We’ll have what the PM’S having
I’M a pro-vaxxer, always have been.
A search of my trusty filing cabinet turned up ancient yellowed records of my infant jabs of Triple Antigen, Salk for polio, and CDT for tetanus (which was also advised if you happened to raise goats.)
At primary school we lined up for the oral polio vaccine and the newly released measles jab, and in high school it was TB and rubella shots.
The excitement of a family trip to Bali in 1978 was documented not only by my official, navy-covered Australian passport, but a buffcoloured one for vaccines, issued by the World Health Organisation to record the necessary jabs for smallpox, cholera and typhoid.
Did I ask what kind of vaccine they were or what they consisted of?
No, all I knew is the small scars that remain on my upper arm to this day were my ticket to international travel.
The 80s saw smallpox vaccines end and mumps and pneumococcal vaccines start, and a hepatitis B vaccine became available for at-risk babies.
The following year the BCG vaccine for TB ended.
And later, vaccines for hep B, meningococcal, flu and HPV were introduced.
Vaccines clearly worked
So what fuelled the sceptics and conspiracy theorists to cast doubt on the benefits of the drugs that had not only prevented diseases, but in some cases completely eradicated them?
Blame UK doctor Andrew Wakefield, who in 1998 had a paper published in The Lancet that linked the recently released Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR)
vaccine to autism in 12 children.
Later, Wakefield was found to have used fake data for his antivax theory, with the British Medical Journal editors stating, “Clear evidence of falsification of data should now close the door on this damaging vaccine scare.” Except it didn’t.
The damage from this bogus report and the two documentaries Wakefield made after being struck off the medical register fuelled a scepticism of vaccines and rallied the anti-vax movement.
Which brings us to the COVID19 situation, and why the very small number of people experiencing blood clots from the
Astrazeneca vaccine is actually a very big problem.
We know the risk of blood clots from the contraceptive pill is hundreds of times higher than the risk from the AZ vaccine, but who wants to be a statistic?
Dismissing people’s fears, however unlikely, is what allowed the anti-vax movement to take hold.
Besides, doesn’t anyone with future travel plans want the most effective vaccine against the overseas variants?
Our 52-year-old PM was at the front of the queue for the Pfizer, yet mandated that his fellow over 50s will receive AZ.
This led to an immediate, inevitable outcome for that age group – ‘vaccine hesitancy’.
Can you blame them? Generations that survived a foolhardy youth are likely to be risk-averse, since we’re the ones with insurance, responsibilities, and retirement plans.
The solution? Choice – offer the Pfizer (and Moderna) to all.
Boomers will stampede for it and by the time younger, ‘take it or leave it’ generations realise they’ll need vaccinations to travel, the millions of promised doses will have arrived.
We’ll have what the PM had, thanks – no hesitation.
Let’s face the truth here. The crime in Townsville is basically state sanctioned anarchy. No other term or excuse for it. The state government has no idea how to address the issue and can only sit back and watch while chaos and crime rules our streets. Its inept and meaningless attempts to address the problem has unsurprisingly produced no results to stem the lawlessness. The only way to stop the crime is to remove the criminals from society. And it’s about time the gutless 3 blind mice that pretend to represent us at least resigned.
STEVO, HMT PRK 4812
Re crime wave: we’re lucky thieves haven’t learned to fly yet, so Qld govt air helicopter is safe for now. ERIC, WEST END
Steve, Belgian Gardens last text delivers a clear demonstration of the Labor Party’s communist aspirations. He stated his hatred of democracy (capitalism) and is a welded on Labor disciple so he knows Labor will eventually secure his wish. COL, ROSSLEA
Black ants on the move up, are we in for a lot of rain? SARA, TVL
Bulletin 14.05. L Walker: “community safety was paramount and people deserved to feel safe.” A. Harper: “the amount of crime was unacceptable.” S Stewart: “what happened in Townsville
To our elected representatives, you were voted in by the people of Townsville, how about you all stop spewing absolute dribble and false promises to us and actually start fixing the crime issue. You should all hang your heads in shame for allowing this to continue for so long. Absolutely disgusted in each and every one of you. yesterday was disgusting and in any instance crime was unacceptable.” More tough talk from our great SE socialist regime lapdogs. 6.5 years to get the juvenile sociopaths under control which will never happen when law abiding citizens are held in much lower regard that the precious criminal victims. There will be more deaths but I hope it is the wee sh-ts & not innocents.
BILL TIPPETT, ANNANDALE 0416 905 531
With our State Government & judiciary failing with our local crime, it’s looking pretty ugly now. Over the years this government has been making excuses for these young crims, also stating it’s not a quick fix, with talk & more talk, instead of getting tough on these young terrorists. It’s got to the stage now these young crims think it’s a big game. Every time they get into a stolen car the safety of the public are put in serious danger. Some have now become hardened crims because of how it’s been dealt with. They have to be taken off the streets & placed into custody. When inside under the right supervision, some could be educated & disciplined. PAT, 4812
Can Phil Thompson please get us another reinsurance pool to help with rising car and contents insurance as a result of the out of control crime? Seems that other pool is for natural disasters not manmade (and woman-made, sorry Annastacia) ones like the current crime wave. MJ, CITY
Aaron’s secret plan. Would it be: “If we sit on our hands and do nothing long enough, the honest, hard working people of Townsville will run out of cars & the thieving scum that we are helping will move on?” Shouldn’t take long, 10 cars a day.
You local State MPS should be ashamed of yourselves. P.J, PIMLICO
In response to Mr Butler they are not street kids at all, they roam the streets looking to cause havoc. This I know for a fact as I’m surrounded by them. Most live in houses provided by Queensland housing. You’re not helping by making excuses for them you are just enabling their behaviour. FED UP, 4817
SUE, KIRWAN