Dear Editor,
The salient question that is now foremost in most Bahamians’ and residents’ minds is: “Do I voluntarily take the recommended vaccine and just how safe is it?” During the past two weeks, I have been polling listeners on my radio talk show “EXPRESS YOURSELF @ 99.5FM” on exactly that same question. So far, in excess of 75 percent of the responders stated that under no circumstances, except mandated by the law, would they be injected with the vaccine, AstraZeneca, now available in limited quantities in The Bahamas.
Some have expressed fears that the vaccine is the advent of the “mark of the beast” and that it was foretold in the Book of Revelations. Others say that the potential side effects, such as blood clotting and breathing issues, were too risky. The rest said that they will simply rely on the Lord Jesus Christ to keep them safe and well. What will you be doing, my fellow Bahamians, going forward?
Unless and until there is a better explanation about all of the properties of any vaccine and a better public educational relation program, I, for one, will not be receiving what is now available. Several nations around the world have rejected the purported safety of the AstraZeneca vaccination partially or outright. Apparently, we do not now have access to the other vaccines that have been “approved” by other manufacturers. The FNM (Free National Movement) administration has indicated that “more dosages” are on the way.
One member of the medical task force, Dr Delon Brennen, has indicated that we might not receive dosages of certain vaccines until 2022! How many Bahamians and residents could/will die while we are awaiting these? Who will decide who will have access to the limited supplies on hand? A Death Commission? Are the raw data and test results on the humans clinically tested available to the general public? If so, how may they be accessed?
And so, as it stands right now I do not recommend that anyone who values his/her life to be injected with what could be a “dubious” vaccination, at this time. I fully appreciate and understand that the nation must return to a sense of normalcy as soon as possible but at what cost? Will the available vaccine lead to more COVID-19-related deaths than the actual pandemic itself?
While the jury, so to speak, is still out on the efficacy and safety of the available vaccines, I, too, will trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to protect and sustain me. To God then, the “Great Physician”, in all things, be the glory.
Ortland H Bodie Jr,
Business consultant and talk show host
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