Dear Editor:

It is a well known fact that investing in the stock market must be long term to be successful. Otherwise it is gambling.

Warren Buffet has stated that if you are not willing to hold a stock for 10 years you shouldn't own it for 10 minutes as a further comment that investing must be long term.

That is why the Trump administration’s optimism and push to have a Covid-19 vaccine available in late November is not only irresponsible but actually criminal because we won't know the long term effects of any vaccine at that time since not enough time has elapsed to observe its long term effects and hence we'll be gambling with people's lives.

I am a veteran and receive my medical treatments at the VA hospital in Long Beach. For the last 30 years I have participated in several research programs about medicines and vaccines as a volunteer because I feel it is my duty to help in the development of new medicines, vaccines and treatments that might help my fellow veterans.

I am now in my third year of a research project on a new medicine. I was inoculated with something at the beginning of the program. I don't know if I received the medicine under test or a placebo. I get tested every 6 months and checked on a weekly basis for side effects. 

That is truly a long term evaluation of a medicine or vaccine and that is what it should be done with any Covid-19 vaccine before it is handed out to non informed innocent people.

Jorge Montero
Downey