Well, this was about as difficult to judge as I thought it would be. 30 clues from 17 setters. Lots of inventive anagrams/partial anagrams (nice surface readings in kt17 @6, fj @35, jono @36, paul @24 and dorrien @22). Clues that just missed the podium included aristo @17 for going there first with "real prick" and mathprof @16 for the continued efforts to work collegiate sports into the mix. Mattrom @37 somehow managed a hidden word clue by going to Croatia. BBM's late entry at @44 was a clever use of "5ac."
But on to the podium:
Triple bronze medal winners! Why not?:
jono @3: A convict in a struggle was shot in the arm (11)
paulh @43: After short holiday nice recollection can be a booster (7)
I thought these were the best of the "anagram" clues for the smooth surfaces and the deception in the definitions.
mathprof @41: No lines, but hesitation in cold North to get a shot. (11)
Not sure it works perfectly as a clue (the C and the N are inserted in different places, which should be signaled somehow?) but a trenchant critique of the Canadian anti-vaxxer movement nonetheless.
Very difficult choice followed, but I ultimately decided to award joint silver medals to two clues that made me laugh:
mattrom @14: How half of French cows on Channel Islands land get herd immunity? (11)
To nod to the etymology of the word and get "herd immunity" in there was up to her usual brilliant standards.
tango @31: Picking up news that the French are going to clean up the state using preventative measures. (11)
Because if "vac-zee-nation" doesn't get some sort of recognition, what's the point of living?
But a topical word needs a topical clue so the gold goes to the ripped-from-the-headlines:
faiton @33: At last! Maggie in Coventry city fronts state regulated immunisation (7)
Hurray for Maggie Kennan! And well done faiton.
Prize time:
This is a nice discussion of the differences between the mRNA-based Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and the DNA-based AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOq8-FR8s1E
And this is just a good song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw6HiCUIeEs
Thanks for coming, everyone!