Instead of telling everyone that they have to stay locked down, even if they get the vaccine, until we're at 85% — a system which discourages vaccination through moral hazard — a smarter solution would have been to give special privileges to the vaccinated.

One idea: An official government card that says "I'm vaccinated" with the official date your immunity can be expected to kick in that affords you the right to work out in gyms, eat indoors, etc.

Watching other people flash a card and get access to the old life will create FOMO and longing and get people way more interested in vaccines. But the "nothing changes until everyone does it" strategy incentivizes too many people to say "you first" to ever get there.

There's still time. Such a program won't work until vaccines are more generally available. But by March/April, this could be the smartest way to get reluctant people to line up. Make it like getting the PS5.

"But a small percentage of people will cheat!" "But it's not 100% foolproof!"

We can't let the perfect be the enemy of the good — especially in public health. By demanding zero-risk, we kill more people by making the pandemic last months, perhaps years, longer than necessary.

The goal should be ending the pandemic. Which will require carrots. And the carrot on offer is you get to return to normal life. Without that carrot, not enough people will vaccinate to free us — and more people will die.

Again, the condom comparison is useful. Are condoms 100% effective? No. But demanding the risk-free option (total lifelong abstinence) doesn't work. A slightly riskier option that more people will take is always better than a theoretical risk-free one most people will give up on.

Plus, none of us are actually risk-free. Every time you go to the grocery store, you're taking a risk. Shots in arms reduces overall risk. That needs to be the goal over all other things.

I'll just reshare this article from yesterday, as well. It's important to remember life is about more than simply keeping bodies alive. Vaccines are about getting our freedom back. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/01/giving-people-more-freedom-whole-point-vaccines/617829/