- by Elizabeth Willmott

After my two doses of vaccine, and my two-week wait, I started to make appointments for neglected health-related services.

My foot-care person (who also works in Long-Term Care facilities) told me upfront that, knowing me, she thought she ought to tell me that she is not vaccinated and does not intend to be.  I told her I did not want her services.

That made me think about other arrangements I had made.  I called the dentist and was told that telling me if the people who would work with me are vaccinated would violate their privacy."  She would not answer.  I suggested that the people involved could make a choice to tell me, suggesting she could ask.   

This involved a lot of give and take.  She called back to tell me that the hygienist has not been vaccinated, but that I would be exposed in the waiting room even if she had received her shots, to which I replied that I could move to avoid that.   

The hygienist at my dentist, and commonly elsewhere, works in a small enclosed space. I would sit there for an extended period with my mouth wide open, her close to my face --- masked yes, but I do not know whether she takes off her mask between clients or who was in the space before me. I do not know what kind of air exchange is in place. I do not know how much time is being allowed between those of us who will sit with our mouths open. My appointment was for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
That is a lot of unprotected breathing!

I was also told that I could not get covid-19 since I was vaccinated.  I expressed concern that I would be a carrier.  I cancelled the appointment.

But it is more than that.

A student  told me that at the grocery-store where he is employed, one of the key persons is not vaccinated.  That is her personal right.  But does she have a personal right to expose herself, though masked, to others?

I confess to not knowing the rules about the "right" to be employed while also having a "right" to reject vaccination.    I have an opinion about what the ethics are.  Every person has a responsibility to protect others as well as the narrow right to choose not to protect themselves.  

In this Alice in Wonderland environment I also do not know what "rights" to safety are allowed to me.   Right now vaccination protects me against new more aggressive strains.  But it will not take long for this virus to beat vaccinations.  We are all "raw meat" waiting to be consumed!  

We are going to endure a fourth wave because of the unvaccinated. My gut reaction is that people who choose not be to vaccinated can do that, but that their potential effect of their actions on the public also needs to be taken into account in "rules". They impinge on my right to move  and do things freely.    

I hope my experience will get others to think about what us vaccinated people need to demand for their own safety and for the public arena to open securely without further lockdowns.

It is not about me and my encounters, it is what the effect is on our whole community and indeed on the world.