Coronavirus: General discussion (see opening post for rules)

[Steve21]

We've both flu and covid vaccination for the students this week by the looks of it

 

We had both done last week so looks like they’re starting to work through them all

 

I didn’t pay much attention but seems it’s everyone has flu jab, and Covid were optional to have at the same time

 

Steve

[BKGarry]

@BKGarry has vaccination started in your school?

They happened last week, not major issues that I know about

[Linfit]

Ours were done last week, although we were the first school in the area to have them and they were using us to trial their procedures.

No issues with protests etc, I think because we were a trial school there was no annoucement that the programme had started.

Uptake was not very high though, we reckon only about 30% of those eligible.

[StevieM]

Actually, a bit more than that. Some quite intimidating behaviour was exhibited, with threats of physical violence offered ('cause naturally, why not?)

Sorry for being flippant about something substantially more serious than I realised. If only they would put their passion and energy to better use, then perhaps they really could make a positive difference in the world.

[mavhc]

Just ask the antivax people why they hate immunocompromised people so much. Also remind them that vaccinated people are really dangerous and they should stay at home to protect themselves.

[6Foot2]

Sorry for being flippant about something substantially more serious than I realised. If only they would put their passion and energy to better use, then perhaps they really could make a positive difference in the world.

 

No problem. I apologise in return for not making the situation as clear as I might have in the first place. Some people are infuriating. These people, who are easily swayed into "mass action" with poor information, are examples of that source of infuriation.

[6Foot2]

"Dr" Gillian McKeith fails to understand a vaccination publicity campaign:

 

Link: https://twitter.com/GillianMcKeith/status/1444317759467307010

 

 

Oops!

[Garacesh]

One might argue a funeral director might have a vested interest in people not getting vaccinated

[6Foot2]

One might argue a funeral director might have a vested interest in people not getting vaccinated

Not in this case:

 

Link: Wilmore Funeral Home

 

[jmak]

Not in this case:

 

Link: Wilmore Funeral Home

 

[emoji14]

But that supports Gillian McKeith. It is a pro-vaccination campaign.

 

"Get vaccinated. If not, see you soon."

 

Admittedly, Americans have a reputation for missing irony - but I'm this case that's just the Darwin theory in action...

 

Edit: Or have I missed that she is an anti-vaxxer?

 

Edit 2: Yep, that's what I missed [emoji2357]

Edited October 4, 2021 by jmak

[Norphy]

She's a pretty disgusting human being at the best of times, so it wouldn't especially surprise me if she's anti vaxx

[mavhc]

99% of the time it's extremely easy to pick the correct side of any discussion. The virus will kill millions, vaccines will work, being nice to people is a good idea, pollution is bad.

 

USA law that if you want to work you have to be vaccinated is working well, we should do that. Also travel on public transport or go inside commercial buildings

[Norphy]

99% of the time it's extremely easy to pick the correct side of any discussion. The virus will kill millions, vaccines will work, being nice to people is a good idea, pollution is bad.

 

USA law that if you want to work you have to be vaccinated is working well, we should do that. Also travel on public transport or go inside commercial buildings

 

The trouble with that is, how do you define the correct side of an argument? Whether it's justified or not, people are sceptical/scared/against it for $REASON$ and as far as they're concerned, they're on the correct side of the argument, no matter how detrimental it is to the rest of society.

[mavhc]

If it's detrimental to the rest of society, it's probably the wrong side.

 

Assume by default that you're unimportant, that there's no conspiracies, and life is boring.

 

Also assume that most people are idiots, and the best way to get people to do something is make it default.

[Rob_D]

If it's detrimental to the rest of society, it's probably the wrong side.

One could argue that lockdowns had a "detrimental effect on society" (and lots of people have), but it was still pretty clearly worth doing.

 

Banning unvaccinated people from key services (like public transport or shops) sounds like a terrible plan. Recreational things I could maybe get on board with, but then you get into a big debate about where to draw the line and what's "key". Also we'd need a vaccine passport system that worked reliably.

[mavhc]

Pretty sure being dead is a detrimental effect on society, how are you going to pay taxes if you're dead?

 

Don't we already have vaccine passport that works reliably? I have it right here on my phone.

 

Why is banning them a terrible plan? They can just go and get a vaccine.

[jthompson]

Maybe the trick to reaching through misinformed vaccine-hesitancy is just a bit of linguistic tweaking. Don't use the word vaccine, as that appears now to have been ruined (at least where it matters). Instead use the term 'organic wellness supplement'. Say that it's complimentary and that it's even more effective than a diet rich in fresh organic veg.

