A blog post from Jani Hitchen, Pierce County Council, District 6.
Welcome back to the Hitchen Post. My inbox has been flooded with emails raising alarms around vaccine mandates and passports, along with mask mandates and how these ideas are taking away people’s rights. I am going to share my perspective as an elected official and a science teacher.
Viruses are not alive the same way that plants and animals are alive (with a function based on getting food and reproduction). Their sole existence is to replicate, and to do so in as many new hosts as possible. This type of virus will continue to mutate as long as WE make it easy for it to do so. We have the power to control this process as individuals, a family, a community, a state, a country and the world. We either work together to defeat it, or we live with the consequences.
What would happen if the next mutation caused severe reactions in babies? What would happen if we find out youth exposed today that get COVID, are more likely to have severe upper respiratory disorders for the rest of their lives, making it impossible for them to work? What would happen if the rate of hospitalization and death doubled, or even tripled? As we allow this virus to replicate unchecked, we allow it to mutate.
Every time this virus gets into another person (vaccinated or not), it can mutate. That is why we are seeing new, stronger versions of the original COVID-19 virus. Because people did not get vaccinated, or do the things needed to keep it from spreading, like masking, it mutated. Each variant survives based on new attributes. Evolution of variants happens when a virus strain spreads quickly without “dying”, resists treatment, affects a larger age demographic and mutates to infect new hosts.
This is what our Public Health system is trying to solve. For a while we were able to work together and follow the directives and recommendations of our Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, Washington Department of Health, the Governor and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We stayed home, we masked, we limited gatherings and in general avoided spreading the disease. As we loosened our regulations to help our economy and our mental health, we saw the numbers go up. Seeing the number of cases increasing and the number of hospitalizations increasing, Pierce County and the state re-implemented a mask mandate.
Every time someone chooses to ignore the health directives given by those hired by our county to provide that expertise, they put the community at risk. Every time I hear someone say: “my rights” are being imposed upon, I look beyond the individual to see how many other members of our community are at risk because they put themselves before anyone else. What about the rights of children that can’t get vaccinated or wear a mask? What about the rights of the employees in businesses that cannot get vaccinated because they are in treatment for cancer? What about everyone else?
Our health care workers are beyond exhaustion and grief. If you refuse the vaccination, then you need to wear a mask. If you refuse to do both, then you need to stay home, and away from all group settings. But too many people are ignoring basic science and not doing the simple things that are either required or recommended by our public health officials to help stop the spread.
Therefore, we end up with variant after variant. We end up with people becoming severely ill or not receiving care because our hospitals and medical clinics are overrun. We end up with members of our community that put their personal choices above the health and lives of others. I truly believe you have the right to choose BUT when your choice puts others in harm’s way, it is the duty of the government through public health organizations to do what they can to put up guidelines.
Now that a vaccine is approved by the FDA, I have no qualms with saying it is required. If people choose to leave a job for fear of a vaccine, that is their choice. I will point out though that we have required vaccines for school and work in parts of this country for well over 100 years. The Childhood Immunization Initiative was set up in 1977 and was adopted by all 50 states. I have no issue with businesses requiring their employees or patrons to show vaccine status. It is to protect each other, and impacts their ability to keep their employees safe, and the community safe. And like every business, if they choose to do so to protect themselves and others as part of their business plan, I will support that. You can choose not to do business with them.
I will say this again and again, we all need to be doing as much as we possibly can to stop the spread. If we all committed to getting vaccinated, staying out of group settings, wearing masks every time we left our home and getting tested regularly, we might get numbers under control and make sure this winter we don’t see a sixth, seventh or eighth wave. Instead, we fight amongst ourselves about personal freedoms, who is right, and which study we selectively quote from.
Think about our Public Health directives as speed limits. Many people don’t like speed limits, and not all follow them. They work because MOST of us do. Because of that, we can all drive anywhere in the country. Until we get enough people driving the speed limit (vaccinated and masking up), it is like the whole country has said: “drive whatever speed limit you want, anywhere you want.” Some will get lucky and survive with no issues. Some will stay home, never driving anywhere. Some will have minor fender benders, causing a little damage. However, many will crash, causing injury and possibly death, or long-term issues that will impact them for the rest of their lives. We, as individuals, are making these personal decisions that impact the health and safety of the community. Therefore, the government is having to set some new “speed limits.” Those limits for our county are providing testing at no charge, encouraging vaccinations in everyone eligible, supporting businesses that want to require you show your vaccination or negative COVID status before entering and under a mask mandate.
When it comes to public health, it is all about the community, and what helps keep the most people healthy. I implore people to start thinking of others, for the sake of our public health. We are in this together.
Lovely DNC talking points you’ve got there. Turns out your neighbors can actually make decisions for themselves when they see the cathedral of media/government acting in concert to ignore the very same requests. Even just a little bit of looking into these numbers reveals the farce this has been. If the government’s main goal to erase the consent to govern, the rule of law, and respect for the individual (choice), they’re surely succeeding at it.
As a Pierce County resident, I do not get to vote for the Director of Health. It has become an autocratic department attempting to rule by mandate. Seems to me that would disagree with not only the state constitution, but the country.
