BALTIMORE—A prominent government researcher is warning people worried the vaccine will turn them into magnets that there’s a far worse side effect: employment (or continued employment).
Dr. Antonia Fortis, 62, a leading immunologist who has worked on vaccines for nearly four decades, says that she has read countless stories about people, including some high-profile individuals, who have refused to get vaccinated and lost their jobs in the process. “At first I thought they were stupid. But I was wrong. They were the smart ones. They can sleep late. Me, I’m vaccinated, so I didn’t get canned. I still have to get up every morning at six and come to work.”
Fortis says she also experienced other side effects after being vaccinated, for example, a sore arm and a fever, but that they all went away after a day. Yet five months after her booster, her employment as a scientist—one whose life’s work and contributions to public health are often dismissed or even derided by conspiracy theorists and anti-vaxxers—just won’t go away but instead lingers. With a straight face showing signs of extreme fatigue, she says, “For me, employment includes comorbid symptoms such as shortness of breath and headaches, especially when I read the bullshit from people like Robert Malone making the rounds on social media and other online platforms.”
One might wonder why the good doctor doesn’t just quit. “Excellent question,” she says when asked. “First of all, I believe in science, I believe in math, I believe in vaccines. I’m not saying vaccines are perfect. There’s always going to be some risk. But for almost everyone, the benefits far outweigh the risk.” She notes that scientists like her are very excited about what the future may hold for vaccines for other diseases, such as malaria and even cancer. “So,” she says, taking a deep breath, “although my continued employment has really sucked at times, in the end it means I’m still paying my bills and making a contribution to society. Oh, and I’m also alive and breathing on my own.”
