Randy Shilts gave us the book and movie, AND THE BAND PLAYED ON, chronicling the early days of AIDS. Toward the end of that film, Matthew Modine's character says "This didn't have to happen. We could have stopped it." Ian McKellen's character then asks "Can you still?" The answer is of course a resounding YES! And, we must keep at it. We can't waste our time on what should have already happened, but we must move forward and make sure it does happen.
I was thinking about this last night and also thinking about the similarities with the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year there was no vaccine, but now there is. The original advice to keep a distance and to mask, seems to have been forgotten. People are needlessly getting infected, and people are dying.
We have vaccines for COVID-19, and they are free. Why aren't more people taking advantage of this? Oh and the makers of one of those vaccines, Moderna, is starting a Phase I clinical trial of its HIV vaccine candidate this week. We are certainly hopeful. Don't expect a quick answer on this as the study is expected to run until May of 2023. We do have a vaccine for COVID-19 though. We can stop unnecessary suffering from the coronavirus. President Joe Biden and the First Lady will get a COVID-19 booster shot, and health officials are recommending that those who received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine get a booster eight months after their second dose. Still, so many are refusing the shot and many of these same people refuse to wear a mask.
We could have stopped it. We still can. I really hope people will wakeup to the reality.
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