Agree this virus has a 97%+ survival rate !! Look at the statistics- do the math yourself- for example : Washington state has reported since the beginning of this “pandemic” 649,284 cases( this includes 71,191 probable cases- whatever that means) and 7,528 deaths which amounts to 1.2% death rate., 98.8% survival rate. That seems to be pretty good odds that should you get Covid – vaccinated or unvaccinated- you will survive. Focus on better treatment of how to care for yourself, if you have symptoms, as well as better care of yourself to be Healthy overall. Healthcare is pushing only 1 thing that is not a sure guarantee- look at all the people vaccinated getting Covid. Take care of yourself and be kind to all people – stop discrimination!
I recently returned to my job serving active older adults and in trying to provide a safe environment for them to take part in small group activities I am pleased to learn when they are fully vaccinated. Some have already received their third shot! Following the guidelines, none have been infected. These vaccinated adults are safer when traveling and when socializing. When the children in my family visit they will be safe because I won’t be passing the virus along. Without the vaccine and mask guidelines some of these older adults would still be at home alone for a second year..
Thank you for your thoughtful, sound and reasoned comments. As a local business owner, desperate to see a return to what life was like before the pandemic, I agree with you. These are challenging times for me and other small business owners. My business is subject to the vaccine mandate covering federal contractors. Despite our encouragement to get the vaccine. forty percent of our staff are choosing not to get vaccinated. These employees will lose their jobs with us in the coming months, leaving us to operate with less than half the staff we really need. The worker shortage is compounding the problem.
Ohmigosh. Kerpal can’t get beyond past the politics (“lovely DNC talking points”) to see the science in this issue. Nor can Kerpal seem to understand that getting vaccinated is the neighborly, Christian, thoughtful thing to do. Is Kerpal unaware that the folks who got their polio/smallpox/ mumps/ measles etc shots for years and generations have allowed him/her/ us to survive to older ages? How can we get through to people like this?
Thank you Jani! The science is clear that most everyone should be vaccinated. And we all must continue to wear masks. I cannot understand parent who say they love their children, protesting the policy that children wear masks in school. How does that compute?!? Unbelievable how many people lack logical thinking skills.
Speaking of logical thinking, science and data, children are obviously not as prone to COVID-19 as adults. In fact, fewer children have died of COVID than a typical flu during the past 18 months in the United States. Children hospitalization rates are also dramatically lower, but Carol would like to throw logic and data out of the conversation because the media told her to fear for kids spreading the Covid. Interesting that Carol would insinuate that parents of children who protest masking are illogical when the data and CDC tell us that n95 masks are really the only masks that work for this variant. Yet, n95 masks aren’t worn by children. While I don’t protest masks for my children, I see it for what it is; lipstick on a pig.
Another logical thought process would be to examine the effects of masking children. The long term psychological damage is not negligible for some children. Again, not saying every kid will have problems, but certainly not stating that masking children is a no brainer without consequence.
The issue is trust.
Trust has been irreparably politicized and compromised.
Where there is no trust, there is no unity.
Our “leaders” failed early in their obligation to prioritize the issue over political strategy.
No clever metaphors will repair that now.
The numbers do appear to be on the side of the skeptic.
Also, the continuous political shutdown of any investigation into the origin of this virus is unacceptable.
The polarization of differing ideologies is what is destroying the fabric of our society, far more than any virus.
Brian, your comment is by far the best comment here. Jani is simply urging people to get vaccinated based upon assumptions that things will get worse without acknowledgement of the current variant survivability, age related effects, or vaccine efficacy for future variants. While I appreciate that Jani is trying to persuade those on the fence, it’s highly unlikely that someone will get the shot because Jani said to get it. The current Delta variant peaked in the US on August 29. It lasted a little under 2 months from onset to peak. In India, the Delta spike from onset to peak was March 7 to May 5. Almost the same duration. Why doesn’t the media pick this easily obtainable data up and distribute it? Why don’t the politicians talk about it? As Brian mentioned, trust is broken in both. Why should we listen to politicians or media? They are only telling us part of the story. Way to be part of the problem Jani. By the way, as a teacher of science, perhaps include all of the facts and data next time. As someone over 40, I can read data and see that I should have gotten the shot. I am appreciative of the shot availability. There are cases of people under 40 who get sick and or die from this, but there are other factors that people of that age group also face. It’s a personal choice. The totalitarian approach Jani wants to take will only divide us further. Congrats Jani, you would be great in a Maoist society.
The issue is trust.
Trust has been irreparably politicized and compromised.
Where there is no trust, there is no unity.
Our “leaders” failed early in their obligation to prioritize the issue over political strategy.
No clever metaphors will repair that now.
The numbers do appear to be on the side of the skeptic.
Also, the continuous political shutdown of any investigation into the origin of this virus is unacceptable.
The polarization of differing ideologies is what is destroying the fabric of our society, far more than any virus.
Dialogue is healthy and necessary. Do you realize that if this were a major newspaper or news broadcast, many of the comments here would be stricken…not allowed. And yet people keep saying ” we’re in this together.
What would happen if:
-really wealthy individuals and pharma companies controlled ALL the dialogue on any topic they choose?
-there were effective and cheaper methods of treatment to a disease and we were denied access?
-there were thousands of doctors,nurses, scientists and “experts” signing petitions and speaking out, risking careers, but seldom heard?
-there was a sudden spike in adverse events , including fatalities, amongst those accepting a popular treatment than those questioning?
I’m sorry, I guess those were supposed to be imagined or fictional scenarios.