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Opinion: Canton residents stresses to get vaccine and wear a mask

Posted 9/20/21

To the Editor: To date, St. Lawrence County has fully vaccinated only 52% of residents. Science tells us that need to have 70-80% vaccinated to begin to reduce the infection rate. Over the last two …

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Opinion: Canton residents stresses to get vaccine and wear a mask

Posted

To the Editor:

To date, St. Lawrence County has fully vaccinated only 52% of residents. Science tells us that need to have 70-80% vaccinated to begin to reduce the infection rate. Over the last two weeks we have seen the results of this low vaccination rate with 14 people in our County losing their lives. Last Friday, we had 627 active cases in the county, and our positive rate rose from 2.25% rate all summer to 5.58%, the highest in the state. We have an “extremely high” risk of infection. This didn’t need to happen! We kept our virus rate low for months by being careful, to get as many people vaccinated as possible. Unfortunately too many folks decided not to get the vaccine, and now 112 are dead.

As a cancer patient, I have done everything I can to keep safe: I got the vaccine; I stayed home and avoided crowds; I wear a mask whenever I am out of my house. I am tired of being shut in. I want life to go back to normal. But I know that it is likely that everywhere I go, half of the people I meet have chosen to not receive this vaccine. Why? Their reasons trouble me and in some cases anger me.

Some wrongly believe that the vaccines were rushed and have not been tested properly. The truth is these vaccines have been in development for 10-20 years, allowing scientists to respond quickly to this new virus. The vaccines were carefully tested, and only then were they released to the public. Research has also shown that the vaccines are safe during pregnancy and actually protect the baby from infection too.

As a person with a compromised immune system, don’t I have the right to expect that healthcare workers have taken precautions to keep me from harm, including getting themselves vaccinated? As a grandmother don’t I have the right to expect that my grandchildren’s teachers are doing everything they can to keep them safe, including getting themselves vaccinated?

The reason given most often given for refusing the vaccine (and which really angers me) is that getting vaccinated is a matter of personal freedom. Some think freedom means we can do anything we want. For me freedom means lots of things, like being able to have lunch with friends or attend church, but it does not mean that I have the right to harm others just because I can. We say that we value everyone’s freedom, but my freedom to live is limited everyday by those who think their freedom gives them the right to threaten my right to life!

So please… if you are not vaccinated please get the vaccine! Contact SLC Public Health (https://stlawco.org/Departments/PublicHealth/COVID-19Vaccine) or your closest pharmacy. If you have children ages 12-18, get them vaccinated as well. Wear a mask in public even if you are vaccinated. The new Delta strain is 10 times more infectious, and masks add extra protection for everyone. We will never be free of this virus until we stop allowing it to infect new people. Do your part to stop it cold! Get the vaccine and wear a mask!

Dr. Eileen Raymond
Canton