VAX POPULI

 

I'm over these fools bemoaning the loss of 'freedom' because our sensible government (and most of the he opposition) has chosen to make enough vaccination doses available for us all and has enacted regulations to ensure public safety.

The majority of New Zealanders are showing good sense and have embraced vaccination with almost 90% of those eligible having had their vaccine.

Unfortunately this leaves more than half a million who, for whatever reason, don’t want the jab. Their reasons - in addition to stupidity - are rooted in conspiracy theory (sorry, stupidity again), religious beliefs (oops, stupidity again) and a distrust of government.

It’s not a new thing.

Opposition to vaccination began when, well, vaccinations were invented.  When the smallpox vaccination was created in 1796 many conservative (read uneducated and stupid) resisted it preferring to take their chances with a horrible disease that was killing millions worldwide. In 1885, almost a century after the vaccine discovery, thousands of anti-vaxxers marched in the UK declaring the inventor a child-slayer! Today smallpox vaccination means that people no longer die of smallpox but believe it or not there is still  vaccine hesitancy which still poses a risk. Various religious groups still refuse to vaccinate their children against measles, mumps, polio, rubella and a host of other nasty diseases preferring that their children 'suffer for Jesus' or some such crap.

In New Zealand, the battle to convince the remaining hold-outs is taxing the best political and scientific brains. For some, mandates, inducements and pleas to common sense still have no effect. We just have to face it that we are going to have a small percentage of these stupid people and need to not allow them to control the narrative.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has put it plainly that vaccination is New Zealand’s best chance to escape future lockdowns -  “Vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate,” she repeatedly tells us.

Who are these anti-vaxxers?

Horizon New Zealand research finds that the average New Zealander who said they were unlikely to get a vaccine could be either a man or a woman. They are slightly younger than the average age, with both household and personal income lower than the average. They are likely Pākehā, and less likely to have a job or university qualifications. More often than not they will live in the regions rather than the cities.

The upper North Island DHBs excluding those in Auckland are the most likely anti-vaxxer hold-outs, with findings pointing to the Bay of Plenty in particular.

On average, they are more likely to live in a two-parent household with one or two kids.

I live in Northland and, going by the community discussions on the community sites of Neighbourly we have more than our fair share of ignorant, closed-minded stupid people. Just about every discussion goes 50:50 with pro and anti vaxxers arguing. There are some in the middle who are always asking stupid questions like "what bars or restaurants don't demand proof of vaccination?" or, "which vaccination centre offers the best free stuff and vouchers?"

I despair.

Let's just hope that the small percentage of stupid people, the tail, are not allowed to wag the dog.