Three weeks on and a few things have changed in our local community. To date we are both well and are having no side effects. According to medical literature in seven or so days we will move out of the time period where, though very rare – complications could arise.
Two weeks ago, two selfish and irresponsible individuals decided that they could leave the lock down of Melbourne and take a 19 hour plus drive through two states and an extraordinary amount of junk food outlets to ‘holiday’ or ‘move’ to our small beach community of Caloundra. As they both ended up testing positive to COVID19 they became patients at the local hospital. Their callous actions caused an enormous amount of financial, social and emotional hardship for our local business community.
These two fools did not arrive and lay low. Quite the opposite, the tracking system places them moving from retail to food outlets every few hours. They did a side bar to Bunnings (hardware) but were soon back into a cafe – all this stupidity must have given them quite the appetite! Their actions impacted a host of individuals who had to isolate, present for testing, lost work shifts or had family plans cancelled.
If there was anything positive to come out of this disgraceful scenario it was an increased demand for the vaccine.
This prompted the state government to set up a vaccination hub in our local stadium – and all of a sudden there was a plentiful supply of the Pfizer vaccine. So much so that for a period of time, anyone over the age of 16 could present at the hub and receive the shot.
Back track here to say that in Australia a decision was taken to only allow those under 50 to have the Pfizer. But wait, there’s more – now it’s 60? Hard to keep up. Let’s not be cynical and believe that cost has anything to do with such decisions.
Sounds good, great even and it is. People are getting their act together and turning up for the vaccine. Moving forward, surely the higher the vaccination rate, the better equipped we shall be to more positively and proactively manage the pandemic.
There are potential side effects to the Pfizer vaccine.
There are potential side effects to the AstraZeneca vaccine.
There are health factors including possible death associated with contracting COVID19.
Get the bloody jab!
Although the system has left us all a little divided. Talk to the average Joe and they think that the Pfizer is superior. Given the way the vaccine roll out has been handled – it is completely understandable that those who have managed to get the Pfizer over the AstraZeneca actually feel they got a better deal.
Last week in Gympie my sweet friend Joy was chirpy with the news that she has been able to secure the Pfizer. The data coming out of the Caloundra hub will provide interesting insight regarding take up – the PhD submissions must be pushing send!
I have to believe that our government and medical professionals are doing their best, treading through this new normal and that decisions – even those counter to what was acceptable and not acceptable weeks apart, are made in the best interests of each and everyone of us.
Only time will tell.
C Writes 