Thank you for the updates BlueJay.

Mainstream reports and studies reinforcing how important and successful the vaccine has been. Also excellent that the Pfizer medication has now been approved by the EC.

As I have said many times I will respond to any comment I choose to. Whether anyone else reads them, or responds to them is their decision alone. No-one is forced to do anything. Should you not "want" a post, don't read it! Simple. I don't post "at" anyone. I am not "engaging" with anyone. I am making comments in a public forum. I only "engage" with people when posting private messages.

Seeing everything in personal terms, and then responding with personal criticisms of a poster's character appears to me to be against the site rules. So I don't do it. Those who do must answer for the consequences themselves.

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.

supreme irony??

Gets all creases out of clothes in an instant.

This isn't though a decision akin to deciding whether you shop at Tesco's or Sainsbury's. This is part of a public health response to a crisis. Treating it as a matter of personal freedom and choice is to entirely miss the point. Those who do are either misunderstanding, and need help and guidance, or wilfully selfish.

It's not authoritarianism in any way. If it was just a political goal that was the aim, then it would be, but this is a public health response to a crisis, and the preparation for the next.

I don't think we should force anyone to do anything against their will. So I don't agree with Austria. I think their position is counter-productive. I do though think that the majority have a right to take their own action. If they don't want to mix with the unvaccinated, that's their choice and their right. If the majority will, as expressed by their representatives, is that the unvaccinated be required to isolate away from social activities, then that's what they must do.

Consider what smokers are now required to do. Once it was socially acceptable to smoke in public. Nowadays, it isn't and no-one bats an eyelid. Only the stupid think that is a repression of freedom and not a public health measure.

"My way" with the unvaccinated hospital staff is that none at all get sacked. Who in their right mind wants that as an outcome? I want them all to accept the vaccine and to respect the right of their employer to insist that all those who are in direct contact with their clients should be up-to-date with all vaccines. If persuasion, encouragement and education fail then current employees should be redeployed. New ones should have it made a contractual condition of employment.

Indeed, I would hope all major employers now ask a standard question on application for employment forms about an applicant's vaccination status, in the section about their health record.

I want to know my employees' attitude. I want people who I believe to be responsible citizens and who are team players. So I suspect this will become a standard question in time.

Edited by Wisbech Eagle (28 Jan 2022 6.56pm)

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.

Some countries certainly got the short straw in terms of access to vaccines, that's for sure. Often in countries where people are hardly the healthiest as it is.