With no regard for his right to medical privacy, Josh Robbins with the Athletic asked Orlando Magic player Jonathan Isaac a question about his vaccination status during a press conference today.

“What is it about the vaccine that makes you hesitant to get it?” Robbins asked.

Jonathan Isaac’s response was well-thought out and brilliantly articulated. He concluded his explanation for not getting the COVID vaccination by sharing his thoughts those who preach tolerance, but attack individuals who decide not to get the vaccination. Isaac explained that tolerance is no only for those with whom you agree with or those who look like you.

I would start with um, I’ve had COVID—um, in the past. And so, our understanding of antibodies, of natural immunity has uh, changed a great deal from the onset of the pandemic, and it’s still evolving.

I understand that the vaccine would help if you catch COVID, and you’ll be able to have less symptoms from contracting it, but with me having COVID in the past and having antibodies, with my current age group and physical fitness level, it’s not necessarily a fear of mine. 

Taking the vaccine, um, like I said— it would decrease my chances of  having a severe reaction but it does open me up to the albeit rare chance, but the possibility of having an adverse reaction to the vaccination itself. 

I don’t believe that being unvaccinated means being infected or being vaccinated means uninfected. You can still catch COVID with or with not having vaccine.

I would say honestly, the craziness of it all, in terms of not being able to say that it should be everybodys choice without being demeaned or talked crazy to doesn’t make one comfortable to do what said person is telling them to do.

Yeah, I would say that’s a couple of the reasons that you know, I would say that I’m hesitant at this time, but at the end of the day, I don’t feel that it is  anyone’s reason to come out and say they is why and this is not why. It should be their decision. 

You know, loving your neighbor’s not just loving those that agree with you or look like you or move in the same way that you do—it’s loving those who don’t. 

Here’s the video clip of the interview that was only posted this afternoon and has already been viewed over 2.1 million times:

https://twitter.com/ArtValley818_/status/1442809449039769601?s=20

Wow! This guy deserves an award for his courage.