'Tis the Season to Make Choices (COVID-19)

'Tis the season to make choices. My family reluctantly made the choice not to go to a Christmas party, after hearing that people who are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine have chosen not to get vaccinated. It is disappointing, but the pandemic is real and the virus is still killing people. As I write this, the state of Minnesota has passed 10,000 deaths (and climbing). The United States is just a few thousand away from reaching 800,000 deaths from the virus. The world death total has exceeded 5 million. Each new case, means that the virus has released its own genetic material into the cells of the infected individual. So, while the vaccine is not changing people's DNA, the SARS-CoV-2 virus is directly interacting with the cells of infected individuals and changing how those cells function. While the vaccine does not scare me, the virus does. Each time it infects a new organism (or person), it can mutate into a slightly new version of the virus. I know why I'm making my choices, even if it comes with social implications. This is not about anyone's personal rights, as much as it is about doing what is best for everyone. My family has people in our extended family who are already immunocompromised due to health issues. We need to act responsibly for the good of all—and to ultimately end this pandemic. Happy Holidays.