There is no moral argument against getting a vaccination against COVID-I9.
What we know about the coronavirus and its variants, the way it mutates and how it spreads does, however, support a moral argument against deliberate refusal to mitigate its spread, which includes refusing to wear a mask, and refusing to get vaccinated. Those are actions which cannot be defended by the exercise of "constitutional rights" since the danger of COVID is known and the fact that it is significantly more deadly than any other contagious virus means that there is no "right" to claim that protects actions which impact the lives of others.
Previous actions by government, especially states and municipalities, aimed at mitigating the spread of dangerous, contagious diseases have been upheld as constitutional by the courts, but frankly, if it takes passing laws and having them upheld by the courts to force people to behave in a way that is unselfish and considerate, what kind of morality is that? This pandemic is a crisis, the evidence for that being that it has, in less than two years, taken the lives of 800,000 Americans, and millions of others around the world, lest we start talking like the only lives that matter are Americans.
If this is a matter of conscience, which is a somewhat nebulous definition of "morality," then there are some questions that must be answered before individual rights can be determined. What if someone who has determined that all this "Covid nonsense" is just a way for government to control people, and in their failure to follow protocols, take precautions, wear a mask and get vaccinated, they spread COVID to someone in their immediate family who dies from it? Shouldn't that be a consideration? And what if that anti-vaxxer spreads COVID within the community to the point where sick people fill up all the hospital beds, and a family member who needs immediate medical attention for something else dies because they cannot access life-saving medical care due to the hospitals being swamped?
This pandemic cannot, in any way, be compared to an influenza outbreak or any other contagious, infectious disease. It far surpasses all of that. And being ignorant or stupid enough to think that COVID is just an exaggerated government control device doesn't relieve anyone of their moral obligation.
There are some facts here, established by medical science, based on valid, credible research that has developed to the point where it is capable of informing our ability to mediate the effects of the pandemic. We know that
- being vaccinated slows down or prevents the spread of the virus, and that the vast majority of those who are vaccinated are immune. Even among those who aren't the rates of infection and especially the fatality rates, are exponentially lower than among those who aren't vaccinated, which means that universal vaccination will lead to the eradication of the virus.
- Wearing masks, combined with social distancing, diminishes the spread of the virus by over 90%.
So those who wear masks, take precautions and get vaccinated are contributing to the slowing down and eventual eradication of coronavirus. That's a good thing. So tell me, then, what's the motivation for refusing to do good?
Right Wing Political Resistance is Without Explanation or Justification
Selfishness is the exact opposite of Christian practice. The Bible is full of statements which define the practice of faith as selfless consideration of the needs of others. The narrative describing the establishment of the early Christian church in Jerusalem following the crucufixion and resurrection of Christ is full of selfless ministry and consideration of the needs of others, to the point where the members of the church sold their property and posessions to make sure that basic needs of food, clothing and shelter were met, especially among those who had the greatest need.
In the Old Testament, the Levitical law is full of precautions to follow and instructions on what to do when contagious disease was encountered, everything from Leprosy and skin diseases to destructive, dangerous mildew in houses, which required tearing them down and special procedures for removing the remains far from the community to protect others.
The Apostle Paul equates selfless humility to the attitude of Jesus himself, when he tells the Philippian church:
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus... Philippians 2:3-5, NRSV
There's no argument, except one from ignorance and that's not an acceptable argument, against the communal benefits of having most people vaccinated. The distortion of the facts and the politicalization of the positions on getting vaccinated is a destructive, selfish evil. I do not see any motivation behind actions that result in the destruction of human life except to accomplish an evil purpose. The Christian experience is unselfish and life enhancing. Vaccinations, and the knowledge required to make them and determine their effectiveness, are part of the common grace provided by God when he created humanity in his image.
The selfless sacrifice of Christ for all human sin is the very core of Christian teaching. There is no Christianity, and no church, without it, which makes these words from the Apostle James directly applicable to the current situation.
As it is, you boast in your arrogance: all such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin." James 4:I6-I7, NRSV
I'm not going to make a collective, broad-brush statement since I do know some prominent Christians who are following the dictates of their conscience, based on their faith, and are taking a lead in setting an example and motivating others by reminding them that this is a testimony of faith. Right wing politics is an obstacle that is defeated by genuine faith.
Review of the Facts
Persons who are vaccinated against COVID-I9 are far less likely than those who are unvaccinated to come down with the symptoms of the illness. Even with the newest variant, Omicron, now spreading like wildfire, the percentage of vaccinated individuals coming down with symptoms is less than 5%, as opposed to more than 95% of the cases being among the unvaccinated. Having had a booster reduces the odds to less than I%. Hospitalization and death are extremely rare among those who have been vaccinated.
It is clear that the pathway out of the pandemic, and the eradication of coronavirus and all variants, is via vaccination. There is research which has produced effective medications that moderate the symptoms and help people recover. But I don't need to understand all of the nuances of the medical science to understand this: If I get vaccinated, I am contributing to the greater good of everyone around me.
Frankly, I don't see getting vaccinated as something that requires much of a personal sacrifice at all, and absolutely nothing that constitutes a violation of someones conscience or personal freedom. Even if you're afraid of the needle, I still can't think of anything that's being "sacrificed" in the process. The idea that it is a tyrannical violation of personal liberty is just extremist rhetoric. It is less of a violation of that than being required to get an emissions inspection in order to renew your car's license plates, like Texas does and profits from, or of having to get a driver's license and have liability insurance in order to operate a motor vehicle.
Stop being selfish. Go get your vaccination.
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