Would a £50 McDonalds voucher encourage people to have the jab?

[KhalliWhalli]

This is my colleague’s proposed solution to the issue of anti-vaxxers and others who don’t want to have the jab. He figures that as these people are generally of low intelligence, they fit the demographic of people who eat McDonald’s. Ergo if you bribe them with a £50 McDonald’s voucher at the time of vaccination, you would have hordes of people turning up for their jab.

He has a professional interest in this, so I have given it a bit more thought than I would usually.

I dunno, what do you guys think?

Finally, when obesity has been recognised as a major issue in our Covid struggle, vouchers for any fast food outlet would seem a bad idea

Good point

So people who eat McDonald's are of low intelligence? Alrighty then!!

What a ridiculous statement he's making. I'd question the intelligence of the person making this narrow minded assumption to be honest.

@RampantIvy

I know doctors, nurses and several well educated ppl who have not/will not be having the vaccine.

Yet everyone I know, including medical professionals (apart from SIL and her family, none of whom are very well educated) has been vaccinated.

And what can we learn from this?

That people are free to make a choice.

Some well educated people and medical professionals are choosing to have the vaccine, despite potential risks, for the greater good - in the hope that having the vaccine can reduce covid risk for everyone, and help life get back to normal. Very noble.

Also, some well educated people and medical professionals are choosing NOT to take the risk, because many short-term side effects are still unknown, and long term side effects are totally unknown, and they don't wish to be a part of an experiment. Very sensible.

In summary - well educated people and medical professionals are making up their own mind about what they prioritise, and what is best for them. They have chosen what they want to do with their own bodies. Both choices are fine. We all need to make this decision for ourselves.

What is NOT fine is attempting to bully and undermine those who have made a different decision to you.

I understand that a lot of people got vaccinated before a lot of the risks and side effects started to became apparent, and even though we still have no idea of the full scale right now, I expect it must be quite scary and worrying for those who are already vaccinated. Of COURSE nobody wants to believe that they might be at risk, so many people are simply mocking those who speak about the risks and side effects because mocking them means they don't have to confront what they are saying.

I also understand that if you had a potentially risky vaccine "for the greater good", it might be frustrating that others haven't potentially put themselves at risk "for the greater good". I can totally understand why this might cause bitterness and feelings of frustration.

BUT, it is not those who are cautious of this vaccine who are to blame for this situation, but the people who pushed everyone to get this vaccine while reassuring everyone that it was totally safe and ignoring the cries of scientists and medical professionals around the world who are extremely concerned about mRNA technology and don't think it's morally right for people to be vaccinated on a mass scale without being made aware of the risks.

Of course, a lot of people who have had the vaccine will be fine. But some people won't. Some people have already had horrible side effects. Some people have already become permanently disabled. Some people have already died. Just because not EVERYONE experiences this, doesn't mean it's any less real or serious.

Someone said the other day, "It's like with a peanut allergy. Some people have mild allergic reactions, some people life threatening allergic reactions, and some people die. A lot of people are totally fine. But these people don't say "Well, I ate peanuts yesterday and I was fine! So there's no risk! Don't be so ridiculous and uneducated, just eat the peanuts!" Things affect people differently. Just because you have been fine, isn't proof of the safety of the vaccine.

The thing with the vaccine is, nobody knows before they get it if they're going to be one of the ones who gets the awful side effects or whose life is ruined by taking it. And they won't know until it's too late. Even if a vaccinated person has had no short term side effects experienced so far, doesn't mean there won't be any long term side effects - as doctors and scientests all over the world are saying (despite it being dramatically underreported in the mainstream media).

Like it or not, there IS a risk. And avoiding risk doesn't make you uneducated. Just like taking a potentially dangerous vaccine doesn't make you uneducated. We all make our own decisions.

@allthestripeys

I wouldn't take the 50 voucher for McDonald's as a giveaway for nothing never mind for not getting the vaccine. I have been educated to masters level and I have two degrees. Oh and I work in pharmaceuticals. I have opted not to get it...I know doctors, nurses and several well educated ppl who have not/will not be having the vaccine.

You're an intelligent person, so you'll be able to answer this - why?

Most academic people who work in pharmaceuticals would be able to follow up your post with a simple explanation of why you won't be having it. You indicate that it's because of your intelligence and knowledge that you've come to this decision, so I assume your explanation will be rational and won't involve a link from a Dr Michael Yeadon youtube video. I would love it to be something I haven't heard before because I've yet to hear a convincing argument so far.

Many thanks.

If not you can tell your colleague that the majority of people I know who are not taking the jab are degree-educated, very intelligent people, generally resistent due to a lack of long term safety data. Questioning long term safety is NOT the same as being anti-vax or a conspiracy theorist

They aren;t that intelligent though, are they? They're actually quite stupid, degree or not.

I've read more of the posts now and I think it proves that intelligence does not equal common sense.

@Maggiemay92

FYI, if you contact any of the vaccine providers directly and query side effects, the staff you speak to will openly tell you that the vaccine is experimental. I know a woman who deveoped GBS as a direct side effect from the vaccine (yes, confirmed by doctors) and she was told this.

Doesn't seem so unintelligent to hold back from being part of an experiment, in my opinion.

(Also not unintelligent here, medical anthropologist background.)

But there's side effects from ALL vaccines.

Should we all refuse all of them?

It is a terribly idea.

Offering any kind of bribe or reward just plays into the hands of the conspiracy theorists.

People are already suspicious and this will just give them an opportunity to say I told you so.

Make it easy to get the vaccine. Get responsible messaging out there about safety and risks (the press have run some shamefully inaccurate stories that have fuelled vaccine hesitancy). Offer the vaccine to anyone who wants it. Offer an opportunity to get a different vaccine if you want concerns about one.

