Letters to the Editor: Anti-vaxxers are losing their jobs. It's called 'consequences'

Mon, January 31, 2022

Protesters gather for a rally against COVID-19 vaccine mandates in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington on Jan. 23. (Patrick Semansky / Associated Press)

To the editor: Your report on people losing jobs over their refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is yet another example of the many straws bound to break the back of our society.

For the anti-vaccine and anti-mandate people who worry that the vaccines are rushed, of course they were developed quickly. There was a concerted effort fueled by government and private sector resources and better technology. I only wish the vaccines could have been developed faster.

As far as religious exemptions are concerned, I could claim my pet dog is the second coming of Christ, and he told me in my dreams that the vaccines are bad, so of course I'll believe him and demand that everyone accept this. These people vaccinate their children against other diseases to enroll them in school, and there's no reason not to include the latest inoculations.

The loss of jobs and differences in medical treatment (including a patient who said she was denied a heart transplant because she was unvaccinated) are what can be expected in response to such senseless claims. With 76% of the country having had at least one COVID-19 shot, there is no reason to allow the remaining 24% to prolong the pandemic.

Alan Bews, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Your article quotes unvaccinated people spouting off at length about all kinds of anti-vaccine nonsense. You do not include a single quote from a medical professional with expertise in pandemic response.

You do manage to mention that the vaccines are 90% effective at preventing infected people from being hospitalized and that the shots were thoroughly studied, but that should be the headline.

Data show the vaccines to be extraordinarily safe and effective. If more of us had been following the advice of medical professionals and scientists, we would be in much better shape and closer to getting back to normal.

Dave Courdy, Huntington Beach

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To the editor: "My body, my choice," say anti-vaxxers. They forget: "My consequences."

It's the first principle of being an adult. You don't get to do anything you want without consequences. These people remind me of me when I was a young teenager, when my guiding principle was "you can't make me."

As I see it, our country is facing a crisis and needs the people's help, and anti-vaxxers have chosen to put themselves and everyone around them in greater danger. They've listened to lies by people who are very good at lying, and this is the choice they've made. Losing their job is the consequence of that choice.

Adults have to do things they don't like everyday. Grow up.

Peter Scofield, Corona del Mar

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.