Government control of individual’s health decisions is bad public health policy and protects corporate interests over the health of the people. The coronavirus vaccine is no exception.
The voice of the industry that profits from mandated and risky medical interventions is very well represented in the statehouse, as New Jersey is home to 14 of the country’s 20 major pharmaceutical companies. We also know that on May 26, 2020, a pharmaceutical interest group — the New Jersey Immunization Network — will host a legislative briefing on COVID-19 vaccine development. Don’t let the industry’s voice be the only one that your lawmakers hear. It’s imperative that they hear from you, too, as a person who is directly affected by the public health policies they choose to enact.
Thus far, 2020 has been a year riddled with trauma and uncertainties. While most of us have lingering questions, there are some things that we definitely now know. 1) The majority of deaths from COVID-19 in New Jersey have been in long-term care facilities, where residents are known to be vulnerable because they are sick and/or elderly. 2) Based on emerging data, approximately 90% of Americans who have passed away from COVID-19 had one or more known comorbidities, and case fatality rates may be as low as 0.1%. 3) Virus testing has not been required to certify deaths “caused by COVID-19” according to National Vital Statistics System guidelines released on March 24, 2020 — only “suspicion of infection” is required; this renders the official death estimates even more questionable and likely to be overinflated.
The one-size-fits-all medical model is antiquated, and reliance on pharmaceuticals to manage hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other illnesses has created a sick and vulnerable population. So long as the single dominant story persists that pharmaceutical medicine is the only acceptable form of healthcare, the health and wellbeing of the population will continue to decline. The epidemic of chronic health conditions linked to poor nutrition, stress, exposure to toxins and lifestyle-related challenges can no longer be ignored. Nor will these issues be fixed with a new vaccine, as it is impossible to inject someone with good health. Therefore, relying on vaccines — existing ones as well as those in the pipeline — as the primary means of achieving public health is simply bad policy.
The COVID-19 vaccines currently in development are being fast tracked at “warp speed” and will be liability free for the manufacturers and the healthcare providers that administer them. Without long-term safety data, the men, women and children of New Jersey who receive the fast-tracked vaccine will be engaged in a mass human experiment; only post-marketing surveillance measures will be able to detect true safety issues that could not be vetted beforehand using proper clinical trial models with sufficient time (vaccine development and approval usually takes a decade or more). Will New Jersey residents receive full informed consent about the myriad risks of an experimental, fast-tracked vaccine? Will they be told about the unknown side effects and lack of liability from any harm caused by the vaccine? Moreover, will they be told that the vaccine for which they are taking such grave risks has an estimated survival rate of 99% or more?
Many religious families have already stated an existing conflict with the possible use of aborted fetal DNA in the COVID 19 vaccines that are being developed. The First Amendment protects US citizens from violations of their bodily integrity consistent with their deeply held religious beliefs. A pandemic — no matter how big or small —cannot void your constitutional rights.
There is more than one way to proactively protect vulnerable populations and to care for individual health. It is undeniable that limiting the spread of contagious illness is a big part of public health policy. There, however, will always be new and mutating viruses and infections. A vaccine is not the only answer and for many viruses will never be an option. The United States currently mandates more vaccines than any other country and has the highest vaccination rates in history. We are also sicker than we have ever been, trading acute illness for chronic disease.
Sound public health policy does not focus on mandating specific health measures. Sound public health policy is centered on (1) empowering individuals to take responsibility for their health (2) laying a foundation to make that possible through clean drinking water, good air quality, health education programs, and a nutrient-dense food supply and (3) protecting individuals while protecting the whole — not sacrificing the health of some individuals at the expense of others. After all, a healthy society can only be made up of healthy individuals.
Health is a personal right and responsibility. Policies that promote a one-size-fits-all standard of care must be replaced with health freedom, strong doctor-patient relationships where there is full informed consent and guidance for individual healthcare decisions. Only you have the right to say what happens to your body, and only you can be responsible for the care of your body. Without health freedom, there is no true freedom.
Email your representatives below to ask them to commit to supporting only policies that maintain your individual right and responsibility to care for your body and to strongly oppose medical mandates.