[cute_boi]

Well depends what you call free. If we can end pandemic, we don't have to wear masks, no more boosters. That would be ideal freedom right?

But not vaccinating, thinking one can outsmart public health officials, being intolerant is apparently not a freedom to me.

[awd]

And, after some countries are now on their 4th boosters (Edit: shot, not booster), and my country being about halfway done with their third round, are we slowly stamping out the virus?

Personally I feel lied to and misled, the messaging from the government where I am from was far from what one would call nuanced and informed. The short story is that they promised: "If you take your shots, then we'll get out of this mess". Even now, a propaganda ad that states: "We don't want you to take a booster to make things impossible, we want you to take your booster to make things possible again". Even though it's abundantly clear that people are getting reinfected and spreading Omicron, booster or no booster.

From my perspective we're kidding ourselves that we can get a handle on this disease without permanently going in and out of lockdowns. In my county we stamped out the virus at least twice before (stamped out going to < 20 cases per day, some cities without for months). And then it comes back. Well I'm done locking down, and I think this is a consistent, fair standpoint to take. I don't want to have to identify myself and my status to enter the store or public life. People get sick, people die, everyone will get omicron, or something similar, eventually.

[marmarama]

But the vaccinations are working to get everyone out of the mess. While Omicron is not prevented entirely by the vaccines, hospitalizations per confirmed case are an order of magnitude lower than previous waves, and deaths are similarly an order of magnitude lower. This was the trend with Delta before Omicron as well.

Highly vaccinated countries are now at the point where any of the current variants are now only a little more dangerous than seasonal flu, which we live with almost every year. As such, barring a more dangerous variant arising, there is no point to further lockdowns. It's endemic, it's not going away entirely, but we can now live with it.

The most important thing we can do now is get the rest of the world into a highly vaccinated state, which will help suppress further variants emerging so quickly.

[knownjorbist]

What countries are on their 4th boosters?

[awd]

Sorry, 4th shot, not booster. Israel.

[jballer]

Freedom is self-determination and ownership of your own survival.

Some people will make decisions you see as stupid or bad. Upside: others can't impose their decisions on you. Downside: you can't impose your decisions on others.