I am writing in response to the surging numbers of COVID-19 cases in Montezuma County, the state of Colorado, and throughout our country as a whole.

Until we can stop the spread of the disease, we will be unable to control its mutation and the spread of variants. The rise of the delta variant has shown how deadly and damaging this can be. Unbelievably, we have a variety of tools to fight the spread of this virus and yet a sizable portion of the population continues to reject them.

Some, like masks and social distancing, require constant awareness and some effort. One of the best – vaccination – is highly effective, free and requires only a few minutes of time on one or two occasions. Yet many Americans do not "believe" in vaccination. Ignoring the conspiracy theory arguments for this, their reasons are generally that vaccination is a “choice” and that they're waiting until it's “safe.”

First, unlike choosing a movie or a house of worship, this choice has devastating implications. Children are falling behind in their education, the economy is in shambles, and the hospitals are overrun with unvaccinated people claiming the resources that could be used to help people with cancer, kidney disease and other medical conditions. Second, the Pfizer vaccine now has formal approval and has been used millions of times. There are ample sources that address the development and testing of the vaccines.

Help your country, community and family. Get vaccinated!

Melanie Cook

Dolores