Looks like we should of put trigger warnings on this thread, it seems some people are having issues with the information being discussed.
@torahvaluesoverparty See “How do vaccinated people spread Delta? What the science says – Nature” for one example of many. There is clear evidence that vaccinated people are far less likely to spread the virus, even the Delta variant.
And this discussion about co-morbidities is dangerous narischkeit. Would you say that a mugger that hits and elderly woman isn’t liable if she dies because she had a heart problem? We are weighing the potential benefits against the risk. You’re merely ignoring the benefits and exaggerating the risks. The benefits are clear, the vaccine protects you and people around you from COVID. The risks are clear, millions of people taking each vaccine less than a few dozen cases of some sort of major issue. And it’s not “we don’t know the risks yet” because we absolutely do. No one should reject a highly beneficial treatment just because it hadn’t yet gone through four generations of testing.
I think it depends on the community. To add to your bullet points, many frum communities have an automatic and intense distrust of the government and this plays into it. Also, I know one community in particular where there is a highly influential member of the Rabbonus who is an anti-vaxxer. Because of this, no Rav wants to be seen as going against this individual, so this community has never had any major kol koirehs or campaigns to get people vaccinated (despite the pleadings of the local doctors, the Chevra Hatzalah, and setting up frum run vaccination centers). I guess they feel that keeping shalom and showing unity is more important.
I find your point about social media interesting. Several anti-vaxx Yeshivish people who don’t have regular internet access I’ve spoken with have said that they “did the research”. Which I’m not sure what it means, as “doing the research” without internet is speaking to local doctors, calling up hospitals and health centers and such. But when asked to clarify they either respond with vague statements (“Many people died from it, you know”) or admit to getting it from weird internet sites(“You can’t trust Google”).