Prudence, yes, it very much is an issue of trust. But trust comes in degrees, so to say that one trusts / doesn’t trust government, Big Pharma, etc., is not very helpful.

I don’t trust them completely, but nor do I distrust them completely. for one thing, they are not a single thing. There are many pharmaceutical companies, and many government agencies, and many people working in them.

Yes, it is rational, especially for certain groups, to be wary of government and BP. But the additional question is: is it *more* rational than, in this particular case, to get vaccinated? I doubt it.

As for going with the “sciencey” option, forgive me, but you are making the same mistake you accuse others of making. Specifically, you are accusing me of something without much knowledge of my background and motives.

“Science” too is not a monolithic thing. There are many institutions, some governmental, some private, there are universities and independent laboratories, and so forth. And my honest assessment, at this point in time, is that my bet is going to be much better if I get the vaccine than if I don’t.