Should you take the COVID-19 vaccine? Here are five reasons why one family lawyer believes we should all get the shot(s) as soon as possible.
By Randy Kessler, Family Lawyer
We have been given a tremendous opportunity. It will sound grandiose, but we are being given the chance to save the world – or at least to save hundreds of thousands and maybe millions from dying. There, I said the unspeakable. Mere mortals now have a chance to save our fellow human beings. How often in a lifetime is a human being given the chance to save thousands and possibly even millions of lives? Well, here we are.
Scientists, doctors, business people, and government leaders and their staff have helped protect us from the biggest common enemy the human race has faced in all of our lifetimes. Yes, there is a COVID-19 vaccine. There are two vaccines currently available in the United States – and they are more effective than the vaccines many people take annually to avoid or diminish the effects of other viruses.
This vaccine was created to stop a deadly plague. The last similar pandemic – the so-called “Spanish Flu” – killed 50,000,000 people. That was when the world’s population was only 1.5 billion! The Spanish Flu wiped out 3% of the entire world’s population. In today’s world of almost 8 billion people, that would be equivalent to over 250,000,000 people dead.
And we have the chance to stop it in its tracks.
Yes, wearing masks, social distancing, and washing your hands frequently are crucial – but if the experts are right, if over 75% of us take the vaccine, it will go away. Isn’t that what we all have been dreaming about? So how can there possibly be people who refuse to take the COVID-19 vaccine?
No matter how hard I try to see it from all angles, I keep ending up with the obvious answer: we must all take it. Why do I say that? Here are my five main reasons.
Why We Should All Take the COVID-19 Vaccine
1. The Benefits Outweigh the Risks.
What are the risks associated with the vaccine (possible slight side effects like nausea) vs. the risks of not taking it (death)? Isn’t that a good enough reason?
2. If We Reach Herd Immunity, the Virus Will Die.
A bigger tragedy than dying from COVID-19 would be to be the last person to catch the virus and die just before enough people have taken the vaccine and a “herd immunity” takes hold. The delay in reaching herd immunity would simply be because some people refused to take the vaccine. This can cause many of us to lose loved ones who could have otherwise lived if we had all accepted the COVID-19 vaccine just a little faster.
3. The Economic Benefits of Herd Immunity.
Herd immunity also has economic benefits, such as the re-opening of shuttered business, a drop in the unemployment rate, and money in the pockets of people who have lost their job due to the pandemic. Last month, a report commissioned by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation showed the economic benefits of a global vaccine solution for the 10 countries they analyzed (Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Qatar, South Korea, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States) would be at least US$ 153 billion in 2020-21, rising to US$ 466 billion by 2025.
4. Very Minimal Side Effects (If Any).
Millions of people have now taken the vaccine, how’s that for proof? They are healthy and they are much more likely to remain COVID-free. Even if the vaccine didn’t work, and there were very minimal side effects, what would the harm be?
5. You or One of Your Loved Ones Could Die.
What’s an easier discussion to have with family: explaining why you made them get a shot, or explaining why you did not urge them to get a shot as they lie in an ICU on a ventilator?
To me, this is a very simple calculation, and it is a moment we should embrace and not let slip through our hands. How can we let the genius and innovative spirit and effort of our species be ruined? How can we reject such hard work? So many have worked so hard to truly save the world. All we should do is say thank you, and we appreciate you saving us and the ones we love.
As soon as I am able to, I plan to take the COVID-19 vaccine and become part of the solution.
As I conclude this article, I am reminded of a client I represented during a difficult mediation process. We almost settled his case, and when the deal fell apart, he said to me in his broken English, “Mr. Kessler, we caught the fish, we had it in our hands, but we didn’t hold it tight enough, and it slipped away”. Let’s hold onto this solution, and not let it slip away. The consequences are too devastating to even contemplate.
Randall M. Kessler founded the law firm now known as Kessler & Solomiany, LLC, a 30-person family law firm in Atlanta. He is the author of many family law books and has represented some of the highest-profile clients in the country including judges, national and local politicians, professional athletes, TV Stars, and other celebrities, entertainers, and artists. www.ksfamilylaw.com
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