If not NOW, then WHEN?
You’ll never get 100% of people on board, but surely 96–99% is good enough? Well, you’d think!
In Ireland, according to the HSE (Health Service Executive) on today’s news, 08th August, 2021, 89% of the adult population are now partially vaccinated, with 77% of adults fully vaccinated in Ireland.
The 70+ age group are 99% vaccinated
The 60–69 age group are 96% vaccinated
One can only assume now that everyone over the age of 60, and those who are in the critically ill and/or with underlying health conditions (no matter what age category they are in), who wished to avail of the vaccine of their own free will and choice, are now fully vaccinated.
Given this is now the case… was that not always the end game, the finish line from the get go? Have we not now reached the goalpost? Why so, are the restrictions not being lifted and life being restored to the masses, as is happening in many countries and states in the world at this point now. Our young children, our teens, our young adults, businesses big and small all over the country now need, deserve, and have earned the right to be let get on with their lives again.
If safeguarding the Irish health system from getting overloaded in the winter time is still a top priority, then surely the government’s money would now be better spent in providing the hospitals with more beds and more staff so that they are not under so much pressure for the long-term, not just this winter. One has to wonder why has this not been done already? Let’s face it, hospital A&E’s have been at crisis point every winter for years now, not just since the arrival of Covid-19. Let’s see some real investment going into our healthcare facilities, more equipment, more staff, along with advocating best treatments for all illnesses, whether or not they are being cited or touted as the ‘treatments/drugs of choice’ as preferred by the big Pharma companies who only care about their profit margins. The knowledge, understanding, and treatment of Covid-19 cases has come a long, long way since March 2020. Let’s use the available safe treatments, let our GP’s get back to treating their patients’ symptoms, whatever the cause, as they ‘first, do no harm’.
It’s looking increasingly like the power over the people has now gone firmly to the government’s heads, as they try and trot out these vaccine passports which only serve to divide and discriminate the people and trample on our inalienable rights and the right to say no. If they are in any way interested in keeping their seats in the next election, then I think it’s about time they all started listening to the peoples’ voices — as was witnessed by the 30,000 to 40,000 person turnout at the recent protest against vaccine passports on July 24th in Dublin. The government may have blocked main stream media, TV and Radio stations from reporting on it truthfully, or indeed if at all, but the point was made nonetheless, and the powers that be got a small taste of just how many people were willing to take to the streets. We might be a laid back race of people, but I think we’ve just about reached the ‘enough is enough’ point — and we all know there’s a Celtic Tiger in every Irish person’s blood, ready to protect their territory and their cubs when push comes to shove, and our backs have been put against the wall. Is it time to let our inner ‘roar’ out, unfurl and register our voice and opinion and vote — to finally shed the last shackles of fear and start living again?
© Bernie McCullough, 08th August 2021
