Covid-19 discussion thread

[Lencoboy]

Good god, what's the world coming to right now?

Seems like the antivaxxers are the latest in a long line of 'folk devils', and the latest subject of a 'moral panic'!

Probably for the right reasons though.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I wonder whether there are concerns the public may lose faith in treatments, many not as safe as these vaccines, being offered by the NHS?

When people were saying they didn't want it where were all these people? Maybe they were there all along but hidden amongst the groups being criticised?

Also, the potential loss of cover across the NHS is not only falling on the government's shoulders. That's a way to distance themselves from taking responsibility for their decisions not to accept a safe vaccine. Because if people need to be exempt, work on that. But if you are like the rest of us, thats the us who are recommended to be jabbed and will be criticised if we don't accept it, then why is your risk greater than mine? How many have the same health conditions, age, history, etc yet they have chosen to take it for the greater good of us all? I wonder how they will feel about their colleagues unwillingness to accept it?

We keep getting anecdotal stories in the media. I would prefer a breakdown of the reasons the 10% won't take it. If 5% are BS nonsense then don't let them hide behind colleagues who have a legitimate reason that exemption may be appropriate for. If your reason is "boo government" or paranoia over this opening the door to other things (which is naive since the HSE sent us down that road a long time ago) then the public should be allowed to judge them when they are, along with the government, threatening services. Maybe both should be held accountable?

I'm with Gary on this with the exception I suspect some are politically motivated.

[pulisa]

Would being needle phobic be grounds for a medical exemption for NHS workers? I can imagine that the exemption criteria will be challenged in the weeks ahead in an attempt to dodge the sack.

I feel sorry for the vast majority of responsible NHS workers who will inevitably have to soak up the fallout but maybe the vaccine-averse won't be missed and services will be better with new staff?

[Lencoboy]

I feel sorry for the vast majority of responsible NHS workers who will inevitably have to soak up the fallout but maybe the vaccine-averse won't be missed and services will be better with new staff?

You could be right there Pulisa.

Whilst trying not to generalise too much, my dad was saying yesterday that he reckons a lot of the 'vaccine-averse' who work for the NHS and the like seem have a bit of a 'high-and-mighty' attitude that he can spot by a country mile.

There does also seem to be a bit of a sense of militancy involved; e.g, 'boo govt!' as what Terry quoted upthread.

Also it does seem that nearly everything nowadays seems to have to have some kind of conspiracy theory attached to it, plus of course, the 'blame game'!

[TaleOn11]

Anyone else sick of hearing about the whole "partygate" thing?

I know I am. While I'm glad the govt are getting whats coming to them, I don't want to hear about it all the time, especially on YouTube of all places.

[Lencoboy]

Anyone else sick of hearing about the whole "partygate" thing?

I know I am. While I'm glad the govt are getting whats coming to them, I don't want to hear about it all the time, especially on YouTube of all places.

I bet once all this Partygate palaver starts to die down people will no doubt be back to having digs at Starmer and the Labour Party once again.

[pulisa]

I don't agree that Partygate is a palaver. It's an incredibly important and emotive issue for many people and it's the ultimate betrayal. Its legacy could well be profound.

[Catkins]

I think it's incredibly important too. People were dying isolated from their families while members of the government were having a get together. I was spending 10 hours a day sweating my backside off in PPE doing a job I had never done before while they were enjoying a glass of wine.

They knew the rules, they should all be sacked.

[Catkins]

Oh and what did us lowly NHS workers get for all our hard work? An extra day holiday. In my wages that's probably the equivalent of a few of the bottles of wine that they drank at the party, which they probably got on expenses.

Bitter? Just a tad.

[Lencoboy]

Apologies for offence caused by my use of the word 'palaver' in the context of Partygate. I must have (unwittingly) worded it wrongly.

I don't in any way deny that the whole scandal sucks big time, and certain high-ranking Tory MPs seem to be trying in vain to defend Boris for the umpteenth time.

Seems that the man is virtually untouchable!

Little wonder that so many people now seem to have stopped caring about voting and politics for good, especially in this culture of endless 'whataboutery' and conspiracy theories!

Also, nearly all politicians of pretty much every party seem to get tarred with the same brush nowadays.