Letters to the Editor

Editor’s Note: The Journal will begin running letters to the editor endorsing or opposing local political candidates in the June 9 edition (eight weeks prior to the Aug. 2 primary election).

Youth and COVID-19

Editor, the Journal,

There are many reasons people (young and old) haven’t gotten vaccinated.

Distrust of the government. Instead of trying to educate and encourage people to get the shot, bullying tactics are used (No shot? No job, no restaurant, no gym, etc.). Heck, the sitting president and vice president were against the shot when Donald Trump was in office, but once they were in power, it was fine. So what changed? I’ll give you a hint: It wasn’t the shot.

Young people in particular have spent several years of their education being taught how the American government is wrong, bad, evil, racist and lots of other “bad things” that America as a whole is not, so they should believe the government they have been taught to dislike/distrust about a shot?

“Follow the science” yet the science isn’t followed and any conversation that is to the contrary, no matter what the person’s background is, is silenced, ridiculed, and/or labeled someone who spreads “misinformation.” We all know from our school years that “science” is all about coming up with a hypothesis and then attempting to prove it. Therefore, dissenting opinions should be welcome, not to mention many of those who were ridiculed were correct in the end (virus origins; masks not working; shots didn’t stop the disease; therapeutics; COVID-19 like the flu will require annual shots). Someone please tell me another major disease where those who actually caught the disease and survived weren’t considered to have any immunity to the disease whatsoever.

The adverse reactions to the shot have been hidden. The J&J was briefly stopped when a small number of women had adverse reaction, however the heart issues primarily in men (young and old) and neurological issues (primarily in women) aren’t being talked about or even tracked for quite a while.

Lies about the shot itself were rampant. “Get the shot and you catch COVID, you won’t spread COVID, you won’t die from COVID,” all of which are false statements. “Break-through” cases weren’t tracked or talked about, so the true number of people who had gotten the shot, but then also got COVID weren’t tracked or talked about. So people who are skeptical are supposed to trust those who don’t give full information?

The shots haven’t been out long enough to have adequate tracking to know what the long-term effects are on anyone (don’t get me started on young children). Does it affect fertility rates? We don’t know, the shot hasn’t been out long enough to have proper data.

COVID-19 symptoms are worse in older people and those with comorbidities. Young people typically have fewer comorbidities than older people, so why get a shot?

According to data, CDC.gov from Jan. 1, 2020 to March 5, 2022, there were 5,933 deaths from COVID-19 in the 18- to 25-year-old age group, out of a total of 138,372 deaths from all causes in the same period; and 10,588 COVID-19 cases in the 25-to-34 year age group, out of a total 165,383 deaths from all causes in the same period. Every death is tragic. However, it seems that statistically COVID-19 is not really something that causes a high mortality rate for the younger generation, so why get a shot? How many shots are enough? First it was two, then three, then Israeli studies showed four shots didn’t provide much more of a defense. Who wants to put that much foreign substance in one’s body if it doesn’t need it?

COVID-19 is a serious disease for some people, but not everyone. Everyone should be able to discuss with their doctor and make the decision that is best for themselves. Especially since the shot does not protect anyone from getting the disease, nor does it prevent anyone from spreading it (just look at what the omicron variant did). It does reduce the symptoms of the disease and helps keep people out of the hospital and that obviously is of value for those people who are most susceptible to it.

Valerie Martin, Shelton

Worry about Biden

Editor, the Journal,

Stop worrying about ex-President Donald Trump, worry about your President Joe Biden.

And yes, Putin is smart. I’m sorry to say your president is dumb. Joe Biden doesn’t know what he’s doing and never has. Can you say one thing he’s done right for America? I can’t, ever. I hope you’re happy with Joe Biden. I’m not. He can run a country, straight into the ground.

Trump had a COVID plan but didn’t have time to implement it. He got us the vaccine, didn’t he? If we waited for Joe Biden, we still wouldn’t have it. Thank you, Trump.

Scott Stidd, Shelton