Daniel Darling: Why, as a Christian and an American, I got the COVID vaccine
Editor's note: The National Religious Broadcasters fired Daniel Darling, senior vice president of communications, Friday for opinions expressed in this column, originally published Aug. 1. Darling affirmed his view that Christians should get a COVID-19 vaccination Aug. 2 on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program. The Religion News Service reported that NRB executives told Darling that his public comments violated the organization’s policy of neutrality on COVID-19 vaccines.
If you’ve paid any attention to the news in recent months, you’ve probably seen stories about the number of people who are reluctant or refuse to get the COVID-19 vaccine. There’s a lot of hostility out there toward these vaccines, and honestly, I get it. If you’re one of those people, I understand exactly where you’re coming from.
After being told we had to shut down for two weeks to “flatten the curve” and “slow the spread,” the shutdowns turned into months, and in some parts of the country, well over a year.
Our public health officials have continued to give confusing guidance, condemning any and all public gatherings, then praising public protests. Some have even misled the public about the efficacy of masks and the possible source of the COVID-19 virus.
Journalists have, at times, selectively shamed certain populations for failure to wear masks and for gathering while ignoring others. And the narrative, proven false by actual data, that some red states performed worse on COVID than blue states, is tiresome and false.
What’s more, we are experiencing a deficit of trust in our institutions. At almost every level — political, business, religious — we have seen profound and catastrophic failure by those we’ve asked to lead us.
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We’ve all watched elitism, a lack of transparency and a general failure to listen to the concerns of people who live at the end of their decisions create major distrust in the foundational institutions of our society. Our leaders have grown entrenched and isolated from the people they lead.
And yet, in spite of this cloud of confusion and era of mistrust, I felt it was important for me and my family to get the vaccine. Why?
First, I’ve been following the development of the vaccine since early last year. The discovery and technology are one of the most amazing feats of discovery in modern history. The discovery was made by dedicated scientists and doctors — many of whom are people of deep Christian faith.
Vaccine approval process was rigorous
The process has been incredibly transparent, with the FDA setting unusually high standards, higher than many other Western nations, and insisting on rigorous and expanded clinical trials.
Some have even said this process was too rigorous, delaying the delivery of a lifesaving vaccine. One vaccine, Johnson and Johnson, was even temporarily pulled back over an infinitely small percentage of adverse reactions.
Second, this vaccine was shepherded through the process by President Donald Trump. However you feel about our former chief executive, you can agree that he is not someone who would blindly go along with conventional wisdom.
The normal vaccine timeline was cut short — not because of shortcuts to the process of testing and trials — but because the federal government, under Trump’s leadership, provided the resources to make sure the vaccine could be quickly produced and distributed as soon as it was deemed safe.
This feat of innovation and production was a uniquely American success story, akin to the way in which America rallied during World War II to step up defense production to defeat the fascist threat. I’m proud that our American companies were able to put aside their competitiveness, share resources and work with the government to produce a life-saving vaccine.
Vaccine could save your life
Third, there is no question that the vaccine has saved millions of lives. There is no doubt anymore that the vaccines not only reduce the spread of COVID-19, but that they also substantially reduce the possibility of death from COVID-19.
This is not opinion or conjecture, but fact. In places with high vaccination rates, cases are down and hospitalizations and deaths are way down. And where COVID cases are rising, the most severe cases requiring hospitalization are almost all among the non-vaccinated.
Last, I believe in this vaccine because I don’t want to see anyone else die of COVID. Our family has lost too many close friends and relatives to COVID, including an uncle, a beloved church member and our piano teacher.
Amy, who taught our kids every week for seven years, contracted COVID last fall and died within a week, devastating our family. Had the vaccine been available two months earlier, she would still be with us.
I know of healthy people in their 40s who were understandably skeptical of the vaccine only to catch COVID and lose their lives. I don’t want anyone else to die unnecessarily.
I know some reading this are still hesitant. I’m not writing this to shame anyone. I think it is perfectly reasonable to have questions and skepticism about a new vaccine. Injecting a new chemical in your body is a very personal decision. Nobody should shame you into it.
And yet, I would hope you will at least talk to your doctor or pharmacist or someone you trust about it and consider getting vaccinated to protect yourself and your neighbors from this deadly virus.
There are not many things in the world today that are worthy of our trust, but I sincerely believe the COVID-19 vaccine is one of them.
As a Christian and an American, I was proud to get it.
Daniel Darling is senior vice president of communications at National Religious Broadcasters and the author of several books, including "A Way with Words: Using Our Online Conversations for Good." Follow him on Twitter: @dandarling
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Christians should get the COVID vaccine: Daniel Darling
