Ignore misinformation, get facts and the vaccine

Medical societies have requested that local physicians encourage vaccine acceptance, yet it seems to just be a daily preaching to deaf ears ["I have a right not to get the vaccine," Letters, April 28].

Most of the public who wanted the vaccine have gotten one, with the remaining undecided or fully against vaccinating. Others, thanks to the never-ending crowd who describe the effects of a second dose as akin to water torture, have forgone that second dose, leaving them in uncharted territory as to how much immunity they obtain and how long that immunity will last.

In 35 years of medical practice, I don’t recall a time when so much misinformation was circulating regarding a therapy. These are all false: The vaccine changes your DNA and causes infertility, cancer and COVID-19. Preachers of this misinformation seem to have some people’s ear, not medical professionals actually treating the virus. The COVID-19 vaccine was rushed, but so was the polio vaccine. Dire times require dire measures.

America will not develop herd immunity, which requires about 75% of a community to be immune to a communicable disease via modern methods — vaccination. We will develop herd immunity when the unvaccinated become infected and either develop antibodies and survive, or die.

Dr. Glenn Messina, Commack

I understand that Newsday’s editorial board feels a responsibility to publish letters of differing opinions, but "I have a right not to get the vaccine" strains credulity.

The writer compares a woman’s right to have or not have an abortion with his right to get or not get a COVID-19 vaccination. As if a woman’s pregnancy will adversely affect my health.

We are way past believing that it is just an assumption that an infected person can pass it on. It is a fact. People are entitled to their opinions, but they are not entitled to their own facts.

Thanks to people receiving the vaccine, the number of COVID-19 cases is declining daily. Fortunately, science does not care what you believe.

Mark Herzog, Rockville Centre

According to a recent study, almost half of American health care workers have not received the COVID-19 vaccine. This is nothing short of a repudiation of sound medical judgment.

Is this an act of defiance, a reflection of ignorance, or a continuation of the fallacies perpetuated by the last administration? It is truly hard to believe that taking a vaccine to prevent an illness that has killed more than 3 million people worldwide has become a political grenade.

It is assumed that my medical colleagues possess at least a basic understanding of the existential threat of COVID-19. More than 570,000 Americans already have died, and their families have been torn apart.

We all need to set an example to become fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect all of us.

Dr. Joel Reiter, Woodbury

More fool’s gold than a pot of gold

Matt Davies’ "Pot of Gold" cartoon inspired me to write that I believe it is wrong to view marijuana legalization as a pot of gold ["Pot," Editorial Cartoon, April 27]. The only reason we should be legalizing and regulating pot is that we realize it was wrong to criminalize conduct that in fact produced little harm. But the cure was worse than the disease. It should not be about the government making money.

This reminds me of when we legalized some forms of gambling. It occurred when we decided that people would gamble anyway — so let’s make it safe and fair, and we’ll cut out organized crime. Great! But what we have today is constant advertising telling us to buy lottery tickets or go to casinos. I would have less of a problem with the advertising if it truthfully told us how poor the odds are and how most of the wealthy and smart people rarely or never gamble that way.

Likewise, with marijuana legalization, any advertising should confine itself to reminding people that, in my view, almost no one benefits from pot consumption and some people are seriously hurt. Finally, any revenue generated by legalization should be used solely for drug treatment and education.

Robert Allen, Port Washington

Is this police officer a hero or a villain?

Regarding the shooting of Ma’Khia Bryant, in another time not so long ago, that police officer would have been a hero for saving someone’s life ["Cops fatally shoot teen, report says," Nation, April 21].

If this police officer did not respond to the 911 call, made by Bryant’s intended victim, what are the chances she would be alive today? None of us knows that answer.

The officer had a split second to act and made the decision to save a life. Isn’t that his sworn duty to protect and serve? Will the parents thank the officer for saving their daughter’s life while risking his own? There was a time when this would be so.

One has to wonder how soon this officer will be accused of murder and this tragedy is used to further divide the country. If the police did not respond and the other girl was killed, there likely would have been an outcry within the community that Black lives do not matter.

I thank all the police officers of this country for their bravery.

John Roberts, Coram

Many Blacks recently have been shot by police. We have all heard their names repeated in the news: George Floyd, Michael Brown, Breonna Taylor and others.

But what about people like Daniel Shaver and Tony Timpa? They were white people shot and killed by police ["The complex data of lethal force," Opinion, April 14]. Most people are not familiar with their names. Why? Is it because they were white and their deaths do not fit a certain narrative? Do their lives not matter?

Since 2015, almost twice as many white people have been shot to death by police than Black people. Since 2015, the number of Black people shot to death is 1,507; the number of white people is 2,886.

By ignoring these white deaths and focusing only on Black deaths, I believe the media creates a false sense of reality that causes division and hatred. In my view, much of what we get from most media outlets is often filtered to fit a certain narrative.

Robert Pawlak, Nesconset

It is appalling to read about all the police shootings that happen on a daily basis. More often than not, it happens to a person of color, many times unarmed. Why is it necessary to use lethal force?

Other methods could restrain a suspect without seriously injuring or killing the person. Why not use a tranquilizer dart or netting or shoot out the tires of the car? This unnecessary violence must stop.

Edward Glickstein, East Meadow

I commend the police officers who arrested Jonathan Nunez ["Quick action saves cop," News, April 12]. Although he acted violently during his arrest, no gun was drawn, but he was sedated instead. When will all of our police learn that there are other ways to deal with resisters than shooting to kill?

Irma Gurman, Smithtown