Well, That's Heartening

In a recent NewsHub poll people were asked if they would support denying access to medical care if someone refused vaccination. See screen capture of results below. While this is a straw poll and NewsHub are quick to point out is not scientific, the result is unambiguous.

It’s heartening to know that the majority of New Zealanders would reject capricious and medically unethical policy, simply because that person exercised a lawfully given right. In the same way we wouldn’t deny medical care to people who are obese, that may (or may not) be due to life-style choices. Obesity is one of the major comorbidities and a lead indicator of severe illness with Covid, whether vaccinated or not.

I’ve had a 13% interaction with another employee at the corporate I work for.  It wasn't pleasant. I expressed the view that people should be allowed choice in their medical care and this was a legally protected right. That person’s view was that I should be denied hospital care (presumably after also being denied access to early medical intervention). The rationale given was about doing it for others and not clogging up hospitals.

Clearly this person was unaware that the vaccine neither stops you from getting the virus nor does it stop you transmitting it. There are now multiple research studies with this finding. For someone my age and with no known comorbidities my chances of dying from this virus are a fraction of a percent. Hospitalisation is not an inevitability if early medical care is given.

In retelling this exchange to another employee (who is vaccinated), they responded with “but that’s bullying”. I would hope most of my colleagues are in the 86%, but clearly some education is needed including on ethics/human rights.

Many in my immediate circle of colleagues at my place of employment do support the right to choose and many have chosen vaccination, as is their right. This may be enlightened self-interest - an awareness that rights taken away from others now, may one day be rights they’ll want to exercise for themselves, including for their children.

They may simply want to leave their options open. Perhaps in the event of personal health outcomes after vaccination or new findings that changes the health benefit/cost equation and/or safer more efficacious medical treatments becoming available.