Veda Rolle, a Bahamian native and woman of faith, has lived in The Bahamas her entire life and thrived on the sun, sand, and sea in her home, an island paradise. Although the vaccine has been shown to assist in recuperation and weaken the pandemic strain impact, she is adamant in her choice to remain unvaccinated. The Bahamas experienced 37,453 COVID cases throughout the pandemic, with 833 deaths.  

With the vaccine, just like the rest of the world, the country began opening up under a new way of living while coping with the pandemic. On the bright side, The Bahamas has recently been cleared with level 1 status by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The Minister of Health and Wellness, the Honorable Dr. Michael R. Darville, commented on the cause of this shift in status by saying,

“The Level 1 CDC rating reflected the sustained downward trend in COVID-19 infection rates in the country, which is due in no small part to how Bahamians and residents have adhered to COVID-19 protocols and bode well for our tourism industry and our economy.”

The Minister of Health and Wellness, the Honorable Dr. Michael R. Darville, The Bahamas

Fear of the vaccine has been a topic of interest since its release. For Veda, she feels at ease remaining in a “wait-and-see situation.” She explained her concern for the long-term effects of the vaccine and not knowing the health impacts of what is being placed inside the shots. When commenting on her personal choice to remain unvaccinated, she expressed her resistance to the vaccine by saying:

“I don’t trust the Big Pharma, and I don’t admire the government’s position of coercing folks to get the jab; then, just calling it a “jab” is not attractive.”

Veda Rolle, a Bahamian native

When asked if she thinks the vaccine does more harm than good and, if so, why Veda replied:

“One can only reach a conclusion based on the information disseminated through the various media and mediums. If the media, scientists, governments, and physicians can’t be trusted (as they may be partly due to self-interest), our conclusions will be tainted. Therefore, how much harm or good depends on disseminating truthful information. Therefore, I don’t know, as there are so many diseases that are man-made, and who can tell if these result from the side effects of other medications and vaccines? Nevertheless, I don’t live in unnecessary fear because I serve a GREAT GOD.”

Veda trusts in her faith, and millions worldwide have resorted to their means of preventative measures. Some people still choose to wear masks and sanitize in public, limit the time spent outdoors, and make homemade remedies. Veda, trusting in God to continue being her protective shield, has continued to be cautious and follow strict guidelines to limit her COVID exposure.

The development of the COVID vaccine has resulted in a rigorous debate about the legitimacy of technology and medicine, leaving some questioning the safety of healthcare writ large. Indeed, we’ve seen a transformation in healthcare and technology; however, who’s to say this is positive for society?

Veda shared her thoughts on the evolution of society by saying,

“The Triune God will give man the wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to continue to use technology to revolutionize medicine. The Word of God says they will be wiser but weaker. I pray that the knowledge is used for good and not evil.”

In addition to her faith, Veda believes in natural remedies such as nasal sprays, salt water, nasal steaming, and other medications like Hydroxychloroquine as a means of prevention. Although Veda is anti-vaccine because she does not trust the government, Pharma, etc., she believes Hydroxychloroquine is a valuable solution to COVID.

[Author’s Note: The Food and Drug Administration has not approved Hydroxychloroquine as prevention or treatment for SAR-Cov-1 COVID. A study in the Lancet reviewing 247 clinical trials reaffirmed that there is no benefit of Hydroxychloroquine in treatment or symptom reduction.]

Understanding Veda’s point of view and hearing her reasoning for being hesitant, I can appreciate her choice to refrain from receiving the vaccination. While it may be a scary decision, the pandemic has driven us all to make choices we never thought of making. Veda’s strength, faith, and determination have shined like no other. She has remained strong, steady, and steadfast – not only in her choice but with her faith. We all choose to confront the pandemic the way we feel best. Veda’s choice to remain unvaccinated and her steadfast faith is her personal protection.

The post The Story of The Un-Vaccinated appeared first on Medika Life.

Each and every day, I am witness to the awesome power of the Lord’s Healing in the ICU. I am humbled by His Omnipotence when, despite everything I do, my patient is not going to survive. And I am awed by the overwhelming beauty of His Grace, as He comforts those suffering the loss of their loved one.

That does not mean that I would ever – ever – impose my religious faith on anyone else, most especially my patients. That would be unethical and inexcusable. My patients’ beliefs, values, and preferences may not align with my own, but it is my duty to practice within the red lines of the beliefs, values, and preferences of my patients.

“We are believers,” my patients’ families say. “I believe in God,” many of my patients say. It does not scare me, or make me uncomfortable in the least. On the contrary, my response is: “I am a believer, too. I also believe in God.”

In fact, our shared belief in the Precious Beloved is an asset, not a liability. We come from the same Fountainhead of Life; we share in the Warmth of His Grace; we bask in the Light of His Love. And so, when my patient or their family says they are believers, I welcome it wholeheartedly.

And I am comfortable with the language of faith. I understand its frame of reference, and of all the situations of life, critical illness is one in which the flame of faith – even if long extinguished – frequently is rekindled anew.

We doctors should not shy away from faith. If it would be of benefit, we should share our faith and spirituality. Some of my colleagues have prayed with their patients; others have offered counsel within the same faithful frame of reference.

Frequently, when speaking about goals of care and the end of life, I will say, “If his or her heart stops, despite everything we are doing, then that is God telling me that He wants him or her back more than I do. Why, then, should stand in the way?”

I recently saw a nurse ask for a moment of silence after a patient did not survive cardiac arrest. I was so moved by this that I have started doing it myself whenever I attend a “Code Blue.” I wrote a prayer – in the form of a poem – to honor organ donors, and I try to read it whenever we honor a patient on their way to donate organs to others.

My faith strengthens me as a physician. It was solace for me through all those dark days of the pandemic. And, I pray, that my faith makes me a better physician for all those entrusted to my care.

On some level, there should be distance between my patient and me; there should be some level of objectivity, so I can think straight and do all that I can to help my patient survive critical illness. And, there should be no room – whatsoever – for my imposing my religious beliefs on anyone else, patient or otherwise. Ever.

At the same time, my faith and spirituality allows me to connect on another, deeper level with my patients and their loved ones. It helps me be more compassionate. And, if my faith allows me to be a better instrument of God’s Healing Presence, then that is something that should be embraced and celebrated.

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