Editor:
Let’s discuss why the anti-vaxxers possibly believe that the vaccines that are available for the COVID-19 virus are not a common-sense option.
I submitted a letter to this newspaper titled “Viruses are a part of history” on Oct. 11, 2020.
In that letter, I point out that proven, tested and trusted vaccines do work.
When you consider how our medical organizations around the world were able to battle small pox, polio, diphtheria, measles and typhoid, just to name a few, we do have access to vaccines preventing people from dying. This, I believe, is the common-sense component for people to understand about vaccines.
It appears that the anti-vaxxers are indicating that it is their constitutional right to not get vaccinated. It also appears the anti-vaxxers have taken a position on this issue that has become a political point of view.
I ask why politics would be involved in the discussion about the health care of all our citizens during a worldwide pandemic.
From the common-sense point of view, why would deciding whether to decide to vaccinate or not to vaccinate be political?
Common sense is defined as practical judgment or intelligence; ordinary good sense. With that definition, anti-vaxxers would need to consider practical judgment in their decision to vaccinate or not and not let a political point of view even be considered.
As we go forward in trying to eradicate this COVID-19 virus and the other variants, we as a society must use practical judgment — common sense — to make it happen.
The anti-vaxxers must understand that those who do not vaccinate are more likely the ones who become sick with this virus. Many of them do not survive and die. We in the U.S. have lost over 800,000 people so far because of this pandemic.
Our hospitals across the nation are overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients, most of whom are unvaccinated. We need to reexamine our positions and thoughts and understand that the vaccines that are available now to fight this pandemic do work.
If it becomes necessary to receive a vaccine booster shot now and in the future, it will still be your decision to do it or to not do it.
When this pandemic is finally over on a global scale, we as a world community must review what we did right and what we did wrong.
What did we learn about this pandemic and its variants? What did we learn about the vaccines that became available that work, and how do we prepare for the next pandemic?
Another important component for our next possible global pandemic is how we as a world community provide the necessary vaccines to all nations in a time frame to prevent as many deaths as possible.
Now let us get back to our main discussion on anti-vaxxers and common sense.
I believe that what was discussed here will not deter many anti-vaxxers from their decision whether to get vaccinated.
If that is so, let’s hope you anti-vaxxers don’t become one of the 800,000-plus people who have died.
Thomas E. Carter
Rio Rancho
