Throughout history, people have been marked by society, both truthfully and fictionally. In Genesis 4:15 we are told that after Cain killed his brother Abel, “Then the Lord set a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.” Scholars differ on what that mark may have been, and I’m not educated enough to wager a guess. Samuel Hawthorne wrote”The Scarlet Letter” in 1850, describing a Puritan woman forced to wear a scarlet “A” as a permanent reminder of her having committed adultery. In Nazi-occupied Europe, Jews were forced to wear a yellow star, mocking the Star of David, and making it easier to humiliate them, as well as to aid in finding them for deportation. And, then there is Revelation 13:16-17, speaking of the “mark of the beast,”. “The beast forced all the people, small and great, rich and poor, slave and free, to have a mark placed on their right hands or on their foreheads. No one could buy or sell without this mark...” And again, I don’t want to get into a discussion of Revelation here, as I will be the first to admit I am not knowledgeable enough to do that.
But I have begun to wonder in recent days if that little card people are getting is becoming a mark, or rather those who don’t have the card are being “marked.” And if you haven’t been on Facebook or seen the news or in general have avoided all public discussions of the Coronavirus vaccine (where have you been??), these little cards indicate that someone has had one, or both, or the only inoculation necessary to mark them “safe.”
In almost every situation in which I have found myself recently, whether with long-time friends, casual acquaintances, or even random phone conversations regarding a totally different topic (except the ones saying that my car warranty has expired!), the subject has come up. “Have you gotten your vaccine?” “Are you registered?” “Are you going to get it?” “Did you know you don’t have to be in the right “group” to get it if you go to XYZ pharmacy or drive to ABC town?” The list goes is endless, as everyone has a story.
As days have gone on, I find myself thinking more frequently that my health decisions are my own, and private — you’ve heard of HIPAA, I’m sure). I don’t have to answer any of these questions, except perhaps with my close family members or medical providers. For the record, yes, I have registered, but because of my age, I’m in one of the last groups to be called. I’ve actually had people ask, “Well, you have underlying medical conditions, don’t you??” Um, I really don’t want to discuss my medical history and especially not my BMI with you! Why is that suddenly OK??
Will we get to the point that we chose our friends based on whether or not they are “card-carrying?” Will we take them at their word that they are, or will we want to actually SEE their card? Will places of business and workplaces and even churches decide they are open for card-carriers only? Might we only be able to buy and sell if we have “the mark,” the card? Is this a violation of of health privacy?
As of today, I’m no longer answering the “vaccine questions”— again unless you’re a close family member or a medical professional. Not to be rude, but it’s really no one's business except mine. And when I get called, and decide to go to be vaccinated, I won’t be posting it on Facebook. (Not criticizing all my Facebook friends who have; it’s just that I won’t.)
The last year has been frightening as we’ve navigated waters that most of our generations have never experienced, although polio and smallpox may have been as bad or worse. The fears are real, and it’s been long and tiring. Personally, we’ve lost two family members during the last 10 months, one to COVID, so I’m not oblivious to the reality of this virus. My fear is that the worst is yet to come, as we start to “mark” the haves and the have nots. May we all be healthy, safe, protected — and respectful.
