Vaccine mandate ethical dilemma

[TFarnon]

It's true that fewer people die in motor vehicle accidents if they wear their seatbelts, and it's true that fewer people involved in motorcycle crashes die if they wear helmets. But I tell you--the cost to health care personnel, emergency response personnel, and the taxpayer cost to provide the infrastructure for those who survive if they didn't wear seatbelts or helmets is huge. I never even see those patients, but it's all asses and elbows to test their blood, issue emergency blood for transfusion and perform some specialized coagulation testing on these idiots often leaves me exhausted even before my shift ends. There's a huge ripple effect among the survivors, to the point that I'm actually relieved if the only fatalities are victims found at the site of the accident. There's a whole lot that doesn't need to happen if the victim is found dead. I know that's kind of grim, but there you have it.

I'm even more bitter about preventable infectious diseases. I got all my COVID shots (2 plus a booster), but viruses being viruses and humans being morons and selfish jerks, I know that I'm only less at risk than an unvaccinated individual. I know that should I be infected, I'll probably feel like shit warmed over for a couple of weeks and then be mostly done with it. But it could also kill me. A fully vaccinated local virologist did contract COVID and died quite quickly. He should never have been put at risk because others won't moderate their behavior. 4 years ago, I came down with H3N2 type A influenza because one of my jackass coworkers didn't get vaccinated and came into work sick. I would rather have worked without him even on one of his best days, because he was basically useless even healthy. I'd been vaccinated for flu, just as I always am. The flu was a poor match for the circulating strain, and it was a nasty, sometimes lethal strain. Between the vaccine and getting to the doctor for tamiflu within hours of symptom onset, I wasn't so ill I couldn't get out of bed for two weeks. And more importantly, I lived. Not everyone did. I truly believe that had I not been vaccinated, my jackass coworker would have killed me with his choice not to get the vaccine.

Bottom line: I don't give a damn about philosophy or human rights when it comes to vaccine-preventable diseases. Get the damn shot(s).