Kaicie Boeglin
Opinions Editor
Pfizer, the company responsible for the 90% effective coronavirus vaccine, has chosen Rhode Island as one of four states to be a part of a vaccine pilot program. The news announcement made on November 17 put rhodies in a buzz all over social media. The question of whether or not Governor Gina Raimondo will take part in this program is up in the air.
Monika Wisniewska is a prominent Polish author who advocates that “the vaccine should be tested on politicians first. If they survive, the vaccine is safe. If they don’t, then the country is safe.” This theory is the best fitting to regain the trust of all Americans. This nation has been divided for centuries, and true 100% unity is something that will never exist in our time period. However, trust can be placed back onto politicians if they were to take effort to show their constituents their care for people’s safety during the pandemic.
Raimondo has urged people to stay home, wear masks, social distance, avoid normal life and even pray; now we hope that she takes a stand in being one of the first Rhode Islanders vaccinated. In order to show a strong stance on COVID-19 precautions, it would be smart on the governor's part to go public with a choice to be vaccinated. It would be prolific for the governor to be vaccinated first because Rhode Islanders would begin to trust her more and possibly listen and adhere to her COVID-19 phase policies.
The governor wants the state to see the severity of the pandemic and the rise in coronavirus cases; she can see this wish out by being one of the first people ever vaccinated for COVID-19. As the partnership with Pfizer stands, the state has been in cahoots for weeks and is set to test the delivery, deployment and administration of its COVID-19 vaccine. Rhode Island’s immunization infrastructure, population and size were all factors in being a chosen state. We were chosen along with Texas, New Mexico and Tennessee. Therefore, word of Raimondo’s choice whether or not to be vaccinated would be big news throughout more than just our own state.
The willingness of a politician to be vaccinated as a trial shows benefit and respect for the people they represent. The respect comes from testing a vaccine that is only 90% effective in killing a disease that is rapidly advancing. The benefits are the outcomes that stem from seeing elected officials be vaccinated. The headlines don’t care when one average Joe dies, however they do care when the case numbers are on the rise. The people will care when elected officials risk their lives testing the first vaccination on a virus infecting and killing the nation.
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