Reflections
Should parents be able to demand unvaccinated blood for their baby’s operation? How much do others influence our own opinions?
Tag: vaccination
Fluid Narratives
How have our stories about vaccination changed over time? Here’s our current story, as told to our antivax friends.
Omicron and freedom
We are having a New Year party – should we require people show their vaccine passports? I’m big on freedom to act but I also don’t want to facilitate a mass spreading event…what to do?
Vaccination vs hospitalisation
What’s the link between vaccination for COVID and hospitalisation? It’s surprisingly hard to find out. You’d think this would be a critical piece of information from which governments make decisions.
Which is my bestest interest?
Economic models typically assume humans act in their own best interests. Except they don’t…so the field of behavioural economics developed. How do we figure out which are our best interests we should act on?
Vaccination & the trolley problem
How do you decide whether to get vaccinated, when there is an indubitable small risk to yourself from vaccination, but a greater societal benefit when most people get vaccinated. The trolley problem may provide a useful thought process.
Third waves
Here comes the third wave of COVID-19 around the world. Luckily, it appears the 3rd wave is relatively non-lethal in countries with high rates of vaccination. Although NZ still hasn’t decided on our vaccination targets.
Perverse incentives
Should we offer incentives to encourage people to get vaccinated? New Zealand isn’t yet but other countries are offering a variety of goods including cheap cannabis products, chicken wings and gold nose pins.
Early or Late?
The Serum Institute in India has rapidly pivoted to producing COVID vaccines while other entities have sat on the fence, wondering about what to do, slowing the progression towards available COVID vaccines. This is a common problem – I estimate 5% of the population like to be early and the remainder are not too stressed about timing.
Triumphs of science
Science delivers many great new ideas, including COVID vaccines and chilli concoctions to prevent cramp.