DEAR EDITOR:
I like Richard Best very much but I must disagree with him. A virus or bacillus has nothing to do with your gut feelings. If you catch it, you can pass it on before its incubation time is over, whether you feel sick - or not. You can be a carrier of viruses or bacteria without getting sick yourself. With this coronavirus it is similar to not immunizing your kids against measles, but sending them to school if they appear healthy, but they can pass it to other kids. For me this is a question, first and foremost, of responsibility to our community.
It took a stone off my heart when science came up with a vaccine against polio. I went to get it when it was available, and gave it to my kids right away. Yes there are cases where people react badly to immunization - it makes sense to search for the medication you trust best, but to do nothing, without telling people you are not immunized, is not fair to your fellow humans. If you decide not to get immunized it should be you only who takes the risk.
I am also totally against sending children who are feeling sick to school, or adults going to work sick, something which is quite routine in North America. Schools are not there to babysit sick children, and sick adults going to work spread their disease to fellow wage earners unnecessarily.
Imke Zimmermann,
Former Community Nurse
