Jumping off the responsible cooperation vaccine bus

There is no comfort in facing the resistance to COVID-19 vaccinations. Some members of my extended family have had the virus. One of these, a 70ish paraplegic, resisted vaccination. To my knowledge she never completed the series. She reportedly said, “I wish somebody (or ‘they’) would control the thing.” Another much younger family member beset by allergies to essentially everything contracted the sickness. She received one shot, but became very ill and symptomatic (but not with COVID). She caught it from her children late last month.

I’ve spoken to a nurse who was waiting tables in Limon. She dropped out of her profession solely because of the stresses and pressures wrought by serious COVID cases. I believe she can spell “tsunami.”

Nearly every time I fully embrace what is said on the Internet (and not even the “Dark ‘Web”), I’m trapped later. Fortunately I’ve made no major life or financial decisions based on “information” found there.

This virus is obviously fast, resourceful, relentless, ruthless, smarter than we are. Are 20 million or 60 million (depending on whom you believe) Americans refusing this vaccine because they don’t trust government? Or science? It seems many are essentially developing their own “science.” Veterinary drugs, bleach and other “solutions” have been used or touted. Is this aimed at discrediting the current president? To my knowledge polio was never politicized. That has been defeated, if not eradicated. How about smallpox? There’s a dandy example. Smallpox has erased over a quarter of a billion lives since 1900. COVID is on its way to removing 6 million worldwide; a new holocaust?

It is difficult to escape the impression that those who will not accept vaccination also tend not to wear a mask. Anywhere. I have heard it said that these individuals believe their rights are being trampled.

Well, I recall a business trip I took with a colleague on a DC-10. Another passenger near us lit up after takeoff. We chose not to start World War III, but instead opted for seat reassignment. COVID is so pervasive there are no other “seats” — this is the only planet we’ve got, folks. Society eventually cajoled or wheedled almost all auto passengers and drivers into wearing seat belts, though we still hear of unbelted fatalities, just as we hear that more than 80% of serious hospitalized COVID patients are unvaccinated. Typhoid Mary has returned.

Some parties to the argument may point to a claim of “rights.” But when one’s behavior, knowing or not, threatens the health of my household then my rights have been reduced. Should I like that? I can claim my “pursuit of happiness” is breached.

Eventually a choice must be made, between the public (that means all us humans) health and the health of our economy. Last year should have proved that these are mostly mutually exclusive. Just how many small businesses do we want to see disappear? There have already been many. With further losses, where do the millions who have left the labor force to find work that pays better gain employment? Think also of larger enterprises. How long until our 401(k) accounts become 4.01(k)?

Holidays mean family gatherings. Parades, malls, restaurants and concerts may figure into celebrations. Church, too (I recommend it). But if people unknown to me flaunt vaccination mandates, requests, recommendations or pleas, and who may display no viral symptoms while spending some time around me, I’m not likely to know who could have brought this scourge upon me.

And so I’ve tried to be cautious, followed the rules. How much good has that done me? Knock on wood, no virus so far. And there is a serious, chronic condition afoot in my house.

How much good have my choices done those who choose to believe there is such a thing as a nation of one and so jumped off the responsible cooperation bus? I don’t know, and neither do they. I note that community and immunity share seven letters each. My continuing hope is that no unvaccinated person will regret that holiday dinner with relatives or friends, vaccinated or not.

Doctors bury their mistakes, and so might we. Think it over, and don’t be an incubator for more mutations.

Please.