Medical experts Eziekiel Emanuel, Michael Osterholm and Celine Gounder announced in the Journal of the American Medical Association that they believe “COVID-19 is here to stay.” Of course, some will insist that they are liberal spokespeople and prefer to get their medical advice from Tucker Carlson, Alex Jones or Marjorie Taylor Greene. This will put them at risk of getting a serious infection, or death.
I personally believe we will all get infected eventually, unless we live in Australia or New Zealand. That is why I will line up to get my second booster when available. The younger, healthier population, below 65 years of age, will have mostly less serious bouts of infection, even if unvaccinated. But some will pull the short straw and become death statistics. Those who are over 65 will be at much increased risk. Yet many in that age group are politically motivated to resist vaccination, primarily Republicans and like-minded independents.
The Omicron variant is pushing throughout America and filling hospitals. Some hospitals are reducing elective surgeries. Emergency rooms will be filling up. Schools will be forced to close (again) and put students farther behind in their education. Airlines are canceling flights due to infections or quarantines. All this in the interest of “personal choice,” various conspiracy theories, or political demagoguery
I am not looking forward to becoming sick, but eventually probably will be. I have avoided the gym in the past few weeks because most of the younger people are not wearing masks or wearing them wrong. I bought an N-95 mask and will use it when I go back to the gym. I have not sat down in a restaurant in almost two years. Nor have I traveled. That is the price I am paying for the selfish or insane reluctance to be vaccinated.
What price will you pay?
Thomas Oatway
Valencia
