I see that the original excuses for failing to act responsibly over the vaccines are being dusted off and used again. So they need to be debunked again.

Comparing the way we, and the NHS, respond to the lifestyle choices of others and the way we needed to respond to the Covid emergency is disingenuous.

Lifestyle choices have existed for a very long time and dealing with their consequences is factored into the work of the NHS. Trying to improve behaviour over smoking, drinking, obesity, drug abuse etc etc is also a long term matter and providing treatment in the meantime is budgeted. Exactly the same applies to seasonal illnesses like flu. It’s expected and the resources are available to handle it.

Covid was unexpected. You cannot have unused surplus resources available for every emergency so you need to react and adjust to cope. That demands a national response on many levels and requires that we all participate. Those that choose not to without good reason are behaving irresponsibly and in a selfish way if the authorities have determined that the recommended actions are safe.

The problem is that too many don’t trust the authorities and prefer to trust either their own scepticism or the words of those who propose alternative strategies.

This ends up with a situation similar to a country fighting a war in which the army and the navy are fighting, but the airforce has decided not to because they don’t believe the strategy will work and don’t want any scratches on their shiny aircraft.

Having different opinions on strategy will exist in any situation. Once they have been heard and reviewed a decision must be made and then, in an emergency, it’s essential that everyone who can follow it, does follow it. You don’t send the elderly or infirm to war, but you do send the reluctant able bodied. Conscientious objectors were shamed, often ostracised and required to do other war work.

Those who claim, without evidence, that things would have been better if only their strategy had been followed have been populating barrack rooms and bars since disputes existed. We know what is. Now we must deal with it. That was our decision.

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.

It mY have been what upu meant but it isn't what you said. Just quoting percentages doesn't explain anything when 35% could be 12 patients.
The backlog was created by closing the country down for months. The NHS exists to provide a service not to dictate lives.

I thought it was clear enough but there's no point in going round another circle.

The backlog has nothing at all with "closing the country down for months".

The restrictions on our movements reduced the demand for emergency treatment as accidents decreased, so mitigated the impact that Covid itself was having. That was one the points of them. There were contrary implications with people being reluctant to consult for what they felt were minor issues so that they didn't take up resources needed by others. Responsible people do that. Unlike some others.

The NHS does indeed exist to provide a service but like any other service, it is not, and can never be a case of providing an unlimited amount via boundless resources. When resources are stretched beyond capacity priorities must be established. If that means dictating what its users must do to avail of a service we all own, so be 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.

"You're not going to get COVID if you have these vaccinations," Biden July 21 2021.

This is still misinformation.

The CDC had stated that as of July 12 2021 it had received reports of 1,063 deaths among vaccinated people.

And previously his own staff who had been vaccinated had caught covid.

So misinformation.

Even when those providing the service don't do the same.

[Link]

I refer you to my previous answer. There’s no point in me repeating myself even if you continue to. Something you have quite a habit of doing. When you get an idea fixed in your mind I don’t think a tsunami would be able to shift 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.