Anti-vax idiots holding us back
LORD give me strength to sympathise with those who refuse to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
Or better still: politicians, do your job, and introduce tougher regulations to remove ambiguity around vaccine rules and protect business owners who choose to protect their livelihoods, their employees and the rest of us by introducing a no-jab, no-work rule.
It is staggering that health workers and even a doctor – supposedly our best and brightest – are marching in the streets or striding off to court to fight for their right to freedom over the vaccine.
They enjoy that freedom, and the promise of a return to relative normality and open borders, because the vast majority of us have done our duty and rolled up our sleeves.
We have applied commonsense and accepted that while it generally takes years for vaccines to be developed, countries across the planet have prioritised resources and altered protocols so that things such as data analysis could happen concurrently with testing, therefore rapidly speeding up the process.
We have put our faith in the
Therapeutic Goods
Administration and believed its commitment that no part of the approvals process for Covid-19 vaccines has been rushed.
We have trusted the science, and allowed ourselves to be injected with a substance despite not knowing every element of it. That’s no different to how we’ve allowed ourselves and our children to be injected with vaccines (without personally studying every ingredient) for decades to protect ourselves from the likes of polio, smallpox and rubella.
When South Australia’s borders do open later this month, we’re told those most at risk will be the immuno-compromised (including those unable to take the vaccine for medical reasons) and children too young to receive a vaccine, although experts tell us that kids are far less likely to fall gravely ill.
We’ve also been told ad nauseam that the best way to protect these precious people – our relatives, friends and work colleagues – is for those of us who can get vaccinated to do the right thing.
How many stories have we heard of people overseas on their death beds begging for the vaccine when it’s too late, or sobbing over a loved one who died because they’d been cavalier and passed on the virus?
In the past two years we’ve seen what happens in towns and cities around the world when Covid-19 is allowed to run unchecked, and we want to do everything we can to help the state’s hospital system.
That’s not naive selflessness talking.
We want the hospital system to be running smoothly in case any of us, or loved ones, get sick or injured – with Covid-19, yes, but just as crucially with anything else.
The idea that hospital beds could be taken up by people who catch the virus because they refused the vaccine makes me quite ropeable.
So, no, I’m not really seeking strength to sympathise with those who refuse the vaccine.
My sympathy lies with those who are desperately anxious about the Delta strain because they have a heightened risk.
My sympathy lies with those in hospitality, the arts and other sectors, who’ve battled depression and seen their savings evaporate under ongoing restrictions.
And my sympathy lies with
It is staggering that health workers and even a doctor ... are marching in the streets or striding off to court
frontline workers who fear an onslaught if enough of us aren’t jabbed.
No more patience and pussyfooting around. I’d sack the lot of you.