Division Over COVID-19 Vaccinations, Mask Mandates is a Tragedy
As we commemorated the 20th anniversary of the horrible 9/11 tragedy and its long-term impact on our nation and the world, I could not help but think about how our nation, left, right and center, came together to mourn those lost, recover and to serve.
What a different time we live in today and one can only long for such unity of spirit and effort as we continue to face the tragedy of COVID-19.
Let’s compare these two tragedies: 2,977 people were killed on 9/11, including 412 first responders and emergency workers. As of Sunday, at least 673,000 deaths in the U.S. are the direct result of this virus including 3,600 health care workers. Worldwide, 4.6 million people have died, and the World Health Organization estimates more than 115,000 deaths of health care workers.
What about the long-term impacts? A recent article in U.S. News & World Report states that national and international studies estimate the human toll of the post-9/11 war on terrorism to be over 890,000 including more than 360,000 non-combatant civilians; the number of long-term deaths among those who have enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program is 4,627. While it is still not possible to estimate the deaths that will be caused by the long-term effects of COVID-19, researchers estimate that 33 percent of COVID-19 survivors will have long-term health consequences including lung, heart and brain damage.
These statistics are not meant to compare all aspects of these two world-altering catastrophes, rather to look at the short- and long-term impacts. What shocks me is that 9/11 brought us together, while COVID-19 has seemed to deepen our nation’s divisions. Of course, there are those who will doubt the veracity of real-life events and look for conspiracies everywhere. Even 9/11 had a very small number of cynics.
Today, however, we have public officials at the national, state and local level (you know who you are), and a vocal, but disturbingly significant minority of people who resist science by refusing to wear masks, opposing mask mandates and resisting vaccinations. They claim that public health mandates are a violation of their individual rights, even when this individualism puts the health of others at risk.
While it may seem absurd, I expect this letter will generate some negative reaction as a partisan tome. People should show their patriotism by honoring those we have lost and those who put their lives in jeopardy by caring for those impacted. Everyone should join together to defeat this horrible disease. We did it in the aftermath of 9/11 and we can and should do it today.
Melvyn Tanzman
Mohegan Lake
Examiner Media – Keeping you informed with professionally-reported local news, features, and sports coverage.
