxers

[Alligatorob]

just to make sure that you still think that you are
doing the right thing, stand in front of a mirror and ask yourselves
the same question, "why am I not taking the vaccine"?

I have spent some time and effort to understand why the people I know are not getting the vaccine. The reasons seem to me to fall into a few categories:

• Concern over long term negative impacts, a nurse I know cites the thalidomide baby thing as an example. This is of course an unknowable, all we can be certain of are the one year or so effects since vaccination has started. And so far with hundreds of millions there seems no significant risk, however longer term is uncertain. I don't see any good reason to fear this, but can understand why some do.
• Concern over shorter term impacts. I think we now have overwhelming evidence that this is not a rational fear. The only significant short term effects seem to be arm pain and mild symptoms. My wife had both, I had neither.
• Natural defiance to being told to do something. I do understand this, I often have the same reaction to many things. However for myself it has not kept me from getting vaccinated.
• Political, for reasons I do not understand in the US Democrats seem more likely to get vaccinated than Republicans. Maybe its related to the reason above? Donald Trump has been vaccinated and had a booster, so have a lot of Republicans, so its not universal. And I believe the famous anti-vaxxer Robert Kennedy Jr is a Democrat. I don't understand why politics should have anything to do with it.
• A belief that natural immunity is as good or better than what the vaccine can provide. I can understand this, the real question however is does the vaccine increase this immunity and/or does it increase the risk of shorter term problems. The paper @palides2021 cites above in #20 addresses this very well. And my conclusion after reading it is we are, at this time, uncertain as to both questions. My wife and possibly myself got Covid after the first 2 Pfizer shots, we both then got boosters afterwards. Not saying I expect all to do the same, just our decisions.
• I also know people who don't believe Covid exists, that it's just fake news or something. Don't understand that one.

My bottom line is I have had the vaccinations and plan to continue if more booster or updates become available, and I believe others should as well. However, I can understand at least some of the rationale for not getting vaccinated. I don't agree, but I do understand. And I do not believe this is bad enough to require or use draconian measures to force people to vaccinate. I think providing good scientific data is the best way to convince more folks. Assuming it continues to show what it has so far anyway - that the vaccinations do save lives and reduce the risk of sever illness.