Post a Comment On: Bakersfield Observed

 Bakersfield Observed is proud to present another opinion essay from Dr. Brij Bhambi, local cardiologist, head of Centric Health and one of the physician-owners of Bakersfield Heart Hospital.

"In humanity’s battle against Covid-19, the development of highly effective and safe vaccines, in a record time, has rightly been hailed as a miracle of science. The continued skepticism of some notwithstanding, there is no treatment that has this widely been studied in entire human history. Billions of dosages have been administered with a minuscule number of adverse effects. The alternative reality in the recesses of dark web has its own narrative, that by design, is built on misinformation and mischief. The vaccines were intended to be our ticket out of pandemic. Vaccines are effective shields that lend time limited immunity. These shields are not completely impervious or timeless against the virus.[Image]
But the vaccine generated immunity would have been effective and durable enough to give us time to beat the virus for good. The success was predicated on near universal adoption of vaccine, near simultaneously. The spectacular apathy of the leadership to coordinate a global response worked in favor of the virus. It took the “near simultaneous” out of equation. Logistics got even murkier near home. The initial disequilibrium between demand and supply was soon remedied and vaccine abundance hit the stubborn wall of vaccine resistance. Rest is history. The waning immunity among the earlier vaccinated and virus friendly behavior of vaccine resistant are contriving now to expand vulnerability all over again. Hospitals are bursting at seams and virus is killing in high numbers, again. The booster shots among the willing will temporarily shrink the susceptible population base. The overriding concern persists. This vicious cycle will continue to play ceaselessly as waning immunity meets vaccine resistant again.  And again! A rendezvous guaranteed by the antivaxxers. The pandemic will perpetuate, with luck only at an elevated endemic level. Mere optimism wont reduce this threat to flu level anytime soon. When mischief is given a mulligan, society will be compelled to pick up the tab. As the virus ravages and stench of death thickens, the unhinged celebrate their liberties, un-infringed.The healthcare workers drag their beat up carcasses to the service of sick by choice, as truly sick are crowded out. Death mounts, life expectancy continues to fall. Unattended strokes and heart attacks die a preventable death. The nation rightfully convulsed with a collective shock when 13 marines were massacred in a botched exit from Afghanistan. A daily death of 1300+ draws a collective yawn. Dead amidst death is a lost “sense of proportion”. A zombie nation indifferent to its own.The hollow vaccine mandates encourage some to find religion. Web based testimonials affirm exemptions and scoundrels find refuge.There is no real medical exception to vaccine other than past history of vaccine induced Guillain Barre syndrome. Or in rare occurrences, a demonstrated allergy to vaccine components. But the diligent are not wary, they will hustle and invent any number of health based exceptions. Mandate is an exercise in mockery.
 "Healthcare workers are reaching a breaking point. They are mercilessly exposed to the virus through the actions of vaccine resistant. There is a palpable fear and building frustration.Then there is guilt.We fail Hippocratic oath when we lend silent acquiescence to the spread of infection. We make mockery of the oath when we allow the unvaccinated to kill the vulnerable.This death and killing has to stop.And yes, our lives matter too.
"We can’t be detached spectators to this arsonist inferno. We can’t volunteer to be a vassal for an invasive and relentlessly proliferative virus.We can’t deliberately usher infection home.We can’t be coerced in to a Russian roulette, attending to infection seekers by choice.An interesting imposition and infringement on our health and liberties, to save the immortal and suicidal.Is sanity forbidden?Is commonsense comatose?Line in the sand begs to be drawn.This conversation is completely respectful to political and religious preferences. The virus, however, is totally agnostic.Get vaccinated."Stop perpetuating the pandemic.