Many people across the world are still very confused as to whether or not to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
From far-fetched conspiracy theories to straight up distrust in the medicine itself, those who remain unvaccinated or are deemed “anti-vaxxers” are definitely at a crossroads at the moment. Now, with newly-mandated vaccine requirements that will make it virtually impossible to move around freely, that statement will ring true more than ever.
The real question is, are Black people at an even higher risk for being ostracized from our communities yet again?
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Take New York City for example. Beginning Monday, Aug. 16, The Big Apple will be first in a move that many other states will presumably adapt to enact a citywide mandate requiring anyone looking to enter businesses to show proof of at least one shot of a vaccine. However, The New York Times recently reported that only 27% – 28% of young Black New Yorkers are actually vaccinated. While that’s sure to cause interruption in various areas of city life, some even believe the move to require proof of vaccination to be a deeper issue that goes back to slavery.
Here’s what Acting Mayor of Boston, Kim Janey, had to say in regards to her city following in NYC’s footsteps, via Boston Herald:
“‘We know that those types of things are difficult to enforce when it comes to vaccines,’ Janey said Tuesday when asked about whether she’s considering mandating vaccine passports.
She began to raise eyebrows as she continued, ‘There’s a long history in this country of people needing to show their papers — whether we talking about this from the standpoint of, you know, as a way to, after — during slavery, post-slavery, as recent as, you know, what the immigrant population has to go through.’
Janey added, ‘We’ve heard Trump with the birth-certificate nonsense. Here, we want to make sure that we are not doing anything that would further create a barrier for residents of Boston or disproportionately impact BIPOC communities.’”
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While freedom of choice is something we as a people have fought for time and time again, the lines get a little blurry when the fight is against protecting ourselves from a virus that’s killed millions across the world. Still, those who protect themselves with a mask and are staying healthy by practicing social distancing and proper acts of hygiene should be allowed to decided whether to put something in their bodies or not. Right?
Let us know your thoughts on the “to vaccinate or not vaccinate” debate, and please practice staying healthy either way.
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