Being alive in 2021 is a test of strength and courage, but it is also a time of awakening. It is a time when people have risen from isolation and torment and have chosen to be lights in this world. They have chosen to not be victims of fear.
The conflicts between the vaccinated and unvaccinated continue and many have not chosen sides. They have not chosen to mock the choices either side have made. They realize that divide and conquer continues to cause nations to collapse and they have chosen to be the voices of reason and stand in support of free will, truth, justice, and righteousness.
Throughout the pandemic, healthcare workers have worked tirelessly. Months ago, there were reports that in some instances they did not have enough personal protective equipment, but they persevered because they were committed, and we were and are still facing a health crisis. For many, when death was imminent, it was doctors and nurses who stood by them in their last moments when their relatives and friends could not be there.
The medical profession is a profession of compassion. Doctors and nurses save lives and deserve to be respected. Healthcare workers were locked out of the public health facilities in Georgetown and Linden. These are the same people who have worked throughout a pandemic without a vaccine.
I will forever remain pro-choice. People should not be forced to do anything against their will. You can be pro-vaccine and anti-mandate. You can be vaccinated and support the unvaccinated and vice versa. Many people do not agree with what is happening, but they are afraid to speak. We were not born with muzzles. We were born free. Why are people afraid to speak in their own country?
I was appalled when I saw doctors and nurses who have been our heroes throughout this pandemic being treated like second class citizens in their own country, which is now telling them to comply or possibly lose their jobs. This is not how we were born to live and there is a reason that there is resistance across the world against such bullyism.
The people of Guyana were told that the COVID vaccines would not be mandatory and therefore they would be free to make their choice. Saying that it is not mandatory but also saying that people will lose their jobs if they do not want it or cannot go to certain places, is in effect not giving them a choice if they need their jobs or access to certain services. How do we expect citizens to pay over $25,000 a week for testing when most Guyanese are probably not even paid US$500 a month?
I have lost faith in many leaders in this country. Some in the past stood and raised their voices about human rights violations but were just opportunists. The unvaccinated suddenly have no rights and are not worthy to be represented by some of these misleaders. Some people are making this a political issue. It is an insult to think that every person who is skeptical about the COVID vaccines is politically-motivated. These concerns are not just from those who support one political party. Some of the people who are skeptical are apolitical. I have little faith in our politicians regardless of which side of the oppression they stand.
For me, this is about being honest and listening to the concerns of the people who are skeptical or are not ready to be vaccinated. The adverse effects that people are experiencing worldwide seem to be nonexistent in Guyana because I cannot recall seeing any reports in the media. But in private you are hearing various reports.
The majority will be vaccinated and be fine, but there is a minority who will not be. In the United States of America anyone can view the reports on vaccine adverse effects reporting system (www.vaers.hhs.gov) about vaccine injuries and deaths. I have a child who was injured by vaccines so I know how frightening and confusing the experience can be. So, to say that no one ever dies or is injured after vaccination and people who are concerned about the adverse effects have no valid reasons is disingenuous. Is there a reporting system such as Vaers in Guyana? If you are the unfortunate person who is seriously injured, will the government take care of you?
Bullyism is not the answer to getting more people vaccinated. It will only fuel more tension, frustration, misconduct and eventually erupt.
The Centers for Disease Control has changed its recommendation for those who are vaccinated with the rise of new variants. Vaccinated people must still wear masks and can also become infected and spread the virus. When vaccinated people become infected, they are being called breakthrough infections*. Knowing that unvaccinated and vaccinated people can contract the virus and spread it, it is absurd to continue the discrimination against the unvaccinated. It is also strange that some people who have been vaccinated believe that they cannot contract the virus and are therefore now immune. The Delta variant is proving that to be false. So, are we saying that the vaccinated are free to spread the virus if they become infected?
There have been 215 million cases of COVID worldwide out of a global population of 7.8 billion people. 4.47 million people have died. People also continue to die from other conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases, which remain the number one cause of death globally and responsible for over 17 million deaths annually or 32% of the world’s yearly deaths according to the World Health Organization. Cancer was responsible for almost 10 million deaths in 2020. COVID, therefore, is not the only health crisis.
Instead of bullying or mocking those who are skeptical about being vaccinated, it may better serve the society to continue efforts in educating people about vaccines and how they work. Also perhaps put systems in place that if people suffer adverse effects, they can be compensated. Pretending that adverse effects do not exist in Guyana will not inspire confidence, just like pretending that COVID is not real and killing people daily does not help us.
Educate the vaccinated and unvaccinated on how they can naturally boost their immune system to fight COVID if they do become infected. It would better serve the society for people to be encouraged and taught how to live healthier lifestyles so that globally we can see a decrease in the diseases that kill people every day. People with underlying conditions are most at risk if they become infected with the coronavirus. How do we create a healthier generation in the future? How do we reach a place where we do not only have to depend on vaccines to reach herd immunity for contagious diseases, but our food can truly be our medicine?
Our healthcare workers deserve better. Everyone who has had their rights violated deserve better. But too many remain silent.
*Editor’s Note: The United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says vaccine breakthrough cases are expected. “COVID-19 vaccines are effective and are a critical tool to bring the pandemic under control. However, no vaccines are 100% effective at preventing illness. Some fully vaccinated people will get sick, and some will even be hospitalized or die from COVID-19. However, there is evidence that vaccination may make illness less severe for those who are vaccinated and still get sick. The risk of infection, hospitalization, and death are all much lower in vaccinated compared to unvaccinated people,” it explains. (Source: https://bit.ly/2XUkYb8)
