My better half ran a news show tonight and the anchor was interviewing a policy wonk on the subject of Covid19 vaccinations for kids (both teens who are currently eligible under a emergency use authorization and younger kids). On the whole I thought the interviewee very good. Knowledgeable, reasonable in her balancing of competing desires and risk, and in touch with the effects of this pandemic on communities. Not that I was one hundred percent on board with her point of view but at least I could see where she was coming from.
Then right at the end of the segment, the guest triggered a pet peeve of mine.
You may imagine me turning green and bulging out into the looming shape of Semantics Hulk. Or something.
Anyway, this lady said something like "We want to make sure the vaccine is authorized and is safe and effective."
A fine sentiment, except that authorization is not—should not be—a goal in and of itself. The only reason that authorization is desirable is because it forms part of a process which is suppose to ensure the "safe and effective" part. Those are the (only!) real goals.
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