Yesterday, the Center for Disease Control announced that masks are unnecessary for fully vaccinated people. “If you’re fully vaccinated, you do not need to wear a mask – indoors or outdoors, in most settings. We’ve gotten this far. Whether you choose to get vaccinated or wear a mask, please protect yourself until we get to the finish line.” An accompanying graphic read: “Fully vaccinated people can stop wearing masks.” It’s time to get back to normal, people.
I think we’ve reached the natural selection phase of the pandemic. The vaccine is widely available. There are plenty of appointments and supply is steady. Some people may need to make more of an effort, but if they really want one, they can get one. The people who don’t want one can live, or die, without. The rest of us shouldn’t have to wait for them.
We know how to limit the spread of COVID—wear masks and use social distancing. We now have reliable preventatives–vaccines. The people who either believe it’s a hoax or is not that serious should be able to take their own risks. That’s their choice.
I’m not a fan of government mandates, especially on individual behavior, but I also believe we just faced extenuating circumstances when the global pandemic hit. We needed to take most of the precautions that were implemented. I suspect we saved lives with the mask mandate in North Carolina and by shutting down certain businesses and events. The evidence shows that we fared better than our neighbors to the South that took a more lax approach.
Ironically, most of the people who were shouting loudest about their freedom also wore masks and got vaccinated. They chose to spend the pandemic outraged at people trying to prevent its spread instead of people trying to downplay its impact. Conservative outlets were awash with articles and podcasts castigating Governor Roy Cooper for abusing his power while they were silent as President Donald Trump lied about the dangers of the disease. They didn’t often tell their audiences that they, themselves wore a mask in public or got vaccinated.
Now, we have an unequal response to the virus. Democrats are getting vaccinated at higher rates than Republicans. In Congress, 100% of Democratic Members of Congress are vaccinated while less than half of Republican House members have gotten a shot. In North Carolina, almost 80% of people over 65 years old have at least one shot and 75% have both. The vulnerable population is getting protected. However, counties with higher education levels are getting vaccinated faster than areas with less educated people.
Republicans have made their supporters skeptical of both the seriousness of the disease and the cure for it. When the pandemic began, they shouted that predictions of 500,000 were alarmist and irresponsible. Then, they claimed that the only people who were dying were people with pre-existing conditions. They politicized the response and left conservatives more vulnerable than liberals. At this point, they are responsible for getting their supporters on board. It’s time to let natural selection take run its course.
Thomas Mills is the founder and publisher of PoliticsNC.com. Before beginning PoliticsNC, Thomas spent twenty years as a political and public affairs consultant. Learn more >
It’s apparent that this is that phase. It’s survival of the fittest. In this third decade of the 21st century the fittest are those with minds that work properly.
If you truly believe most of the people declining vaccines are doing so for political reasons – ie because they are Trump supporters – then you need to spend more time with mainstream, blue collar Americans.
We have 4 factories in 3 states with well over 1000 employees and have done everything we can to convince our factory workers to get the vaccine with little success – about 25%. This includes setting up their appointments and providing transportation. These aren’t political people. I suspect most didn’t vote. But they don’t see the driving need. They don’t have the fear you and I have. This is the segment of the population that still smokes. If you’ll spend thousands a year on cigarettes that say they’ll kill you right on the pack, you’re probably not going to be afraid of a virus that has a 99% survival rate in their 18-35 age group. I know. I’ve personally sat down and discussed this with many of them trying to convince them to get it. You should take off the tie and try talking to them.
I strongly suspect 90% of them are so apolitical, they couldn’t name the vice-president. You know the vice president who infamously said before the election she might not take the vaccine herself since it was developed under Trump.
Spooky. I gave this stage of events almost the exact same name: “the natural selection portion of the programme” was my version. It will be interesting to see what the Open NC crowd (funded by out of state money) will have to say now that they only present a danger to themselves. Let the shocking of the gene pool begin.