It is time to get vaccinated, no more excuses
The familiar name for the infection that has changed all of our lives is COVID-19. The "19" refers to the year when infections first appeared, in December 2019. As we round the turn next month for a full 2 years, the news is both grim & hopeful. Worldwide over 5 million people have died from COVID-19, now approaching 800,000 in our country. The infection & death rate in Europe is climbing again, and millions are effectively imprisoned in their homes and workplaces in China, where harsh government policies have locked down whole cities to stop spread of the virus. On the plus side, both Merck and Pfizer have announced breakthrough oral medications to treat early COVID-19, significantly reducing serious illness, hospitalization and death.
In our country, despite having access to very effective vaccines for almost a year, millions remain unvaccinated. It is clear that vaccination reduces transmission of infections, severity of illness and deaths. It is less clear why so many avoid a widely available, extremely safe and effective vaccine. Unvaccinated persons are the dry brush that fueled the delta variant firestorm this past summer. So its not surprising that we in the medical community and the government officials responsible for public health are frustrated. As a result, the Biden Administration has announced that unvaccinated workers in companies with 100 or more employees, and all medical facilities receiving payments from Medicare or Medicaid, are required to be vaccinated before the end of this year or face restrictions such as masks and weekly testing.
Our office has been in compliance with these new requirements since early in 2020, so you will see our same measures for your & our safety. They certainly have not been burdensome. It is my personal and professional opinion that this requirement is both necessary and overdue at the end of the 2nd year of a pandemic with no end in sight.
So I won't be giving any doctor's notes exempting from these requirements. Don't even ask.
