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I suggest reading Don Boudreaux's daily posts linking to non-official positions on the pandemic. Don is Arnold and Tyler's colleague at GMU's Mercatus Center but ignored by both Arnold and Tyler because he has been critical of the official position. Don has just published his daily post for today

https://cafehayek.com/2021/11/some-covid-links-307.html

with several links to the grotesque response to NU/XI/OMICRON variant.

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I have just received this post with a clear view of how to assess what is going on with the NU/XI/OMICRON variant

https://boriquagato.substack.com/p/more-early-takes-on-omicron-variant?

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Arnold, you forgot to link to Emily Oster's previous post on cases

https://off-guardian.org/2021/11/27/the-omicron-variant-magic-pills-or-solving-the-africa-problem/

Stop the show. Your dear Tyler warns us that it isn't over yet but he cannot provide any argument --except links to other people like him that have not done any serious research on the past 2 years about the virus, the disease, and pandemic. Today again he repeats it isn't over yet. And tomorrow he will say it again. No argument. He wants people to join the debate in good faith but he had done no research and prefers to ignore his own colleagues that think differently. It has been 2 years and these clowns are still running the show. Grow up.

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If we can develop the social technology to reply variant specific vaccines quickly and locally, the. We have a chance if driving some demons extinct. Not just Covid, but influenza too.

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With so much common sense around, why do journalists do some investigative reporting on why FDA/CDC do not act in cost effective ways?

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Sorry the link should have been to this Emily's post

https://emilyoster.substack.com/p/should-we-be-counting-covid-cases

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November 28, 2021
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Keeping a constant stream of new vaccines optimized for the variant of the month and giving everyone a cheep way to self test and self isolate should not be politically contentious.

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November 28, 2021
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The insane people are those who demand the same policies we had in 2020, expecting a different result.

As for vaccines, it seems to me the skeptics have the better argument. Consider

(1) A new vaccine technology that has never before been successful is deployed to innoculate a virus family that has never before been defeated.

(2) The vaccine trials are extremely short and abbreviated.

(3) Nevertheless, the vaccines are rolled out, to high consumer demand, with the promise they will prevent disease and transmission.

(4) Very quickly the claim of suppressing transmission is dropped and the vaccinated are told to put on masks and continue social distancing.

(5) It is then acknowledged that the vaccinated can still get seriously sick - but the advocates argue they would get more sick without it.

(6) It is then observed that adverse effects from the shots is extremely high, compared to existing vaccines. The authorities ignore this evidence.

(7) The authorities respond to vaccine failure by recommending boosters. Data on boosters is limited but "more is better" becomes the accepted policy.

(8) Now we are told a new vaccine formula is needed but this can be quickly done and a new round of shots will commence

Really? This is the medicine policymakers want people to trust?

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You might be right about number 6, but the authorities are successful enough at ignoring it that the claim can't be made without backing it up.

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I don't think vaccines should be marketed "by the left." Getting people to internalize the negative externality they cause by going about unvaccinated (including 3rd dose) should not be a left right issue. Whether carrots or sticks are better is an empirical question. I do think it was a mistake not to emphasize the duty to others aspect of why one should be vaccinated.

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