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Alt text A three-panel xkcd comic with two stick-figure characters. Panel 1 - One figure gestures and says, 'See, it’s good to get infected, because it gives you immunity.' The other figure stands silently. Panel 2 - The second figure asks, 'Why would I want immunity?' The first figure pauses. Panel 3 - The first figure starts to answer, 'To protect you from getting inf—' and then stops mid-sentence, head tilted, realising the contradiction. The second figure remains silent.

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Alt text A three-panel xkcd comic with two stick-figure characters. Panel 1 - One figure gestures and says, 'See, it’s good to get infected, because it gives you immunity.' The other figure stands silently. Panel 2 - The second figure asks, 'Why would I want immunity?' The first figure pauses. Panel 3 - The first figure starts to answer, 'To protect you from getting inf—' and then stops mid-sentence, head tilted, realising the contradiction. The second figure remains silent.
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Kristie (kristiedegaris@mastodon.scot)'s status on Thursday, 11-Dec-2025 17:04:46 JST Kristie

A PSA
Getting sick doesn’t do what you think it does.
Viruses can only create new variants when they spread. More infections = more replication = more mutations = more chances for a fitter, more evasive strain to appear.
Very few viruses give lifelong immunity. Most immunity to respiratory viruses fades, and with high levels of transmission, new variants appear often. That’s why we keep getting sick.
Getting sick doesn’t fix the problem. It drives it.
https://xkcd.com/2557/

In conversation about 5 months ago from mastodon.scot permalink