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Comment by about3fitty | Hacker News Reader

This has the potential to “peel off” some portion of anti-vax moderates; maybe some who are looking for a way to save face as they re-enter the pro-vax fold.

Lives will be saved. Bravo, Micron Biomed

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Why would anti-vaxers be any less skeptical of this? From their standpoint it’s an even newer and less tested method.

My initial thought was that this, if popularized, will create even more conspiracy theories among anti-vaxers who will stop letting their kids have stickers. Actually it was common when I grew up, and now with my own kids, for doctors’ offices to give kids stickers for being a good patient or just generally bring a smile to a sick kid’s face.

There's an argument to be had that some antivax sentiment has roots in just not liking shots. They creep people out, and they hurt.

It's easier to be convinced that something is bad if you already have negative associations with it.

Informed consent means it’s unethical to give this vaccine without parental permission anyways.. one would hope that the medical profession continues to be trustworthy in this way.

I let my kids get the nasal spray flu vaccine if it’s available only because it has a 20 year track record, this will be great for their kids if it works out (they, meaning my kids, got the MMR shot). Lots of parents are willing to use tried and true medicine but are more hesitant for brand new treatments regardless of what trials say. This isn’t a javascript framework.

The point you are responding to is this provides an excuse for anti-vaxxers who want to change their mind but don't want to admit they were wrong. "These vaccines are different and safe" they can say and get vaccinated (or get their kids vaccinated). Worse than them admitting they were wrong and getting their kids vaccinated. Better than measles outbreaks killing tons of kids when we can just prevent it.

That argument might apply to those with a needle phobia, but not to someone who's an anti-vaxxer.

Those groups have overlap.

No one needs to save face, getting a vaccine is possible without even mentioning it, or indeed lying about it. Harping on about making a personal medical decision like it's some measure of righteousness is very fashionable, if the pandemic was anything to go by, but it's still not normal.

A lot of people did get secretly vaccinated against COVID to save face. But this isn't to publicly save face. It's to save face with the kids who are going to actually get the shot or usually more importantly to save face with themselves so they don't have to admit they were wrong.

This is a very novel use of the term "save face", and thus, makes no sense, at all.

On the other hand, there will probably be a significant number who double down using some chain of nonsense connected to 'vaccines have chips in them' because of the larger size of the applicator.

And anti-sticker movements lest their children be secretly vaccinated against the parents wishes. Schools will stop giving out stickers to grade schoolers, or anti-vaxers will push schools to require opt-in sticker permission slips without which their child cannot be given stickers.

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