Trump Should Be Vaccinated First

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According to a new New York Times piece, the Trump White House is claiming first dibs on the new COVID vaccine that is shipping as I type.

Folks are, predictably, outraged. The people who were dismissive of the virus should be last on line, right? The folks who mocked others for wearing masks should be waaaaay in the back. That folks who engaged in superspreader events, as if they were somehow immune, would get the vaccine first is an outrage.

Their antics, after all, have cost the nation dearly. Their followers believed them. They did everything they could do sow distrust of science. As if this was a blue state problem.

300,000 dead. And counting.

But. And you knew there had to be a “but” didn’t you? You saw the caption to this post. Trump should go first.

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There are a lot of people distrusting the vaccine at the moment. Why? Well, partly because some wish to ignore science, some say the virus is a hoax and some because they think political pressure from Trump may have rushed a vaccine to the public before it was proven safe.

But widespread vaccination is critical to stop the virus. And you can’t have widespread vaccination without widespread acceptance.

So Trump and his cronies — who have done everything possible to make this situation worse — getting the vaccine sends a message to people: Science is important, the virus is not a hoax and the vaccine is safe.

So Trump should go first, followed by Presidents Obama, Clinton, Bush and Carter. As they have already stated they would.

The outrage about Trump is duly noted. The irony is obvious.

But the safety of the nation is more important. The sooner the virus is under control the sooner we put those masks in the drawer and start going to ballgames, restaurants and back into the homes of our family and friends. Without fear of illness.