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WEST VALLEY VIEW NEWS | AUGUST 4, 2021
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Vaccinate before it’s too late Editor: A doctor from Alabama posted one of the most heartbreaking statements I’ve encountered in this heartbreaking pandemic. Talking about the increasing number of 20-year-olds in her COVID-19 ward, Dr. Brytney Cobia said, “One of the last things they do before they’re intubated is beg me for the vaccine. I hold their hand and tell them that I’m sorry, but it’s too late.” The CDC released the most recent data and 99.5% of COVID-19 deaths, 93% of the hospitalizations and 95% of those who tested positive were unvaccinated. As of the time I’m writing this, the average number of daily deaths in Arizona is nine people, 675 people are hospitalized and we are averaging 1,200 new infections daily (up from a low of 450 in June). Doing the math, this means that today, nine unvaccinated people will die, zero vaccinated will die; 630 people in the COVID-19 wards are unvaccinated; 47 have been vaccinated; 1,140 people who will test positive for COVID-19 are unvaccinated; 60 are vaccinated. The vaccines are astoundingly safe and effective. They are free and easy to get. COVID-19 is deadly, hospitalization is really expensive, and just getting infected with the virus will seriously disrupt your life. Go get vaccinated today. They are all taking walk-ins. Do not delay another day. The Delta variant is already responsible for over 80% of the infections in the United States. Delta is much more transmissible than previous variants, and it is looking like it makes you sicker faster. Please do not be one of those young patients Dr. Cobia is treating in Alabama, who are begging for the vaccine from their hospital bed, only to be told “it’s too late.” Angela Cotera Avondale
More vaccines needed Editor: As families prepare to send their kids back to in-person classes, there might be one essential item parents still need to add to the back-to-school list — immunizations. Immunizations are shots that children and adults take to protect themselves and others against serious illnesses. Staying up to date on immunizations helps keep communities safe from an outbreak of a life-threatening disease. Unfortunately, millions of people fell behind their vaccination schedule during the last year, as they could not physically visit the doctor or put off well checks during the worst of the pandemic. While telehealth appointments are extremely valuable, it is still important to make time to see your doctor in person to make sure you and your family are up to date on these vaccinations. Do you know the last time you or your children received their booster tetanus shot? Or if you and your loved ones are still protected against hepatitis? It is important to keep up to date with these vaccines to receive the best protection against deadly viruses. If you are still unsure why vaccinations are so necessary, consider the 1.5 million people who die from vaccine-preventable diseases every year. According to the World Health Organization, around 86% of children around the world are vaccinated. These vaccinated people prevent anywhere from 2 to 3 million people from dying each year. If 90% to 95% of children were immunized against preventable diseases, millions of lives could be saved. Keeping up to date with your and your family’s vaccinations helps the population as a whole maintain herd immunity — a phenomenon that the world is attempting to reach to be protected against COVID-19. With teachers and kids heading back to the classrooms this fall, it has
never been more important to take stock of your health and receive proper care. After more than a year of physically distant learning, teachers are cautiously excited to return to the classroom. Yet parents remain anxious about what to expect in the new school year. Among the many challenges the pandemic brought on to families with school-age children, coming home with exposure to a potentially life-threatening disease should be the least of your worries this upcoming year. Do your part by checking in with your doctor to confirm you and your family are protected. If you are unsure of your vaccine history, you can request a copy of your immunization records from your primary care doctor. Upon pulling up your records, they may have you schedule an appointment for a vaccine or booster shot. If you do not have a primary care physician or are unsure of your previous health history, there are many health care resources, like Jewish Family & Children’s Service, that are open and ready to connect you to the right kind of care. Melissa Baker Robert Ouimette Jennifer Young Jewish Family & Children’s Service Site Directors at its integrated health care centers
A bit of history response Editor: This letter by Les Armstrong has many errors. The name of M19 is not derived from Malcolm X and Ho Chin Minh. The bombing of the Senate offices damage was around $250,000 in 1983 dollars and occurred after the Senate adjourned late at night. Facts matter, and that attack cannot be cast as equal to what occurred on Jan. 6. Democrats are not communists. Let’s talk about getting along and not vilifying those with whom you politically disagree. Joy Lovell Goodyear How to get a letter published 250 N. Litchfield Road, Ste. 130, Goodyear, AZ 85340 E-mail: editor@westvalleyview.com
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