Be careful with vaccinations

To the Editor:

With a heavy heart, I write this letter. I am a Vietnam Veteran, a retired business owner of the community, a father, grandfather, and a proud supporter of our country. I love my country and would give my life for her.

I served in the U.S. Army from 1963-1966 during which I was in Vietnam from 1965-1966 as an aircraft mechanic. During that time, I saw many different situations, but the one that has struck me forever, is the use of Agent Orange, which was a chemical created by scientists to kill foliage. When instructed to handle and deliver it to the people in the fields, we were told not to worry about getting the chemical on us as it was “safe enough” to drink.

From handling Agent Orange, I have now been diagnosed with seven medical issues caused from the use/exposure to Agent Orange. The Veterans Affairs doctors have told me there are 16 presumptuous medical issues from the use/exposure of Agent Orange. Now keep in mind, this is 50 plus years later when we were told Agent Orange was safe enough to drink. For further information on the diseases associated with Agent Orange, please refer to the local Veteran’s Office or the Veterans Affairs website.

Now we are being told to get a COVID vaccination. I am not saying anyone that has been vaccinated is wrong. I am not judging anyone by their vaccination status. I’m just trying to convey that you should do what you feel is right. I, for one, am not getting vaccinated as my philosophy is “fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me” and specifically from my personal experience of using something that was not researched for the long-term effects. There are a lot of “unknowns” with regards to the vaccine and if we could look ahead 50 years, we would probably have a better understanding. Please be careful what goes into your body as we DO NOT know what long-term effects if may have.

Thomas E. Westcott

Fairmont