PROMOTING VACCINATION

IN THE past couple of months I must have seen at least a thousand close-up screen shots of bared shoulders being pierced by long injection needles.

Every time Covid-19 is mentioned in a news bulletin we are shown yet another needle sliding into another shoulder.

I find this rather an odd way of attracting customers. The message they’re spreading says: “If you come to the clinic we will stick a long needle into your shoulder.” People — and men in particular — are cowards when it comes to facing pain.

If you’re given a choice of staying home and weeding the garden, or going to a pharmacy and having a needle stuck into you shoulder, you’ll probably opt for the weeding and promise yourself you’ll go for your vaccination once the weeds are plucked (unless it’s raining.)

There must be better ways of promoting vaccination. Why not highlight the joy of being able to hug your wife and kids safely, without fear of contaminating them. Talk about the delight of going into shopping malls and offices without fear of being breathed on by toxic humans. “Vaccine makes you nice to be near.”

When insurance companies advertise funeral cover they don’t offer endless close-up shots of dead people lying in coffins.

They concentrate on the joy of a happy retirement, free from financial worries. And all this blah about freedom of choice is just a cover-up for cowardice. Your human rights?

My foot, Boet! You’re just “poepscared” of that

I got my driver’s licence many years ago and nobody wore seat belts in those days. Today we calmly accept seat belts as an everyday part of motoring. We can even be fined if we’re caught driving without a seat belt.

I see no problem with making the Covid-19 vaccine compulsory, just as I accepted compulsory seatbelts.

Last Laugh

Times are really tough for Cape Town businessmen during this pandemic.

A shopkeeper met a friend in the street last week and said: “Hey, Fred, I was terribly sorry to hear about the fire you had in your factory.”

“Ssh,” said Fred, looking around anxiously, “the fire’s only next week.”