Immunizations are part of reality, whether people choose to partake or actively abstain. What matters to many people is the choice of participation: having the opportunity readily available to choose whether or not to get the annual flu shot. Even more important is the proximity to a health clinic should more serious illnesses occur, and marginalized people are generally on the outskirts of either town or healthcare. If good health is a sign of inherent worth, geography should not be the reason that it is withheld from anyone.
Only certain people are licensed to provide healthcare, which in theory is a good idea. Unfortunately, there are many barriers to training and licensing, including money to engage in training and licensing. Added to that, people with such training are unable to simply “hang a shingle” and provide immunizations during flu season. There are some who discretely provide healthcare for the benefit of their communities, but most are legally bound to operate within the confines of their employers–and their employers’ insurance.
The location of healthcare is also crucial because assuming everyone has access to a personal vehicle is dangerous. Public transportation is notoriously slow, and ambulance rides are more expensive than one would think. By leaving the marginalized in areas that are poorly accessible and keeping healthcare in easily navigable areas, such entities are implying that people in underserved communities are apathetic about their health. Such assumptions lead to further lack of investment by other people and frustration by those trying to maintain good health.
Health is not an option for people to consistently ignore without problems, so there should be more efforts to allow everyone to maintain good health. Location and income should not be an automatic sentence of perpetual bad health.
