Vaccinations Have Turned Political

Vaccinations, a medical decision, turned into a political issue. Put aside your MAGA hat for a moment. During the Presidential Debates, both Biden and Harris said they wouldn’t take the Trump vaccine and conservatives scoffed. Now that Biden is president, conservatives scoff at vaccinations. Oh, come on! Everyone, stop being Politically Oppositional Defiant. Focusing on the politics makes people oblivious to their responsibilities to each other, the vaccines safety and effectiveness.

We ALL have a duty and responsibility to protect each other and ourselves. Over 870,000 people in the US died from Covid and 75% were over 65. As someone who is over 65, I think your refusal to get vaccinated is very selfish. Your right to not be vaccinated is not more important than other people’s safety. Think about your own family and friends who are at risk.

If you could dig up each of the 875,000 people who died from Covid and ask them if they wished they could have been vaccinated, how many do you think would have said “no”? How many of those who chose not to be vaccinated do you think would say that not getting vaccinated is a principal to die for? What do you think their family members would say?

Covid vaccines are very effective in preventing hospitalizations and are very safe. In December, the hospitalization rate for the unvaccinated was 44 times higher than for fully vaccinated people. Covid vaccines are safer than riding in a car.

So, how about voluntarily getting vaccinated? You can get vaccinated and still believe in constitutional rights and be against mandates. Getting a vaccination will protect you, your family and friends, and others from Covid. When the risk of Covid falls, we can safely go back to our social and work activities. Together we can make life much safer.

–Larry Bieber, Castro Valley