BELLOWS FALLS — In yet another ironic development, the Delta variant of the coronavirus that is now starting to spike among the unvaccinated in all 50 states may become known as the Republican virus.
Republican extremists and their news media enablers are largely responsible for these mounting deaths and hospitalizations, though anti-vax and anti-mask extremists of all stripes must accept their share of the blame.
We really could have all been through this by now in the U.S. by following the simple, scientific guidelines: isolate, social distance, mask, and get vaccinated. Pretty damned simple, folks - we're 16 months in and could be done with it by now with the vaccine.
Unfortunately, that is not going to happen.
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This virus is going to drag on and keep killing and injuring people for far too long into the future due to ignorance and distrust of facts and science.
Also, unfortunately for them, the folks opposing the facts and science are going to bear the brunt of these new virus outbreaks.
I am totally confident now about moving around the world, unmasked and in crowds. But you folks who spread fear and disinformation about masking and vaccines - well, you are now the only ones seriously at risk.
I went to a live music and food event with 2,000 people recently without a worry in the world - just disappointed that the lines were so long I wasn't going to be able to get the food I wanted!
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A few months ago, I got totally pissed at anti-mask, anti-vax friends who, I thought, were intelligent enough to know better. I mean, this is 2021, and we've had a few centuries of science.
I was seriously disappointed in these people. Didn't they have a chance to go to college and get an education? I didn't, but I still know how to read and how to research. I learned what critical thinking skills are. What about them?
I didn't like feeling that way toward people I liked and just stopped commenting on this idiocy on Facebook. I also started deleting every single thread or comment on my threads that was based on ignorance and disinformation. I refused to help spread, even inadvertently, lies and misinformation.
That was far more effective than ranting and getting angry at people peddling ignorance.
But now, here it comes.
Those friends are, and will continue to be, the folks at greatest risk of catching, spreading, getting hospitalized, having long-term effects and/or dying from the virus, especially as it evolves.
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So, to my anti-mask, anti-vax friends: If you have a bit of integrity, you folks cannot, in good conscience, attend public events or travel without a mask, at the least.
Until this virus is defeated, if I see any of you at a public event without a mask, I will not call you out publicly, but I will let you know that I view your actions as hypocritical and reprehensible.
At this point, over 82 percent of Vermonters have done what they felt was the right thing: We got vaccinated. Before that, we wore masks, even if we hated it. I hate it more and more, every day.
I've worked 16 months wearing a mask, eight hours a day, and sometimes 16 hours a day. Now I am looking at working 12-hour shifts with one.
Don't give me lame excuses.