Two developments on vaccines in the NHS in quick succession. First, the news that the Government intends to force NHS staff to have both a Covid vaccine and a flu jab or risk losing their jobs. Then, the announcement that it won’t kick in until… April!
At first sight, this simply seems like bad and nonsensical policy.
It has the potential to wreak havoc on an already stretched service. Despite a record uptake, around 25% of NHS staff did not have a flu jab last year; add to that the 116,000 NHS workers who have not yet had a Covid jab, and this has the potential to affect hundreds of thousands of employees.
There has been little discussion about why healthcare workers may be declining vaccination and barely any consideration as to what their motives may be. For those declining the Covid jab, there is also little analysis of whether they have previously been infected. Estimates vary on how many NHS staff have caught Covid (accurate figures are not produced), but it is likely to be in the order of hundreds of thousands.
Even if it was to be brought in instantly, there are many practical reasons as to why a Covid and Flu vaccine mandate would be flawed: it risks discriminating against BAME employees and it can even make the vaccine hesitant less likely to be vaccinated. The common claim that such a requirement would be equivalent to Hep B vaccines is also incorrect, as I outlined here before.
But the fact that its introduction is being delayed until April makes it stranger still. Repeatedly, we have been told that the NHS is on the cusp of its busiest winter ever. And yet, this vaccine mandate only kicks in from April onwards, months after the busiest period. So if the argument is that the vaccine mandate is needed to make the NHS safe, then why is it not necessary it over our busiest winter? And if it is not needed, why coerce staff into getting the vaccine in the first place?
There is, of course, another explanation. Rather like the vaccine passports in settings like nightclubs, that were due to be brought in at the end of September but were then abandoned last minute, the timetabling of these measures gives the Government the chance — the hope, for some cabinet ministers — that it never need actually happen. If the Covid situation is better by then, coercive measures like these can be set aside. In the meantime, it acts as yet another “nudge”, a distant threat to try to get more NHS employees vaccinated.
I’m not a fan of “nudging” as it is coercive, dishonest, goes against basic principles of public health, and risks seriously damaging our trust in authorities. However in this case I’m hoping that’s what it ends up being. The alternative, stripping away the rights of the staff of an organisation that already suffers from a toxic culture, in which a quarter of the staff say they have already been bullied and harassed and three quarters have already said they are considering leaving, is too self-destructive to contemplate.
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SubscribeOne suspects this scandal may not end by way of a quiet voluntary retreat by the guilty, but through a series of litigations and their associated ginormous, profession-busting settlements.
It could go either way. The lawsuits are coming no doubt. We’ve already seen a trickle – a case in Canada, a few in the US. However, these medical associations are political bodies. I’m sure they see the writing on the wall and will skillfully retreat before they are held accountable.
They’ll certainly try; whether they’ll succeed -we’ll see.
I wish that you were wrong, but I know how medical specialty societies work. As the old saying goes, doctors bury their mistakes.
They’ll certainly try; whether they’ll succeed -we’ll see.
I wish that you were wrong, but I know how medical specialty societies work. As the old saying goes, doctors bury their mistakes.
In this type of litigation it’s medical liability insurance that first pay. After a few very expensive settlements, these insurance companies will restrict coverage, exposing physicians to financially catastrophic losses. That’s how these surgical and chemical castrations will stop. Too late for the kids harmed. And not soon enough for children exposed to ideological fanatics.
As a U.S. physician who deplores the whole predatory pediatric trans industry, I would welcome some malpractice suits. They won’t undo the tremendous physical and psychic damage done to many kids, but they may at the least help pay for ongoing care. And chastise the perpetrators.
Agreed, a couple of beheadings ‘pour encourager les autres’ as they say.
Agreed, a couple of beheadings ‘pour encourager les autres’ as they say.
It could go either way. The lawsuits are coming no doubt. We’ve already seen a trickle – a case in Canada, a few in the US. However, these medical associations are political bodies. I’m sure they see the writing on the wall and will skillfully retreat before they are held accountable.
In this type of litigation it’s medical liability insurance that first pay. After a few very expensive settlements, these insurance companies will restrict coverage, exposing physicians to financially catastrophic losses. That’s how these surgical and chemical castrations will stop. Too late for the kids harmed. And not soon enough for children exposed to ideological fanatics.
