dialamah

That would be nice, wouldn't it? Some acknowledgement that a life-destroying illness needs to be controlled, so as not to decimate our health care. Sure, a lot of the ideas that you come up with - being prepared - are great. However, there is not enough time to implement them for THIS pandemic. For the next one, let's hold our government accountable going forward, insist they do what they should going forward so we aren't in this situation again - great idea, I wholeheartedly agree. But putting that as a solution to THIS pandemic, over and over again, isn't 'intelligent'. In THIS pandemic, we have to deal with the situation as is, not as we'd wish it or even as it should have been. Solutions and a will to keep our health system functioning now, in THIS pandemic is what is needed, not endless complaints about SARS 20 years ago, or even Wuhan a year ago. Passports and lockdowns and masks are not what anyone agrees with, but they are what we have as tools to control THIS pandemic, today. So how about you engage in some intelligent conversation by focusing on the present situation, not the past. By the way, for those who think restrictions are the "first step to communism" or whatever, the restrictions in the interior of BC are being lifted, because of the passport. So, gatherings and family visits stop being on hold - for vaccinated people. You want to get rid of restrictions - do your part for the safety and wellbeing of our society, not some half-baked idea that your "rights" supersede the rights of everyone else. In any case your right to avoid the vaccine exists - you'll just have to bear the consequences - whether it's getting sick, dying or being excluded from certain activities. You are free to exercise your "right not to get vaccinated", don't complain about the consequences - isn't that the idea?

Which disinformation source did you get that info? Do you not understand the basics of illness? If I don't have a cold, I can't transmit it to anyone. If I don't have the flu, I can't transmit it to anyone. If I don't have HIV, or syphillis or herpes, I can't pass them to anyone - even if we have sex! And, if I don't have Covid, I can't transmit it to anyone. The vaccine reduces the likelihood that I'll get Covid by about 90%; as long as I don't get it, I can't pass it on to anyone. It's the unvaccinated who are spreading this disease now, along with filling up our hospitials and reducing the ability of all of us to get back to normal - all while they whine and demonstrate about their "rights". If they were lacking "rights", they'd be in jail, at least, instead of putting everyone around them at risk. Says the guy who thinks it's healthy people who spread disease.

We seek to reduce risk all the time: seatbelts and helmets come to mind. Vaccinations reduce risk to everyone. Not eliminate it, just as seatbelts and helmets do not eliminate all risk. We live in a risky world, yup - and anti-vaxers have no right to increase everyone's risk, whether it's from the disease, loss of income, or reduction of medical care for everyone else. And currently worse, thanks to people too stupid to get a vaccine. Reduce, not eliminate. Perhaps you would have us go back to no flu vaccine, no rabies vaccine, no antibiotics, no insulin treatment, no organ transplants - because none of them eliminate risk and your philosophy seems to be that if a treatment doesn't eliminate risk, it isn't worthwhile.

You were willing to take away the employment of "the vulnerable" a year ago, so you wouldn't have to wear a mask and could go to a restaurant. What changed?

Blaming Trudeau for the vile behavior of people you agree with? Another example of your Christian morality, I guess.

You anti-vaxxers keep claiming that, yet it's your actions that will result in death, yours or someone else's.

My friend's trainer chose not to get a vaccine, since he felt he didn't need it. Then he got Covid, putting my friend and all his clients at risk. My friend - and presumably other clients of his - can't go into their workplaces, see their family or other friends. The "mandates" are because of people like him, who think they don't need to/shouldn't have to take a vaccine. They put others at risk; reducing their ability to risk other seems fair - a consequence of their choice not to get vaccinated.

I did some research, and it looks like I was confused about the difference between CFR and mortality rate. I didn't find anything supporting Goddess' claim of .07, but that's ok - it's likely that its at least close to correct. What I did find was that whatever that the rate is, it's a poor way to judge one's own likelihood of dying because it's an average and doesn't account for differences between individuals. A person 85 or more has a much higher chance than .07 (or whatever it is) of dying; someone under 12 a much lower chance. A healthy, young person's risk of dying also brings the overall average down, but an older person with some kind of heart disease, diabetes, COPD etc., raises the overall average. So the claim that it only kills .07 of isn't accurate at an individual level; applying that average to yourself means you could be underestimating or overestimating your own personal risk. I'd guess my risk of dying is closer to 1%, given my personal vulnerabilities.

This is wrong. I said I regularly forgot to wash my hands after shopping. That's not even remotely the same as "barely washing my hands". But I am used to you lying whenever you start to feel that you are wrong. I think it's called "gaslighting".

I am double-vaccinated and I'm not overly social. My chance of getting Covid is pretty small. Yes, there could be side effects from the vaccine later, you are right. But let me tell you about my late 80s neighbor; she can't walk unaided, but she rides her bike. You should see her as she flies down a hill, feet extended wide off the pedals, a huge grin on her face, no helmet. If she stops, she can't get back on her bike, she can't push her bike home, she can't even walk home. If she falls, well - who knows but it would unlikely to be anything but very serious. But she's not letting the fear of what *might* happen in the future hold her back from doing something today that keeps her healthier both physically and mentally. So, if your doc has said that your heart condition makes you especially prone to myocarditis or pericarditis, than maybe not taking the vaccine is the right choice for you; I don't know. As I've already mentioned, I don't think it's right that people who are vulnerable to side effects from the vaccine should have to be 'shut out' from activities because they can't produce a passport (situation in BC as of next week). But to get to that point, we need to have everyone who is able to be vaccinated. And, while you might think supporting anti-vaxers supports you, I'd suggest you are wrong. The people refusing to get vaccines, even though they could, are the people who are currently messing it up for all of us. I still have hope that the surge and fall that happened in the UK will happen here, even with the anti-masking, anti-vaxing lot we have.

