If You Skip the Vaccine, It Is My 'Damn Business'

[kpete]

Jamelle Bouie/NY Times:

Wearing a helmet while bike riding, strapping on your seatbelt in a car — these are personal decisions, at least as far as your own injuries are concerned. Vaccination is different. In the context of a deadly and often debilitating contagion, in which the unchecked spread of infection has consequences for the entire society, vaccination is not a personal decision. And inasmuch as the United States has struggled to achieve herd immunity against Covid-19 through vaccination, it is because we refuse to treat the pandemic for what it is: a social problem to solve through collective action.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/13/opinion/covid-vaccine-freedom.html?smid=tw-share

[samplegirl]

1. It's turned out as a

political fiasco here in my hometown. Every politician here speaking out and trying to have no mask mandates for school children!
Ohio will be where Florida is very soon!

[mitch96]

2. Hypocrite.. My body My choice.. accept if you are pregnant....Blue lives matter.. accept if

You are Capitol Police.. then screw'em... uff
m

[Mister Ed]

3. Drunk drivers.

Those who freely roam unvaxxed and unmasked are the equivalent of a drunk driver who says, "Hey, this is my right. If you're scared, then stay home and stay off the road!"

[Ms. Toad]

4. Not quite, as to the first sentence quoted . . .

The costs of caring for individuals are borne by society in increased insurance costs, as well as in in unpaid medical bills, or long term nursing home care when you turn yourself into a vegetable.

So while it is true that there isn't a direct impact on others, the indirect costs are significant (which is why there are seatbelt and helmet laws).

But it's a pretty direct analogy in terms of being able to regulate individual behavior for the good of society. If we can regulate seatbelts and helmets because of the indirect (and smaller) impact on society, there is no question but what we can regulate behavior (such as masking - all the way up to vaccination and forced vaccination).