From Jeff Childers

The New York Times — the Times! — ran an unexpected article yesterday QUESTIONING BOOSTERS. I am not making that up. The headline was “Israel Considers 4th Vaccine Dose, but Some Experts Say It’s Premature.”

And check out the subhead: “Some scientists warn that too many shots might actually harm the body’s ability to fight the Covid-19 virus. But Israeli experts say there isn’t time to wait.”

There’s such as thing as “too many shots?” Holy unexpected headlines, Batman.

Now, that subhead could have gotten you thrown off Twitter about ten seconds ago. The Twitter censors must really be struggling over what to do about this one.

The article comes just a few days after the paper’s 49-year-old Asia editor died, just 24 hours after getting his Moderna booster. The Times now reports that boosters might not be a good idea, not at all, explaining “some scientists warned that the [booster] plan could backfire, because too many shots might cause a sort of immune system fatigue, compromising the body’s ability to fight the coronavirus.”

You don’t say!

Not only that, but the Times reported that a “new British report shows that booster doses are less effective against Omicron than previous variants, and their effectiveness wears off faster — within 10 weeks.” Who could have seen THAT coming?

After almost six months of pushing boosters every chance it got, the Times now reports — as straight news — quotes from Israeli scientists that disagree with the proposed booster plan. “I respect the opinion of those who say better safe than sorry,” Professor Hagai Levine said, “and there is no problem with being prepared. But before giving a fourth shot, it is preferable to wait for the science.”

Wait for the science? In the middle of a pandemic? But why?

The story doesn’t just quote one person. It quotes SEVERAL people raising questions about the wisdom of boosting in response to the Omicron variant. In case you missed the point. For example, it quoted Chely Edery, 59, the owner of a gift shop in Jerusalem. “Like many people, I’m very ambivalent. The last thing I want is for my business to close, but I have the feeling that this time, they don’t know enough.”

Now remember, when corporate media quotes some random person, it’s to editorialize, to push the reporter’s view disguised as straight news. They quoted shopkeeper Edery to make a point. Has the Times shifted its view about the wisdom of boosters? Did the untimely death of its Asia editor have something to do with it?

The story ends on this note: Benny Muchawsky, 80, an architect, said the booster plan “seemed like hysteria.” Hysteria! The Times finally discovers hysteria in a government’s Covid response! It’s a Covid miracle.

I’m taking this for a very good sign.