Dear Prudence,
My husband (M, 49) is vehemently against me (F, 38) getting the COVID vaccine. He believes all the conspiracies—that if the vaccine doesn’t kill me right away, then I will die in the next two years along with everyone else who’s been vaccinated. He also believes that the vaccinated are “shedding” something dangerous from their bodies that can infect people around them. We have four young children (ages 4-to-8), and he believes that I would be a danger to them if I got vaccinated. The only reason I haven’t done so already is because I can’t stand the thought of him telling our children that I will die soon or that they are in danger from just being near me. He’s told me that he “doesn’t know what he’ll do” if I get vaccinated and has refused to elaborate. I’m a stay-at-home mom with no income of my own and no other family. I just don’t see leaving him as an option. What do you do when getting the shot means your children will be told to prepare for your death?
— Protecting My Kids