Americans' selfish individualism causes low vaccination rate: Guardian

LONDON - While there is marked difference between US red states and blue states in COVID-19 vaccination rate, the United States as a whole trails every other advanced country in vaccine uptake as its people selfishly put themselves first, The Guardian said in an opinion article Sunday.

By the end of October, 25 out of every 100,000 residents of counties Donald Trump won by wide margins had died from COVID-19, more than three times higher than the COVID-19 death rate in heavily Biden counties, the article said, noting every blue state has a higher vaccination rate than almost every red state.

However, the United States lags behind every other advanced country in the rate of vaccinations as there are anti-vaxxers even in "the bluest region of the bluest county of the bluest state in America."

On the surface, the decisions of these people in blue states to avoid COVID-19 vaccines seem to be driven by their distrust of big pharmaceutical companies and the US government, but deep down a character trait may offer a fuller explanation, the article said.

"This trait is found among Democrats and independents in blue America as well as Republicans in Trumpland. In fact, I think it's been near the core of the American personality since before the founding of the nation -- a stubborn, selfish, me-first individualism," it said.

"They're infected not by COVID-19 but by a narcissism that refuses even to consider the risks and costs they're imposing on others," it added.