A plea
I must confess i am confused with or about the decision of many to not get the vaccine which will protect most from getting tragically ill with covid 19 or one of its variants and from infecting someone else who may get tragically ill. My understanding is that an overwhelming majority in ICU beds or those waiting in the halls outside the ICU are occupied.by those who did not get the vaccine.
I am equally confused about the refusal to wear a mask in any enclosed space or outdoor space where it is difficult or impossible to practice social distance. The clear potential side affects of not getting the vaccine and wearing the mask is the possibility of acute illness and possibly death . The clear side affect of not getting the vaccine or wearing the mask is the possibility of infecting someone else who might get acutely ill or, if vaccinated, might get infected and pass on the infection to someone else who may or may not get acutely ill and possibly die.
I am well aware that there are those who object to the vaccine because they:
Are not convinced of the long term safety of the vaccine. I assume there is the possibility of long term side affects with any vaccine, but the history of vaccinations developed in the United States is very positive. The very real potential side affects of not getting the vaccine is acute illness with potential long term slide affects or death.
Believe in the possibility of the vaccine containing a chip which is implanted
in one and which then tracts the activity of the individual. I can find no evidence
which makes me even remotely suspicious that this is the case.
Know there is a history of potentially dangerous medical research with selected populations. Past shameful, oppressive, discriminatory medical research was conducted on a selective population. The covid vaccines are being offered to ALL who are 12 years old or older except those who may have a medical condition which prevents them from safely taking any of the vaccines.
They believe the vaccines were created from fetal issue. I can find no evidence which confirms this is the case.
Believe the vaccines may not be safe because of ingredients used to develop them. The list of ingredients are widely available and any such concern can be reviewed with one’s physician and/or pharmacist.
Are fearful of or angry about being pressured to do something and have the corresponding felt need to assert one’s freedom to not do what one is being pressured to do. As the body politic we have long decided to give up certain personal freedoms when the exercise of that freedom adversely affects the freedom of other members of the body politic. Thus, we have laws requiring the use of seat belts for the driver and passenger. If a driver causes an accident and a person in another car which is hit is not wearing the seat belt, the charge may then change from reckless driving to vehicular homicide. Smoking in a public place affects the air quality of of all those inhaling the air and thus the health of those individuals. There are numerous instances of the body politic deciding the freedom of individuals may be restricted to protect the freedom of the rest of the body politic.
The refusal to wear a mask in a few instances is justified for medical reasons. A licensed physician or other qualified medical professional can make that recommendation. Refusing to wear a mask merely because it is uncomfortable is not, in my opinion, valid. Refusing to wear a mask because the extent of protection may be questionable is also, in my opinion not valid. If the mask only provides minimal protection from catching or sharing the virus one needs to wear one. We do know that when many were wearing the mask the number of flue cases was drastically reduced.
I have perhaps overlooked an argument or reason some give for not taking the vaccine or wearing a mask. If so, I am open to hearing and “listening” to those reasons. As of this moment I cannot think of any cogent argument, other than a concrete individual medically established danger, for doing so, In the absence of such a proven danger. I believe it is our moral duty to get the vaccine and wear a mask when social distancing is not possible. I also believe it is our moral duty to listen with empathy and compassion to those who are fearful of the vaccine while still encouraging them to fact check the accuracy of those fear messages.
Written August 31, 2021
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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