[Freak_NL]

There are likely many, many commentors on HN who have family members in that (somewhat open-ended) age bracket who insist that they are not at risk. Either because they don't trust vaccines, or feel perfectly healthy, or feel that 'it is just a flu'.

I do (just the one thankfully, whose 'intuition' tells them that it will be quite alright, despite having frequent contacts with other people), and it's really not great knowing that there is very real risk of seeing them on the ICU at some point.

[wombat-man]

As time went on and the numbers showed that I would probably be fine if I caught it given my age and health. I started to worry a lot less about it. But I still got vaccinated. Can't really relate to this kind of thinking, and I hope your friend remains healthy.

[s1artibartfast]

I can relate but don't agree with them. I found it helpful to try to put myself in their shoes.

In their peer group they have many very unhealthy people and seen a lot of friends die. Some died from botched unnecessary medical interventions or were causalities of medical bureaucracy or malpractice. Some have also been screwed over significantly by government authorities at different points in their lives. This leads to hesitancy and skepticism for new treatments, and authorities.

That is to say, they need to be convinced that the health authorities promoting vaccines now are different from the ones that promoted treatments that killed their peers. They need to be convinced that the same government authorities promoting or requiring vaccines are now more trustworthy than when they fucked them over in the past.

This isn't necessarily a good reason with respect to the vaccine, but I hope it helps you relate

[whimsicalism]

What kind of thinking? The one where you worry for your elderly unvaxxed family member when fatality rates for the unvaxxed elderly remain quite high?

[wombat-man]

Oh I mean thinking that just because you aren't at risk you don't need the vaccine. I think the twins were mistaken of course, given their age. But for example, myself being younger and healthy I believe I'm also low risk. But I am still relieved to be vaccinated. I know people who still have breathing issues because they caught it and it continues to impact them months after recovering from the virus itself.

[jffry]

I read "this kind of thinking" as relating to the quote from the parent comment, talking about the mindset of people who avoid the vaccine because they insist they are not at risk of severe illness or death, despite being members of a population who demonstrably are.