Me neither. And not even the Pfizer website says that. It's clearly some made up bullshit that you'll believe is true because no one who knows what they are talking about are saying it. In fact, I'm looking things up to see if you are right, and I am wrong ... because you know, I have an open mind and can admit if I made a mistake. But I'm sure not going to take your word for it.

No MSM, eh? Did you even check before making such a claim? Or did you just believe what your echo chamber told you? Unless you are trying to claim that Reuters and CNBC aren't MSM?

How provincial of you. Most of the world is multi-lingual; there's nothing wrong with that and has nothing to do with 'assimilation'. Even people in "shithole" countries can speak multiple languages, usually including English. Your father gave you the wrong life lesson.

Goddess referenced "Mortality rate" claiming it was "less than 1%". I corrected that figure to 2%; but you are right in that it wasn't very clear thereafter, as I did mention the entire population of Canada. My bad for being clumsy in my writing.

Silly girl. I don't think Covid deniers/vaccine "hesitant" should be lined up and shot; I think they should get a clue - there are enough out there. I even feel bad for them when they get sick, when they end up in the hospital gasping for breath, when they are on ventilators and when they die. I think it's too bad they are so gullible, and believe zinc and vitamin A and horse dewormer will protect them from Covid. I have no sympathy for terrorists - that's just what you tell yourself when I point out that its wrong to judge an entire group of people based on the actions of a few. Also: it's baffling to me how you'd miss the obvious - it's the ones who are very vocal about distrusting MSM/BigPharma (Taxme, OW, Infidel Dog, etc) who are the ones who are denying the seriousness of Covid and denying the efficacy of the vaccine. It's the ones who can think for themselves who understand there isn't a huge plot to enslave us all or some such. People are dying; health care workers are burnt out, medical systems are collapsing. But never mind that - millions of people around the world are lying to us about the disease, about the deaths, about the vaccine.

Your linked website says there's a 2% fatality rate, and that 1% of the currently infected people are critically ill. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/canada/

And you could be one of those people, especially if you decide against a vaccine.

It's under 2%, but for the sake of argument, I'll go with 1%. There's 37.5 million people in Canada; 28,000 have already died. But hey "it's only a few" - I don't need to worry, you say, and reducing that death toll isn't important enough for me to support vaccines. In addition, among the ~1,5 million people in Canada who've 'recovered' from Covid, there are up to 12% of them who could suffer long term effects from Covid - some of them weren't even very sick. That's 180,000 people who may or may not be able to ever work again, or ever regain their old life. But again, you just casually dismiss this as less important than people who could be vaccinated, but choose not to under the flimsiest of 'reasons'. Even if the Covid deniers/"freedom" folks only number 1/2 of a percentage of the total population of Canada, that's 185,000 people at risk, and 1,800 who are at risk of dying. But again, the harm that you support is irrelevant to you. I know none of these numbers are set in stone - that future research could adjust them up or done. Still, the way so many dismiss of the seriousness of this disease, and the refusal to do their part to make this disease virtually disappear is stunningly selfish.

Takes time there's certainly not enough time for this pandemic - as common sense would clearly tell you. If you want that to happen in time for the next pandemic, tell your representative. See above. Although, I'd ask the question - why should the taxpayer be on the hook for people who are so entitled, they think it's ok to use the excuse of "personal freedom" to overwhelm our health care system, then demand that 'more hospitals/staff' be provided. Why should the few be allowed to put the burden on the many? Student nurses have already been hired in Ontario (and other places around the world). Early in the pandemic, BC implemented a program to quickly train people to assist with the pandemic; in addition, they've budgeted millions of dollars to support additional health care training. Nursing grads are now choosing the private sector instead of hospital to work, because they don't want the stress and burnout the current pandemic is visiting on health care professionals. Indeed.

Partner went to emergency last night (not life threatening, but a scary symptom of a chronic condition). He saw a steady influx of obviously sick, coughing people, all of whom answered "No" when asked if they'd been vaccinated. He had to wait in the reception area because, as a nurse explained to him, the triage area could accommodate fewer people due to physical distancing required from the patients suspected of having Covid. He left after 30 mins; too many sick people. The choice to not get vaccinated reduces the health care available to everyone. That old saw that "your rights end where my nose begins" applies here. I'm not a fan of this whole passport idea; I think it's unfair to businesses who'll have to enforce it and to people who really are at risk from a vaccine. But in my opinion, people who think "freedom" means putting the health and safety of everyone else at risk should be limited from participating in society. It's really unfair that so many others have to suffer for the choice made by a few.

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From a nurse at Kelowna General Hospital, after the protests: In a career of ICU nursing, I have seen SARS, H1N1, Ebola, and many more. COVID has been a game-changer. Our ICU is completely full and overflowing with COVID patients. Many of them continue to die. You have no idea what goes on within these walls. You don’t see us. So many hospital staff have echoed what this nurse is saying, I'm pretty skeptical about your claim. So tell us, how many emergency rooms, ICUs, Covid wards have you actually been to? Where were they? What were the case counts in the community the hospital(s) served? Because claiming that thousands of people in Canada and around the world are lying because you happened upon a hospital that had no or few Covid cases is not very clear thinking.

I see you are displaying your Christian values again.

Have you been into emergency, ICU or the Covid wards of any hospital?

This horse is already dead.