Getting vaccinated is your duty
I have recently been around several people not vaccinated for COVID. One of them was coughing, and I told them it might be because of vog (volcano fog), because bad vog makes me cough and sneeze.
This morning I was coughing so much I thought maybe I should take a COVID test. I have never ever thought I needed to get a COVID test, until now.
What I wonder is: How would an unvaccinated person feel if they gave COVID to another person(s), who got really sick, and maybe hospitalized, or maybe died….. How would they feel, being responsible for that?
I have never gotten a regular flu shot. But I was first in line to get my COVID shot.
Getting COVID vaccinated is a civic (national and worldwide) duty. It is the humane thing to do.
It is to protect our family, friends, community, the rest of the world.
Kathleen Johnson, Kalaheo
Keiki should be a priority too
What about the kids?
Arriving and living on Kaua‘i in the ’60s, has always been community-oriented, and sports seem to be the lifestyle everyone enjoyed. Participation started with the i na keiki to the i na makule kupuna. It was unique for families to be together to enjoy the football games.
Growing up on O‘ahu, it didn’t seem that way as Kaua‘i because of the population and the many activities that it has to offer. O’ahu didn’t have as many schools as they do today. The old Mo‘ili‘ili stadium ideally and widely used during the football season and they didn’t have to worry about the birds.
I would say that football is one of the leading sports in the United States. During the days of the ’60s and even before that, the KIF games were played at the Isenburg field, which was practically in the sugar cane fields. I recall going to one of the games and there was no parking lot so cars were parked anywhere you could find a space. That evening it had been raining and the surrounding areas were completely muddy and of course the football field too. Watching the game seemed like watching it live on television.
Anyway, throughout the years the Antone “Kona” Vidinha stadium was built and watching a football game was similar to what it is today. High school football games were held on Friday nights and spectators came from the West Side of Kekaha to the North Shores of Hanalei. The stadium was packed to capacity and fans came to support their kids.
What about the birds?
Things started to change and football games were changed from Friday evenings to Saturday noon. Can you imagine playing a football game at that time? It is hot, humid and I sympathize with the kids but because they enjoy the sport and it didn’t matter to them. It does affect the kids and especially the fans who have to sit on the opposite side of the field in Hanapepe, with the sun shining directly on you.
Birds became the reason for changing the games from Friday to Saturday. It was crazy because the kids would be playing and then all of sudden the sun would be going down and the lights were turned on. Then all of sudden the lights went back on because birds were spotted near the lights. I remember the reason for switching the lights off and on was because of the birds.
The lights were affecting the birds and so as Greg from Kapa‘a, reiterated that it became a law and our kids still suffer the consequences.
Jon of Waimea, replied that the folks on the west side have been “fighting “this issue for many years but to no avail. Jon is an alumnus of Waimea and a player, himself, he remembered having pep rallies in the gym on Fridays and the football game was that evening.
Keli’i of Kaua’i, a former coach, having coached at the oldest high school on the island, and that he is trying to preserve the standards that has been set for his school.
Finally Sean Doi, Kaua’i Educational Specialist, who sums it up, quite eloquently by stating that Kauai‘s i na kama‘aina and people in general who have grown up on Kaua‘i have emphasized a community tradition whereby grandparents, parents have tried to instill in their kids. If there is a way to litigate this tradition of saving the birds but also remember that the kids should ultimately be a priority too!
Pa’aluhi Gonsalves, Anahola
Ms. Johnson, don’t you realize that vaccinated people can also catch and spread Covid, possibly causing someone else to get really sick, be hospitalized, and even die? I personally know three people who were fully vaccinated and got very sick. And I also know two others who were not vaccinated and were just as sick. So don’t place the blame game on the only the unvaccinated when both can transmit the sickness to others.
The issue relates directly to the severity of the virus. While you are correct that even vaccinated people can get sick, still, the chances of dying are very slim. The CDC published a recent article that said the unvaccinated are 4 times as likely to die from covid and its variants than the unvaccinated. Ms. Johnson is correct, get vaccinated ASAP and be sure to also get your booster 6 months later.
Kathleen – I absolutely agree with you – I think vaccinating is our civic duty.
