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To the editor:
As Republicans continue to argue against President Joe Biden's proposed COVID-19 vaccine mandate, their focus has been on what they perceive as excessive government interference in personal lives and the private sector; the guest op-ed column by Rep. Fred Keller and Sen. Mike Braun in the Dec. 1 Sentinel was a perfect illustration of this. In focusing on these issues, however, it seems that Republicans have lost sight of why vaccine mandates were proposed in the first place -- the continuing public health crisis caused by COVID-19. And I have to wonder -- do they realize that fighting against vaccine mandates means fighting for a country with more sickness and death from COVID-19?
The obvious purpose of a vaccine mandate is to get people vaccinated. Implicit in the mandate is the belief that there are health benefits to be gained for the individual being vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccines have been in use in this country for a year now, and the benefits of the vaccine have become apparent. These include a reduced chance of being infected; and, when infection does occur, generally milder symptoms, along with a reduced chance of serious illness and/or death. The latest data from the CDC shows the difference that a COVID-19 vaccination can make: data indicates that unvaccinated persons have a 5.8 times greater chance of testing positive for COVID-19, and a 14 times greater risk of dying from COVID-19, than fully vaccinated persons.
From a public health standpoint, then, a vaccine mandate is a good thing, since it causes more people to gain the health benefits of vaccination. Rather than being a nefarious government scheme to control our lives, the proposed mandate is simply a way to help keep people from getting sick and dying from COVID-19. Republican opposition to vaccine mandates is actually putting them in a position of fighting against better public health.
Because Rep. Keller represents our local area in Washington, I find his opposition to mandates particularly troubling. The rates for fully vaccinated persons in the counties that Rep. Keller serves are as follows: Juniata-38.8%, Mifflin-46.3%, Perry-45.4%, and Snyder-40.7% (percentages current as of this writing). Each of these is well below the Pennsylvania state average, and the average for the country as a whole. Additionally, the counties of Juniata and Mifflin currently have the two worst COVID-19 death rates (per 100k population) in the state. It appears that Rep. Keller is fighting against a policy which would greatly help his constituents, the majority of whom remain unvaccinated and vulnerable. And, since numerous polls have shown that Republicans are one of the most vaccine hesitant groups in the country, Rep. Keller is fighting against a policy which would help his base of supporters as well.
Rather than fight against vaccine mandates, I would propose another way -- choose to be vaccinated, and make the mandates unnecessary. To me, this is a wiser course than fighting against public health measures in the name of freedom. Republicans should consider -- is having a nation with more sickness and death from COVID-19 really the way to make America great again?
Philip Loewen
Lewistown