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Is this what we want?

I felt an overwhelming sadness after reading “I need surgery and I don’t know when I am going to get it.” (Sept. 17)

It certainly raises a number of questions about our health care system. Why are hospitals allowing the medical care for those who choose to be unvaccinated to take precedence over those who need non-COVID medical care? Why does our health care system permit unvaccinated individuals to infringe on the welfare of others by putting unvaccinated COVID patients’ medical needs ahead of the vaccinated? Are vaccinated patients unworthy of a reasonable, non-crisis standard of care during yet another predictable and preventable COVID surge?

If someone chooses not to be vaccinated, shouldn’t they be the ones to bear the burden and face the consequences of their decision rather than those who take precautionary measures to mitigate their risk by getting vaccinated? Why don’t hospitals limit the number of beds allotted for unvaccinated COVID patients? Once the unvaccinated COVID ward is full, incoming unvaccinated COVID patients will have to wait until space becomes available.

Why don’t hospitals institute a policy of offering unvaccinated COVID-19 patients palliative care and reserve restorative care for the vaccinated? Why must this current burden of escalated health care demand be borne by those who require non-COVID treatments and not those who choose to remain unvaccinated? Is this the society we all want; one which sends unvaccinated COVID patients to the front of the line while everyone else waits indefinitely for their turn?

Robyn Cole

Rathdrum

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