Consider specific out reach to certain communities or pockets of resistance.

But stop trying to coerce or bribe people. Many will come round eventually if you leave the door open and keep publishing data on safety and efficacy. Some won't however much you try. Stop giving them the exposure, just treat it as Darwinism in action and leave them to it.

Given all the mentions re covid and being over weight I don’t think a food voucher is the way to go. Not to mention the cost to tax payers who may have had theirs already.

Vaccine passports for travel, large events and enclosed spaces would be a better incentive surely.

@Maggiemay92

That peanut analogy is rubbish and would only work(ish) if eating peanuts protected you from a disease that was much much more likely to leave you dead or disabled than eating peanuts did.

Radio 4 did a program a while ago with the numbers on risks of AZ covid vaccination v risk of covid. They had a few experts including mathematics on it. There was a tipping point in younger people when the risk of death from the vaccination was greater than death from covid. They didn't look at disability from long covid which apparently, even in younger people is not an insignificant risk. The other thing they added into this equation was the rate of covid in society so your chances of encountering the virus in the first place. I would recommend people who haven't had the vaccination because they don't think it's safe to have a look for it except, I don't believe it would make a single bit of difference to all the super smart anti vaxxers who have 'done their own research'. Plus, it was only about AZ and they don't even give that to younger people anyway.

I wonder if they compared vaccine v covid risk to your chances of being struck by lightning would that help people put the risks into context?

Plus, it was only about AZ and they don't even give that to younger people anyway.

Numerous European countries refused AZ. It means things got bad enough.

I wonder if they compared vaccine v covid risk to your chances of being struck by lightning would that help people put the risks into context?

I wouldn't joke about that. Risk of lightning is very real. You'd prefer to stay indoors during a thunderstorm and away from appliances, not deliberately run across an open field and see what happens.

It wasn't a joke.

I’m of the ‘whatever works’ school of vaccine incentivisation strategy myself.

If not you can tell your colleague that the majority of people I know who are not taking the jab are degree-educated, very intelligent people

It doesn't automatically follow that degree educated people are in any sense intelligent though.

Absolutely op. I mean everyone who's had it os clearly thick and has no reason to not do ot other than "because they're not getting me!" and yet because they're so thick they'll forget that when they have a Big Mac waved on their face.

And anyone who goes into Maccies is clearly too thick to be able to function normally in society so it's completely fine to bribe them into it.

I suggest just standing at the door and injecting everyone as they walk in. They're too thick to understand, tell them it was a bee.

Is he usually so ignorant and ridiculous??

I think the £50 McDonald voucher idea is rubbish, and clearly shows what he thinks of people who have not been jabbed and it is quite derogatory. I have been double jabbed but if I wasn't it would most likely make me think 'fuck you' rather than 'I must get vaccinated so I can pig out at McDonalds'

I prefer the US idea of a lottery that you automatically entered into when you have received the vaccination (a number of states such as California have done it)

I have been double jabbed but if I wasn't it would most likely make me think 'fuck you' rather than 'I must get vaccinated so I can pig out at McDonalds'

Really? You would refuse a vaccination for a disease that could kill you because you felt insulted? I don't think that would be the smartest move in the world, do you?

All those who were vaccinated at my work received £175 (£100 for first vaccine, £75 for 2nd vaccine) straight into their pay (subject to tax) You would be amazed how many people who had been very vocal about not having the vaccine suddenly changed their mind with the lure of free money. Also got 2 hours paid for the time taken to get the vaccines.

Sorry - 2 hours paid for each vaccine. Not in normal working hours.

"But there's side effects from ALL vaccines.

Should we all refuse all of them?"

There have been more side effects and deaths from the covid vaccines SO FAR than from 70 vaccines in a 30 year period.

I have had ALL my other vaccines, including extras, as I have mentioned before. I'm very pro-vaccine. But I am very cautious of this new mRNA technology because it seems to be injuring and killing people on a larger scale than has been seen before with a vaccine, in the short term, and we don't have ANY clue about long term impacts on health.

I mean, I am already booked in for my 2nd, but wouldn't say no to £50 of heart stoppingly greasy goodness for my efforts!

@CatsArePeople

I wonder if they compared vaccine v covid risk to your chances of being struck by lightning would that help people put the risks into context?

I wouldn't joke about that. Risk of lightning is very real. You'd prefer to stay indoors during a thunderstorm and away from appliances, not deliberately run across an open field and see what happens.

Especially since that nine year old boy died from being struck by lightning not so long ago.

@Maggiemay92

"But there's side effects from ALL vaccines.

Should we all refuse all of them?"

There have been more side effects and deaths from the covid vaccines SO FAR than from 70 vaccines in a 30 year period.

I have had ALL my other vaccines, including extras, as I have mentioned before. I'm very pro-vaccine. But I am very cautious of this new mRNA technology because it seems to be injuring and killing people on a larger scale than has been seen before with a vaccine, in the short term, and we don't have ANY clue about long term impacts on health.

Source please

@Maggiemay92

"But there's side effects from ALL vaccines.

Should we all refuse all of them?"

There have been more side effects and deaths from the covid vaccines SO FAR than from 70 vaccines in a 30 year period.

I have had ALL my other vaccines, including extras, as I have mentioned before. I'm very pro-vaccine. But I am very cautious of this new mRNA technology because it seems to be injuring and killing people on a larger scale than has been seen before with a vaccine, in the short term, and we don't have ANY clue about long term impacts on health.

Source please, plus AZ isn't mRNA. Also we don't have any clue on the long term effects of covid.