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This column reflects the opinion of the writer. Learn about the differences between a news story and an opinion column.

Vaccine hesitancy justified

With Operation Warp Speed, multiple vaccines became available for public consumption in record time. The world embarked on the single largest medical trial in history. It makes sense that the elderly and younger adults with underlying health conditions would take a vaccine. Given that we are still in the infancy of a trial period, I have to ask the following questions:

Why would any young adult with aspirations to have children take any of the vaccines available? The risks to their child bearing capacity are completely unknown as are the risks to the conceived child. The only exception might be people in this category that have underlying health conditions, which could outweigh the risk of unknown effects of the vaccine on child bearing. Remember, young adults are at a very low risk of complications and even lower risk of death from the disease.

Why would any responsible parent enroll their children in this massive trial when the risk to their future is completely unknown?Children have an even lower risk of complication or death than the group above.

Medical experts say that to date there are no indications that the vaccines will have any effect on fertility. With only 6 to 8 months of vaccines, there are no reliable studies on possible negative side effects on humans.

Why would anyone with plans to become parents take the risk and why would any parent subject their underage children to possible side effects of vaccines that are not yet a year old?

Jeff Kilgore

Deer Park

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