If they get COVID, just turn them away
Re: 鈥淭ime for a big stick in dealing with COVID,鈥� letter, Sept. 14.
There is really only one simple 颅effective solution to overwhelmed ICUs due to COVID: If people now show up at the hospital unvaccinated and suffering from COVID, send them home. No hospital bed for them. The only exception being 颅prior-registered medical reasons.
The anti-vaccination and pro-choice groups want to keep their principles (鈥淔reedom of choice!鈥�) but individually show up to be admitted to hospital if they contract COVID. So it must be: No vaccination? No hospital bed for you.
And don鈥檛 expect the medical professions to make that hard decision. They won鈥檛. They can鈥檛. Not in their training to do that. So have a non-medically trained administrator to make the tough decision: 鈥淕o home.鈥�
Ernie Ogilvie
Victoria
More information would show the risks
Wouldn鈥檛 it be a benefit to everyone if the COVID-19 deaths were published containing the number of fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals who died?
This way the weekend deaths of nine individuals would be presented in such as a manner that I, as a fully vaccinated person, would be able to know what my risk of catching and dying from COVID-19 is.
It also would let the partially and 颅non-vaccinated people know the risk they have. Hopefully, this would help some of the anti-vax protesters understand the consequences of their individual decision not to get vaccinated.
David Neate
Victoria
Embarrassed by the nurses鈥� union
As a recently retired RN and former sa国际传媒 Nurses鈥� Union member, I couldn鈥檛 be more embarrassed by the BCNU鈥檚 stance on unvaccinated nurses.
The BCNU website states that the union protects and advances the health and safety of not only their members, but their patients, profession and community. They argue that we cannot afford even one less nurse on the frontlines, yet an unvaccinated nurse has the potential to add to the health-care burden either by becoming a patient with COVID themselves, or creating more COVID patients by spreading disease.
This argument does not hold up in the face of the available science. That my former union is taking a different tact than other professional health-care 颅lbodies just reinforces that we are not quite fully worthy of being deemed fully professional.
Rachel French de Mejia
Victoria
Upset with protesters; thanks to health workers
Have we ever seen such arrogance and such stupidity as is currently being demonstrated by the anti-vax 鈥減rotesters鈥�?
These people give protesting a bad name. Protests used to mean standing up for meaningful and noble causes: Nuclear proliferation, ending the Vietnam War, civil rights, taking down the Berlin Wall, to name but a few.
But these anti-vax 鈥減rotesters鈥� choose to stand in front of hospitals, of all places, and express their entitled opinions that life is so hard and so oppressive. And how dare governments ask them to do things that will keep them and the rest of us healthy and well. Oh man, as a true Canadian I鈥檓 sorry your life is so hard.
Bet your bippy that if any of these 鈥減rotesters鈥� gets sick from the 鈥渇ake鈥� virus known as COVID they鈥檒l go to one of the doctors or nurses or hospitals they鈥檙e berating and ask for help.
How does that work? And I further wonder how many of these 鈥減rotesters鈥� has made use of the COVID benefits programs provided by a government they don鈥檛 like.
What science is guiding these 鈥減rotesters鈥�? What values guide their actions and their words? Spoiler alert: none.
But to end on a positive note, and to reflect on what really matters, I鈥檇 like to express my heartfelt thanks to every front-line worker, every single nurse, doctor, health-care worker, firefighter, police and everyone on the front lines who keep me and my family safe and secure. You鈥檙e all magnificent!
Rick Baker
Victoria
How about a vaccine for nasty comments?
I spend a fair amount of time in Alberta, that much-maligned province, most recently caring for my mother who died of, not COVID-19, but cancer.
During my weeks in Alberta, I got to know many people. This week I heard that a man I know there caught COVID. In his early 70s, he was double-颅vaccinated, via Pfizer.
Two other friends, a married couple, both unvaccinated, caught it. The man, in his early 70s, recovered in three days; the woman, in her late 60s, in two weeks.
I鈥檓 aware of several other cases amongst younger people, who all 颅recovered within a week or so.
Yet, I鈥檓 not sure any more what their cases indicate. You dare not voice that the unvaccinated have a right to refuse the COVID shot or that the vaccinated believe they are morally superior.
Apparently Dr. Bonnie Henry鈥檚 mantra of 鈥渂e kind鈥� only applies in choice circumstances. It鈥檚 unfortunate there isn鈥檛 a vaccine for nasty comments, contempt and irrational fear.
As a writer said in a Sept. 14 letter, the hateful social division has to end. Sadly, the current federal campaign is only 颅driving the wedge deeper.
Shannon Moneo
Sooke
Forced vaccinations are just the start
Forced vaccination? Let鈥檚 get on with it, and at the same time let鈥檚 forcibly 颅euthanize all those over 70 years old.
The societal problems such a measure would alleviate are immeasurable; housing availability, long-term care congestion, health-care expenses and more.
And don鈥檛 stop there, forcibly sterilize anyone that鈥檚 had one child 鈥� population control, you know. A huge global problem.
Why not forcibly abort fetuses that may cause undue burden on an already under-funded medical system.
In the meantime, what to do about the unvaccinated? Burn them at the stake!
Bob Broughton
Saanich
Paper should stop anti-vax coverage
I implore the sa国际传媒 and all other media to end the extensive coverage that is being given to the anti-vaccination 颅protests.
The photos, videos and interviews only add oxygen to a very small group of people who do not represent the majority of British Columbians. A small article on the inside pages of the sa国际传媒 without photos is enough to make your readership aware that protests are taking place.
I suspect the overly generous coverage gives licence and confidence to those few people who feel it is appropriate to behave badly when asked for proof of vaccine at restaurants, etc.
On behalf of many, I want to express gratitude for the hard-working and dedicated health personnel who are working tirelessly on behalf of everyone in sa国际传媒
Lorie Bradley
Victoria
Try ordering pizza instead of an ambulance
Re: 鈥淧arksville man dies while family on 911 half-hour hold,鈥� Sept. 15.
I was in Nova Scotia during their recent provincial election campaign.
A Conservative TV ad started with the line: 鈥淚f you called for an ambulance and then called for a pizza there is a good chance the pizza would get there first.鈥�
The Conservatives won the election.
Graham Pye
Qualicum Beach
We鈥檝e had our fill of the rants and excuses
I think the cartoon in the Tuesday edition speaks the minds of everyone who have had their fill of the rants, the excuses from those who just flatly refuse to accept their much-needed vaccination.
As for harassing health-care workers, this is more than inexcusable.
Chris Garrett-Petts
Victoria
Health-care cartoon was right on the mark
Wow, what a marvellous cartoon!
Tuesday鈥檚 cartoon is so truthful, but the last section totally describes how most people are feeling: 鈥淓nough already.鈥�
Those of you that are not vaccinated please do so, then all of us can get back to having a more normal life.
W.E. Morrison
Victoria
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