For it or ‘agin’ it?

One thing, above all others, puzzles me about this Covid-19 pandemic

Who, in their right mind, would espouse the philosophy of the unvaccinated? I am reliably informed that the anti-vaxxers make up a substantial minority of those folk categorically opposed to receiving anti-Covid vaccines. But why would anybody want to deliberately put themselves in danger of contracting a disease that could kill them, when there is available a safe antidote in one of the many Covid vaccines?

It seems the answer or answers lie largely in the realm of – socalled – civil liberties. For many people the recommendation, by the competent medical authorities, to get vaccinated against Covid is like a red rag to a bull: “Why should I?” or “What’s in it for them?” (whoever ‘them’ are). “I won’t be pushed around by faceless beaurocrats” is another popular mantra of the antivaxxer faction.

And yes, to me this does seem like a classic case of crass stupidity: “It can’t happen to me, I’m not a geriatric.” Or “I am not putting something into my body about which I know bugger all.” Of course all this is not helped by the generous doses of misinformation, not to say fake news, being flung around on the World Wide Web, via social media. One of the more bizarre hypotheses out there was expounded by a rather eccentric looking American granny in a vox-pop on YouTube. She stared straight at the camera before blurting out: “I won’t take no vaccinations because I heard it wipes out your DNA.” She then went on to cement her stupidity with: “An’ I know it’s true ‘cos Donald Trump said it.” Now if any association was ever going to make most normal people rubbish the claim, it would be because it was attributed to the serial liar Trump.

Another popular caveat concerns the one where they claim that the faceless controllers of our destinies are: a) either inserting tracer isotopes into each vaccine shot or b) spiking every shot with toxins that could kill you. Just why any government should want to exterminate a large proportion of its population in this way is not clear; but there you go. There are several other weird and wonderful reasons not to get vaccinated, but I think you get the message.

So what should be done about it? Clearly if enough of the population choose not to be vaccinated against Covid-19 it will pose a considerable risk to the rest of us. I am not one to lobby for blanket vaccination of the entire population. We are still nominally living in a free country… kind of, so freedom of choice is part and parcel of this. No, what I would do is make life extremely uncomfortable for anti-vaxxers by imposing draconian rules and regulations on anyone who refuses to be vaccinated against Covid-19 – no entry to cinemas, theatres, night clubs, sports stadia, pubs, bars, restaurants and all other places of entertainment and relaxation.

I would stipulate that those already fully vaccinated should carry around, on their person, their certificate proving the fact. Regular checks on these certificates should be carried out, possibly by local wardens or the police. I would make it as uncomfortable as I possibly could for non-vaccinated members of the populace. Freedom of choice is fine… but not when it endangers the rest of us!