Not vaccinated? Then just stay home
As a retired physician, it broke my heart to read your front page story about Juliana Nieuwenhuis, who died of COVID at the age of 29.
I don’t understand why our government continues to do too little, too late, to protect society from COVID-19.
The solution is simple. If you are unvaccinated, then you must be quarantined. COVID is a pandemic of the unvaccinated, which can only be transmitted by person-to-person contact.
If, for whatever reason, people refuse to be vaccinated, then they must stay home.
Within two to three weeks of implementing such a restriction, the number of new cases would fall to near zero, ICU and hospital admissions would drop, elective surgeries would resume and the economy would roar again.
The Public Health Act reads: “A person must not willingly cause a health hazard, or act in a manner that the person knows, or ought to know, will cause a health hazard.”
If you are unvaccinated, then you are a hazard to others.
The act also says: “Preventive measures include the following: being treated or vaccinated.”
Call it Juliana’s Law, and let’s get back to normal. Over to you, Bonnie.
Vic Wood M.D., FRPC
Victoria
Cancel medical insurance for anti-vaxxers?
As with many readers, I find the anti-vaccination position of some very puzzling.
The Times Colonist has printed letters noting that “freedom” always has restraints, be they stop signs, stoplights, paying taxes, having a life-jacket on a boat or not yelling “fire” as a joke in a public place such as a theatre.
Insurance policies require one to list accurately characteristics of your home as a requirement for the policy. The same is true for travel insurance; one’s medical characteristics must be acknowledged accurately or the policy will become invalid if something happens.
So, this raises a valid question: If a person chooses not to be vaccinated, should that not invalidate their medical insurance?
Just wondering.
Barry Rolston
Victoria
Will the rest of us get first-class care as well?
The other morning I heard Health Minister Adrian Dix state that COVID-19 is a pandemic of the unvaccinated and that they all can expect to receive free first-class medical treatment, if and when they require hospitalization
I had to stop and ask myself what about the rest of us.
What about the people who have other life-altering surgeries scheduled and delayed to accommodate people who choose to be unvaccinated?
What about the many health-care professionals that are forced to risk their lives every day in order to provide assistance and care to unvaccinated people?
What about the people who are vaccinated and become infected by unexpected exposure to the unvaccinated?
Maybe the time has come to stop giving priority to people who choose to be unvaccinated and start showing a little more respect and compassion for the people in society who are playing by the rules.
If we continue to give this self-centred group of people priority within our health-care system I see little chance of changing their behaviour any time soon.
Our hospital ICUs will eventually overflow and B.C.’s health care will be forced to adopt the Alberta solution, new beds opening up as people die off.
Bruce Cline
Victoria
UVic is a laggard on COVID-19 work
I’m disappointed (almost ashamed) that the University of Victoria has refused to adopt a vaccine mandate to protect their staff and students. They are trailers rather than leaders on one of the most consequential issues of our time.
UVic now lags the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, which requires all its election candidates to be vaccinated. This is an embarrassing disgrace.
A formerly proud alumnus, former instructor and — until this policy is reversed — former UVic donor.
Derek Reimer
Victoria
Kindness of strangers in a local restaurant
I’m just back from lunch at Mr. Mike’s, the one near Costco in Langford.
The backs of the booths are high, and there are glass partitions so I could just see the back of the man’s head who was sitting with his wife in the next booth.
The couple left while I was still eating and I didn’t even look at them, but when I went to pay my bill the waitress said the gentleman had paid for my lunch!
I said what a sweet thing that was for him to do, and she agreed with her hand over her heart, obviously moved by his kindness. As for me, I had to make my way to the Ladies so I could have a little cry.
The kindness of strangers is contagious, and the best way to thank him is to pass it on by doing the same thing for somebody else.
Doreen Langmead
View Royal
Shipbuilding goes back further than 19th century
The notion that B.C.’s shipbuilding industry originated in the 19th century ignores the history of the Indigenous people whose marine and shipbuilding activity predates the arrival of Europeans by thousands of years.
The coastal Indigenous people fashioned ocean-going vessels up to 24 metres long from a single cedar tree. These mighty sea craft were used for transportation, protection, trade, whaling and sealing and were vital to a complex maritime culture.
Even when considering European contact, it was 1788 when British fur trader John Meares brought three dozen Chinese shipwrights to Nootka Sound, where they were employed to build a drydock to construct and launch the first European-styled vessel on the Pacific Coast, a 40-ton schooner, The Northwest America.
Gerald W. Pash
Victoria
They can’t even handle a small fuel leak
Members of the Brentwood Bay marine community were aware that a large abandoned ex-fishing boat was sinking in Brentwood Bay, and called the coast guard to notify them. Nothing was done.
Three days later the boat sank, covering the entire bay thickly in diesel fuel. At that point the coast guard showed up, took a look at the vessel (now partially aground) and then left.
Two days passed without any action; meanwhile, the wreck continued to leak fuel and oil. Subsequent calls to the coast guard revealed that they are “planning” on installing oil booms, and dealing with the wreck, a full five days after notification that an environmental disaster was about to happen and after many hundreds of litres of fuel had already spilled.
This lack of action borders on criminal. One has to ask what the role of a coast guard is, if not at least in part to prevent boats from sinking and spilling petroleum into the environment, or acting to minimize the damage after the fact.
This is the same federal agency that presumably will be responsible for an oil spill arising from the expanded Trans Mountain pipeline in Burnaby.
If a relatively small spill like this cannot be dealt with in a timely manner, how can we expect them to protect our coast in case of a large-scale disaster?
Nathaniel Poole
Brentwood Bay
Don’t compare Cedar Hill to the bigger courses
Cedar Hill golf course cannot be compared to Gorge Vale or Cordova Bay golf courses, both of which are at least 1,400 yards longer. Nor should their green fees.
Cedar Hill golf course doesn’t have a full-service pro shop, full-service practice facilities or a full-service restaurant.
Saanich, let’s be realistic.
Angela Lucia
Saanich
Praise for B.C.’s health-care system
At home today, after having had an endoscopic procedure (day service), I was inspired to write this letter.
The care I received from the health-care professionals in the endoscopy clinic at Victoria General Hospital was nothing short of amazing. From start to finish, I was treated with kindness, patience, respect and reassurance. Nicole and all her fellow staff members did everything possible to make sure the experience there was comfortable and prompt.
I think we all need to show support and appreciation for B.C.’s universal (and free) health care. Yes, wait times are very difficult for patients in pain while awaiting joint replacements, so there is more to be done; overall, however, we have so much to be thankful for.
Linda Grant
Victoria
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