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Southwest Airlines Community

Re: Covid vaccination requirements

Brianne
Explorer C

During a global pandemic of a potentially fatal disease (https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_deathsper100klast7days) with more than 615,000 deaths in the US alone, the societally responsible and ethical policy is to require anyone who comes into contact with the public be vaccinated. It's disappointing that Southwest is bowing to a small percentage of the public who have been victim to a nihilistic disinformation campaign against public health measures. Southwest: please reconsider your policy so that the community you serve is better protected against a debilitating disease. When you look back at this time, you will want to be a leader in the industry, not a source of outbreaks.

 

Re: Covid vaccination requirements

earlbondo
Explorer C

Speaking of percentages, those deaths are about 0.2 percent of the population.  I'm all for masks, even double masks, notwithstanding their dubious value.  But not for mandatory vaccination except for narrowly-defined service industries, like healthcare.

Re: Covid vaccination requirements

TEILAMARIA
Explorer C

Working in the travel industry, I can assure you Southwest is currently GAINING new customers because of this stance.  Many of my clients are actually using Southwest for the FIRST time or making them their new PRIMARY airline because of their choice to not force vaccines on their staff.  

Re: Covid vaccination requirements

bwallet
Frequent Flyer A

I had a cousin die this week of COVID. My reaction? Should have gotten vaccinated. I hope that he didn't kill anyone else before he died.

Re: Covid vaccination requirements

princessk33
Explorer C

They are keeping the cabins wiped down and masks are still mandatory....there is no need to require employees OR passengers to get a vaccination they may not be comfortable getting.    That's fine that you are comfortable getting those products put into your body but not everyone has those same feelings.  You say they may lose a lot of passengers if they don't do that....they will also lose a lot of passengers if they REQUIRE a vaccine for us to fly with them.  I can easily drive wherever I want to go in the US, but have continued to fly Southwest because they have not caved to the pressure of vaccination requirements.  I think they do an excellent job enforcing the mask usage for those people who live and travel in fear and they keep the cabins clean and sanitized.  That should be enough and clearly it has PROVEN to be enough since none of the airlines have had a "breakout" of covid after any flights during all the time.  I flew three times during the pandemic with a large group of family and friends and no one got sick.  That says enough.....

Re: Covid vaccination requirements

clearskies
Explorer B

Awesome that you're so worried about others wellbeing, though I must admit that it comes across as you wanting other to do what you would have them do vs how they would like to live. If you're vaccinated, what's your concern? Newest data is showing that vaccinated and unvaccinated alike are spreading covid. Yes, getting vaccinated is the smartest thing any of us can do. That said, it isn't up to you or anyone else to decide what someone else does. If you are EXTREMELY upset at this situation, maybe you need to take a look inward and fix some things about yourself because that's not normal. Just a thought...

 

Or, maybe I should mind my own business. Idk

Re: Covid vaccination requirements

bwallet
Frequent Flyer A

@clearskies I'm a selfish &$^%. If you don't get vaccinated, and you die, so be it. I had a first cousin die last week. You should have been vaccinated.

 

Yes, both vaccinated and unvaccinated people get COVID, but unvaccinated people get it at a higher rate. Unvaccinated people have a much higher viral load, making them more likely to spread it to both the unvaccinated and the vaccinated.

 

Possible scenario: An unvaccinated person gets COVID. They fly. The sit near me at HOU, eating food from Subway, and they give me COVID. I'm have mild symptoms at most, but I take it home to my nine year old daughter who is currently too young to get vaccinated. She gets sick.

 

I mind my own business. People actively risking the life of my child makes it my business. 

Re: Covid vaccination requirements

clearskies
Explorer B

another scenario would be that you as a vaccinated person get covid from another vaccinated person and spread it to your daughter. This is happening currently.

 

I'm not arguing the efficacy of these vaccines. I, myself, am a big believer that they work. What I am NOT a believer in is pushing my beliefs on other people, simply because I think it's right. You and whomever else can be as upset as you want at passengers not being vaccinated. But, ultimately, it's up to them to decide how to live. All we can do as individuals is do what's best for us and take precautions to protect ourselves. It's not up to other people to change their philosophy so that you or I are comfortable. That was my only point. 

Re: Covid vaccination requirements

jksobonya
Aviator A

@clearskies wrote:

another scenario would be that you as a vaccinated person get covid from another vaccinated person and spread it to your daughter. This is happening currently.

 

I'm not arguing the efficacy of these vaccines. I, myself, am a big believer that they work. What I am NOT a believer in is pushing my beliefs on other people, simply because I think it's right. You and whomever else can be as upset as you want at passengers not being vaccinated. But, ultimately, it's up to them to decide how to live. All we can do as individuals is do what's best for us and take precautions to protect ourselves. It's not up to other people to change their philosophy so that you or I are comfortable. That was my only point. 


👏Yes!

 

We have a vaccine. Vaccines are great. Take it if you want. Or don't. It should be the choice of the individual and should not be mandated at any company/state/government level. We have the freedom to choose how to live and that should not be taken away due to fear. It continues to boggle my mind that those vaccinated are still wildly afraid of catching a mild virus and want to control how other people live by forcing them to vaccinate also. 

 

If you are vaccinated, you are protected and the chances of you dying from COVID are small. The chances of you dying from COVID if you are *not* vaccinated is *still* small overall. Instead of mandating vaccines, we should mandate healthy eating and exercise. Tax fast/cheap food. Make it easier, not harder, to live a healthy lifestyle. That would not only decrease deaths overall in this country, it would decrease COVID deaths, as a majority of people who have contracted and died of COVID in this country are overweight or obese, which sadly led to complications resulting in their deaths.  

 

Requiring employees to take a vaccine is not the answer. 

 

Besides, didn't early estimates say that once we reach 70% vaccinated we reach "heard immunity"? Aren't we more or less there in the US? Why do we now think that we have to get to 100%? It goes without saying, that even if by some miracle we *did* get to 100%, COVID would still be spread anyway, so 100% vaccination is not the win-win situation some seem to think it is.  

 

--Jessica

Re: Covid vaccination requirements

megan2022
Explorer C

So you make sure you do everything right for YOUR child. She’s not everyone’s responsibility. Stay off the plane, drive if you’re that scared. Quarantine yourself from family after leaving the house. I mean, you can still pass it even if you are vaccinated, which, I don’t know, means YOUR DAUGHTER CAN STILL FRICKIN GET IT! Ugh!