BUFFALO (WBEN) - Earlier this week, Bills star quarterback Josh Allen made comments about the vaccine that sparked a lot of controversy on social media - many in support of what the young star quarterback had to say about the vaccine, while others, not so much.
Allen essentially said that getting vaccinated should be a personal decision and that people should do what's best for themselves.
"You get in this tricky situation now where if you do mandate that, that's kind of going against what our Constitution says, and the freedom to kind of express yourself one way or the other," said Allen in an interview with the NFL Network's Kyle Brandt. "I think we're at a time where that's getting a lot harder to do. I don't know, everybody should have that choice."
Dr. Tom Russo, the Chief of Infectious Disease at the Jacobs School of Medicine, responded to Allen's comments, saying it's essential that professional healthcare workers do their best to educate people about the vaccine.
"(Josh Allen) wants to know the data about the vaccine and wants to be properly informed, and I think as healthcare professionals, that's our job," said Russo. "For people that don't know how good these vaccines are, how safe these vaccines are, the onus is on us to provide them with that information so that they'll feel comfortable making the best possible decision for themselves."
While Russo appreciates Allen's desire to be educated, he also added that the data is pretty telling and urges people to get vaccinated, and get vaccinated quickly.
"From what we know about these vaccines, the benefits so far outweigh the risks, that once you are properly informed about these vaccines, I think that makes the decision easier for you," Russo continued. "I think once you're properly informed and understand what the real data is, and you're not unduly influenced by social media and unreliable sources, I think that makes the decision process a lot easier."
Russo even made a football analogy to express his confidence in the vaccines, and he even added that he'd be glad to have that conversation with Allen regarding the benefits and preventative measures involved with athletes receiving one.
"He says he's a stats guy, so I believe a perfect quarterback rating in the NFL is 158.3 - I'd give these vaccine a 157.5," he said. "They're not quite perfect, but they're damn close, and that's the stat I would give Josh Allen."