As a U.S. physician who deplores the whole predatory pediatric trans industry, I would welcome some malpractice suits. They won’t undo the tremendous physical and psychic damage done to many kids, but they may at the least help pay for ongoing care. And chastise the perpetrators.
One suspects this scandal may not end by way of a quiet voluntary retreat by the guilty, but through a series of litigations and their associated ginormous, profession-busting settlements.
I’ve gone right off the medical profession in the past few years. To put it mildly.
You are NOT alone.
You are NOT alone.
I’ve gone right off the medical profession in the past few years. To put it mildly.
That such odious vermin are entrusted with the care of children is obscene. Everyone involved with this state approved mutilation of children should be criminally prosecuted.
That such odious vermin are entrusted with the care of children is obscene. Everyone involved with this state approved mutilation of children should be criminally prosecuted.
The horror stories of detransitioners are starting to come out. I recently read of one in Canada who wanted to be euthanized but wasn’t allowed to:
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/transgender-woman-denied-euthanasia-in-canada-over-post-surgical-pain-and-regret/
There will indeed be suicides, I’m afraid. The transgender folks have made a big deal about suicides by people who wanted to trans. Now, they are going to have to address the suicides by people who DID trans and then regretted it.
I cannot imagine how a boy who wakes up to realize what a crock the whole scheme that led to his castration was, but as he wakes up to the physical consequences day after day and realizes he will have to endure it for the rest of his life, it will be tough to reason him out of committing suicide.
There will indeed be suicides, I’m afraid. The transgender folks have made a big deal about suicides by people who wanted to trans. Now, they are going to have to address the suicides by people who DID trans and then regretted it.
I cannot imagine how a boy who wakes up to realize what a crock the whole scheme that led to his castration was, but as he wakes up to the physical consequences day after day and realizes he will have to endure it for the rest of his life, it will be tough to reason him out of committing suicide.
The horror stories of detransitioners are starting to come out. I recently read of one in Canada who wanted to be euthanized but wasn’t allowed to:
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/transgender-woman-denied-euthanasia-in-canada-over-post-surgical-pain-and-regret/
We’ve kept the receipts.
We’ve kept the receipts.
I suppose we will see the same thing with net zero. You can already see the Tories retreating, even though they introduced most of the legislation. They’ll do it incrementally, approve some drilling permits here, argue against driving restrictions there. I’m sure the EV mandates will be pushed back to 2035 and then totally memory holed shortly later.
I agree, and i think the relevant expression is “kicked into the long grass” which i must admit, sounds suitably green.
I agree, and i think the relevant expression is “kicked into the long grass” which i must admit, sounds suitably green.
I suppose we will see the same thing with net zero. You can already see the Tories retreating, even though they introduced most of the legislation. They’ll do it incrementally, approve some drilling permits here, argue against driving restrictions there. I’m sure the EV mandates will be pushed back to 2035 and then totally memory holed shortly later.
‘This week, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) announced that it was setting out on the long road back to plausible deniability.’
This is a great turn of phrase, but if true, it is a good thing that the internet never forgets, and as Nik Jewell has pointed out, there are plenty of receipts.
‘This week, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) announced that it was setting out on the long road back to plausible deniability.’
This is a great turn of phrase, but if true, it is a good thing that the internet never forgets, and as Nik Jewell has pointed out, there are plenty of receipts.
“…taking birth control pills, getting an abortion, and telling little girls it’s okay to wear dresses are all gender-affirming care now. Who knew?”
If it wasn’t so serious & so tragic, I’d be holding my aching sides at the comedy value of this. How on earth have these once-trusted institutions travelled so far from their scientific roots? And from reality? It’s not as if we haven’t had sufficient warnings from history. Tyranny creeps in via distraction & sleight of hand.
it is interesting to try and look for the start of our current medical model: A important turning point can be traced back to the beginning of the 20th century when the Carnegie family sent out their emissaries to find out in which universities/colleges medics were taught to make potions you can sell. (In that time, medicine was practiced in many different ways) They then send their money to promote research to these medical schools who were specialised in the making of potions in order to find/develop ‘concoctions that can be sold’ . Here we are: we consider this high quality modern medicine now.
