Thank Goodness We Are Free

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The number of Americans have been vaccinated against the Covid-19 as of yesterday are at 45.8% and 54.1% (full and one shot only respectively).  The progress is slower than the White House has hoped which is 70% by the fourth of July.   And this may not be all bad.

Percentage of Americans vaccinated as of 22 Jun 2021

Why the hesitancy when the shot is free with the governments covering the costs?  Three typical of reasons are:

1. Vaccines are approved for emergency use only.  Any long term effect is yet to be determined,
2. Risk of being infected by the Covid-19 is lower than that of being in automobile accidents, and the risk will continue to diminish as more people are vaccinated,
3. Severity of the pandemic is oversold by the government when one’s own immune system maybe  sufficient to handle it.   Only 1.8% infected cases resulted in deaths.

Rightly or wrongly, 35% of the US population hold this kind of beliefs. 

But here is the important point: because America is free, everyone is entitled to their beliefs and free to choose whether they should get vaccinated or not.  This tolerance on people’s basic right is quite a contrast to some other countries’ practices.

For instance, China does not have such tolerance.  Case in point is that China continues to crack down on its Hong Kong residents with the new National Security Law.  “The law punishes anything the authorities deem to be subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison.”  The largest pro-democracy publication in Hong Kong, Apple Daily, is shutting down this week under the pretext of this law.

In contrast, our freedom is guaranteed by the Constitution.  And thank goodness for that.

Is there a tipping point when it comes to public health or other public goods?