It is our duty to do our own research, and be free to live our lives based on our personal decisions! This is America, or used to be? Anyone who is for any restrictions because of Covid has been duped into thinking there’s a “vaccine” for Covid 19. There is not! All of the real “vaccines” that have helped humanity since the late 1800’s were given to us, there were no real “side” effects, and they worked for many decades without so called “booster” shots every few months. This thing they’re trying to pass off as a vaccine is just an experimental shot that doesn’t work very well, will not prevent you from getting and spreading Covid, has not been appropriately tested over a long term, and the shot makers refuse to take legal responsibility if you die of a heart attack in 5 years directly related to the shot! If they refuse responsibility, it’s my right to refuse to play their money making game!
Dat wrong. We do not spread the virus if vaccinated to other people who are vaccinated but we can spread a mild case to the UNVACCINATED and they can and do and are transmitting serious and life threatening diseases to all others.
When are you going to get the facts dude?????
Kathleen. While I appreciate your concern and that you are vaccinated, it is a person’s individual choice to do what they want with their own body. It’s nice that you are concerned for yourself and others. Our bodies are the only thing in life that we truly ‘own’ and have complete control over. It is not our ‘civic duty’ to get a vaccine, it is a choice.
It’s amazing how this pandemic has become so political and those that have chosen to either get a vaccine or not are having to defend themselves if someone else doesn’t agree with their choice. Our governor and our President have gone too far with the restrictions that have been, or will be, put into place.
Worry about yourselves and how you can choose to live your life, but allow others to do the same with theirs. For those more liberal people, respect a person’s choice to vaccinate, for those more conservative, respect a woman’s choice to get an abortion or whatever she feels is right. It is a two-way street. You can’t say ‘My body, my choice’ for refusing a vaccine, then deny ‘My body, my choice’ for an abortion or anything else a ‘free’ person wants to do with ‘Their’ body and life. Opening our minds and being able to see both sides of things can actually make life much easier. Becoming more united and not so divided is what this country was founded on and, in my opinion, what we should all strive to change more towards.
Your comparison leaves out the difference that abortions are not contagious.
The only problem is that people who are reluctant to get vaccinated impacts everyone around, and sadly, do spread the virus to others. Whether you believe it or not, you are part of our community and have no right to infect anyone else, especially the vulnerable. Please don’t be like QB Aaron Rodgers who lied to the citizens of Green Bay, his team mates, his fans, and may have infected family and friends because he tested positive for covid-19.
Darryl,
Please just wear your helmet and keep your head up. No run into any more parked vehicles with your bicycle. Mahalo
Kathleen, You are so right! It is a civic duty and responsibility to the human race to do all we can to defeat this virus. Those who will do so willingly have already done it, the rest are either unable or unwilling and must be coerced. Their choice.
“My body, my choice” indeed. Your refusal to be vaccinated, definitely puts you in a high risk category, that of being hospitalized and possibly dying. The non-vaccinated segment of the population, if infected is more likely to require hospitalization and thus will be the benefactor of the limited resources which we have on Kauai. Yes, it is your civic duty to get vaccinated.
I’m pro vaccine and recently got my booster shot. However, I’m now leaning towards doing away with all Covid restrictions and mandates. If someone doesn’t want to get vaccinated, so be it. The only way to get back to a semblance of normality is to act normal. It’s time to do away with government restrictions, like many other states have done, and move forward. Let businesses fully open up, let those that want to wear masks wear them and those that don’t, don’t. Covid is not going anywhere so there will be people who get sick. But, that’s life, whether it’s Covid or driving or riding a bike or slipping on a shower floor. It’s your responsibility to try and protect yourself as best you can. Let’s get the government out of this equation and let us be responsible for protecting ourselves and our kids. If businesses want to have Covid restrictions, that’s up to them. They have that right, just as we can choose which businesses to support. Enough already!
James. I couldn’t agree more with your statements about moving forward and getting back to normal without the ‘help’ of the government. Let’s all move forward together, not divided.
Rev Dr Malama,
RE: “We do not spread the virus if vaccinated to other people who are vaccinated”
Not sure where you procured that false information from, however in reality land the vaccinated can and do spread this virus to the vaccinated. Albeit less overall because they’re less likely to get infected, but those vaccinated are not 100% immune from contracting and sharing this virus with both vaccinated and unvaccinated.
Quit fooling yourself. Get the facts dude!!!