On multiple occasions on which the subject of COVID vaccines have been brought up, I have seen such comments as "I have no sympathy for people who die of COVID after choosing not to get vaccinated," "this is just natural selection" (in reference to their dying of COVID), etc., and even open gloating over people's deaths because they were anti-vaxxers.
I should start this by saying that, per the consensus of major health authorities around the world, I'm staunchly in favor of getting any vaccine one can apply for, unless one is within the significantly tiny minority of people who are demonstrably at a higher risk of harm from the COVID vaccines than they are of COVID or are unable to get vaccinated for any other reason. I would be vaccinated by now myself if it weren't for the fact that my demographic group has much less priority for vaccination rollout than multiple other ones.
With that out of the way, I find the kinds of comments I mentioned above to be extremely callous, unnecessary, and counter to the value of viewing human life as sacred and of utmost importance. My own parents are sadly among those who believe in misinformation, fearmongering, and conspiracy theories about the vaccines, and since they never had sufficient education to value scientific consensus or critical thinking, they're quite prone to believing unsubstantiated claims not just about the vaccines but also about many other topics. This is despite my persistent and ongoing attempts to better inform them about the vaccines and why they should apply for them as soon as they can.
Personally, when I come across such comments, one of the first things I think of is how hurtful and tactless I would find them to be if my parents or anyone else I cared about ever got severely ill or died from COVID. It is a reminder that even though I know that decision is harmful and misinformed, not everyone who makes it is a terrible person or someone who ever deserves to suffer severe illness or death due to their poor decision.
What's the point of such comments or the stark lack of compassion that underpins them, in any case? If the goal is to preserve human life and well-being by encouraging vaccine uptake, then such dismissal of the lives of people who don't know better about vaccines is both counterproductive to that goal and potentially alienating to those who may be willing to change their minds with evidence and logic.
If, on the other hand, the goal is purely to celebrate the suffering of said people purely because one dislikes their stance and finds it completely irrational and/or irresponsible (just as I find it, actually), then it seems to me one needs to rethink their priorities and compassion for others given such willingness to relish others' suffering or death. I feel relieved when someone I care about even in the slightest survives this illness, whether or not they're vaccinated. I only hope that they survive and go on to change their mind and get vaccinated, not that they suffer or die.
The only reason I felt the need to start this thread is that I strongly felt like some people were talking about a group that includes people I love and care about in a dehumanizing and callous way, as if said group deserved whatever terrible fate they faced because of their anti-vax stance (which, I reiterate, I agree is both irrational and irresponsible). When did concern for public health turn into celebrating each other's illness or death? Is this really a way to promote vaccine awareness or encourage respect for science? I absolutely don't think so.
