Think of us all

To the Editor:

We elected our supervisors to guide this county in improving our community. Their mission states they are to “create a healthy and safe community” and “enhance the quality of life.”

It is shocking to me that two of our supervisors, Anaiah Kirk and Kathleen Haff, are opposing a policy of vaccination against COVID-19. The only way to stop this virus, which has killed 78 of our neighbors, is by developing “herd immunity” via vaccination. I applaud supervisors Brandon, Campbell and Goldemberg who support a policy of vaccination-or-testing for the 600 county employees. This will make us all safer.

Supervisors Kirk and Haff, where is your sense of community? Do you understand that the more this virus is allowed to circulate, the greater the chance of variants arising, virus mutations which are more adaptable, contagious and deadly? Both supervisors refer to getting vaccinated as a “personal decision” rather than something that will benefit the community as a whole.

At the Aug. 3 Board of Supervisors meeting, as the board discussed requiring county employees to either get vaccinated or wear a mask and be tested frequently, Mr. Kirk spoke of this potential policy taking us down the path of Marxist-socialism. Really?

Ms. Haff incorrectly stated that the CDC'S VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System) has reported 12,000 deaths resulting from the COVID-19 vaccine. They did not. In fact, the VAERS site clearly states they can make no causation between a reported adverse event and the vaccine.

We are less than 50% vaccinated in Tuolumne County. Those of us over 65 are mostly vaccinated. Many of those who oppose the COVID-19 vaccine are under 65 and less at risk of dying from the virus. Please think of us all and get vaccinated.

Pat Cervelli

Tuolumne