Getting vaccinated protects not just the individual, but society as a whole

PETER Keating’s letter (Write Back, November 27) regarding personal choice and vaccination is not only misleading, but it is also dangerous.

He insists that Covid-19 is no worse than many other endemic viruses but fails to name them, or to give any statistical evidence for this claim. When was the last time almost 50,000 people nationwide died during an epidemic?

His claim is offensive to the families and friends of people whose lives have been taken by the virus. Also, the prospect of large numbers of people living with the debilitation of “long Covid” is even more ominous.

The whole point of vaccination is to protect society from unnecessary suffering and death. The fact that the majority of people are asymptomatic is totally irrelevant to the problem.

Indeed, it is these asymptomatic people who are a significant part of the problem since they unknowingly pass the infection to everyone with whom they come into contact.

Mass vaccination is known to be the most effective way of reducing the risk of infectious diseases and the protocols for testing and certifying vaccines are well established.

Does Mr Keating really believe that politicians, medics and scientists deliberately dupe the public? Does he really believe that all vaccination is unnecessary, whether or not it is effective?

The statistics certainly do not support this view: MMR and polio vaccination has saved countless lives and greatly reduced the prevalence of these diseases in the last 80 years.

What he does not mention is that getting vaccinated not only protects the individual, but society as a whole. Of course, there is a small risk, but the societal gain is much greater.

I for one will be in the vaccination queue as soon as it starts — no questions asked.

Belfast