Vaccination segregation

I am writing to express my outrage that the state and local health authorities and the Spokane school district are choosing to allow and encourage segregation of guests at the outdoor graduation ceremonies based on vaccination status.

It is simply wrong to separate humans on this basis. It creates a class system where the unvaccinated are clearly “less” than the vaccinated. It promotes a notion that the unvaccinated can get a lower level of service or no service at all in our system, our economy. It divides us against one another. People who are vaccinated are being taught to hate and discriminate against those who are not vaccinated.

All of that when the arguments for segregation based on health concerns are misguided and unsupported by science. Science supports that the bulk of those vaccinated or who have recovered from infection (which is NEVER mentioned with COVID-19) protect those who are not immune. Science supports that in an outdoor event, there is very little chance of spreading COVID-19, especially with some social distancing, which could be encouraged for the entire guest population instead of treating those who are not vaccinated as second-class citizens.

Patrick O’Neil

Spokane