This is the author's point of view, and is not a reflection of the viewpoints of Mediate.com. This is part of a series to understand the interests of those who are debating COVID concerns.
Covid, as it stands, is a serious disease but only the over-promotion of it in the media has elevated this strain from any mutation of a severe flu. More people have died from the seasonal flu in the last five years than Coronavirus in the last two. Yet, no one discusses the severe mortality of the seasonal flu because it is not guaranteed to get a news station ratings. The media, through its endless coverage of Coronavirus and of the vilification of the unvaccinated, helps divide this country even better than the epidemic. Even the White House issued a statement essentially telling the unvaccinated that they are selfish and that they will die.
I do my part as an American citizen by getting vaccinated, but after that I choose to live my life. I refuse to live isolated in fear, away from my friends and family. And with the current trend of mutation resulting in new Coronavirus variants, having a vaccinated status will not protect you against Covid. At the most, it might prevent you from dying, but hospitals are currently filled with vaccinated and unvaccinated patients. Moreover, there are actual legitimate medical conditions in my family that could possibly be triggered through a vaccine. Until I hear research saying that the vaccine has been cleared for those with blood clotting issues, I am not keen to listen to guilt-trippers. I come from Tennessee, and the Coronavirus rates are extremely low when compared to states like California and Oregon which have high spreading rates. Even though in Tennessee vaccinations are not mandated, our hospitals are not populated with infected. I just grow frustrated with people who believe that mandated vaccinations will completely eradicate a viral disease. In reality, I believe everyone will at some point catch Coronavirus whether you isolate or not, so it is better to catch it on your own terms rather than wasting years of your life.
Looking at the decline in mental health, economic health, and family stability, we can see that the Coronavirus has taken a deeper toll than being a virus. In reality, we do not know the efficacy of masks or vaccinations--and probably won't have verifiable data for many years. We do know that for some families it has been fatal. But for many other families that have been subject to the political division and the media ratings, they are suffering as well. Suicide, domestic violence, and child abuse are on the rise. At some point the need to protect against the Coronavirus needs to weigh the cost. Do not let anxiety or other people control your own life. You must carve your own path, however you see fit.
I do not think that this needs to keep our country wrapped in such a deep conflict, where both sides have vilified the other. I think for long-term family, community, and national health we need to begin to make an effort to see where the other side is coming from. Maybe use some of our conflict resolution skills on ourselves.