Covid-19: The Battle Between Freedom and Safety

An inquisitive Twitter worded the question about freedoms (and the loss there of) during this Covid-19 pandemic in an interesting way. Here is the question she posed:

Which do you value more, freedom or safety? I find knowing where people fall on this paradigm helpful in understanding responses to the pandemic.

Here was my response.

I value freedom the most, but understand that in exceptional times like this it might be necessary to sacrifice certain freedoms. But those freedoms must return as soon as possible once the necessity ends.

In this pandemic, we are all losing precious personal and collective freedoms. And it's hard. It affects some people more than others, some in different ways than others, but, in the end, we are all sacrificing some of our freedoms here. That's just reality. An unfortunate reality, but a reality.

Freedom House has been looking at how freedom and democracy is being impacted by the pandemic around the world, and on their website state that:

The coronavirus outbreak presents a range of new challenges to democracy and human rights. Repressive regimes have responded to the pandemic in ways that serve their political interests, often at the expense of public health and basic freedoms. Even open societies face pressure to accept restrictions that may outlive the crisis and have a lasting effect on liberty.

In an NPR article on Freedom House's reports, Margaret Kruk, a health systems prof at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health agreed:

"The idea that people's freedoms are being curtailed is absolutely true and objectively verifiable and is happening."

It's not just some right-wing, anti-vax, anti-mask, anti-mandate, anti-whatever conspiracy that rights are being infringed upon. They actually are, all around the world. Italy, for example, was called out recently by Amnesty International for new rules it has implemented forcing anyone over 50 to get vaccinated or not be able to use services, including public transport. The measures have been brought in to try and ease pressure on an overwhelmed health system. But, Amnesty has concerns.

"The government must continue to ensure that the entire population can enjoy its fundamental rights, such as the right to education, work and medial treatment, with particular regard to non-COVID patients who need urgent surgery."

But, many of us are willing to accept the fact that these rights are being (hopefully temporarily) taken away in the hope that it will help get us to the end of the Covid-19 pandemic. And, in order to justify it in their own minds when human rights are generally what they fight for, many on the left don't want to frame it in terms of rights and freedoms. Which is fine. Understandable. But, no matter how anyone wants to frame it, rights are definitely being stomped upon.

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Each time there is a "lockdown" and restrictions are put into place, it has an impact on freedom of movement and assembly. That can definitely have an impact on ones ability to, say, peacefully protest. And that can be an infringement on democracy. And that must be acknowledged.

Restrictions to where a person can go without a vaccine "passport" can make life very difficult for those who are just trying to live their lives, including having an impact on their employment and education. Now, in the effort to get people vaxxed in order to try and end this pandemic, some governments and private businesses are implementing mandates. A person who, for whatever reason, doesn't get vaccinated, can lose their jobs. And thousands upon thousands have in North America. There are definitely those that not only approve of, but cheer on, non-vaccinated people getting axed from their jobs. But from an ethics perspective or the issue of rights, it gets into a rather grey area, and raises questions about what is going too far and what is essential. And also raises questions of empathy and understanding on the part of those who won't get vaccinated, and those who are upset by those who won't get vaccinated.

RELATED: Here's Why I Got Vaccinated Against Covid-19

Face it, much of this whole pandemic has been a giant social experiment, revolving in a large amount around the issue of freedoms and rights. It's a constant ethical debate regarding every move that is being made in an effort to end the pandemic and save lives. It's a constant battle to weigh out costs and benefits, from lockdowns, to masks, to vaccines, to mandates, an ethical dilemma pops up around every corner.

When it comes to ethics and rights, is anyone handling this pandemic well? No. Not really. All countries around the world are scrambling and trying to figure out how to deal with it. And none of them are nailing it. And when all of this is over, there will have to be a whole lot of inquiries and post-analysis on how responses to the pandemic have been.

In the meantime, it looks like we are stuck with the constant debates and struggles, the disagreements and fights, the conflicting information, and the reality of losing rights in one way or another, whether we want to or not.