To the editor:

This morning I read a front page article in the SDN entitled “Active cases climb above 2000”. This is referring to our community, Shelby county.. The cases of Covid 19 have increased 768 from last week’s numbers. The article goes on to state Shelby county’s completed vaccine rate is only 37.45%! This is about 1/2 of the national total. Even more alarming, it states only 207 children aged 5-11, and 668 aged 12-17 have been fully or partially vaccinated.

Covid 19 vaccines are free, safe, and offer excellent protection from this terrible virus. Yes, you may get a “breakthrough case”, but what is important, you will not need hospitalization, so you will not be taking space for a loved one or someone else who may need care for a non Covid problem, ie heart attack or stroke.

These vaccines are fully FDA approved. Please consider vaccinating yourself and your children aged 5 and over. (Vaccination for those under 5 should be available in the next few months). Doing so helps not only you, but protects all those you come into contact with.

Together we can help defeat this pandemic, but it takes all of us.

Respectfully,

Dr. Kenneth Bosslet

Sidney