Jennifer Aniston Responds To Those Asking Why She Cut Off Unvaxxed Friends
Jennifer Aniston says what we’re all thinking about cutting off those in our lives who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine
It’s bad enough that Jennifer Aniston has been forced to defend herself for not having children for like, the past two decades — now she has to explain why she doesn’t want to hang around with friends who refuse to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Sigh. We don’t even deserve her.
ICYMI: in a recent interview with InStyle, Aniston got candid about how just like so many other Americans during these unprecedented times, she’s had to make some tough decisions about who she’s allowing in her life these days. “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…” she says. “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.”
It sure is. But like any even remotely controversial statement made on the internet, her admission brought out some detractors and Aniston decided to let everyone know where she stands — and why she felt distancing herself from anti-vaxxers was simply a no-brainer. The actress took to her Instagram stories with a photo of herself in a mask and the caption “These comments,” referring to the reaction stemming from her vaccine comments.
Aniston highlighted a commenter who asked, “But if she’s vaccinated she’s protected correct? Why be worried about unvaxxed around her?” Aniston replied, “Because if you have the variant, you are still able to give it to me.”
Then she further broke it down for the folks in the back (or who get their news exclusively from Facebook memes). “I may get slightly sick but I will not be admitted to a hospital and or die. BUT I CAN give it to someone else who does not have the vaccine and whose health is compromised (or has a previous existing condition) — and therefore I would put their lives at risk.”
“THAT is why I worry,” she says. “We have to care about more than just ourselves here.”
Looks like Aniston’s reasoning is based in good old-fashioned empathy — a thing sorely lacking these days, it seems. That gets a standing ovation from me, sis. It seems us vaccinated people can talk ourselves blue in the face to those who refuse the jab about why it matters that those around us get the shot too. Because it’s not just about us or our own families — it’s about all the other vulnerable folks who might become infected. The more people who are vaccinated, the better off we are collectively. Jen gets it.
And this isn’t the first time she’s gotten vocal about people’s pandemic behavior. In a post last year, she shared her thoughts on mask-wearing. “People seem worried about their ‘rights being taken away’ by being asked to wear a mask,” she writes. “This simple and effective recommendation is being politicized at the expense of peoples’ lives. And it really shouldn’t be a debate.”
Nope. It shouldn’t. And yet, here we are — with a dangerous variant infecting mostly people who aren’t vaccinated and entire states (here’s looking at you, Florida) preventing schools from mandating masks despite the fact that kids under 12 still aren’t eligible for the vaccine.
Jennifer Aniston is all of us who are absolutely done with the irresponsible and selfish pandemic behavior displayed by friends, neighbors, and even family. Bravo to her for using her huge platform to speak out.
