No jab no job

There are places where you can find true information, based on well-designed impartial research, rather than fake, so-called information, based on people’s opinions and gut reactions.  For example, we hear a lot of people yelling that they would quit their jobs if the “no jab no job” policy goes ahead.  When it comes to the crunch however, people seem to have second thoughts, most of them take a closer look at their household budgets alongside their pay packets, and lo – their carefully contrived objections to the vaccine don’t seem nearly as compelling.  In fact they just melt away. 

Facts about quitting

I had a look and found some facts.  Houston Methodist Hospital required its 25,000 staff to get vaccinated by June 7.  Before this decree came down, 15% resisted being vaccinated.  By mid-June that had dropped to 3% and by late July it was down to 2%.  At a retirement village in Illinois, only 2 out of 250 workers actually quit their jobs.  A nursing centre in Alabama, the most conservative of states, lost 6 out of 260 employees.  Delta Airlines with 74,000 employees lost 125 or 0.3%.  They added an incentive by placing a $200 surcharge on the premium staff paid for their health insurance policies if they were not vaccinated.  That concentrated their minds wonderfully.   I don’t think we should be too worried over people walking off their jobs. 

Responsibilities and rights

I hope the government stays strong about mandating having the vaccine.  It’s not to do with personal choice.  It’s to do with living in a community, a society, and complying with whatever is needed to protect us all.  I actually think it would be gratifying if the government would rule that only vaccinated people will receive hospital treatment if they get COVID-19.  For the unvaccinated – well, their personal choice entitles them to feel no responsibility towards anyone else in society, so society will remove its responsibility to them.  Fair’s fair, isn’t it?

Prior to making such an announcement I would hope the government would prepare for thousands of people fronting up to get the shot.  That would solve the problem of the anti-vaxxers instantly and we could all throw off restrictions and exercise OUR rights and freedoms.