How can we learn from our mistakes and improve our plight if we remain silent on vaccines?

To the Editor:

Thank you for printing different views and opinions. I am saddened to learn that some readers have criticized you for publishing letters they believe spread Covid misinformation. I ask them who should determine what can or can’t be said. How can we learn from our mistakes and improve our plight if we remain silent without discussing our concerns or asking questions?

When I taught Science, I encouraged my students to make observations, ask questions, and engage in discussion so they could generate more questions that fuel investigation. I find myself in a scary place now where thinking is discouraged and we feel pressured to unquestionably accept what we are told. The Scientific Method has been set aside. There is no room for discussion or debate and Science doesn’t seem to be Science anymore.

I have made some observations that leave me with questions to think about:

Now that we have learned that vaccinated and unvaccinated people alike can spread the virus to others, why is proof of vaccination still required in college, some places of employment, and many entertainment venues?

Is the viral load that is transmitted by a vaccinated person less than the viral load transmitted by an unvaccinated person?

Since vaccination does not prevent transmission and the long-term side effects of vaccines can’t be known, why are we being encouraged to vaccinate our children in a one size fits all approach?

What is the difference between vaccine immunity and natural immunity? Do they both wane over time at the same rate?

Who funds fact checkers, such as Politifact? Can we trust the fact checkers?

We’ve been through hard times, and uncertainty and fear have pitted us against each other. (Believe this and you’re a good person, believe that and you’re a bad person!) Vaccines play a very important role in saving lives, but they do not stop transmission. Why not build upon what we have learned and ask questions that expand our knowledge base so we can learn more ways to protect us from the virus or mitigate its severity?

We are citizens of the United States of America, and I believe that if we stay united in our efforts to keep a civil discussion going without fear of recrimination, we’ll get through this together!

Eva Marie Hiller

Sparta, N.J.