I hope so, but the uncertainty in the numbers makes me unwilling to bank that cheque just yet.
Your constant doubting of vaccination effectiveness is wearing thin.
I'm not going to get into a debate about whether family x or y of viruses is more dangerous to humans.
In other words, you made a claim, and are now realising you have no evidence to back it up.
My observation is that SARS-COV-2 causes more serious symptoms in more people, with consequently higher death rates, than influenza does.
Do you not think that may be due to the fact that Sars-CoV-2 was a novel virus introduced into an immunologically naive population, whereas influenza is a well established family of viruses to which we have already reached endemic equilibrium?
In particular, it appears to act not just as a respiratory virus, but also to have significant effect on the vascular system.
This is due to the lack of immunity which means the virus is able to spread beyond the respiratory area.
IF you are suggesting that this is not the case with influenza, the evidence suggests otherwise.
During the summer and fall of 2009, we observed significant thrombotic events in patients infected with the pandemic H1N1 influenza A virus. A retrospective cha
academic.oup.com
During the summer and fall of 2009, significant thrombotic events were observed in patients infected with the pandemic H1N1 influenza A virus. In a retrospective chart review of 119 individuals admitted to the hospital with H1N1 virus infection, 7 patients (5.9%) were found to have experienced thrombotic vascular events...
I am reluctant to opine on whether this is a function of the novelty of the SARS-COV-2 virus, or an inherent property of it; my risk assessment is based on the world today, not as - on which I agree with you - SARS-COV-2 becomes endemic and expsoure becomes more of a norm.
We are already transitioning from the epidemic phase to the endemic phase due to both high levels of infection (antibody seroprevalence studies suggest this is much higher than the official figures) and the huge success of the vaccination programme in delivering vaccines that offer very high levels of immunity (much better than the influenza vaccines typically do) in the majority of the population.
In the context here, I see mandation as a condition of employment in all patient/client facing roles in health and social care - so beyond the NHS. I agree with you that it is not something that should be done lightly, but I tend to the view that it is currently pushed too little rather than too much. As for the impact at a time of staff shortage, I accept your concern. My view, stated previously, is that someone who refuses to follow the standard of care for those they look after is someone who is demonstrating a wilful disregard for the science governing that care, and who should therefore be a target for the regulatory bodies, not considered a regretted loss by their employer.
For clarity, by "refusal" in this context, I refer to someone who is able to receive the vaccine and declines to do so.
I am not particularly interested in debating this point with you as I do not fundamentally disagree with you; I agree that people in such environments should get vaccinated but I do not think either of us are in a position to state whether it should be made mandatory or not, and I would certainly exercise caution before stating such a mandate should be in place.
I also think that extremist views on one side will breed resentment and extremist views on the other. For example the more you state your views, which I and many others perceive to be authoritarian, the less agreeable I find myself to such views and the more I feel like pushing back against them.
While I believe in the effectiveness of the vaccines and the importance of people being vaccinated, I also see that people who state authoritarian views on such matters are not in any way encouraging those who are hesitant to get vaccinated; on the contrary such views actually dissuade people from doing so, and make people resentful, suspicious and doubtful.
I really don't understand what you are trying to say or achieve much of the time (indeed I believe you have a fundamental lack of understanding of the issues, despite posting as if you do).