Only 31
Only 31% of blacks in NYC have the vaccine. This is going to punish them the most. Will they be allowed to claim unemployment because they refuse to get vaccinated and now aren’t allowed to work? Should they?
Whether or not your number is correct, those are reasonable questions.
It's pretty clear this is the "stick" part of the equation - the part that has been lacking for too long.
Some blacks may have better reasons for being suspicious of government medical treatments, but even those who fall into this category need to get on board.
My opinion is that if you can't work because you won't get vaccinated, and you don't have a legit medical reason, then you should not be eligible for COVID benefits, including unemployment. That hard line needs to be moderated, of course, where children are involved.
I know that sounds harsh coming from a certified lefty, but sometimes the good of the many is the overriding good.
We've already spent 18 months following a mostly least-intrusive path, and that has lead to hundreds of thousands of extra deaths. Time to get serious.
And, yes, I understand that some think this variant is less deadly - and should, therefore, warrant less intrusive measures. But the much higher transmissibility argues against that view.