Reader responds to Strack opinion

OPINION

The Current has received the following comments from a Madawaska Valley reader who disagrees with Brenda Strack’s article entitled “Falling prey to deception.” Additional comments from other readers can be found below the original article.

Image above: World Health Organization/Advice for Public/Myth-Busters

Falling prey to deception indeed. This is a typical anti-vaxxer narrative masked as friendly sober reflection and misleading on so many levels. You seem to be suggesting, without any evidence, we are blindly allowing time bombs to be injected into our bodies. Without any facts, all you have to offer are innuendos and what if’s.

Suggesting the Covid vaccine, at over 90 percent efficacy should be compared with the annual flu vaccine, traditionally around 50 percent efficacy, is absurd. You suggest the Covid vaccines are experimental without offering any explanation and somehow suggest a connection between the treatment of small pox and the efficacy of the Covid vaccines. Huh? The small pox vaccines eradicated the disease worldwide. That’s a fact. It was mandatory for all children to be vaccinated for small pox until the mid 70s. That, of course, would never happen today and that’s why measles is making a big comeback.

You ask for evidence and then go on to suggest maybe all those horrible diseases afflicting the elderly could be from vaccinations they had over their lifetime. This is a perfect example of someone making a claim without any evidence whatsoever. An outlandish claim that may be repeated, copied and linked again and again until eventually it becomes a “fact.”

No matter their beliefs, people nearly always listen to those who say what they want to hear. There are many conspiracy theories available for every taste and state of mental health but moving forward, it’s those around vaccinations that have the potential to do real harm. Op-ed pieces such as this are just pouring gas on the fire. You are misleading people and sowing seeds of doubt and mistrust. How is that helpful to our mental health?

The vast majority of us are eagerly awaiting our chance to be vaccinated. The very vocal and often aggressive minority are relentless in their mission to save us from the same vaccine we see as a way out of this lockdown and a return to some semblance of normalcy. We are marginalized, shamed and often bullied on line for trusting in science and our institutions.

To all those trying to enlighten us with the “truth” here is my message to you. You can believe anything you want. I could care less if you don’t want to be vaccinated. That’s your choice. We don’t need or want to be saved so please keep your theories to yourself and your likeminded parishioners. We don’t want to watch your videos professing to explain the “real” facts or click on your links to sources that show proof positive that it’s all some giant conspiracy at the very top levels of power. What we really need is for you to stop recruiting. To kill the spread we need to achieve herd immunity and the Covid vaccines are our best and safest way to get there.

Remember that silence is compliance. Let’s stand up for science and the advice of our medical experts and help move the narrative away from suspicion and mistrust of our institutions.

Frank Mallany

Madawaska Valley

7 Comments

  1. John Douglas Epps

    I agree completely with Frank Mallany. Here’s why. To date 6,882 people have died from COVID in Ontario. There is still no effective medical cure for this virus. Cases are still on the rise in Renfrew County. At least one patient is fighting for life in the ICU. As a physician I tell my patients of both the benefits and risks of every treatment I offer. The COVID vaccine is our best chance to crush this virus and ease the restrictions we now live with. There currently is no better option. I will be vaccinated without hesitation.
    I respect your right to disagree, but stay away from me and the patients I care for.
    John Epps MD
    Anesthesiologist

  2. Dana Miller

    I’m glad that The Current published this. It’s important for people to be exposed to opposing viewpoints and use their critical thinking skills to come to conclusions about what they read in the media.

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