Hacker News Reader

> That's ridiculous -- of course benefits can outweigh psychological side-effects.

I understood the grandparent post to mean that the harm can sometimes outweigh the benefits when the vaccine is forced. Not that it's always the case.

> If a vaccine for a deadly, highly communicable disease can completely stop transmission

Are you suggesting that the COVID vaccines were able to completely stop transmission?

View on HN

Parent comment seems completely hypothetical so this seems like a bit of a stretch.

> I understood the grandparent post to mean that the harm can sometimes outweigh the benefits when the vaccine is forced. Not that it's always the case.

On careful re-reading I believe you're correct. Though if a hypothetical 100% effective zero side-effects vaccine doesn't pass their bar of outweighing psychological harm then it seems unlikely anything could, hence my interpretation of GP as an absolute statement.

> Are you suggesting that the COVID vaccines were able to completely stop transmission?

Hah, I wish! No, just going with the GP's hypothetical.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com