As I have tried (unsuccessfully) to point out so that debates are more nuanced and the unvaccinated don't become a straw target and labelled selfish - because the vaccinated protect the unvaccinated by contributing to some kind of herd immunity - at last there are experts that won't be dismissed as conspiracist gently explaining that this view is wrong.
Actually the opposite is the case in this instance. The vaccinated don't protect the unvaccinated. Imperfect immunisation (that doesn't prevent infection even after 2 doses never mind the gap) means that the virus continues to spread and does so better, thus increasing rather than decreasing risk to unvaccinated and others with weak immune systems and responses. I'm unaware of any data that supports the view that the unvaccinated pose a risk to the vaccinated. Without high circulating levels of the virus it is unlikely that the unvaccinated would pose a risk to the health service.
Perhaps this has not been explained earlier because it is fairly simple logic and should be self explanatory. Now it has become evident that so many have grasped the wrong end of the stick it needs to be made explicit.
Anyway, here are some recent quotes of evidence to the parliamentary enquiry:
"Reaching herd immunity is “not a possibility” with the current Delta variant, the head of the Oxford Vaccine Group has said.
Giving evidence to MPs on Tuesday, Prof Sir Andrew Pollard said the fact that vaccines did not stop the spread of Covid meant reaching the threshold for overall immunity in the population was “mythical”.
“The problem with this virus is [it is] not measles. If 95% of people were vaccinated against measles, the virus cannot transmit in the population,” he told the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on coronavirus.
“The Delta variant will still infect people who have been vaccinated. And that does mean that anyone who’s still unvaccinated at some point will meet the virus … and we don’t have anything that will [completely] stop that transmission.”
Although the existing vaccines are very effective at preventing serious Covid illness and death, they do not stop a fully vaccinated person from being infected by the virus that causes Covid-19.
The concept of herd or population immunity relies on a large majority of a population gaining immunity – either through vaccination or previous infection – which, in turn, provides indirect protection from an infectious disease for the unvaccinated and those who have never been previously infected."
There is a minority of gung ho unvaccinated but a larger group of gung ho vaccinated who think that being double jabbed means that they personally are safe but that they are protecting others and no longer need to social distance, wear a mask etc. And those in between who are vaccinated and are cautious because they know they can be infected and contagious despite not feeling ill. And those who can't be vaccinated or for whom vaccines 'don't work' Like I said, it's not black and white.