People usually don't like to be told what to do. A common reaction when a child is told to clean his room or wash up for dinner is a resounding, "No!" Adults are quite similar. 

I live in a condominium building and my neighbors across the hall have 2 little boys who love (oh, no!) to slam their front door. I am fortunate to have excellent hearing so everything sounds loud to me under normal circumstances. Chronic din unravels my senses. I have observed that the more the parents tell them no, the louder the kids kick the door shut. It's tough on me as a neighbor but I know it's human nature.

Behavioral health therapist Jane Pernotto Ehrman said, in an article published by the prestigious Cleveland Clinic,  "Resistance is engrained into our culture and brains from a young age. Everyone has some form of inner rebel that likes to question or do the opposite of what we're told."

The anti-vaxxers are on the bandwagon already, voicing their mistrust of the COVID-19 vaccination that will be available within the next few months. A "medical freedom" movement is gearing up to ensure that people have the choice of whether or not they will inject the newly developed immunization into their system. 

Getting vaccines has always created controversy. Although vaccination development is one of the top scientific achievements of the 20th century, reservations about receiving them began as soon as the first vaccines were distributed. 

In the early 1880s, Dr. Edward Jenner worked on a cure for smallpox in the UK. From experimentation, he concluded that if lymph from a cowpox blister was injected in a child, it would offer protection against smallpox. This created public disputes. People were scared to inject a foreign substance into their children's systems for fear the side effects could be deadly. 

Government intervention created The Vaccination Act of 1853, which mandated infants up to 3 months had to be vaccinated. Later, the Act of 1867 increased the age to 14 years, and penalties were imposed for refusing the vaccine. Of course, this met with resistance, and groups like The Anti-Vaccination League and the Anti-Compulsory Vaccination League formed. 

Reactions are not different today. Varied reports state that 50 to 61 percent of the population will agree to be vaccinated. Certainly, there will be side effects but they'll likely be similar to ones experienced following a flu shot -- a sore arm, etc. I understand the fear and ambivalence but in the midst of an overwhelming worldwide pandemic, the new vaccine is all we have, next to masking and hand washing, to cut down the spread of the coronavirus. But should the vaccine be forced upon the public by the government or employers? I have mixed feelings because I respect freedom of choice. However, if only half of us take the shot, that might not be enough for herd immunity. Personally, I will take the vaccine when it's my turn. It's worth taking a chance.