President Biden, health care officials and those who’ve been vaccinated against COVID have waited patiently for the unvaccinated to get the vaccine, and after about six months we’re still waiting.

It’s a factor that didn’t figure into the national strategy for addressing COVID. The goal was to save lives by developing the vaccine as quickly as possible but in a way that was medically sound.

Scientists succeeded with that. It’s one of the greatest medical achievements in history. The vaccine has saved lives and brought us back to something close to a normal daily routine.

Throughout the process, no one considered the possibility that millions of Americans would refuse the vaccine. It makes no sense. It seems crazy to take chances with a life threatening disease.

Yet that’s exactly what a certain percentage of people have persisted in doing. If it proves anything, it shows the huge potential to spread misinformation through social media.

The anti-vaccine movement is a small but very vocal minority. They appear to have a radical anti-government agenda that extends beyond COVID.

Unfortunately some people don’t take a critical approach to that message. Their reaction is to give it credibility and to believe there are two sides to the vaccine issue.

I don’t see two sides. All I hear from the unvaccinated are excuses. They say they’re young and healthy and don’t need it. They say they probably have already had COVID. They speculate about possible side effects.

The worst misinformation I’ve heard relates to people who died at a fairly young age after getting the vaccine. Everyone needs to think critically when they react to that.

Throughout history people have died unexpectedly of heart attacks, strokes, brain tumors and other medical issues. Now, in 2020 and 2021, that’s happened as usual and many of those who’ve died have gotten a vaccine just like millions of others.

It’s wrong to latch on to examples and claim it’s connected to the vaccine. There’s no evidence. There’s nothing factual to support such a theory.

One of my favorite high school teachers often said that you can lead horses to water but you can’t make them drink. That seems to be the case with the unvaccinated. They’re believing whatever they want to believe.

Hopefully there’s been enough vaccination activity to control COVID, to prevent its mutation into more dangerous variants. That’s possible. I heard a news report which said that several new variants aren’t considered major threats because they can’t compete with the Delta variant. Possibly we’re already seeing the worst dangers.

As COVID persists, however, there’s likely to be more pressure for vaccine mandates. In some parts of the country such as New York City and Los Angeles, it’s already happening for admission to restaurants and public events. There’s already a vaccine or weekly test requirement for many public employees, health care workers, and college students.

We should remember that event attendance, jobs in schools, jobs in health care facilities and college enrollment aren’t rights. They’re privileges.

It’s like the way driving a car is a privilege. To drive, someone must obtain a valid license. There are no exceptions and no excuses. In many instances the vaccine issue could play out the same way.

Our freedom to do as we choose ends when our choices could negatively impact others. Social stability depends on protecting citizens from bad, irresponsible choices.

It’s a duty of government to protect citizens. Anyone who claims exceptions to that rule is taking a radical view of individualism.

The vaccine situation might go down in history as something that shows a limit to freedom of choice. Sometimes there’s an obligation to conform. Sometimes it’s simply the right thing to do.

— Jim Muchlinski is a longtime reporter and contributor to the Marshall Independent