I’ll Never Understand

Spoke in front of a company and had to mention Covid-19 because in just a short while OSHA is going to put out a regulation.

The men seated before me were asking me to speculate what might be in the rule.

“Hand-wash facilities, hand sanitizers, PPE.”

“Will they mandate vaccinations?” One man asked.

I shrugged. I can only guess.

“If they do the whole company will quit. It’s a real illness, but they can’t tell us what to do.”

I wasn’t going to get into a pissing match about it, but such a mindset amazes me.

“I’ve known men who’ve lost their lives to it,” I said. “I got vaccinated because of that.”

That was when they told me that a member of their company - in his early 60’s - got sick and died inside of two weeks.

“And you guys don’t want to be vaccinated?”

I simply could not understand. 

A lot of information that they shouted at me over the next half-hour was steeped in horrific misinformation.

“Where do YOU get your information on it?” One guy asked.

“Go to the Mayo Clinic webpage or the Johns Hopkins homepage,” I said. “They have a question and answer article on it. Check the facts. They’re a health institution. They aren’t putting out false information.”

That was greeted by silence.

“People who have an agenda will spread misinformation,” I said. “I have always told you that your safety is YOUR responsibility.”

More silence.

“You watched a friend die of it.”

I simply don’t understand.

A friend of mine got off the vent yesterday. He’d spent ten days in that predicament.

He still isn’t out of the woods.

He was vaccinated but his treatment for a prior health scare compromised his protection and he contracted Covid because he headed out back into his life.

Had a false sense of security.

Nearly killed him.

He woke up yesterday and a mutual friend visited him.

“This is crazy shit,” the sick man said. “I don’t want to die.”

We should have Covid in the rear view mirror.

I just don’t understand.