‘Need for choice’

Dear Editor:

When vaccines first became available during the COVID-19 pandemic, I wrote a letter in support of them.

I’m a certified (retired) homeopath and I recognize the concerns about vaccines. But I also recognize that a pandemic is when vaccines can be invaluable. They reduce the number of cases reaching the hospitals and ICU. They provide protection against death and serious symptomatic response for individuals. And they ease anxiety.

Having said that, I’m not in favour of mandatory vaccines. Especially not after the pandemic has subsided. The only thing you can count on from a vaccine is that, if you contract the disease, your symptoms may be less severe and you won’t be likely to end up in the hospital. The only reason for their use during the pandemic is to reduce the death rate and ease the load on hospitals.

But when the death rate and hospitalizations are no longer concerns, then COVID vaccines should not be needed. It should be at the discretion of the individual to choose what protection they want.

During the pandemic, I have chosen to vaccinate. But my focus has been on using other measures to minimize the chance of contracting or spreading COVID, including masking, but especially social isolation. I will not choose to vaccinate when the pandemic subsides.

Vaccines can be beneficial, especially when dying is such a real possibility, but there are issues associated with them and therein lies the need for choice.

Marg Gollinger, Mapleton