Thread by @BillHanage

This fascinating article from @dylanlscott clearly draws out how those who sought to belittle the risk early in the pandemic have wound up embracing ineffectual and dangerous alternatives to vaccines, even as the virus keeps killing vox.com/coronavirus-co…

Key line: "people have still proven quite capable of shaping and reshaping a narrative that doesn’t require them to admit they might have been wrong." And sadly this includes a small but vocal minority of scientists you'd hope would know better

The protection of vaccination should be extended to all those who want it, and that *includes* giving people accurate information, from a trusted and trustworthy source, that helps them make the right choice

(note that this is not saying there is only one 'right' choice, but that refusing a vaccine because you think it will make you magnetic is certainly not the right choice)

If you happen to be a trusted member of an undervaccinated community, I hope you can speak to your friends and neighbors and help those who are still in the vulnerable column to join the protected one. If they won't listen to me, they might listen to you

Meanwhile, a tiny group of scientists who get attention out of all proportion to their numbers continue to make noise. Here's just one example of a questionable paper (in terms of science and publishing ethics) pointed out by the excellent @jsm2334

https://twitter.com/jsm2334/status/1443300430801481731?s=20

And if you are one of those in a position of authority and power who prey upon the fears of anxious people, I honestly cannot understand your motivation but I implore you to stop. Here's why...

Delta is highly transmissible and really good at finding pockets of unvaccinated people. The more such pockets there are, the more people will die unnecessarily. You can't hope Delta will somehow miss you, that's not how this works

Everyone sowing doubt about the crucial point that vaccines save lives - no matter who they are or how impressive they superficially appear - is making things worse and delaying the day when we will look back on this and wonder how we got through it (it will be no thanks to them)

Finally I urge folks to read this piece from @EBHarrington on "cooling the mark out" which came out a few months ago. It remains urgent now theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/…