 |
| Antivaxxer, Rabbi Hillel Handler during a measles outbreak, (Jewish Star) |
Evidently there is huge opposition to the vaccine in the chareidi community. I'm not just talking about being worried that it may have unforseen side effects, I'm talking ridiculous unscientific claims.
I was going to write how shocked and dismayed I am, but at this point I think I'm the idiot for thinking this wasn't going to happen. It's no surprise that these conspiracies are coming from the same groups of people that downplayed the covid threat.
At least with regard to not taking the vaccine, it's mostly only going to affect those that don't take it. I hope to take the vaccine asap so I can get rid of this stupid mask and hug all my friends once again. OK I'm not a hugger but you get my point.
I could not agree more. I haven’t seen any of the conspiracy theories he is referring to. But it was hinted at by Blimi Marcus in an article about which I posted on Monday.
If he’s right, I too am not surprised at the source. The Charedi reaction to COVID has – shall we say – been less than stellar. Especially in neighborhoods like Boro Park which is heavily populated by Chasidim. As Dovid said, the people that will be most negatively affected by this attitude are these very people. They will be no more protected than they are now. True, there will be a lot less carriers because of those vaccinations. But nowhere near enough to achieve herd immunity. With so many of them refusing to get inoculated that is all but assured.
It is so tempting to say they deserve what they get. Let them reap what they sow. But I am not interested in seeing anyone get hurt because of their own stupidity. We should not be hoping for poetic justice here. Not when lives are at stake.
This is a highly contagious disease that has the capacity to kill or do long term damage to those who get infected by it. As I have said a gazillion times already, the fact that most people recover nicely from the disease… or the fact that we know better now how to treat it (thus reducing the negative communal impact it had back in the spring when we were clueless) does not mean that COVID has turned into a manageable disease.
No one knows how it will affect them if they get it. Even though statistics indicate who is more likely to suffer - that is not always the case. Anyone regardless of age or health can get it and die. That keeps happening. No one knows if they will hit that particular ‘jackpot’. There is no way of knowing what will happen to you until you get it. Here is what Rebecca Karb, a doctor on the front lines recently tweeted:
Last night, one of my (many) patients with COVID told me she had a large Thanksgiving dinner with family—22 people. The day after, one family member tested positive. Since then (according to my patient) *ALL* 22 people have developed symptoms, some severe. We are so tired.
This could easily happen to anyone of us.
I am not happy that so many Charedim have become antivaxxer conspiracy theorists. They not only endanger themselves. They endanger anyone they come into contact with that does not have immunity. Unless you’ve had COVID and developed antibodies or have been vaccinated, you are still at risk.
As things stand now, vaccinating enough of the country to achieve herd immunity will not happen until late spring at the earliest. And that assumes massive public participation. Which seems far from certain at this point. A lot of people (Not just Charedim) are saying they want to wait and let others take it first and be their guinea pigs.
Fortunately the number of people that say that has declined. Health experts have been hammering away about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine and they are all going to take it once it is approved. I for one will take it as soon as it is made available to me.
According to health experts (if I understand correctly) to achieve herd immunity about 80% of the population needs to be vaccinated. About 70% of the population now says they will get the shot as soon as they can. I think every single one of us ought to do the same. But if Dovid is right - and I have no reason to doubt him – the percentage of Orthodox Jews will probably be a lot lower. So much for our vaunted intelligence.
