To vax or not to vax? That is the question… “Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and, by opposing, end them?” The idea of whether is it better to live or to die, from the timeless bard Shakespeare.
On May 30, 2021 at 12:30 p.m., I received my second Pfizer vaccine against the virus that has ravaged our industry and the world for over a year now.
Fortunately, other than having a great urge to go out and purchase a slew of Microsoft products, I didn’t suffer from any of the vaccine symptoms that so many people have described after receiving their shots. Anyway, it seems that the post vaccination symptoms that people suffer are expressed more often with the Moderna vaccine and not from the Pfizer vaccine. I understand from people that have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine that those post vaccine symptoms were mild and, despite the scare of a few extremely rare cases of developing blood clots related to the J&J vaccine, everything seems to be working safely. To be clear, of the millions of J&J vaccines administered, there were six women who developed blood clots after the shot; and there is no conclusive evidence that the vaccine attributed to the clotting. Regardless, precautions were — and are — being taken, and despite the small percentage of potentially adverse reactions, the message from the CDC is, the risk of getting sick from the vaccine is trivial compared to the associated risk of living our daily lives without the vaccine.
Granted, there is still the fear that either the government or the one-percent have malevolent intentions by ensuring that the world is vaccinated. History shows us that government is not always benign and, due to this, many people have taken a wait-and-see attitude towards being vaccinated. Of course, the question is, how long should one “wait and see?” Is it a month, a year or 10 years — and can one really hold out? If they want to get you, they will. After all, you willingly pay for and carry a tracking device that has taken all your information and makes it seem like fun and games. I know engineers and musicians who are holding off on getting vaccinated, and I respect their concern and choice, but this may end up being tantamount to holding off on getting a passport. A married couple I know have split views on the subject of the vaccine, as she is vaccinated while he is adamantly against it. Apparently, as she tells it, he said, “Big deal, so we won’t be able to get on a plane and vacation in Europe this summer.” Her response was, “We?”
These friends of mine are not in the live event business, but the point is that clubs, restaurants and large venues are opening up and, while touring is not yet back, plans are being made. It is a personal decision to be vaccinate or not, and that freedom of choice is to be respected, but when that tour finally calls again, do you think that they’ll give up work overseas to respect your decision? When Broadway opens its doors in the fall, when casinos and stadiums are running full capacity, will one be allowed to work if not vaccinated? After my vaccinations, I received cards and an email to prove that I have been inoculated, and I assume there is a reason I need that paperwork, even if it’s down the road a bit.
Passport, Please?
In reality, there is no “vaccination passport” required for international travel, but having the CDC card of vaccination proof can make it much easier and quicker to pass through customs and immigration. One can still travel without being vaccinated, but the traveler stands the risk of being tested or ending up subjected to a mandatory quarantine. As everyone who has toured overseas knows, the faster one gets through customs, the quicker one gets to the hotel, restaurant or bar — if one is so inclined. A two-week quarantine during a tour neither makes sense from a work or monetary perspective. From an economic point of view, a tour needs all of its members to stay healthy and capable of getting from one place to the next with the least amount of stress and expense.
All global conspiracies aside, insurance companies present other reasons why a tour may require proof of vaccination for its members. As explored in a previous column, getting cancellation insurance during the Covid crises became impossible, and it would make sense before a company ensures a tour that they would demand every precaution be taken to guarantee against any cancellation due to a Covid infection. Tours are big vessels that require a great deal of work and money to get them moving and keep them in motion. Slowing it down or stopping it can be the difference between a profitable tour or a losing situation.
As it is, we do not know the long-term effect of these vaccinations. We also don’t know if this whole crisis and cure is an evil plan set up by nefarious government forces, but what we do know is that our industry has been shuttered for more than a year, and we need to do everything we can to start it up and get it moving.
On the Road Again
During the past year, I have known more than a few people who contracted the disease. The ones who survived informed me that it was the worst they had ever felt, and while they recovered, they still suffered from lingering effects such as trouble breathing, lack of concentration and fatigue. Struggling to recover, they feel lucky to have pulled through, but never want to go through that ordeal again.
That sentiment echoes my own feelings in regard to the last year without work, sitting in quarantine, social distancing and waiting for the world to reopen. Do we want to take a chance on another shutdown just as we’re beginning to open? Do we want to once again work, or is this where we make a stand “to take arms against a sea of troubles,” and, by opposing, end them? Is this where we lay it down for a perceived noble cause and ponder, “The idea of whether is it better to live or to die?” Personally, I’m not ready to put my physical or professional life to rest, which is why I have answered the question for myself, “To vax, or not to vax?”
