3 Things I Don’t Want to Say About Vaccination
I don’t want to say this. I am vaccinated but have been supportive of others who are not. I have believed everyone should make their own choices. I have been horrified by news of people having to leave their jobs because they did not want a vaccine. I don’t believe the law should dictate what is inside someone’s body.
I just wanted to protect myself. I believed that I could be protected by masking, hand washing, and vaccine. But I am learning that all of that is not enough. We are not each our own island. We cannot just protect ourselves. We need to protect each other.
Much has been said about vaccination and I have nothing new to add. I am only sharing my personal opinion based on my personal experience here. So here I address my comrades at arms who are not vaccinated.
Your decision not to vaccinate made me sick
I just recovered from Covid 19. I got it from my granddaughter who got it from her mom, who is not vaccinated. I watch my granddaughter a few days a week. A couple of weeks ago the baby wasn’t feeling well. She was actually very sick with a fever that was hard to manage. When I mentioned this to her mom she said she didn’t feel well either and feared it was Covid. No one got tested but when I fell ill several days later I did, and it was, in fact, Covid. I was in bed with aches and a fever for the better part of a week. I was lucky. I faired pretty well and was able to manage my symptoms from home and seem to have made a full recovery. But why did I get it? I am careful to stay out of crowded places, am vigilant with masks and hand washing and keep a very quiet social life. I got it from someone with who I have no choice but to see and be in close contact, who has not been vaccinated. And she got it from someone she has no choice to be in close contact with who chose not to be vaccinated. This is how it happens.
2. Your decision not to vaccinate is killing my father-in-law
My vaccinated father-in-law is on hospice. My brother and sister-in-law have been staying with him and taking care of him. I was under the impression that they were vaccinated. But last week I learned that they were both sick with Covid 19. They said that they were actually not vaccinated because they believed they’d had the virus already and were immune. They were wrong. Today they called to tell my husband that his dad has taken a sudden turn for the worse and he needs to fly there immediately. We are not sure yet if he has Covid but all signs point to that. He got it from someone he has no choice to be in close contact with who chose not to be vaccinated. This is how it happens.
3. Your decision not to vaccinate affects me.
We cannot get past the fact that we depend on each other. Its kind of like drunk driving. I can never drive drunk and that will keep me from killing myself and others but I can still get struck down by a drunk driver.
I want so much for each of us to just do what we feel is right for ourselves. I believe in that freedom. But that kind of thinking is not working. We need to see this as a community issue. We need to take care of each other. I hope you will reconsider vaccination.
