Let Djokovic play

Then, there are the absurd contradictions in our current rules. Unvaccinated American citizens can move freely in and out of the country without testing. Unvaccinated people can pack the stadium to watch this year’s U.S. Open, where face masks are optional. There is no vaccine or testing requirement to attend. Worst of all, Novak Djokovic competed in last year’s U.S. Open, where he made the finals before the travel rule barring his entry was in place.

Joe Biden, who made the rule that blocks Djokovic, has received four Covid-19 vaccine doses. He has had Covid-19 twice, and taken at least 2 courses of Paxlovid. His wife, first lady Jill Biden, has also had four vaccine doses, also had Covid-19 twice. Yet, for some reason, their concern is the Novak Djokovics of the world.

Some view Djokovic’s struggle as self imposed—that he’s an arrogant athlete who thinks he’s exempt from the herd. In all honesty, If I were him, I would have gotten the vaccine in early 2021 (as I did), prior to having had Covid-19. But Djokovic is entitled to make his choices about his body, and public health cannot infringe upon those choices unless the intrusion is justified by a clear and overwhelming benefit to others. That standard is simply not met.

In 2022, it is delusional to think that blocking Djokovic from coming to America serves any purpose other than shredding the last bits of trust and legitimacy public health has. Because of how the government has handled its response to Covid-19, many Americans will never trust the pronouncements of public health officials again. Before Covid-19, I would have tried to dissuade such individuals from this response. Now I can only say that I see their point.