I wrote a long feature about immunocompromised people—what they’ve been through, their frustrations, and their hopes. This piece is a plea to think about people who don’t get to be done with the pandemic, and to prioritize them as a matter of moral and medical urgency.
I urge you to read it even if--especially if--your own risk feels low. First, some clarifications are necessary. Much of the rhetoric around immunocompromised people is based on the stereotypes that they are rare, secluded, and easy to identify. This is false. There are at least 7 million in the U.S.--a number greater than the population of 37 states, and that's almost certainly a gross underestimate. Also, most don’t live in a bubble. Most look healthy. You probably have friends and colleagues who you don’t know are immunocompromised.
A lot of immunocompromised people respond poorly to COVID vaccines and are largely unprotected despite their shots. They're in limbo, uncertain about the odds and consequences of infections. Meanwhile, the gulf between them and the rest of society widens. Policies like mask mandates that protected them are vanishing. Friends are dismissing their risk because of the misleading idea that Omicron is “mild”. To be ignored would be bad enough. To be
mocked is even worse. Many immunocompromised people I spoke to are tired of pundits who equate risk-aversion with irrationality. They’re sick of being a throwaway clause in someone’s callous op-ed. They’ve been told that they’re holding society back, when the opposite is true. The loss of remote options is forcing many i'compromised people into risky situations, "like asking someone who cannot swim to jump into the ocean instead of trying a pool," one person said.
I spoke to 21 people for this story, who are either immunocompromised or caring for someone who is. I asked them what they want. Exactly no one said “permanent lockdown”. They want their lives back too. They just need it to be safer. They mostly wanted structural changes—better ventilation, easier healthcare access, paid sick leave, mask mandates during surges, and flexibility for work. All things that would improve the health of immunocompetent people too.
It's not implausible or onerous to build a world in which being immunocompromised requires fewer compromises. Disability is as much about society as biology. We can put in policies that make IC’d people less disabled in a world where COVID persists. And if you don’t buy the moral argument, here’s a selfish one: Age weakens immunity. Respecting the needs of immunocompromised people isn’t about disproportionately accommodating some tiny minority. It’s about empathizing with your future self.
There's more in the piece, which I hope you'll read. And if you're immunocompromised, I hope this piece makes you feel a little more seen and heard.
You matter. - E
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