OPINION – I won’t win a lot of friends with my opinion about the COVID-19 vaccine, but it would be a disservice to the people in Sebastian if I say nothing.

I have never in my life seen so much misinformation being spread on social media about the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, several conspiracy websites are misleading people, in my opinion, and it’s becoming a disgrace to humanity.

As most people know, my wife and I had COVID-19 for 11 horrible days in October. It’s an illness I don’t wish on anyone. Yes, we survived, but we don’t know the long-term effects. We also got vaccinated because the antibodies don’t last forever.

We now worry about the countless number of variants that have mutated. The Delta Variant is spreading throughout Indian River County.

How many more people will die because they decided not to get the vaccine? How many more people will contract the virus and then carry it home to their children because they believe the government is running some kind of conspiracy to “monitor” people?

I got news for you. If the United States Government wanted to track us, they could do it with mobile phones. The conspiracies sound believable, but the facts don’t add up.

People always try to downplay the pandemic by saying it’s a “99 percent survival rate. You gotta die sometime,” as some people posted on Facebook.

What about the people who did die? What about the children on ventilators in the ICU rooms today? Do they matter, even though they are not one of the “99 percent” elite survivors?

Oh, and then we have to hear more about why there are no FLU cases right now. Did it ever occur to you that using face masks, social distancing, and washing your hands may have prevented much of the flu cases?

What really got me the most was when Mash Monkeys had to shut down temporarily due COVID-19. Two people got very sick, yet some said, “you gotta be kidding me” or downplaying the illness as if the business should’ve remained open.

Another business in town also had to shut down for over a week, but they didn’t want to publicize it for fear of dealing with conspirators or Facebook comments condemning them.

What have we turned into when we laugh at businesses that are suffering from this illness? Where is the compassion for our fellow neighbors? We are in this together, yet, some feel it’s all a government game.

The people against face masks and vaccines are making this health crisis political, and it’s wrong. I feel that in the future, people will look back and see how ridiculous they were behaving during a time when everyone should’ve supported our community to fight this battle.

Stop believing the hype, lies, and made-up conspiracies! For example, people who are wearing face masks and getting the vaccine are called “sheep” for doing so during a pandemic. Are we in 5th grade or something? Is that teaser meant to deeply hurt people who are trying to do the right thing for our community?

Also, face masks cannot be worn by everyone. Some people have illnesses like COPD or asthma. Some people can’t take the vaccine either because of other diseases or allergies. But can’t we try to protect them if they want to leave their home? So please don’t tell them to stay home if they’re too scared of the virus. What kind of statement is that?

Other countries are looking at us in disbelief. Listen, this virus is all over the world, not just here.

Now that I stated my opinion with this editorial, I am sure there will be people who say, “do your research,” or “stop listening to the mainstream media,” or “you’re a sheep.” Call me whatever you want, but I choose to help people through this pandemic by doing my part.

I am tired of the political nonsense when people are getting sick and dying from this illness. I don’t care what the survivor rate is right now. I care about the people who are sick or have died. They might not matter to some, but they matter to me.

If your opinion is different than mine, then so be it. You have that right. But calling people names or laughing that their business had to shut down will not strengthen your opinion.

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