Your freedom ends where mine begins. My freedom ends where yours begins. We have to get better at dealing with that tricky area where 2 or more of us have a valid freedom claim and they interfere with each other.
If each of us lived in total isolation, we would have something approaching absolute freedom. We could do what we want and not affect anyone else. But that is not the case. There are always others to consider. It could be family, friends, neighbors, or just people you pass on the street. The list is long. Like it or not, you can’t avoid it.
One of the areas concerns vaccines. I am thinking about the Covid-19 vaccine. Claims of freedom are much in the news lately and the public heath situation is of great concern so I will concentrate on that. But the many of the same arguments apply to vaccines in general.
Vaccines save lives. There are many disease that were once a major problem but now vaccines have made them rare. Smallpox, polio, mumps, and measles come to mind. A longer list of vaccine preventable disease on on the CDC website. Some common questions, including vaccine safety, are also addressed by CDC. Regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, CDC tells us the vaccines are both effective and safe
By now you may have noticed that I frequently refer to CDC webpages. That is because I used to work there (see my about page if interested in that). I am obviously biased but believe CDC is one of the best public health agencies in the world.
Here are a few non-CDC references on the COVID-19:
There is lots of good information out there. Unfortunately, there is quite a bit of misinformation. So be careful.
So here is what I think about freedom and vaccines. Same deal as above. Even though we live in a larger society, you (or all of us) still have complete freedom where it effects you only.
For example, tetanus is different from other vaccine-preventable diseases because it does not spread from person to person. The tetanus vaccine is given in combination with another vaccine but to simplify this example, let’s pretend it comes as a stand-alone vaccine for tetanus and only tetanus. You were probably inoculated as a child but say as an adult you decide for some reason you don’t think you should take boosters. Boosters are normally given to adults every 5-10 years depending on conditions.
Say after 30 years of avoiding boosters, you get a really nasty cut from a rusty or dirty object. You don’t believe in vaccines so you don’t get a booster or seek medical attention. You tough-it-out through the pain but you keep getting sicker and then die. You haven’t hut anyone but your self. Family and friends may miss you but other than things like that you did no harm to anyone but yourself.
COVID-19 (coronavirus disease) does spread from person to person. The delta variant spreads much fast than the virus that was out there last year. Some data suggest in may result in more severe disease. See more from CDC on the Delta Variant: What We Know About the Science.
A brief quote from that page:
Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community. High vaccination coverage will reduce spread of the virus and help prevent new variants from emerging. CDC recommends that everyone aged 12 years and older get vaccinated as soon as possible.
The consequences of not getting vaccinated are that you are more likely to get COVID-19 disease; you are more likely to be hospitalized; and more likely to die. The latest studies show the unvaccinated are 11 times more likely to die of COVID-19 disease than the vaccinated.
Of course you are free to decide which group you would like to be in. I chose the vaccinated. It seems to me that this is the better choice. You may feel the need to live dangerously or follow the what I would consider bad advice.
Then think about how your freedom to choose non-vaccinated effects others. You are more likely to spread the virus. It could be to family, friends, neighbors, or just people you pass on the street. If you do need to be hospitalized you will be using scarce resources. There have already been reports of hospitals being so overwhelmed with COVID patients that they cannot provide care as they normally do and people with very treatable conditions have died.
You are free to choose.
Choose wisely.