There are some questions that we all kind of accept are going to be asked of us. We have even come up with dumb responses to every day questions. Whether it be how are you, how goes it, how’s the family, or just what’s up, we’ve come to expect at least some variation of these questions.
Then there are questions we are taught neve to ask. For example, you should never ask how much money someone makes. Or if you’re a dude that does eventually want to have a woman in your life, never ask how much she weighs.
To be completely honest, I always put medical things in that second category. I would never ask anyone for any kind of medical information unless that was the conversation. And having a mother, father and an aunt in the medical field, I am very aware that there are some very serious consequences for divulging any kind of medical information.
So here we are today, and one of the first questions people ask each other is whether or not they’ve had their Covid vaccine.
Being someone who is incredibly open with my medical history, I don’t mind answering that question. FYI, I am fully vaccinated because my job basically told me I need to. I don’t mind giving anyone that information. But there are plenty of people who hold things like that a little closer to the chest.
That brings us to earlier this week. The NFL sent out a memo basically saying that if there are any Covid outbreaks among unvaccinated players, they will be forced to forfeit games. That is a hard left turn from last year’s “rescheduling of some of the games, but not all of them” mentality.
That led to a shit storm of comments and tweets from players and media members. Arizona Cardinals wide out DeAndre Hopkins said in a deleted tweet that he “questioned” his future in the NFL if there were vaccination mandates. Several coaches from all over the league have decided to leave their teams due to the memo. Including a member of the Patriots staff.
Now, when it comes to mandating the vaccine, the NFL can do what they want. They’re a private company that has the right to make any decisions they like. That being said, the NFL Players Association may have something to say about any kind of required vaccination. That is up to them, and I’m sure there will be at least one lawsuit that discusses this. I won’t venture an opinion here, they’ll figure it out amongst themselves.
What I have a problem with is these media members that now insist on asking players if they’ve been vaccinated. Listen, there are players like Cole Beasely of the Buffalo Bills who have said that they will not be getting the vaccine. That’s their choice and it is their right to choose. But then you have the players who have said nothing about the vaccine issue now being interrogated about it.
On Friday, Dallas QB Dak Prescott refused to answer whether he is vaccinated on the grounds of “HIPPA”. Now as for HIPPA, it doesn’t apply to telling anyone about your own medical information, but I think folks can see what he meant.
It isn’t any of our business whether Dak Prescott has his vaccine. That is between him and his employer. Whether he believes he should get the vaccine or not, it is none of the media’s business. Just like he doesn’t have to tell you what happened at his last physical.
Now Dak handled it perfectly. He shut the question down and answered it without answering it. Almost Belichickian in a way.
Then I saw Dak being vilified as an “anti-vaxxer” on social media and a spreader of “misinformation.” First thing, he didn’t spread any information. He literally didn’t share anything. He said he wouldn’t answer. We still have no idea whether or not Prescott is vaccinated. Idiots in the media just take the non-answer as a no. They then go into their tail spin and call him a “dumb dumb.”
If you put a gun to my head and asked me to guess whether Dak had his vaccine, I’d probably say no. Even if that is true, do you think calling him dumb and a “moron” for not getting the wanting more info on it is going to make him more likely to get it? Not a chance. If you let people make their own decisions and give them information rather than shaming and vilifying them, you’d get a lot better vaccination numbers. Trust me.
As far as the vaccine itself, I always assumed it was a lot like the yearly flu vaccine. It isn’t an absolute shield against Covid. As the “breakthrough” cases are proving. It is just a preventative measure that will make you much less likely to get the virus, and if you do, it’ll lessen the symptoms. So basically, if you are vaccinated, you are as protected as you are going to get. Then, if the unvaccinated get it, they’ll then have the antibodies and everyone is good. I do understand that medicine isn’t a perfect science, and there are always exceptions to every rule. And those with other medical issues should make those decisions with their medical team.
But when it comes to asking NFL players if they’ve been vaccinated, just stop. If these players are smart, they’ll take a page out of Dak’s playbook and simply not answer. It is then on us as the consumer of this information to not jump to conclusions. But unfortunately, most people aren’t quite smart enough that not answering a question is simply that.
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