Remember when mRNA vaccines weren’t trusted? You might, because you’re well-read. But to everyone else, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine (aka “normal” vaccine) is now considered a “bad” alternative.

This came up in a call Biden had with state Governors, who worry that J&J’s easier distribution and storage ... which means it’ll wind up in poorer areas ... will be viewed as the janky alternative to rich people get.

[www.washingtonpost.com]

It’s been a year, and now we have too many choices apparently, never mind that the new vaccine keeps you from dying AND rejects the more recent and faster-spreading variants.

Is there really a "choice" here. The appointment sites that I've seen for a first dose pretty much say you have no choice at all and get what they have that day.

But later this year as they vaccinate younger people there may become a reason to require a specific brand. The Pfizer vaccine is approved for ages 16+, while the other two are 18+, so when it comes time to vaccinating 16 and 17 year olds, Pfizer may be the only approved option.

If everyone gets vaccinated, it won't matter if some vaccines are more effective than others.

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rj
AKA
Vreemac, Moth of the Future

All true. I’m speaking about what the article is speaking about: the potential for people to reject the only vaccine available to them because they heard it’s not “as effective.”

The past year has shown that if people can complain, they will.

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This is all stupidity and misinformation. Since there have been no trials conducted that have compared the vaccines under the same conditions and against the same Covid variants, there is zero information regarding whether any one vaccine is more effective than another. People seem to be comparing noncomparable numbers and coming to nonsensical conclusions.

Oh, not to mention that in a world of vaccine scarcity, "vaccine choice" is a purely first world problem.

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"In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion." (1987) -- Carl Sagan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/01/2021 11:55AM by davester.

As I mentioned in another thread (and probably deserving its own discussion), there are people not satisfied that the "good" vaccines are "only" 95% effective.

They don't get it.

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rjmacs
If everyone gets vaccinated, it won't matter if some vaccines are more effective than others.

That is a huge IF...

The other thing about vaccine "choice" is that viruses evolve much more quickly than cellular organisms. One scenario is that a variant may evolve that is completely resistant to a formerly "best" vaccine. If that happens, it could spread like wildfire amongst the folks who took that "best" vaccine and we're back to square one.

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"In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion." (1987) -- Carl Sagan

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deckeda
Remember when mRNA vaccines weren’t trusted? You might, because you’re well-read. But to everyone else, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine (aka “normal” vaccine) is now considered a “bad” alternative.

This kind of discussion was only going on among people that don't know what they are talking about. Anyone 'following the science' isn't listening to that nonsense.

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davester
People seem to be comparing noncomparable numbers and coming to nonsensical conclusions.

fwiw, for the nerds amongs here is Helen Branswell's briefing on the differences among the three vaccines, including the different samples for the trials. She says,

Quote

Because of the difference in the trials, making direct comparisons is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. Additionally, Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines were tested before the emergence of troubling new variants in Britain, South Africa, and Brazil. It’s not entirely clear how well they will work against these mutated viruses.

if you really want I bet you could get them all by the end of the year as long as you're willing to cough up the dough after your first free one.

Stupid. I *want* the J&J vaccine, particularly because of the 100% efficacy re hospitalizations leading to death, and that it seems fairly effective against the variants.

Now *getting* the J&J, that'll be the hard part...

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Freya says, 'Hello from NOLA, baby!' (Laissez bon temps rouler!)

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rjmacs
If everyone gets vaccinated, it won't matter if some vaccines are more effective than others.

Ding, Ding Ding! Winning comment of the day.

This is also the view of my doctor's medical facility.

Dave

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Welcome to Dave's BBQ!

Many have eaten here....

Few have died

I have heard that some people think it might be good to get both types of vaccine, at some point.
Also the J&J vaccine was tested during a much different environment than the other two. I suspect they are all about the same in efficacy, in real world use.
The J&J will be much easier to get to people, and it being only one dose is a huge plus, too.

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Roswell, GA (Atlanta suburb)