For the anecdote: Mr Rockefeller thought the world of homeopathy which he used as his medicine and set up his fund to promote research in this approach to health and disease. The guy who ran the fund then joined forces with the Carnegies…..
… and before you start throwing rotten tomatoes: https://www.ikim.unibe.ch/about_us/divisions/classical_homeopathy___potentiazed_substances/index_eng.html ….
it is interesting to try and look for the start of our current medical model: A important turning point can be traced back to the beginning of the 20th century when the Carnegie family sent out their emissaries to find out in which universities/colleges medics were taught to make potions you can sell. (In that time, medicine was practiced in many different ways) They then send their money to promote research to these medical schools who were specialised in the making of potions in order to find/develop ‘concoctions that can be sold’ . Here we are: we consider this high quality modern medicine now.
For the anecdote: Mr Rockefeller thought the world of homeopathy which he used as his medicine and set up his fund to promote research in this approach to health and disease. The guy who ran the fund then joined forces with the Carnegies…..
… and before you start throwing rotten tomatoes: https://www.ikim.unibe.ch/about_us/divisions/classical_homeopathy___potentiazed_substances/index_eng.html ….
“…taking birth control pills, getting an abortion, and telling little girls it’s okay to wear dresses are all gender-affirming care now. Who knew?”
If it wasn’t so serious & so tragic, I’d be holding my aching sides at the comedy value of this. How on earth have these once-trusted institutions travelled so far from their scientific roots? And from reality? It’s not as if we haven’t had sufficient warnings from history. Tyranny creeps in via distraction & sleight of hand.
Hugh Jarse is on the right track. Mot until the various medical insurance providers get involved will there be a “forgetting”.
Once the wallet is exposed quite a lot will change.
Not so easy for them to ‘forget’ their previous stance when it’s all out there in cyberspace…
Not so easy for them to ‘forget’ their previous stance when it’s all out there in cyberspace…
Hugh Jarse is on the right track. Mot until the various medical insurance providers get involved will there be a “forgetting”.
Once the wallet is exposed quite a lot will change.
Meanwhile, ongoing collateral damage.
Which WILL be simply enormous.
Which WILL be simply enormous.
Meanwhile, ongoing collateral damage.
See Milan Kundera’s novel / Black comedy ‘The book of laughter and forgetting’ which in part references living in a dystopian society built on lies.
See Milan Kundera’s novel / Black comedy ‘The book of laughter and forgetting’ which in part references living in a dystopian society built on lies.
Shorter: The Left tells lies and then lies about having told them.
Quite so. Even shorter: the Left lies and then metalies.
“Be careful when you point a finger. Remember: you’re pointing three back at yourself.”
Quite so. Even shorter: the Left lies and then metalies.
“Be careful when you point a finger. Remember: you’re pointing three back at yourself.”
Shorter: The Left tells lies and then lies about having told them.
Excellent article.
Excellent article.
In relation to medicine in general and certainly valid in this particular case, Ian McGilchrist wrote: It is significant that the ’normal’ scientific materialist view of the body is similar to that found in schizophrenia” (The Master and his emissary P439)
Luckily trends such as System view of life, One health, Integrative medicine may change our medical approaches for the better, unless the industry of health (illness) appropriates these concepts. Up to the people to stand up for a different kind of medicine…
Fine, as long as it doesn’t mean prescribing psychotherapy for appendicitis.
Fine, as long as it doesn’t mean prescribing psychotherapy for appendicitis.
In relation to medicine in general and certainly valid in this particular case, Ian McGilchrist wrote: It is significant that the ’normal’ scientific materialist view of the body is similar to that found in schizophrenia” (The Master and his emissary P439)
Luckily trends such as System view of life, One health, Integrative medicine may change our medical approaches for the better, unless the industry of health (illness) appropriates these concepts. Up to the people to stand up for a different kind of medicine…
Being memory-holed and recast as a minor adjustment (if it’s acknowledged at all) is probably the best one can hope for. Accountability is for the little people.
At best it will be seen as a minor issue that only far-right conspiracy theorists want to make a big deal of , and not one that should threaten the “but it’s just about being kind!” gender-affirmation model.