It is unfortunate that a public health issue has become so politicized and polarizing. That started with "I wouldn't get the vaccine if Trump recommended it" and snowballed from there. Much of the confusion is that Fauci was over exposed to the media and said far too much from the start.
I, and most of my friends at 70-something, am in the target zone for this disease to kill you. I got the vaccine in January. I have lost a good friend, who was receiving chemo, to Covid 19 . One of my best friends is right now in ICU on oxygen in his third week since contracting the disease. He knew he had it but waited to seek treatment until he thought he was circling the drain, and it snowballed on him. He has pneumonia and blood clots in his lungs. His underlying condition was high blood pressure and otherwise is fit. Although it is absolutely his right to refuse the vaccine, he is now regretting his decision to not get the vaccine 8 months ago when it was made available to us 65-and-overs here in Florida. He decided to not get the vaccine because of some posts he read on the internet.
The fact is, if you have underlying conditions, or maybe not, this is a serious disease and it can kill you. Many in our family are in the medical profession. My youngest daughter is a trauma physician in a major hospital and she sees Covid 19 patients in the ER every day. It is frustrating to medical professionals to see people with Covid 19 come to the ER days after experiencing early symptoms and then sit in the ER exposing everyone in the facility. Some are obese or have underlying conditions, and some are not. But every single one who they admit to the ICU have not received the vaccine. If you get Covid after the vaccine, it is not as severe. 18 months into the pandemic, nurses are quitting out of frustration of watching patients become gravely ill or die because they refused the vaccine. It has contributing to a nursing shortage nation wide.
It is essential that the military be vaccinated against many diseases, as widespread infectious disease has a devastating effect on readiness. Likewise healthcare staff should be vaccinated. Beyond that, it is up to individual entities to decide whether to require it in their venues.
It is absolutely your right to refuse the vaccine and there should be no strings attached to other rights if you do not. All I ask is that folks make an informed decision, based upon medical advice rather than on something they read on the internet. Ask your doctor, it is his or her job to know and give you the best medical advice. Get a second opinion if you want, and refuse it if you want, but make an informed decision.