Jonathan Isaac may be known more his stance on the vaccine than his actual play on the NBA court.
The Orlando Magic player went in front of reporters at Orlando Magic media day after an insane story about him emerged that claimed he was not only unvaccinated but had descended into the realm of disinformation and conspiracy theory.
Rolling Stone writer Matt Sullivan noted Isaac “started studying Black history and watching Donald Trump press conferences” as players were being inoculated from Covid-19 in March and developed a “distrust of Dr. Anthony Fauci.”
Isaac attempted to calm what Rolling Stone put out.
“I am not anti-vax, I’m not anti-medicine, I am not anti-science,” Isaac told reporters Monday. “I didn’t come to my current stance by studying Black history or watching Donald Trump press conferences (as the story states). I have nothing but the utmost respect for every healthcare worker and person in Orlando and all across the world that have worked tirelessly to keep us safe. My mom has worked in healthcare for a really long time. I thank God and I’m grateful that I live in a society where vaccines are possible, and we can protect ourselves and have the means to protect ourselves.
“But with that being said, it is my belief that the vaccine status of every person should be their own choice. Completely up to them without bullying, without being pressured, without being forced into doing so. I’m not ashamed to say that I’m uncomfortable with taking the vaccine at this time. We’re all different. We all come from different places. We’ve all had different experiences and hold dear to different beliefs. And what it is you do with your body when it comes to putting medicine in there should be your choice, free of the ridicule and the opinion of others.”
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“I would start with I’ve had COVID in the past and so our understanding of antibodies, of natural immunity has changed a great deal from the onset of the pandemic and is still evolving,” Isaac said. “I understand that the vaccine would help if you have COVID, you’ll be able to have less symptoms from contracting it. But with me having COVID in the past and having antibodies, with my current age group and physical fitness level, it’s not necessarily a fear of mine.
Taking the vaccine, like I said, it would decrease my chances of having a severe reaction, but it does open me up to the albeit rare chance but the possibility of me having an adverse reaction to the vaccine itself. I don’t believe that being unvaccinated means infected or being vaccinated means uninfected. You can still catch COVID with or with not having the vaccine. I would say honestly the craziness of it all in terms of not being able to say that it should be everybody’s fair choice without being demeaned or talked crazy to doesn’t make one comfortable to do what said person is telling them to do.
“I would say I’m hesitant at this time but at the end of the day I don’t feel that it is anyone’s reason to come out and say well this is why or this is not why, it should just be their decision. Loving your neighbor is not just loving those who agree with you or look like you or move in the same way that you do. It’s loving those who don’t.”
Isaac was then asked what made the vaccine different than any other vaccines he has probably already had.
“When it comes to other vaccines, I think it’s pretty simple to really taking any modern medicine, I think that that too should be your free choice,” Isaac said. “If I had to take anything when I was a kid it was the free choice of my parents of whether or not to give it to me. I’m not anti-science, I’m not anti-modern medicine. If I get sick enough I’m going to the doctor. If my wife, when we do have kids, I’m not going to deliver the baby myself, I’m going to take her to the hospital. So, it really does come down to just believing that it’s a free right of us as individuals to take it or not.”
