Vaccinations part of the solution

More than 570,000 Americans have died and about 32 million COVID cases have occurred in the U.S. in only the past 14-15 months, and many of those hospitalized and “recovered” still suffer from the effects of this virus.

A painless, safe COVID vaccine is available to every adult 16 years of age or older, administered by health care professionals, as a proven way to avoid COVID or hospitalization and serious illness caused by this terrible virus.

About 140 million Americans have already been safely vaccinated (at least one dose), including my wife and I in January and February 2021. We still wear our masks and socially distance when out for supplies, groceries and medications, but we do now safely have patio lunches with other fully vaccinated friends.

After about one year camped out at home with no social life, it’s a great feeling to feel safe, while still taking proper precautions!

Readers should consider other common afflictions in the U.S. that may require costly hospitalization and for which treatment is very expensive and time-consuming, and which may result in a patient’s death. A few include cancer, heart and kidney diseases. Almost everyone who develops these maladies would see an oncologist (cancer), a cardiologist (heart) or a urologist (kidneys) for medical corrective treatment and care.

None of these expensive maladies offer a free, safe vaccine to avoid the COVID virus entirely, not to mention avoiding hospitalization or death.

When one of the most common human instincts is survival, not having a proven, safe vaccination (like for polio or smallpox) to avoid a terrible affliction or death just seems not well thought-out, especially after these millions of Americans have had this safe treatment for COVID.

Please just do it for you, the safety of your family and friends. You’ll be glad you did!

Richard Hahn

Sequim