Pfizer and Biontech provide update on Omicron variant

Forgive the snarkiness, but do you have some sort of machine that knows who all of the true experts are, and figures out the sum of all of their knowledge? Even better if it comes with daily updates. I'd love to borrow it if you do.

My point is you yourself would have to be an expert to be making the assertion that you're making. Are you? If not, it comes down to us just trusting different sources. I personally like published literature. I don't like the news or Twitter personalities or bureaucrats.

That aside, I think you're responding to something I didn't (or at least didn't mean to) claim. I'm not saying the vaccine itself makes you spread covid, I'm saying I wouldn't be surprised if the people who heard "safe and effective" and thought "great, no need for any of that other stuff, let's party!" [Edit:] might be generating more cases than someone who takes every other precaution.

I believe this because there is published evidence that these vaccines only reduce spread, they don't stop it. (More exposure + some reduction in transmissibility) could be greater than (minimal exposure + full transmissibility). I'm not claiming this is fact. It's just the prediction of some dummy on the internet.

> Why are you talking about spread and not also hospitalizations and fatalities

Can't have hospitalizations or deaths without spread. I'm talking about looking out for each other here, the social good that you referred to. If my own personal odds of spreading to other people is low enough (for example because I regularly test and have previously recovered, and all the other precautions I mentioned), I've done my part. If someone is vaccinated but engaging in high risk activities, I've done more than them.

> Tyranny is defined in many dictionaries

Lots of things are defined in the dictionary. It's then on us humans to interpret them and apply them. I'm not necessarily saying the mandates are tyranny, I'm saying they could be. The mandates may turn out to be illegal. If they do, that might be considered the president unlawfully enforcing rules, which to some might be considered tyrannical.

> The idea that vaccinations cause more spread has in fact been studied on the COVID vaccine and on others.

The studies done since at least August (after delta) suggest that the vaccine doesn't do much for stopping transmission. For example: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3...

> Why are you talking about spread and not also hospitalizations and fatalities? The vaccine considerably lessens the risk of dying.

It all boils down to hospitalization. The problem here is that the vast majority of hospitalizations are old people and/or with co-morbidities. Vaccinating young and healthy (or children) does very little to help this (except line the pockets of pharma companies (and politicians if you believe in conspiracy theories)).

I got two jabs because I was under the false impression (as were many others) that I'd be protecting my parents (and other members of society), but now since that's out of the window thanks to delta (and omicron lurking behind the corner) I see very little reason to get a lifetime Pfizer subscription.

> It would be lovely if anti-vaxxers were distancing and wearing masks

Given that I've had two jabs but am strongly considering not getting a third, does that make me a pro-vaxxer or anti-vaxxer? I'm fairly young (in my 30's) and in good health. I'm not worried about Covid. I'm worried about older members of my family getting it and have recommended them 3rd jabs. For me, no thanks.

Re: masks, it's difficult to speak about this (due to being labeled an "anti-vaxxer" or "spreader of misinformation"), masks don't ultimately don't do that much. Assuming you're socially distancing you're already protected against droplets, and against aerosols you'd have to use N95's to get any kind of protection. Sure if someone is talking to you directly (or coughing at you) wearing a mask makes sense. But by that logic it means that we should be wearing masks everywhere (unless we stay isolated) for the rest of our lives. Not an attractive option.

We all hoped vaccines were gonna solve this, but the situation we're facing now is one of denial, where no one is prepared to admit that we don't know what to do, so governments are panicking and hoping that vaccine mandates or Covid passports are going to do anything other than make already angry/scared/frustrated people more angry/scared/frustrated. Hint: It won't. Covid is here to stay.

People are yelling "pandemic of the unvaccinated". Think ahead a bit. If we were to get to 100% vaccination rate, which is practically impossible, it would just become the "pandemic of the vaccinated". Which kinds of variants would we be worrying about then?

Which leads into the fact that research shows (as logic also dictates) that natural immunity offers better protection than just that of the vaccine. I'll take my chances and let my immune system do the work, thankyouverymuch.

We don't force fat people to go on diets either, even though they're a burden on the healtcare system. And here in Europe we have to pay taxes for their healthcare as well. We accept that.

> We had the chance to stop COVID spread

Did we, seriously? It's becoming increasingly clear to me that there's not really much we could do after maybe March/April 2020. We can only mitigate the damages, try to protect risk groups. And that's what we should be focusing on. Not broad senseless measures like for example Covid passports.