World 3 million USA 1 million New York 300K+ Italy 200K+
While researchers across the world are working hard to develop a vaccine against coronavirus, there are people who refuse to have any kind of vaccination. There are a number of reasons why anti-vaxxers object to vaccinations. I am not one of them.
I had my flu shot yesterday. Of course this shot doesn’t protect you from COVID-19, but it does protect you from a range of other influenza viruses. Because of social distancing the spread of colds and flu has dropped sharply, but I still went ahead.
Last week we were advised that from the first of May, people need to provide evidence of having had a flu shot before visiting anyone in aged care. This measure comes into effect this Friday. I’m sure there are many people across Australia who are unaware of these measures and will be unable to get a flu shot because there is an acute shortage of flu vaccines.
I have a feeling that when the government took this step back in March, they were in panic mode, and didn’t think it through. The flu vaccine is not going to protect anyone from COVID-19. To protect those in aged care from the normal flu, a simpler solution is for all aged care residents to be vaccinated. I know that my mother had her flu shot about a month ago.
Neil’s employer arranges flu shots for their staff each year, but because he has been working at home, he missed out, as did most others at his office. Neil has been trying to make a booking at a variety of doctors and chemists, but because of the shortage he has struggled. He finally managed to get an appointment at a chemist some distance away for mid-May, but that means that he can’t come with me when I visit my mother on Mother’s Day. That day is also Neil’s birthday, so my mum will miss out on wishing him a happy birthday.
Given that my mother has had a flu shot, I don’t see why Neil can’t visit her. We don’t walk through the corridors, we only access her room via the courtyard, but under these new laws, anyone visiting aged care facilities without a flu vaccination certificate, will be asked to leave, and if they don’t leave, the staff have been told to call the police. I have a feeling there will be a public backlash against this government policy as we get closer to Mother’s Day.