Saving Lives Requires Restoring Trust in Government

The fight against COVID should not be a political statement. We must not allow our mistrust of politicians and government to kill us.

"Doctor in protective suit and face mask holding syringe" by focusonmore.com is licensed under CC BY 2.0

A few weeks ago, a friend who owns a popular restaurant in Jackson County had a very difficult battle with COVID. Healthy, about my age, and fully vaccinated, the last thing he expected was to catch COVID. But he did and it brought a fever of 106 and rendered him barely able to breathe. Being vaccinated did not prevent him from catching COVID, but in his opinion it was what ultimately saved his life.

My husband and I were both vaccinated last February when we volunteered at the mass vaccination event at the Expo in Central Point. My decision to be vaccinated was not an easy one. I grew up in a family that was extremely health conscious. We ate all organic and non-GMO foods long before it was mainstream. We were served watermelon instead of cake on our birthdays (very disappointing for a kid). And, we were not vaccinated. 

Years later, when I registered for college in New York, I was told that I could not complete my registration without proof of vaccination. With only four days left to register, I made an appointment with my doctor and received all my vaccinations at once. Months later I developed an autoimmune condition that attacked my thyroid. I have often wondered if there was a link between that series of events.

Given my heightened concern over vaccinations, I gave the COVID vaccine careful consideration before making my decision. I read extensively about mRNA technology and consulted with my doctor. What ultimately compelled me to receive the vaccine was that I have numerous personal interactions at my business, with my extended family, and within the community. I knew that I could not live with myself if I transmitted this disease to someone else, especially if they ended up with severe complications, or worse, did not recover. I assessed my own risk and lifestyle, and made my own decision. I was not mandated by the government or an employer to get vaccinated.

In Oregon and across the country, there are many groups of parents and individuals that support medical freedom. I also support medical freedom. I believe that individuals have the right to decide what medical procedures, including vaccinations, are right for themselves and their families. There is a misperception these individuals are uninformed. On the contrary, many have gone to great lengths to familiarize themselves with the pros and cons of each medical treatment they are considering. Despite this, many of those who support medical freedom have been dismissed, bullied, and marginalized.

For the past several years our state has been trying to eliminate vaccine exemptions for school children, despite the desperate pleas from parents who believe their children have been harmed by childhood vaccines. Instead of doing the work to rebuild trust through transparency, understanding, and education, our leaders have pursued a very heavy-handed approach, further fueling a mistrust of government. Our leaders need to understand that trust is a two-way exchange. Trust cannot be mandated—it must be built.

The first two decades of the 21st century have given us more than just a few reasons to mistrust our institutions. The war in Iraq, the recession of 2008, and the political turmoil since the 2016 election have resulted in understandable distrust of our government, large corporations, mainstream media, and especially politicians. When political motives seem to be behind every decision, it’s hard to see when elected officials are really acting in your best interest. Our response to COVID has been no exception. I’m not surprised people are pushing back when it comes to a novel mRNA vaccine that was approved under the FDA’s use of an emergency authorization process. Vaccine mandates are not the answer. The answer is rebuilding trust between the government and the people.

We are going on year two of the COVID-19 pandemic and it will likely continue for longer than any of us had hoped. Rather than letting this further divide us, it is time to come together and focus on the goal of achieving herd immunity. We must find a way to keep our hospital systems from becoming overwhelmed while protecting medical freedom.

Here are some of my recommendations as you consider whether to receive the COVID vaccine:

• Don’t reflexively say no to the vaccine. Do your own research, speak to your doctor, and assess your own risk. Then make an informed decision. If that decision is yes to the vaccine, there are many in your community who will be eternally grateful to you.

• Help keep our hospitals from becoming overwhelmed. Avoid large groups of people you don’t normally interact with if you are unvaccinated. Focus on outdoor activities, spending time with family, and wearing a mask in public. If our hospitals are overwhelmed, they may not be capable of treating other life-threatening illnesses or injuries. None of us wants to see someone die in our community due to an inability to receive hospital care.

• Please be kind to each other and try not to politicize this issue. I know many of you are frustrated, but we are all in this together and we need to be on the same team. There is way too much blame and finger-pointing in the world already. We are all Oregonians and we should show the world that we are capable of working together to beat this.

Here is my plan to restore trust in government as we collectively deal with this pandemic:

• I will support informed choice and deliver information to Oregonians in the most unbiased way possible. I will make sure we are communicating the most up to date and accurate data on all aspects of COVID.

• I will ensure that vaccine related injuries reported within the state are thoroughly investigated, and that all relevant information is made public.

• I will not support statewide vaccine mandates without exemptions, or mandate vaccine passports for COVID-19 or any other vaccine. I will encourage local communities to work directly with the Oregon Health Authority in developing policies that are appropriate for that community.

• The state will act as a partner, not a dictator, on policy matters. Local communities will have the final say when it comes to mask mandates, business restrictions, and school closures. I believe that each region is unique and that local decision making best serves us all.

• I will ensure that Oregon hospital systems and providers have the clinical resources and support needed to fight this pandemic and care for all Oregonians. This includes support for delivering new therapeutic treatments as soon as they become available.

Bottom line: COVID is not going away any time soon. Without a vaccine, it would take many years to reach herd immunity through natural infection and antibody creation. All the while, we would be struggling with the mask and social distancing guidelines needed to prevent our hospital systems from being overwhelmed. Think about it. Years of wearing facemasks, social distancing, business and school closures, shortages of essential goods and services, and escalating social unrest as we become even more frustrated with government, and with each other. Please consider all of these factors when you decide what is best for you, your community, and for Oregon.

The fight against COVID should not be a political statement. We must not allow our mistrust of politicians and government to kill us.

Jessica Gomez is Founder/CEO of Rogue Valley Microdevices and serves on the OIT Board of Trustees, Oregon Healthcare & Oregon Business Development committees.

EDITOR’S NOTE: If you would like to share your own perspective on the vaccine, please leave a comment below.