No jab, no job?
Dear editor,
During 2020, Australia’s handling of the Covid virus, with minimal victims, was the envy of the world. Unlike Britain, USA and the rest of Europe, with deaths in their thousands, we maintained control over the virus, cutting off from all internationals and staying safe.
2021 is a different story! With Britain and the USA no longer insisting on social distancing and mask wearing – a massive programme to vaccinate a high percentage of their populations depends on “herd Immunity”. Although the risks that Covid, especially the deadly “Delta” variant, is still in the community, they are no longer insisting on restrictions to contain the virus. The social, mental and economic cost is balanced with the risks. Australia falls far behind, having lost its envious 2020 status of control.
With other nations now opening up, regardless of the risks, Australia’s attempt to control the uncontrollable outbreaks, having not secured enough vaccines to inoculate our population, is failing. Rather, they have not made it mandatory to either be tested or vaccinated while working outside the home. Securing vaccines is a federal responsibility, even while each state has been using individual restrictions’ programmes to overcome sudden outbreaks. The haphazard nature of supply and these rules and restrictions as a kneejerk reaction to positive outbreaks, so minimal, leaves us physically, mentally and economically exhausted.
It’s too late: demand has now outweighed supply. Even now we don’t have enough of the crucial vaccines to meet numbers required for different demographics, especially those working with our most vulnerable citizens. Making vaccinations mandatory for those in service and health industries – relies on availability. Obviously, for federal leadership left to do the maths, the numbers didn’t add up. Our case numbers are so low, that the lockdowns and mask-wearing demands are a bridge too far. We are suffering from Covid fatigue and unreasonable political demands.
E. Rowe,
Marcoola.