Thread by @ShikhaJainMD

I did a @fox32news w @SylviaFOX32 on the new @US_FDA approval of Pfizer today. Interview link to follow. I made an analogy that I want to mention here.

People say it’s their personal choice to get vaccinated. Which I understand. I want to make a comparison here. A brief 🧵

In the US, it is legal to drink alcohol if you are over 21. You can drink as much as you want. It is your choice. But you cannot get into a car and drive if you are inebriated. Why is that? Because we are members of a society.

If your car were to hit someone else or damage property, you would be responsible. Also, you would be arrested because it is against the law to drive when intoxicated, even if you never hurt anyone else. Why is that a law when it’s your personal choice to drink alcohol?

The reason is this, your personal choice can have a negative, possibly fatal, impact on another person. So whether you injure or kill another person or not, it is always illegal to drive drunk. You can choose what to put in your body, but when that decision may impact others…

…it is no longer just your choice on what you are doing to yourself bc it has the ability to hurt others.

Now let’s talk about the #covidvaccine. It is absolutely your choice whether you get the shot or not. However…

We know #COVID19 is highly contagious. We know you can pass it along with or without any symptoms. We know people of all ages can get it and get very sick and die. We know hospitals are overwhelmed. People with life threatening nonCOVID illnesses are being turned away or…

Are being flown 8-10 hours away for life threatening emergency surgeries, illnesses. Sick people both with and without #COVID19 are being impacted and lives are being lost unnecessarily. So…

It’s your choice not to get the shot. But, if you don’t get the shot, and you infect other people, you have now gone beyond my body my choice because your choice not to get vaccinated could kill someone else.

So why am I saying this today. Well, the @US_FDA has approved the @pfizer vaccine, so it is now gotten full approval, not just the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). It has been through every step of regulatory review needed JUST like all other vaccines and medications.

There is no reason every business should not require it if they want to keep their employees safe. Just like we don’t accept drunk driving as members of a society, we should not accept intentional or unintentional harm that could occur from spreading #COVID19.

This does not mean I am implying we punish people who are not vaccinated or who refuse to wear a mask. What I am saying is this. We all follow rules to engage and live in society. Part of those rules are in place to keep ourselves and others safe

And of course, there are very rare scenarios where someone cannot get the vaccine for a medical diagnoses. I am not talking about those people. Nor am I saying we punish people who don’t get vaccinated.

I am saying to participate in a society, go out to dinner, work in an office, travel, go to a store, there are certain things we must do to safely engage in society. One of those is keeping our communities safe from harm. Being vaccinated and wearing a mask does that.

There should be no excuse now that the vaccine is @US_FDA approved to not get the vaccine. We are all in this together. Vaccines allow us all to live and engage in society safely together. So #GetYourShot and save a life. #ThisIsOurShot @ThisIsOurShot @IMPACT4HC

And here is the link for those interested

fox32chicago.com/video/969744