We've Used The Carrot - Is It Time To Use The Stick?.....

[global1]

We'll never get out of this pandemic if we don't reach our goals on getting the American People vaccinated.

Things look like they are taking a turn for the worse again - with this Delta Variant. Numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths are again climbing.

I just wish the MSM would report what percentage of the new cases, hospitalizations and deaths are attributed to those that are un-vaccinated. Maybe some of those un-vaccinated will be sufficiently scared into going to get vaccinated if they hear those numbers and know that they are the ones now in the cross-hairs of this pandemic.

We've appealed to peoples 'patriotism' - to get vaccinated.

We've used the carrot approach and have offered everything from free beer, tickets to popular events and cash lotteries. Still the numbers of those seeking vaccinations is down considerably.

My question - is it time to start to use the stick?

Maybe not right immediately - but to provide a date - that if you are not vaccinated by that date - there will be some sort of repercussion.

Not sure what that would be - but - fines; barring the un-vaccinated from participating in events; not being able to travel; prohibiting them from being able to go to a bar; for a haircut; to a restaurant; from going to school (and I'm talking those of age to be eligible for the vaccine; etc.

The way I am looking at it now is that these un-vaccinated people are infringing upon my rights to live a normal life. They need to be coerced, forced - if we have to - but they must get vaccinated unless there is some very legitimate medical reason they can't. If they don't - they need to be held accountable.

For the sake of all of us - we need to reach 'herd immunity'.

I believe we are getting close to having to 'use the stick'.

It shouldn't have to come to that - but we can't go on forever being afraid to live a normal life because of those that throw caution to the wind and endanger the rest of us.

[Scrivener7]

1. I don't like to say this, and I suspect I will take a world of heat for saying it, but it's too

late to do anything, either carrot or stick.

About 50% of the population, including children, are fully vaccinated.

This thing is going to rip through the country for the next few months. What we experienced before will be a cakewalk compared to how this will hit the unvaccinated.

It will kill many unvaccinated adults, infect large numbers of unvaccinated adults and children, and even infect vaccinated people.

By the time it is done, most of the country will have immunity. The rest, sadly, will be dead.

And if the unvaccinated wait until they see the numbers climbing in their regions to decide what they are going to do, they will have waited too long.

[global1]

4. That's Most Unfortunate And This Is Coming At A Time When....

many have let their guard down and are getting used to normal pre-pandemic life again.

Did we as a whole let our guard down before it was time? Did we prematurely jump back into this quasi-normal situation too fast?

If we have to go back to pandemic levels of protection again now - I'm not sure how it will be handled by a large portion of the public that has had this taste of normalcy after over a year of quarantining.

[Ms. Toad]

7. Some of us have been shouting that as loudly as we can here on DU.

And have regularly been getting blasted for it.

My county is up 37% over two weeks ago. The US, as a whole is up 111% over two weeks ago (and has been climbing for 4-5 weeks.) We (my county) went from about 14 cases per 100,000 over a week to 26 cases per 100,000 between last week and this week. (Interestingly enough the Ohio County where Trump held his rally is holding steady at roughly the same rate as pre-rally)

At this rate, unless something changes, there will be around 200,000 cases /day by early September.

COVID is not done with us, and some of those who are pretending it is will, unfortunately, pay with their lives, their/our children's lives, or their long term quality of life.

But - it's going to be ugly, since the genie is not going back in that bottle willingly.

[wiggs]

5. Agree..plausible, even likely scenario with respect to the unvaccinated and it will be tragic. Based

on what I'm reading from epidemiologists the outcomes among the fully vaccinated might not be as clear as headlines suggest. In Massachusetts, Boston Globe reports and confirms 4,450 breakthrough cases, which include 303 hospitalizations and 79 deaths. And remember Delta is a relatively recent visitor and also un-reported, un-sequenced cases among the vaccinated could be numerous. And it seems at least some of the 4,450 will experience long covid.

For a new vaccine...those percentages are unquestionably great and I am amazed at how well these new vaccines work. But individuals of a certain age, those with chronic health issues, those who live with air pollution...those low numbers may be less applicable. I certainly don't want anyone in my fully vaccinated family to roll the dice with Delta, not even my healthy thirty something daughters...too much unknown with perhaps lifetime consequences.

I think it's time for scientists and health experts to scare the crap out of the political anti-vaxxers. Elected and appointed officials get all the air time but have tried to walk a fine line between competing interests...and half the country doesn't trust them. We need a prime time expert panel telling us exactly what is going to happen, what the risks are, who will pay for hospitalizations (all of us), who will pay for long covid (all of us), and what the incredible strain on our health care system this is. Talk about what's happening in India, UK, Israel, Missouri, Canada, etc and show pics. Get the debate out of the political arena.

I've attended fire safety hearings in which the fire department gets action by showing devastating videos of wildfires and homes engulfed in flames. Gets peoples' attention. it's not the politicians that present this info, it's Fire Marshalls and Fire Chiefs. We need the same for a pandemic wildfire using career scientists and health care professionals not tied to any particular party.

If Fox chooses not to air...invoke some broadcast law under the emergency broadcast system so that this critical, life-saving message gets out. Temporarily commandeer the outlets if need be.

[global1]

8. K & R - Totally Agree With You.....nt

[Scrivener7]

10. I think you are absolutely right. And I am as cautious as you. We have differing numbers

about Delta from different countries, and we aren't getting any information about breakthroughs.

Of course death is the worst case scenario, but long Covid is not something I want to deal with and even mild cases can turn into long Covid.

I have been going to restaurants and I have a trip (driving then ferry) planned for next month. I think my dinner planned for tomorrow will be my last restaurant meal for a while, and I'll be watching the news about how I handle that trip.

And I'm fully vaxxed, but I have controlled high BP, so I just don't want to take the chance.

[world wide wally]

2. I recently read that 97% of new Covid cases were among unvaccinated people.

[global1]

3. Wouldn't You Think That If Un-Vaccinated And Hearing That Number.....

you'd be rushing to get vaccinated?

I just don't understand what these people are thinking.

[Yavin4]

6. First, the FDA has to give full approval to the vaccines.

Once that happens, our military can then mandate that all of its personnel and contractors be vaccinated. Also, large universities and colleges can then require the vaccine for admittance to the school. Finally, major employers like Amazon and Walmart can then mandate it. We won't ever get to 100%, but we can get another 5-10% more vaccinated from our current level.

FDA approval needs to happen within the next 60 days as the fall is rapidly approaching. If we don't get our vaccinated numbers up to 75% or 80%, then we will have another ugly surge over the holidays as we did last year.

[kimbutgar]

9. Unfortunately a lot of those unvaccinated don't watch local news and only watch right wing

Propaganda which is downplaying the threats and saying stupid shit about the vaccinations. Those idiot pos will not get the vaccine until someone they care about dies from it or they get it bad themselves.

The stupidity is strong in this country sadly.