A writer of a short submitted article to The Lancet draws comparisons with stigmitisation of unvaccinated and history *title edited by MNHQ*

[Sumsencosrshit]

"People who are vaccinated have a lower risk of severe disease but are still a relevant part of the pandemic. It is therefore wrong and dangerous to speak of a pandemic of the unvaccinated. Historically, both the USA and Germany have engendered negative experiences by stigmatising parts of the population for their skin colour or religion. I call on high-level officials and scientists to stop the inappropriate stigmatisation of unvaccinated people"

www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02243-1/fulltext

Fair enough @sirfredfredgeorge.

I still believe that we’ve maintained a reasonable level (so far) of covid with many less restrictions than previously and I credit vaccinations with that, certainly in the absence of evidence of anything else contributing towards that.

I wouldn't call 1000s a week being unnecessarily killed, and many more suffering long term illness 'a reasonable level'.

Not to mention the impact on non Covid medical care. Nor the unbearable pressure on NHS staff (as if they needed any extra).

The vaccines are absolutely helping but there's the problem of the unvaccinated. (Also the UK ignoring WHO advice on Vaccine Plus rather than our Vaccine Just approach).

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/21/icu-is-full-of-the-unvaccinated-my-patience-with-them-is-wearing-thin

@Tealightsandd

I wouldn't call 1000s a week being unnecessarily killed, and many more suffering long term illness 'a reasonable level'

It depends which angle you’re looking at it from. In terms of what the population deem acceptable to continue being economically active, apparently it is acceptable. I would argue the government needs to plan provision for that strategy they’re perusing since it’s pretty obvious to me (and most others) covid is going to be with us long term and in terms of healthcare provision is basically a whole new speciality and will need appropriate support and provision for that going forward. They’re definitely sticking their hands over their ears on that one though.

I’m not unsympathetic to the current state of the NHS; my df had a major heart attack recently (on top of many other conditions so he isn’t suitable for a lot of coronary interventions) and he has boomeranged in and out of hospital since because there isn’t the resource to do much beyond stabilising him and moving him to a very basic rehab provision. It’s horrendous.

It is incredible to me that there is so much anxiety and falsehood around that this could possibly be necessary after the year we have all witnessed. How strong is the hold that this information has on people that it outweighs rational thought?

That's the biggest issue here in my opinion. It annoys me that people assume vaccinated = hasn't got covid, unvaccinated = has covid in terms of events or family get togethers. I think that's unhelpful. But there are far more unhelpful things going on around misinformation, 'I did my own research' and so on. I can't imagine anyone I've come across who is anti vax ever turning down something like chemo to save their lives, yet here they are turning down something tiny in comparison because they 'did their own research'

@Cornettoninja

I'm sorry about your df. I hope he's doing as well as possible under the circumstances.

Ah thanks @Tealightsandd, I wasn’t looking for a sympathy vote but wanted to illustrate that this is multifaceted and that I do ‘get it’ to some extent. It’s appreciated though