[elsiegee40]

https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/news/ATP_Tennis/103182/victoria-government-get-vaccinated-or-miss-australian-open-/

 

The Victoria government announced that all athletes in the state must be fully vaccinated by the end of November and that could spell trouble for unvaccinated tennis players who want to play the Australian Open.

 

Unvaccinated players could find themselves in a tough situation at the beginning of the season as they could find themselves in a position to choose between getting vaccinated or missing the Australian Open.

 

Novak Djokovic, a record nine-time Australian Open champion, is believed to be unvaccinated and he is one of the plazers that could find themselves in a tough spot. Meanwhile, US Open champion Emma Raducanu said she would do whatever it takes to play the Australian Open.

 

"Whatever needs to be done to be able to play the Australian Open, I’ll do,” Raducanu explained at ‘The Homecoming’, an LTA Event held to celebrate the UK’s US Open champions. “To me it’s not even a thought or like a battle in my mind.

 

I just want to be at the Australian Open, and I want to compete there, so, whatever it takes to do, I’ll go."

 

Djokovic missed out on a chance to win a record 21st Grand Slam at the US Open and become the first player since 1969 to win all four Grand Slams in the season.

 

Eurosport tennis expert Alex Corretja believes Djokovic will bounce back and win the Australian Open. "This is a learning process for Novak as well and I'm sure he will come back strong," Corretja told Eurosport.

 

"He needs to realise that his season was perfect and it was just that he lost a couple of matches. For him it's going to relieve the whole pressure and he will take on new goals for the future. "And that will come again in winning the Australian Open next year, or even the ATP finals at the end of this year if he decides not to take a little bit of time off to chill."

[LeMarchand]

Maybe the trick to reaching through misinformed vaccine-hesitancy is just a bit of linguistic tweaking. Don't use the word vaccine, as that appears now to have been ruined (at least where it matters). Instead use the term 'organic wellness supplement'. Say that it's complimentary and that it's even more effective than a diet rich in fresh organic veg.

 

You might need to vary the tactic by region. In redneck country you could go with something like, "New Pfizer - the mark of a man".

[mavhc]

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.26.21264142v2

 

Stay and Home reduces case velocity by 2 times. No indoor dining: 1.6, masks: 2.2, banning gatherings: 1.8.

[LeMarchand]

Shortage of teachers in NY as more than 5k refuse to be vaccinated. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/substitute-teachers-new-york-covid-shot-b1931911.html

 

If that's what it's like in a fairly cosmopolitan town, imagine what it is like in Middle America.

[Norphy]

At this point, you have to wonder what their problem actually is? Are they actually against the vaccine or are they being pig headed because they're being instructed to take it?

 

If it's the latter, they deserve to lose their jobs, frankly.

[LeMarchand]

This is a country where popular bumper stickers include:

 

"I'll give you my gun when you pry it from from my cold, dead hands".

OK then, *. Who's next?

 

and in a similar vein

 

"When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns"

Much like the making theft, murder and rape illegal made criminals out of those groups?

 

So they're not entirely logical.

 

*Slightly ironic emoji usage but I couldn't see a noose or injection/gas chamber emoji.

Edited October 4, 2021 by LeMarchand

[Ditto]

I'll try to remain non-political, but is there a point where any ruling government in a country should just make vaccines mandatory unless there is a good medical reason not to have it, rather than force large chunks of the population be indirect means?

 

I see from the US president a mandate forcing vaccination that could potentially cover two thirds of employees; including all federal workers and employees of businesses with more than 100 staff. Australia, China, France, Greece, Italy, parts of Canada, Wales and England have made vaccines mandatory for some work sectors.

 

There's also the approach of requiring vaccine passports for certain activities - like nightclubs, air travel etc.

 

Indonesia, Micronesia, Turkmenistan have made vaccines mandatory for all adults and in the case of Indonesia you can get fined for non-compliance.

 

Whilst I'll never defend a anti-vaxer, I suspect some of those protesting have a deep belief in the freedom of personal choice. But, all countries have laws such that there are restrictions on that choice - you can't freely go around shooting people without consequence. I guess it is up to each government to decide on their tipping point.

 

Personally, I don't think the UK will ever go for an outright mandatory programme (and yes, I know it would need a law change), but it could well use an increasing variety of indirect, with life impacting consequences of deciding not to. As for the US, I could see the president making a mandate, but with there state structure, it would be hard to enforce. and, as is often the case, it'll be the legal profession that does best if they do!

[Ditto]

This is a country where popular bumper stickers include:

*Slightly ironic emoji usage but I couldn't see a noose or injection/gas chamber emoji.

I hit the same issue when looking for emoji's to represent a turkey shoot! Swapping all US guns for water pistols would be progress though!!!