San Diego citizens have expressed their anger over the continued deployment of COVID-19 restrictions, including mask usage and now compulsory vaccines for health workers. One resident, a refugee from Afghanistan, compared the board of supervisors to “terrorists”.
A health order issued by San Diego County back in June declared that people would still be subject to public health restrictions, regardless of whether or not they are fully vaccinated. Such guidelines require masks to be worn both indoors and outdoors. And now, as announced on August 5th, all healthcare workers will be required to take the vaccine.
Mariam, a first generation Afghan-American who fled her homeland to escape the Taliban, said that the county’s board of supervisors had left her “completely disappointed” with their policies on controlling the spread of the virus.
She declared, in a passionate tirade, “My family came here from Afghanistan. They ran away from the Taliban. You know what you guys are? You’re acting like terrorists. I want to live my life. And you guys are taking that away from me, just like they take it away from my people.”
Another resident took a different approach, posing the question, “What type of a mother would I be if I could not stand up for my children?”, adding “As a mother, I will never back down for my freedom and for the rights of my children.”
Heather Covell, a former nurse, told the supervisory board that her resignation had been prompted by the mandatory vaccination order. She drew attention to the hypocrisy of the situation, stating that she was “no problem working in the health care system over the last 18 months without a vaccine”, adding, “All of a sudden, I’m a threat to public health. Tell me where this makes sense.”
Emily Archuleta was also concerned about the vaccine mandates, warning that they need to “Let people choose”. She noted that people’s freedoms were not being restricted on other public health issues. “Look at obesity, killing 300,000 with many other health consequences, yet we still sell junk food. We give people the choice to do what they want with their body.”
The chairman of the board remains committed to following the advice of the state’s healthcare advisors.
God bless us all