Over the last two years, COVID-19 has significantly changed the daily lives of billions of people. Although the development of vaccines is slowing down the spread of the pandemic, there are still millions of people struggling with the consequences of the virus. The article by Doheny (2022), presented by the reputable healthcare source Medscape, examines the challenges of immunocompromised Americans. This issue is directly related to real life, as more than seven million people in the United States are still at severe risk due to the pandemic (Doheny, 2022). In other words, people with certain medical conditions are more vulnerable to the negative consequences of COVID-19 and require additional protection.
The article also examines the conflict between the nonimmunocompromised and immunocompromised people. It states that the general message from the first group is, “It’s up to you to protect yourself. Stop asking us to sacrifice for you” (Doheny, 2022, para. 7). In other words, many Americans are not ready to sacrifice their comfort (e.g. wear masks or get vaccinated) to protect people with medical conditions (Doheny, 2022). It is a highly relevant social medical issue both in America and globally, and it is essential to protect immunocompromised people. While it is primarily the government’s responsibility to provide people with all necessary medications, ordinary citizens can help as well. For instance, wearing masks and maintaining social distance are effective methods to minimize the risks of the virus spreading. In the article, one of the interviewees says, “I’ll keep wearing masks <…>, and I will keep pointing out the dangers to vulnerable populations” (Doheny, 2022, para. 36). Ultimately, although the peak of the pandemic is over, it is beneficial to follow the basic health etiquette of wearing masks and maintaining social distance to minimize the dangers for immunocompromised people.
Reference
Doheny, K. (2022). For millions, the pandemic is far from over: ‘We are indeed stuck.’ Medscape. Web.