[quote MRex]@RedToothBrush - that was really interesting, thanks. Startling how low the early take-up rates were too, we would surely see 24-45% requesting a vaccine as abject failure. I define common sense as "the application of positive judgement without the ability to articulate facts and logical argument to back up the point of view". Defining common sense in terms of perception alone doesn't allow for evidence or effective logical debate points to be found that actually supports the viewpoint. The facts used in argument that did not back up "common sense" in this case doesn't mean "common sense" will always be wrong.
It's interesting to see the details; the EU of course already suggested that vaccines should go to those most in need throughout the world before wider populations in individual countries, a viewpoint the UK and USA have disagreed with by their purchases. A few other points seem ripe for debate further down the line:
- is a vaccine helpful during a major outbreak in an area, or does the time taken to develop immunity make it pointless - that time taken to develop immunity will need to be front-page news
- the public perception of failure of a vaccine because of an epidemic that can cause more broad-reaching issues, unclear if that will be an issue for anyone except conspiracy theorists now
- managing the short-term; if there is a heavy outbreak in just a few regions and lighter in others, might even vulnerable, health and care workers be asked to wait - OR, more likely not asked to wait, but loud criticism of the government whichever prioritisation path is chosen
- the arguments to import US vaccines couple with government / medical council concern from previous manufacturing errors; Russia and China will have vaccines out, will there be arguments that people have a "right" to be given them? Given how the world works now, will there even be a black market in vaccines being posted out?[/quote]
- will there be longterm negative side effects of the vaccine? Is there going to be an honest acknowledgement that this can happen? The government can set up a fund to specifically support those who might suffer adverse reactions in this pandemic, over and above the existing one.
There are so many conspiracy theories already floating around, so many people scared of vaccinating their children, I don't think ignoring this issue will be the best strategy.
6.) Which vaccine? Will there be any choice, or will government make a choice? Will those better off be able to choose a safer version, leaving the less fortunate with only a take it or leave it choice? All of this may influence uptake.
With the swine flu epidemic, there were different vaccines and different advice on who should and who shouldn't receive them, depending on which country you lived in.
By that I mean, I was offered a vaccine for my then under-four-year old here in the UK, that the medical authorities in Germany were saying was counterindicated for that age group. I tried to ask my GP about it, but they just shrugged me off like I was an anti-vaxxer, even though they could see from my kids' records that they had more vaccinations compared to other UK kids, not less (an artefact of living in three different countries that all have slightly different regimes and our steadfast belief in vaccines).
And that was an epidemic where unfortunately the cure turned out to be worse than the disease btw. Because it happened within the last ten years, in my view it would be naive to expect this not to become a hotly discussed topic. They need to plan the right response which cannot be nothing to see here, move along.