I have a NYT essay out this morning. There is very little that Americans can agree on these days. Not religion, not sports, and certainly not politics. But there is one thing nearly everyone agrees on: Vaccines are good. (Gift link) www.nytimes.com/2025/02/16/o... - ThreadSky

cmyeaton.bsky.social • 6 days ago

I have a NYT essay out this morning. There is very little that Americans can agree on these days. Not religion, not sports, and certainly not politics. But there is one thing nearly everyone agrees on: Vaccines are good. (Gift link) https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/16/opinion/kennedy-vaccines-children-immunization.html?unlocked_article_code=1.xU4.o8qb.lwIcdmgUirZz&smid=url-share

Comments

middleager60.bsky.social•6 days ago

Good essay. Over 55, got a Titer Test I had no immunity against Measles and Mumps. I do travel and my Dr. was concerned. I did get the MMR vaccine in 2019.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/19/health/measles-vaccine-protection-age/index.html

middleager60.bsky.social•6 days ago

Vaccines are good. My son got the initial J&J Covid one and he didn’t get sick. A friend of mine caught Covid before the vaccine and ended up with heart issues. Still has a difficult time.
I had Pfizer one and never got ill. Got the Novax in October and had Covid symptoms for 2 days in January.

cottek.bsky.social•6 days ago

Maga is afraid of everything. Brown, yellow, and white people who don't agree with them. People who stand up to them. Let's goes on. Fear is what brings them together maybe we should use fear to make them come apart.

sharomonas.bsky.social•6 days ago

Thank you for this - and thank you so kindly for gifting the article. Keep up the important reporting and work. We are thankful for you!

cphickie.bsky.social•6 days ago

Thank you for the gift link! Florida governed by anti-vaxxer DeSantis with anti-vax "surgeon general" Ladapo have in the last several years driven down vaccination rates in children to 88%. Kennedy will do at least as much nationally because he knows how to spread FUD.

melcregor.bsky.social•6 days ago

That could change.

turningphrases.bsky.social•6 days ago

"It is the journalist’s job to make sure the main narrative of their report is rooted in fact or scientifically verifiable consensus. These are our tips for keeping vaccine reporting reliable and accurate:"

https://www.voicesforvaccines.org/toolkits/false-balance-in-media/

unmitigatedgaul1.bsky.social•6 days ago

That is actually one of the biggest things we DONT agree on….

islandofreil.bsky.social•6 days ago

I wish that was the case.

proggrrl.bsky.social•6 days ago

and yet…the foxes are in the henhouse now…

amandalwriter.bsky.social•6 days ago

I want to agree with you, but also, we're in the midst of a big flu outbreak, largely credited to little vaccine uptake. The same with measles in the south--if it weren't for low vax rates, that outbreak likely wouldn't have a chance.

turningphrases.bsky.social•6 days ago

Here's a free course on how to talk about vaccines with people you might know who are scared by all the anti vaccine propaganda spread on social media and the false controversy reported too often in media:

https://www.voicesforvaccines.org/course/becoming-trusted-messengers/

amandalwriter.bsky.social•6 days ago

I preach it all the time. And thrilled that both my young adult kids did flu/covid this fall.

turningphrases.bsky.social•6 days ago

Awesome - it will take everyone fighting misinformation when public health officials are no longer legally able to do that work in some states

https://www.voicesforvaccines.org/get-involved/

jenebbeler.bsky.social•6 days ago

Re measles: it’s a pocket of low vax uptake in rural W TX. Post-2020, anti-vaxxers deliberately moved to TX, which is now causing rates in places like ATX to fall to unsafe levels.

Flu uptake was definitely low, but I suspect it will go up next year after this bad flu season.

amandalwriter.bsky.social•6 days ago

Thanks for that clarification on TX. I just feel there is large anti-vax sentiment these days. I live in a highly educated pocket, yet I know very few who bother with covid shot anymore. Or flu.

jenebbeler.bsky.social•6 days ago

I think there’s definitely more than there was; and also it gets magnified bc pro-vaxxers just quietly get vaccinated. It’s def true that it’s mostly high risk ppl getting Covid vaccine. And flu uptake was too low this year—I suspect bc we’ve had pretty mild seasons since 2018-19.

jenebbeler.bsky.social•6 days ago

I’m sure there will be even more people who delay vaccination even if they aren’t openly anti-vax bc of RFK Jr and whatever policies he creates. That’s super dangerous, leads to these outbreaks. There will eventually be one in a densely populated city/suburbs like Austin.

amandalwriter.bsky.social•6 days ago

Indeed

acanthe20.bsky.social•6 days ago

📌

cbarbermd.bsky.social•6 days ago

Nice. Thank you for writing this!

bryanwasmyname.bsky.social•6 days ago

Girl….his “views”?????

iyamwhatiyamintx.bsky.social•6 days ago

There are still some that just don’t realize the dangers of NOT vaccinating their children. Diseases like measles are DEADLY! Why put a child thru this?

https://www.cdc.gov/measles/signs-symptoms/index.html

garynordell.bsky.social•6 days ago

Excellent piece and thank you NYT for taking down the paywall on this important article. Caitlin, do you know why flu vaccination rates remain low for adult? (45% U.S. adults I believe)

phoebeemb.bsky.social•6 days ago

“Nearly everyone agrees on”???? The heart of the extreme bonkers Far Right movement which has taken over the US was deeply rooted in NOT thinking vaccines were good???? The violent nutters wish to prosecute Fauci & anyway they’ve got their wish. A mad man is now in charge. Nearly every1 is a reach

turningphrases.bsky.social•6 days ago

"reporters often find the manufactured controversy interesting, since it stirs up a great deal of public interest."

"This common journalistic error can have particularly unfortunate results in the realms vaccines and infectious diseases."

https://www.voicesforvaccines.org/toolkits/false-balance-in-media/

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