and the flu shot is nowhere near 100% effective. i haven't had a flu in 20 years. i have no idea if the shot helped me, but i still usually get it. also probably helps that i never have reactions to it.

it's not that covid boosters are "not near "100% effective against transmission", but saying it can be preventative for a few weeks doesn't make it at all worth it for me, and yes personal experience factors, as well as those around me, and those around them for me to brush it off, like we're all wrong because, studies show X, and the science says we just got lucky 2 of us should be dead.

there are also treatment options that you mentioned, and even recommended to me in this post. if i was sicker, or was concerned i'd have considered it, but tbh the less medicine I have to put in my body the better

and yes the messaging has been pretty bad overall. which sucks because the vaccines did save countless lives., and probably so many more had some been better at communication.
and i also get that they're up against trumpism, social media, chasing a moving target, etc..
i *also* get the instinct to not want to say things that sound like parroting aaron rodgers or russel brand, but even with all that said, i don't think people's general lack of trust in of govt and drug companies is all that unreasonable, or to weigh their own personal experience against 'shut up and trust the science'.

but i'm just rambling at this point lol