People should not take for granted that an effective AND SAFE vaccine is a slam-dunk. It isn't. When you see the vaccine makers constantly walking back their expectations, it should make you go "hmmmm."

Moderna is now saying that they'll consider their vaccine a success if it is 50% effective. Really? So, since they've already said that about half the people who get the vaccine have "flu-like symptoms" for two days following the shot, how many people are going to say "Great, this has a coin-flip chance of maybe helping me, but it also has a coin-flip chance of making me sick for two days and then NOT helping me -- I'd better run right over and get sick now !" hmmm? how many will want that?

The AZN/Oxford vaccine looks safer and more effective, as it also activates the T-cells. But, we don't know yet.

In the meantime, it seems a lot smarter to try to save lives NOW by developing good treatments, instead of saying "don't worry if you get sick now and die, in a year we'll have a vaccine that MIGHT have protected you."

This focus on vaccines as THE solution is wrong-headed in the short and intermediate term. We need good treatments NOW.