• Chippys_mittens@lemmy.world
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    23 hours ago

    Vaccines have side effects. This is a fact not antivax propaganda. The federal government set up the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Forced to pay out over 5 billion since 1988. This is specifically because getting a vaccine ISN’T risk free and never has been. Then the really fucked up part happened, covid vaccines aren’t included in the national vaccine injury compensation program. Because they were rolled out in a state of emergency, they fall under a different program. Unsurprisingly, the program they fall under is significantly more strict making it extremely difficult to be compensated, although some people still have for nearly half a million dollars. The program covid vaccines is under is called Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program. I am fully vaccinated against everything possible because I chose to take that risk, forcing people to is where I have the issue.

    • Allero@lemmy.today
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      22 hours ago

      Vaccines have side effects.

      No one argues with that. But you know what also has side effects that are orders of magnitude more likely? Diseases.

      Forcing people to is where I have the issue

      I understand that mandatory policies are to be reviewed with caution, and forcing people to do something that has inherent risks should normally be avoided. But here, by not taking a vaccine, you simply multiply and outsource the risk elsewhere, putting others in danger. If your decisions around vaccination would only hurt you, government would have no business dictating you what to do - yet, someone’s refusal to vaccinate has killed someone else - say, immunodeficient person or a child who couldn’t get vaccinated.

      Sometimes we desperately need collective action, so much so that it may be mandated. This is one of such cases. Yes, it would be cool to have more time and do even more testing, to refine the preparations, etc. But when people die by millions, you’re on a short timer.

      COVID-19 has demonstrated a level of deadly disorganization in the face of a global crisis. People “mind their own business” so much that it kills others, with governments struggling to keep everyone looking in the same productive direction.

      • Chippys_mittens@lemmy.world
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        20 hours ago

        I recognize nobody necessarily argues it, but, I believe its not acknowledged nearly enough, if at all most of the time. They’ve already said the first batch will have waned in effectiveness. They haven’t mandated new shots, but based on your logic, shouldn’t we be legally required to get it and the flu vax every year? Now, assuming we start getting a new shot every year, higher likelihood negative side effects exist, right?

        • Allero@lemmy.today
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          11 hours ago

          That would be good, yes. A more relaxed approach to vaccination has caused plethora of public health problems.

          Side effects tend to get less likely when we get more experience working with vaccines of a certain type. Modern coronavirus vaccines are better and safer than the first ones already, and flu ones have been around for so long that making a new vaccine very safe is no issue.

          Meanwhile, side effects caused by repeated exposure to the disease may compound very badly.