I believe the mortality rate was closer to 1%. I've heard the "I'll take my chances argument before," however "everybody" puts that seatbelt on. "Everybody" has the airbag light checked out when it comes on, you replace the batteries in the fire alarm, etc. IOW it's a false reason, an attempt to dodge the question or answer it honestly. As I've said before behind every double standard is a greater single standard.
IMHO, a lot people avoided the vaccine merely because it was part and parcel of the culture war surrounding the Covid response. Unfortunately, the left (and myself) were of the opinion that when a vaccine came out most people would be on board vs nearly 1/2 the nation refusing the shot. Personally, I don't care if anti-vaxxers didn't care about themselves or others, that's just human beings being human beings. But I do take exception to mis/disinformation being spread and ******* in people into the anti-vax web, when they could/would have otherwise gotten vaccinated. And that's why the pro-vax crowd kept pushing and pushing for facts. It would be nice if these platforms applied that standard more uniformly, or found a way If somebody feeds me a line BS, then they shouldn't be shocked when they get called out on it.