Vaccines are the way to go
To the editor:
I read your coverage of the sad illness with COVID-19 of Habersham Central’s baseball coach, Chris Akridge, in the Aug. 11 issue. From the stands at the stadium, I have watched Coach Akridge’s excellent and supportive leadership of his players this spring, and I admire his efforts and his professionalism. I wish him a speedy and complete recovery.
Unfortunately, your coverage omitted one crucial question and answer, perhaps due to privacy concerns: Was the coach vaccinated against the virus? It may be none of the public’s business, but it would nevertheless be useful to know, and the answer might spur readers to take a trip to the clinic or drugstore for the shot.
According to the latest statistics, the overwhelming majority of those who have been hospitalized for COVID-19 in Georgia were not fully vaccinated.
It’s pretty clear where the percentages lie. I hope this statistic, news of the coach’s virulent illness, and the obvious efficacy of the vaccines might encourage our fellow Habersham residents to join the growing group of the vaccinated.
The vast majority of those of us who got the shot as soon as it was available suffered no or few side effects, and have lived with the peace of mind we were craving, ever since. Even if you were initially suspicious or fearful, it seems pretty clear now that the shots are safe and effective.
The latest news is that patients are being turned away from our emergency rooms, as the hospitals again fill with victims of COVID-19 and its deadly variants. We have to fight back.
Maybe it’s time to head on down to the drugstore or grocery store and bare your arm, for your own sake, and for those who are too young, old, or perhaps too sick from other illnesses to protect themselves with the shot themselves. Let’s do it!
Joshua Peck
Clarkesville