Reasons to be fearful, 1,2,3

The latest and possibly worst in a line of excuses for not being vaccinated

Say what you will about some of the wilder conspiracy theories around vaccination, but no one in their right mind would want microchips smuggled into their bloodstream through a needle, and their grey matter duly controlled by dark forces.

Or would they? I say this because it seems that many anti-vaxx conspiracists are positively open to brainwashing. Judging by social media, large numbers of them seem to be in an advanced state of mesmerisation, bewitched by the comments of similarly glassy-eyed conspiracists.

In one respect, the cherry blossom emoji refuseniks who hang around Twitter sharing the same ridiculous scare stories about vaccination are quite right. Mind control would indeed be a bad thing were it to happen on a large scale.

Wouldn’t it be terrible if everyone thought as one, sharing the same opinions on social media — especially if their claims were highly questionable and ran contrary to scientific study but also common sense?

How bad would things be if people put themselves — and others — at risk by refusing vaccination, having elevated the words of a starry-eyed ex-local radio broadcaster called Terry with a few thousand followers above those of trained medics and scientists?

Imagine how freedom of thought would be imperilled if large numbers of people had formed half-baked opinions based on the theories of home-learned crazies and the anecdotal bilge of empty lives? How totally hypnotised by bullshit would you have to be to share your blind ignorance in echo chambers on social media? Truly, mind control sounds awful.

Also, and regarding the microchip argument, I find it interesting that the same morons who are convinced that Bill Gates is putting microchips into our bloodstreams through Covid vaccines are always on social media, seemingly unaware that their every click, like, swipe and share is tracked. They already have a large microchip attached to them. It’s called a smartphone. And I’d wager it’s a damn sight smarter than the piece of meat holding it.

The second worst reason for refusing the vaccine is that it was “developed very quickly”. The inference here, of course, is that shortcuts were taken.

Again, there’s some truth here. They were. The vaccine development process was shortened to meet the rapid spread of Covid-19 and the pressures this placed on stretched healthcare systems and frozen economies.

As such, information was shared among different parties involved in its creation in an unprecedented way to speed up the process. Vaccine manufacturing began while regulatory approvals were ongoing in a bid to save crucial months.

What wasn’t skipped was due process. This is hard to understand for some people, but at no point did a scientist somewhere say “sod it, this will do”, before ticking a box at the bottom of a form and heading off to cocktails over Zoom at 4.55pm.

No, the worst reason for refusing to be vaccinated is the one I read this week, from a nurse, no less, in Southampton. Asked by her hospital to have the vaccine or be removed from duties that involve close patient contact, this anonymous refusenik gave an interview to the BBC which is worth quoting in full:

“I made my mind up that I’m not quite ready yet to have it [the vaccine] and it’s my own risk, isn’t it? For me, I think it’s freedom of choice. I’m not against vaccines. I do understand the purpose of vaccinations.”

Not. Quite. Ready. Yet.

Like a pub conversation about making the switch to an electric toothbrush. Or trying camping again because, you know, the kids love it. “Yeah, I get it, but I’m not really ready yet, you know? Give me space. It’s my body, yeah?”

Because what the world really needs right now is a bunch of lame Westerners declining a vaccine because it’s not, you know, a good time for them right now, while the rest of the world struggles to get its hands on a vaccine.

As a result, the pandemic is far from over, and the glib indulgence of a few people lucky enough to have access to a vaccine but refusing it only contributes to its continued existence.

I have read a number of articles that argue that simply dismissing the opinions of anti-vaxxers causes more harm than engaging them in debate. Really?

Okay. Debate this…

“This house proposes that refusing a free of charge and demonstrably safe vaccine runs counter to one’s own health and the wider good of society at large, and the arguments marshalled to defend such an illogical stance are clearly without merit.”

In other words: grow up, you fucking idiots.