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LETTER: Langley City resident pokes holes in opinion piece about vaccination hesitancy

A letter writer shares her opinion on why some people may not want the shots
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A Langley City resident takes issue with an opinion piece by reporter Matthew Claxton about vaccination hesitancy. (Ronan O’Doherty/Black Press Media)

Dear Editor,

First, thanks for your interesting newspaper and for publishing a variety of perspectives.

I’m writing, because I take issue with Matthew Claxton’s article of May 13: Forget about the anti-social.

He associates those who take the COVID shot with unselfishness and pro-social behaviours. This could well be true – I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that some folks here in Langley are getting the shot mainly because they don’t want to be an agent of transmission to others.

But the clear implication of his article is to deprecate anyone who is not eager to get the shot, broadly categorizing them as anti-social, irresponsible, and selfish.

I find this unfair. Getting an injection of any substance is a medical intervention, and as a nurse I believe that all people should be able to make medical decisions with informed consent and without duress.

I realize this reporter is not a physician speaking to a patient, but I still take issue with his pressuring folks to make a certain medical decision by implying that they are not good people if they don’t agree with him.

Stephanie Britton, Langley City

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