Originally posted on 04/07/2022:

I am an issue-based independent, not a liberal, but...

Data shows that vaccinated people are less likely to contract the virus than unvaccinated people, and when the vaccinated are infected their symptoms & viral load are less severe: data here and here.

With a lower viral load an infected individual is less likely to spread the disease. So hard data not only shows that vaccines help to save the lives of the vaccinated, but they also help prevent infection and death among everyone else regardless of vaccination status.

In America we generally agree that people should be free to do as they please as long as they don't hurt anyone else (for example, we are free to shoot guns, but not to shoot guns at other people). Being unvaccinated and not wearing a mask at times of high infection rates provably endangers the lives of other people, thus violating the concept of freedom as long as you don't hurt anyone else. That is why I am in favor of vaccine mandates.

Just my opinion...