Ask Amy: COVID Concerns Dominate Friendship
Times like these certainly bring out people's true character...
Dear Amy: I recently had a conversation with a friend that I am still ruminating about.
She shared how she used a loophole to get a COVID vaccination that she really wasn’t entitled to receive.
It was as if I should be impressed with how creative and smart she was to game the system.
She then went on to describe how she will now be comfortable eating in restaurants, etc.
I said I was happy for her and changed the subject so I could take time to process this.
Our family is trying to stay patient and wait our turn.
Thoughts?
– Waiting
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Dear Waiting: There are stories of people standing in line outside vaccination centers to try to receive shots that would otherwise be thrown away if they weren’t used. I’m all for that kind of enterprise.
However, if your friend leapt through a loophole to snag an appointment before her turn, that’s completely unethical.
I have read accounts of how some people have used their connections, money, and privilege to game the system.
Ask yourself, when do we learn important truths about people? During times like these. Your friend is showing you who she is: She is someone who would jump the line (ahead of others who are classified as at greater risk) in order to eat out at a restaurant a few weeks earlier than if she had waited her turn.
And she is bragging about it.
A note of caution: Although COVID numbers are currently falling, as of this writing the CDC has stated that the reduction in infection numbers is likely due to vigilant mask wearing and social distancing during the lengthy vaccination rollout.
Your friend – and others who have been vaccinated – should continue to be cautious.
In the tradition of the great personal advice columnists, Chicago Tribune’s Amy Dickinson is a plainspoken straight shooter who relates to readers of all ages. She answers personal questions by addressing issues from both her head and her heart. A solid reporter, Dickinson researches her topics to provide readers with informed opinions and answers. Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068
© 2021 by Amy Dickinson
