Vaccines and Votes

ABC News

Two weeks before the presidential election in 2016, I went to a funeral for a friend.  At the wake immediately following the service, I found myself sitting next to a woman who exhibited a confident and professional demeanor that I found interesting.  I asked her what she did for a living, and she proudly told me she worked at a county-run public health clinic in one of the poorer neighborhoods of Los Angeles.  She was a nurse-practitioner and specialized in patient education and services, which meant she could use both her RN degree and her masters in healthcare policy.  “I take the most pleasure,” she said, “in working with families to make sure everyone is vaccinated, getting more exercise and keeping to a good diet.”

She asked about my health and I told her I had a few issues.  “Well, have you gotten your flu vaccine yet?  It’s highly recommended for people your age with chronic health conditions.”

“No, I haven’t,” I replied.

“Well, what are you waiting for?”

“Actually,” I said, “I never get the flu shot and I don’t plan to this year.”

She launched into a tirade about how irresponsible I was being.  Not only was I endangering my own health, I was endangering the health of the people I encountered every day, including my students and teaching colleagues, as well as my family.  In haranguing me, she turned a funereal occasion into a tense argument.

“Fact is,” I countered, “in the last twenty years I have had three people I cared about die from getting the flu shot.”

She waved her hand dismissively.

“No, really,” I insisted.  “I know for a fact that their doctors all recommended a flu shot because they were of a certain age and health profile.  They got the shot, and within a few days, contracted a severe case of the flu and died.”

“Do you really think the vaccine would still be on the market if it were dangerous to people?  That’s anecdotal evidence and not supported by any data.”

“Three people dead is not an anecdote.  And pharmaceutical companies have not had to pull other medications and vaccines off the market because they realized they were harming people?  Tell that to the people who had their livers destroyed by that diabetes drug a few years ago.”  She made a sound of disagreement and shook her head.  “And how do they know what strain of flu to vaccinate for?”

“It is the one strain the CDC finds most prevalent for that particular year.”

“Yeah, and how often have they gotten that wrong?  How many times do other strains of the flu sicken people who have been properly vaccinated?  My anecdotal friends died because they had pre-existing health conditions that made them too weak to fight off the very strain they were vaccinated for.”

Her formerly professional demeanor was now smug and offensive. I changed the subject.

“I assume you are seeing a lot more insured patients now with the Affordable Care Act,” I said.

She assured me that the Obama administration’s work really benefited patients from poorer neighborhoods and those who could not afford their own insurance, although many could still not get insured or were afraid to get a policy because they did not have documents.  Her mission was to find a way to get them coverage and educate them about how to enroll and work within the system.

“So you will be voting for Hillary then, right?”

She shook her head again and made that sound of disapproval.  “Nope.  I hate that woman,” she continued.  “I’m a diehard Bernie fan and I voted for him.”

“Yes, but he is not the nominee.”

“That’s why I refuse to vote for Hillary.  The party pushed her out front and ignored all the people who wanted Bernie.”

I was still trying to understand where she was going with this when she blurted out:  “I’m gonna vote for Trump as a protest vote.  If you don’t want to let Bernie in, to hell with you all and you get Trump.”

She could not hide her pleasure in this position.

“Trump is going to destroy Obama Care; he is going to declare war on poor people, the very people you serve; he is someone who has revealed his misogyny, his racism, his contempt for the Constitution, and he hasn’t even won the election yet.”

“Oh, he’s not going to win,” she waved her hand dismissively.  “I’m just registering my protest vote.  It’s Bernie or you can have the orange idiot.”

I wished her good luck and excused myself.

Many times over the last four years, I have thought about that conversation.  I would like to talk to her again if only to ask a single question in light of the last four years:  “That whole vote of protest for Trump that probably got him elected, how’s that working out for you?”

I think I know the answer.