A recent letter-writer stated that she is rejecting the COVID vaccine because of the possibility of a serious reaction. In actuality, the chance of having a serious reaction to the COVID vaccine is 0.008 per cent, according to the Government of Canada website.
On the other hand, the chances of contracting COVID-19 if unvaccinated is 12 times higher than for the vaccinated. And the chances of becoming seriously sick from the infection are monstrously higher for the unvaccinated. In British Columbia, 70 per cent of COVID cases in hospitals are unvaccinated individuals. And in the ICU, 98 per cent of the patients are unvaccinated.
Statistics are available from any government website, as well as World Health Organization websites. The writer lives in a country that takes her health seriously. She can get the vaccine free and at any time, to protect her family, her neighbours, and her community, even if she doesn’t feel the need to protect herself.
Keeping out of the medical system will free up resources for patients who did not have these options. As Canadians, we should be happy that we live in a country where one will get medical help when it is needed, even if it means standing in line for a few hours.
Marlene Lavallee
Victoria