Let the anti-vaxxers enjoy their choice
I am trying to figure out what the problem is with those that are offended and irritated by the anti-vaxxers.
If they choose to go vax-free, it is their choice. Their access to the greater world is being diminished daily to the point where they won’t be able to go “inside” for anything they want or need.
Ultimately their choice is medical Darwinism in action: they won’t get the shots and as a cohort, some will get sick and die. That may sound harsh but that is how nature works. And the most important aspect is that they are choosing to infect themselves; nature is not making the choice, they are.
The only wrinkle is that they will cost all of us with lost commerce and additional medical costs in the near term. We, the vaxxed, are unable to move them to saving themselves so let them enjoy their choice.
Clay Atcheson
Saanich
Detaining protesters blocking hospitals
On several occasions the B.C. RCMP has been quick to detain peaceful protesters in the Fairy Creek logging area.
The protesters have been trying to defend the ever diminishing B.C.’s old growth forests. In doing so, they were also preventing the loggers from accessing the area, which prompted the police actions.
Now we are seeing vociferous and sometimes aggressive mobs protesting and harassing our health care practitioners, our first line of defence against the coronavirus pandemic.
These protesters, for the most part, see vaccination and mask use as an attack on their right to infect other people. In doing so, they are also making it very difficult for anyone needing health services to access the hospitals.
We have yet to see anyone being detained for doing this.
J.G. Miranda
Victoria
The fear in their eyes as they try to breathe
My wife and I are retired health-care professionals. I was a registered respiratory therapist and my wife a registered nurse.
We both worked in intensive care units in Alberta and Quebec. We agree that the most traumatic aspect of our work was to treat a patient in acute respiratory distress. You can see the fear in their eyes as they try to draw their next breath.
At this time there are more than 100 patients in B.C. intensive care units due to COVID-19.
Ninety per cent of those are persons who are unvaccinated. Many will recover thanks to the excellent care they will receive but some of the trauma will remain for the rest of their lives.
For those who don’t believe in vaccinations or that COVID-19 is a hoax please stay away from those of us who are following the protocols as laid out by our public health professionals.
As it was so aptly put by a previous letter writer: Vaccinate or incubate!
Mike and Judi Andrews
Parksville
Send those people to Texas or Florida
A suggestion for dealing with the Covidiots who abuse our health-care workers:
Start a crowd-funded program to buy them all one-way tickets to Texas or Florida. They can enjoy being among people who share their views and experience living with overwhelmed health-care systems.
Michael Symons
Pender Island
This style of bullying is not welcome in Canada
How dare these protesters who blindly follow the Trumpian conspiracy rhetoric accost health-care workers.
When ignorant protesters jeopardize lives by preventing ambulance entry into hospitals it is time for the vaccinated to step up and voice our support for the amazing job they are doing.
I too believe we need a waiver for the anti-vaxxers to sign if they do get COVID.
Why should these people take up valuable resources and time of the front‑line workers?
Many are at the quitting point and can you blame them when the very people they are trying to save in hospital are those that chant the epidemic is fake.
It is indefensible to attack the paramedics, nurses, doctors and those that have nothing to do with making policy.
This American style of bullying is not welcome in Canada and we should make every effort to quash this immediately. Thank you to every person who has followed the science and collectively we can get through this.
Rachel McDonnell
Victoria
Threatened in downtown Victoria
Over Labour Day weekend I visited with my two daughters in Victoria and was shocked at the change.
We were there for a day and a half and twice were threatened by two different men in two different places screaming obscenities and threats at us.
Once because my daughters were wearing masks, and the second time about masks/vaccines although we were not wearing any at that time (both instances were outside).
What I notice here is that we are women and they are men.
I’m 63, my daughters are 27 and 24. We are Caucasian, small and non-threatening, just walking down streets in the shopping district.
In other words, a target on Victoria’s streets for men who are cowards and unhinged — the same people who choose to threaten health-care workers (a predominantly female workforce) and sick people at hospitals.
Too cowardly to get a little shot and only brave enough to attack those they believe can’t fight back.
Next time I come to Victoria I’m bringing my bear spray. That may be a very long time though.
Very sad to see once lovely Victoria come to this.
Nancy Muggoch
Denman Island
Yes, assault rifles kill, but suicide kills more
Politicians and journalists are plugging the airwaves with discussion around assault rifles. The annual gun related death toll in Canada is under 400 and over half that is attributable to handguns. About one per cent is attributable to fully automated weapons.
On the other hand, more than 4,000 Canadian deaths are attributable to suicide.
Where is the discussion around mental health? I guess guns make a better sound bite than mental health. Please during this election don’t be blinded by smoke though there is never any lack of that in politics.
Scott Clark
Victoria
SEND US YOUR LETTERS
• Email to: letters@timescolonist.com
• Mail: Letters to the editor, Times Colonist, 201-655 Tyee Rd., Victoria, B.C. V9A 6X5
• No more than 250 words.
