Reader urges everyone to ‘mask up’

Vox Pop

The COVID pandemic is now spreading like wild fire, thanks anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers. They had a moment to step-up and be responsible adults, but alas, your rights to not vaccinate and not wear a mask was far more important. My apologies to all the children this will affect. Kids under 12 who become infected might be much less likely to suffer lasting damage, but they are still contagious, infecting older people in the community, not just their teachers, and it keeps spreading from there. Vaccinating kids under 12 years of age, would vastly reduce that age group from remaining as a reservoir where the virus continues to replicate, mutate and spread to others less fortunate.

Isn’t it about time the vaccine was made mandatory to work in government, attend school or work in public? You do not have the right to spread disease. You do not have the right to kill. Perhaps people are beginning to worry doctors and nurses won’t fight to save them from themselves . Those that refuse vaccinations should also automatically forfeit the right to medical care associated with COVID. Insurance companies should now use this the same as an existing pre-condition if they do not get vaccinated. Laws are made to protect us from ourselves. That could be why we have law against reckless endangerment, and in this case, should maybe be enforced. Government and private employers can’t force people to take the shot, but they can require vaccines as a condition of employment.

In COVID vaccination discussions with some people, I often hear a disturbing response. Many believe it’s God’s will if they become infected. I say, please don’t blame God here. He gave us brains to use. The facts are there and historical context woven, hence when we are sick with an infection, we do not just kneel and pray, or go to the pastor or priest to expel a demon. We go to the doctor for our antibiotics and then pray that it works. Again, they believe the end of the world is near, do not fear death, and are eager for the Rapture to occur. Or “I oppose having to wear a mask and social distancing and having to shut down the economy.” “Ok, then we need you to get vaccinated so we can avoid those things” “No, you can’t force me to get vaccinated.” It would be comedy if it were not so sad.

That said, I agree with the Republican governor of Alabama. Asked what it would take to convince her constituents to get vaccinated, Gov. Kay Ivey responded, “I don’t know. You tell me. Folks (are) supposed to have common sense. But it’s time to start blaming the unvaccinated folks, not the regular folks. It’s the unvaccinated folks that are letting us down”.

No concern is shown for the increasing worldwide COVID deaths, the fate of their family, or next generation. It’s difficult to reason with someone who wants to commit suicide. First the cases increase, then the hospitalizations increase, then comes the deaths. Not just deaths, but the fact that some 35 percent of serious cases result in permanent organ damage shows that this is very serious indeed and people should be more focused on what they may be doing to friends and family that will adversely affect them for years to come.

Some governors are even mocking Dr. Fauci and refusing to support mandatory vaccinations, and showing lack of concern for the record Delta COVID deaths in their states, instead choose not to interfere with their destiny with Jesus. Meanwhile, the rest of us just keep our heads down, do the civically responsible thing by getting vaccinations we really don’t want but know it’s better than getting sick and may help us get through a pandemic, and wear masks we really hate wearing but we understand it may help slow down the spread of the disease that we don’t want to catch or transmit.

Social distancing, masks and vaccinations are the three most effective ways to prevent unnecessary spread of this disease. The alternative is lock downs and unnecessary deaths. With the Delta variant, one infected person will go on to infect nine others, so do the math. Zero.zero one percent of vaccinated people get infected compared to 2 or 3 percent of unvaccinated people. Ninety percent of hospitalizations are healthy, unvaccinated people. In the long term, it’s going to be the unvaccinated that will suffer the most.

Once again, science says get vaccinated to trigger the immune system to produce antibodies. Science says wear masks and keep social distance to reduce the spread of the virus. Science says if we do not follow those rules, the virus spreads more and more people will get the virus, be hospitalized and die. The thing about viruses is that they don’t care if you think they are a hoax or political correctness. They will kill you anyway.

— Dr. Osmond Ekwueme, Medford