I agree. Not enough of either.
According to Institution of Economic Affairs the state makes a net profit of £14.7bn from smokers and £6.5bn from drinkers (2017 figures).

Those who confuse authoritarianism with the need to act together to solve a health emergency are the ones talking bollocks.

Authoritarianism is "a form of government characterised by the rejection of political plurality, the use of a strong central power to preserve the political status quo, and reductions in the rule of law, separation of powers, and democratic voting."

Using financial incentives as levers to encourage the reticent to join in is something all governments use. It's nothing new and it's nothing authoritarian.

Those who see bogeymen lurking behind every step a government might take to deal with a crisis are truly the fear mongerers

Just go and get vaccinated. It won't hurt, and it could save your, life, and others too. What it won't do, is harm anyone, or cost you a penny.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

Elective surgery was postponed and remains well behind schedule. Cancers were undiagnosed. Mental health issues left untreated. It didn't collapse completely because of the steps taken, but it was badly impacted. If we get a surge of infections which mean many people unable to work at the same time, then the NHS staff will be affected along with everything else, just when it's needed most.

With the impact of Omicron not yet clear, being cautious makes sense until it is. Once we know what to expect with some certainty, then we ought to be able to relax.

The most important thing that we can all do to help is the simplest. Go get vaccinated.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

"The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. His heart sank as he thought of the enormous power arrayed against him" [Orwell, 1984]

I think that it is very obvious to everyone that you are selfish to the extreme, and don't "factor in" anyone's thinking, other than your own prejudicial one, and those which support it. Contrary views of those much better qualified than either of us are dismissed out of hand.

When someone like you refuses to respond to reasonable requests, it is reasonable to expect that other ways are sought to encourage you. Including, but not exclusively, the use of financial incentives.

In most areas of life, a person's lifestyle is their own business. So long as it doesn't harm others, anything and everything is acceptable.

However, where the potential to cause harm exists, then the rest of us, via our government, have a right, and a duty, to intervene. That's nothing new. The same principle has existed since man came out of the caves. What's new is the need to respond to a health emergency. It might be the first, but it's unlikely to be the last, so you had best get used to it.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

Let me make this very clear.

Your opinions as regards covid are one thing.

However, your opinions as regards to me are unsolicited and unwanted as is your continued posting at me....which you have been asked to stop many times.

I don't respect you for many reasons and this is just one of them.

So as regards your opinions of me, you can take them and shove em where the sun don't shine.

Edited by Stirlingsays (22 Dec 2021 10.16am)

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)