Part of it is a hope to get back to normal. The other part is that their "bodily choice" isn't self contained. If someone has ebola, is it their "bodily choice" to walk around infecting others? The unvaccinated are showing an extreme lack of empathy.
Also, go read some of the countless reports about how hospitals are overwhelmed, how states are allowing the rationing of care, how ICUs have no beds for heart attacks or normal pneumonia because the beds are full of people who don't trust doctor's enough to get the vaccine but want life sustaining help after getting covid. I predict we are going to see mass resignations from hospital workers who are burned out because one political party convinced its supporters to not take basic medical advice. I've lost two uncles from this disease. It sounds like you haven't. I hope you take a step back and think about what happens when someone you love needs ICU care but the staff, equipment and resources are full and your loved one can't be treated.
> The unvaccinated are showing an extreme lack of empathy.
I see this sentiment a lot and it indicates to me a fundamental misunderstanding what is driving people to avoid vaccination.
There is a very strong correlation between vaccination rates and trust in the government. Groups with historically low trust in the government (like conservatives, blacks, and hispanics) have the lowest vaccination rates. Conversely, groups with historically high trust in the government (like liberals and asians) have the highest vaccination rates. This suggests most people decided on whether to get vaccinated long before it was available based on their trust in the government which is pushing so hard for it. The resulting spread in misinformation is just the result of mass confirmation bias.
The "lack of empathy" argument depends on the unvaccinated actually believing the vaccine is safe and effective, yet still ineffective enough that their vaccination will help protect others. But they obviously don't believe that.
Suppression of misinformation wont help because - as I'm sure you've seen many times by now - the very act of suppressing information will only reinforce their confirmation bias. It's quite the dilemma.
I personally believe the only solution is for people to hear these people out to patiently, compassionately reason through their concerns. And I believe we should do this knowing full well that many will not be convinced the first time and many will not be convinced ever. Of course, it would help if we collectively agreed to stop harassing them and treated them like concerned humans with misunderstandings instead of malicious fools. Sadly, social media rewards the opposite of this behavior.
Fair point on the ICU beds. Maybe hospitals can require proof of vaccination before treatment. If no proof can be provided they have to go to a different department. That way the unvaccinated aren't taking resources away from the vaccinated. If we're going to take away their 1st amendment rights then why not take away their other rights?
Also, go read some of the countless reports about how hospitals are overwhelmed, how states are allowing the rationing of care, how ICUs have no beds for heart attacks or normal pneumonia because the beds are full of people who don't trust doctor's enough to get the vaccine but want life sustaining help after getting covid. I predict we are going to see mass resignations from hospital workers who are burned out because one political party convinced its supporters to not take basic medical advice. I've lost two uncles from this disease. It sounds like you haven't. I hope you take a step back and think about what happens when someone you love needs ICU care but the staff, equipment and resources are full and your loved one can't be treated.