Jennifer Aniston, like many people in the U.S., was faced with the tough decision of how to handle the people in her life who don’t want to get the COVID-19 vaccine. And she made the choice to distance herself from those who weren’t upfront about their vaccination status, she said in a new interview with InStyle.
“There’s still a large group of people who are anti-vaxxers or just don’t listen to the facts. It’s a real shame,” Aniston said in the interview. “I’ve just lost a few people in my weekly routine who have refused or did not disclose [whether or not they had been vaccinated], and it was unfortunate.”
Aniston said she feels “it’s your moral and professional obligation” to inform those you’ll be interacting with about your vaccination status because “we’re not all podded up and being tested every single day.” That said, she acknowledged that “it’s tricky because everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But a lot of opinions don’t feel based in anything except fear or propaganda.”
Right now just over 60% of adults in the U.S. are fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While that is a sizable chunk of the country, there are many still left unvaccinated, which means plenty of people are navigating social and professional situations like those Aniston described. With so many still vulnerable to the virus (including unvaccinated kids and immunocompromised people), it’s completely understandable to want to set boundaries with the people you’re in close contact with.
Of course, getting a vaccine is ultimately a personal decision. But it’s also a decision that can have a significant effect on the health of those around you and will likely come with increasing social and practical implications. For instance, New York City just announced a new mandate that will require people to have proof of vaccination before they can participate in certain indoor activities, including going to restaurants, gyms, and entertainment venues. And that’s on top of requirements that health-care workers and city employees get vaccinated or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing.
If you have questions about the vaccines, chat with your health-care provider or consult trusted sources of information. Just know that, as more businesses and local authorities introduce requirements like these (and as people begin to set interpersonal boundaries as Aniston did), getting vaccinated will not only help protect you and your community from COVID-19, but it’ll also just make your life easier.