Traveling back to normal with a vaccine passport

Thanks to the millions of vaccines being administered daily in the US, it appears we may actually be “rounding the corner” against this pandemic, to quote the words of the former Occupant in Chief.

Of course, when he said it eight or nine months ago, the words rang hollow, as all lies do. If you spend eight months rounding a corner, that’s known as going in a circle.

But now, with vaccines abundant and with sensible citizens rolling up their sleeves to get poked, and with infection and death rates falling, it seems we’re actually rounding the corner and seeing the light at the end of a tunnel. And it makes me so happy, I’m mixing my metaphors with impunity.

Of course, just because vaccines are available, that doesn’t mean that everyone will take the poke. According to surveys, as many as thirty percent of Americans say they will refuse to be vaccinated. “Nobody can force me,” those lunkheads bray. “It’s a free country.”

And they have every right to say that. Nobody should be forced to take any medical treatment they don’t want to take. Not in a free country.

But of course, when the subject of vaccine passports comes up, those same “freedom” lunkheads complain if cruise lines, amusement parks or concert venues exercise their freedom to open their doors only to citizens who can prove that they’re not super-spreaders.

“That’s un-American,” they whimper. “They want to force me to get a vaccine I don’t want to get.”

To which I have two words in answer to those foot-draggers: “Boo hoo.” (I actually have two other words I’d rather say to them, but my editor won’t allow it, so “Boo hoo” it is.)

Look, nobody is forcing you to get a vaccine, just as nobody is forcing you to quit smoking when doors are closed to you at restaurants. “Smoke if you want. Stay vaccine-free if you want. But you can’t do it here” is what businesses should have the right to say, especially when it’s a life-and-death safety issue that impacts all of us.

Businesses such as amusement parks have been limiting people’s rights for a long time. We’ve all seen the signs that say “You must be this tall to go on this ride,” and nobody complains about discrimination or injustice, because it’s a sensible safety matter. Small children or very short adults would be at serious risk on certain rides, and so they must be turned away.

Nobody chooses to be too small to ride on a roller coaster. Height is a matter entirely out of a child’s control, but — sorry, kid — this ride is closed to you. Boo hoo.

Why shouldn’t amusement parks have the same right to refuse entry to lunkheads who endanger the health of other responsible citizens — especially when their doing so is a matter of selfish choice? Allowing unvaccinated adults to risk the health of others is an avoidable safety issue, so — boo hoo — this ride (or restaurant, or concert) is open only to those with vaccine passports.

It makes sense to me.

As a performing musician who hasn’t played a gig since February of 2020, I miss those days when we could gather in crowded venues, rubbing shoulders with others and singing mask-lessly along with the music. I can’t wait to do it again.

But I understand why audiences would be reluctant to rush back to gatherings like that, especially after the nightmare year we have all gone through. How can you be sure that the guy sitting next to you—or the guy caterwauling into the microphone—is responsible enough to have taken measures to protect his and your health?

A vaccine passport would be a great step in the right direction.

I’ve gotten my double vaccine, and I’d be glad to have a document to prove it to a roomful of others who also care for their health, and the health of others. With a vaccine passport, maybe our music venues can open again and we can sing along together sometime soon.

I can’t guarantee that the music will be any good, but at least it won’t kill you.

Author, musician and storyteller TR Kerth is a retired teacher who has lived in Sun City Huntley since 2003. Contact him at trkerth@yahoo.com. Can’t wait for your next visit to Planet Kerth? Then get TR’s book, “Revenge of the Sardines,” available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other online book distributors.

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