Pirate's Cove

Would this be the same July 4th that Joe wanted to cancel? Who pays for this? What does one shot accomplish if two are required? And why is it necessary for CNN to do analysis of this, unless they are just squeeing? Getting a thrill up their legs?

‘Get a shot and have a beer’: Biden’s new glass-half-full strategy woos vaccine skeptics

This Bud’s for you, and anyone else ready to roll up their sleeve to put the pandemic behind them.

The White House’s new partnership with Anheuser-Busch offering free beers if the country reaches its goal of getting 70% of adults at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot by July 4 — almost Prohibition in reverse — is more than a gimmick.

If Trump was still around and tried this it would be labeled a pure, pandering gimmick that entices people to become alcoholics and end up living on skid row. There would be apoplexy wondering if people under the age of 21 would be given free beer, and that it is a waste of federal money, and ORANGE MAN BAD for doing this when he doesn’t even drink and this is the end of Democracy as we know it.

It’s a headline that heralds a widening, more micro-targeted approach to getting skeptical Americans vaccinated against Covid-19 and a shift from an approach that saw mass vaccination sites in stadiums earlier this year. It’s also a sign of growing concern about slowing inoculation rates, fears that millions of unprotected Americans could be vulnerable to new viral spikes in the fall and a desire to preserve the miracle wrought by vaccines.

Ah, now that last sentence makes sense, but, there’s always been that concern, and it’s not just from Republicans and Trump supporters. There are more than plenty on both sides who are resistant for many reasons, and you’re seeing this in plenty of other nations.

There’s more than free booze on offer from the teetotaler Biden and his web of private-sector partnerships announced on Wednesday to convince skeptics to get vaccinated. Go for a trim in a Black-owned barbershop — traditional community hubs — and a Covid-19 vaccine comes at no extra cost. Parents who get the shots can get free child care while they’re inoculated. Cities will compete to grow vaccination rates. Employers can cash in tax credits if they let workers feeling side effects from the vaccine take time off.

Free stuff only entices people who were willing to get it and were going to get it anyhow. I’d think most who took the jab did so without any compensation. You aren’t actually bribing anyone, because they had the intention to get it.

Some 136 million Americans are fully vaccinated. But the percentage of US adults who have had at least one dose is at 62.8%, meaning that Biden’s target of 70% before Independence Day could represent a challenge.

One does of a two dose regimen is meaningless, when the 2nd is necessary. It’s like replacing half the strings on your guitar, so you only have three strings.

There are multiple reasons beyond politics, for example, why people may choose not to get a vaccine. There is mistrust of government scientists and experts in some communities. Some African Americans are suspicious of mass vaccination campaigns for historical reasons. Some rural areas that have not seen heavy concentrations of the virus and where people live further apart than in cities may see vaccines as less of a priority. Young people, who are less likely to get seriously ill or die but who can still have long-lasting effects from Covid-19, are a particular concern for health officials.

“One of the things that annoys me about public health is when we have a one-size-fits-all message for everyone: ‘Just go get vaccinated, it’s safe,’ ” Yasmin said.

“In reality, you speak to six people on the fence about vaccines … you can hear six very different reasons — historical, geographical, cultural, faith-based reasons — as to why they may not be very confident about getting vaccinated.”

How do you get them to get vaccinated? The answer is you won’t. Not now. Perhaps when the full clinical trials are don, when they aren’t approved under an emergency order. But, even then, you’ll still get a lot who won’t. And a beer won’t do it. Bribes won’t do it.