Not vaccinated, please do the right thing now

DEAR EDITOR:

I reside in assisted living and have, and still have, had many of my enjoyable life pleasures restricted by the pandemic, as have every single one of us.

What I am having serious trouble understanding is, as a result of this pandemic and being asked to mask up, keep distance, sanitize and then vaccinate, some people can find every reason NOT to help themselves by protecting others.

I feel I do have a right to say this since I have just started freely coming out of my room after placing myself in strict isolation. I chose to do this because even though I vigilantly masked indoor and out, and kept my distance for the protection of others, there were some living here who could just not reciprocate with respect and care of others.

That year-and-a-half was not only expensive (I purchased all my own food), but extremely costly to my mental health. I saw no one except for staff. It was only staff that I came to trust and look forward to seeing.

It was when it came time for the vaccinations that I was made aware of the fact that some tenants and staff had chosen not to be vaccinated.

My hopes had risen when it came time for vaccinations, only to be crushed when I heard of the ones who chose not to be vaccinated.

Very well, I thought, I had two options until this pandemic slows its pace; go back into isolation or stay as far away as possible of the people who did not get vaccinated.

The tenants who were not vaccinated were the same ones who refused to reciprocate the care and concern presented to them, but the staff members coming to work who didn’t get vaccinated simply crushed me.

I can’t understand why you could make a choice like you did, freely come to work, then freely place my life and others at risk.

If you want to be respected and praised for being a caring, respectful health care worker, then please get vaccinated before coming back to work. As for tenants continuing to live in assisted living and still refusing to take precautions, our staff and managers need assistance in either relocating them, or separating them from persons that will mask, distance and vaccinate.

Please, we all have the right of choice, but, no one has a right to endanger me.

Thank you Dr. Bonnie Henry!

Kathleen Byard Penticton