More Data, PLEASE

Recently, I was taken to task by a reader for criticizing Yankee first baseman Anthony Rizzo about not being vaccinated.

After testing positive, he was approached by reporters and asked if this changed his mind. Rizzo hedged and said “I want to study the data.” Such an attitude, I wrote, is one of the reasons the virus is still having a field day.

I was accused of not doing my “homework” and ignoring the fact that Rizzo once had lymphoma. “Maybe,” the reader wrote, this had something to do with his not getting vaccinated. “Possibly” this played a role in his decision. Maybe, possibly, perhaps . . .

What’s undeniable is that the longer Rizzo and millions of others ignore the data that’s already out there, the longer this pandemic will persist.

Normally, I avoid responding to critics.

Instead, I’ll let Jimmy Fallon of The Tonight Show do honors. Here’s what he said: “Big news today, as Pfizer announced that a low dose of its vaccine is safe and effective for kids ages 5 to 11. It’s great news until you hear a 6-year-old say ‘I want to do my own research first.’”