We are making the same mistake now. The rate of serious adverse side effects is minimal. However, just as we engage in security theatre at the airports, so must we engage in public health theatre in our COVID response. With any adverse reactions occurring at all, and the need for our media system to spin every story far out of control and milk the pandemic for every bit of advertising dollars that it can yield, the public health authorities have to make a show of investigating this incredibly rare side effect, only to predictably determine that the rewards far outweigh the risks.
U.S. pauses J&J COVID-19 vaccine over rare blood clots
Zvi argued pretty persuasively that it was a massively bad idea when most of Europe suspended the AZ vaccine for similar reasons.
Are we making the same mistake now, or is it different this time for some reason?
We are making the same mistake now. The rate of serious adverse side effects is minimal. However, just as we engage in security theatre at the airports, so must we engage in public health theatre in our COVID response. With any adverse reactions occurring at all, and the need for our media system to spin every story far out of control and milk the pandemic for every bit of advertising dollars that it can yield, the public health authorities have to make a show of investigating this incredibly rare side effect, only to predictably determine that the rewards far outweigh the risks.