Well, I try to listen to Porthsmouth Sinfonia performances at least once a month, just as a reminder how non-experts sound when they try to do something they are not trained for. 
Portsmouth Sinfonia: Beethovenās Fifth Symphony in C Minor
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Iām not suspecting anything sinister as much as we just know that some people are more conscientious than others. Some people take pride in doing their best. Like at my local pharmacy, we had a really great pharmacist in charge. It was disorganized before; waits were long. Unfortunately, heās moved on; and when I needed a question answered recently, no one picked up the phone. I was just thinking I would feel better knowing I was getting a shot that required special handling in a place where the person in charge paid attention to detail. I have been thinking of the good pharmacists I know where there are now.
I followed my outstanding pharmacist from the local pharmacy which he made into a top place to the place he was promoted to that had many times the volume but was losing customers due to awful customer service. I moved all my Rx with me and H is moving all of his. A great pharmacist in charge makes a huge difference. He provides top care for all.
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Had they just spent more time on social media reading about music, theyād all have been virtuosos.
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Very happy that DH was able to sign up for a third shot on September 1 since he has no spleen. Our PCP had said the spleen fights bacterial, not viral, infections, but asplenia is on the list of conditions qualifying for a third shot so he will accept it. 
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We all know Plinyās āsutor, ne ultra crepidamā and Pauliās ānot even wrongā, but nothing drives the point as perfectly as Portsmouth Sinfonia.
An interesting article. Not sure if it will persuade anyone.
Perhaps those who need persuading are on the other side of the debate.
For a substantial proportion, there is no debate. They are dug into their beliefs and wonāt budge. For example, those 24% of evangelicals who refuse to vaccinate. If their preacher told them that Jesus had spoken to him and told him that everybody should be vaccinated, a few would get vaccinated, many more would find excuses to avoid vaccination, and some 2/3 would leave the church and find another church with a preacher who tells them that vaccination is a sin against Jesus, God, and nature.
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Since Iām not Evangelical I have little way of confirming that one way or the other; however, you might well be correct. In which case, the best way to move forward with civility might be for those who are so continually frustrated by that impervious viewpoint to ālearn to live with itā as the article suggests. Iām reading this more and more these days. In the end, Iām not sure I can change others. I have a hard enough time changing me!
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Our pediatrician also had patients with chicken pox wait in the parking lot back in the pre-vaccine days. We called to let the ped know the guys had it, and their preference was for us to just stay home, do oatmeal baths and calamine, and contact them if there were any complications or pox near the eyes. Fortunately, our kids had no complications. Unfortunately, they had chicken pox consecutively, not concurrently!
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This is why we have gone on to lives our lives post-vax and why we no longer have sympathy for the unvaxed who end up with bad cases of it. Perhaps their bad case will convince others. Thatās the best we can hope for with closed minds. If they donāt care, I donāt care. God is sorting it out among them - theyāre correct there I suppose. God and/or Darwin.
I definitely feel for health care workers, friends/family of the unvaxed who donāt share their views, and those whose vaxes donāt work or who legitimately canāt be vaxed, but thatās it.
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Me, too. Time to stop the bribes, and time to just use negative consequences. I have lost patience, and am tired of trying to be empathetic and respectful of the views of people who are sabotaging public health interests.
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Some opinion writers have a similar opinion, letting the virus itself deal the negative consequences to those who refuse to vaccinate: Let It Rip - by Andrew Sullivan - The Weekly Dish
I know a couple that were anti vax. They just got covid. It was not easy, and the wife is still having some issues. I wonder if she gets ālong covidā how she will feel about her decision. Lucky for them they lived and never went to the hospital, though I think the husband got the MA treatment. With delta and the vaxxed getting it (but mild cases), someone vax reluctant said that it just makes the vaccine a prophylactic treatment, more than a preventative vaccine at this point .
An ex family member who is staunchly anti vax just posted that a close friend died of Covid. I hope this is the wake up call she needs but I doubt it.
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Just found out a family friend who was hesitant got vaxxed along with her kids and husband. I think it was the Delta variant that finally did it. Iām very relieved for them.
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This thread is āVaccine Reluctanceā, not ātrained or experienced college counselor adviceā, isnāt it? But yes, I do give advice occasionally on other threads, not because I am a college counselor, but I am actually an interviewer, I wonāt say for what, but I give honest advice that will help applicants and let them know what we are looking for when we go behind closed doors to evaluate applicants. Thatās even better than being a counselor, IMHO.
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Itās interesting to look up vaccination rates by cities and neighborhoods. For example, in my neighborhood, the vaccination rate is 76% for all people over 12, 92% for seniors. Comparing the vaccination rates to other neighborhoods and town in this county, it seems that the higher income areas are more vaccinated than the poorer areas. Higher income usually means more education.
Googling the county/town vaccination rates is useful on deciding where to shop, dine or spend any time at all. Iām thinking about visiting my sister but her countyās vax rate is only 50%. Iāll have to be more careful there and go out less than I would here.
On another tangent:
It used to be that less educated people never questioned their doctors. Doctors were āgodā. They did what the doctor said. They didnāt know enough to question it and they knew it. It was the more educated people who at least questioned doctors plans, course of treatment, got second opinions, etc. Now it seems just the opposite.
Great!! It appears we agree that people should be allowed to inform their opinions by seeking information and looking at it through the lens of their own experience without being called āignorant, selfish or the bottom of the intellectual intelligence scaleā.
I further agree that arguing with an expert is ill advised. I do however think asking experts questions (such as risks and rewards) is entirely appropriate and the use of respectful terms is important so I remain at odds with your comment below that prompted my response.
āTo argue with people who understand science makes you: 1) look ignorant, 2) look selfish, 3) well, bottom of the intellectual intelligence scale.ā
Thankfully most scientists I know are extremely open to discussion and emphasize the fluidity of their specialty
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