At this point I don’t think incentives or mandates / coercion is really needed. Not with the incredible take ups in Oz. I’ve not really seen any data on how effective things like cash incentives are in driving vaccine take up so it’s hard to comment
But if they are more or equally as effective as coercion then absolutely I support that more
It’s always found that this type or relationship between a government and its people is more effective in building trust and compliance
In the US it’s pretty common for companies to offer cash incentives for quitting smoking, Loaing weight etc so a comapnies health care costs are lower.
They found out paying people and incentivizing them for healthier choices was a win win. More people took up the option and more people respected their companies. Healthier people / happier people / happier companies
Rather than punishing or penalizing those who make unhealthy choices
It’s not really about you/the individual. It’s about making sure vulnerable people in a high risk workplaces or environments aren’t coming into contact with unvaccinated people.
Vaccine mandates aren’t new either. Nurses, doctors, ambos and hospital staff have had to had the general suite of vaccinations for decades. Turns out if that’s an issue for you, then you’re probably going to be a shit healthcare professional. It’s a handy screening tool.
I can’t speak for everyone but I’m sure I’m one of hundreds Of millions of people who chose to get vaccinated to protect themselves. When I get the flu shot every year I do it so I don’t get sick. When I got shots to go to Brasil I did to protect myself. But for me personally i have no qualms about vaccines and drugs so i had no concerns. My motivation to get vaccinated for flu or covid it to keep myself safe, and to “get my life back” to travel, go to the gym, go to a nightclub, be around crowds and not worry. It was a choice I made for me, so I do think it’s about the individual.
Now of course I would like everyone to get vaccinated. It’s better for everyone in the end. Them included. But it’s still and Individual choice.
As for the vulnerable - yes. We should put in place as many protection measures for them as is reasonable. But they also have an individual responsibility upon themselves. My health is my responsibility, not yours. That’s why I chose to get vaccinated - in case you chose not to.
Vunerable people can obviously and hopefully do - get the jab. They can double mask, social distance and take other precautions around crowds etc to add extra layers of protection for themselves.
But for a vulnerable person - it’s a covid positive person who is the risk to them. And that can be a vaxed person or un vaxed person. It’s a wrong assumption to make that a vunerable person is at risk Only around unvaccinated individuals. And a dangerous assumption to make.
I can totally see your point of view. It is the start of a slippery slope when medical procedures are mandated. Sets a precedent for others later down the line.
I personally support the mandate but I can understand why some people don’t.
Pandemic. Millions of deaths already and that’s what your prioritising ? Instead of protecting people you rather see the world destroyed. Right so when someone in your family dies from covid are you going to be singing this same tune?
Are you talking about the past when we didn’t have the vaccines or the now and future when we do? Because with the vaccines there should not be “mass death”
So let’s call it “preventing deaths” and not “mass deaths”
Well, I actually see both as important. Getting people vaccinated to protect them and both protecting the principle of not having the state dictate health procedures over ones body - to protect others who should be protecting themselves - well to be honest, I see both as important.
And in a time we’ve seen governments very happily disregarded the channels of law making to give themselves emergency powers to shut down our lives with the sign of a pen - I actually think not giving the state the ability to force medical drugs upon those who dont want them is an incredibly important thing to value and protect.
I see you make some good points on this so if any Sky News presenters end up taking a similar stance I hope it’s because it’s grounded in reality and facts rather than going off tangents and playing to an anti-vax audience and undermine the vaccines.
Though knowing what Bolt and Murray are like you never know.
A lot of hype to unpack in this post. There has been millions off deaths - not because we have not had vaccine mandates - but because there was not a vaccine for 10 months and it is slow low process getting billions vaccianted. There is no link between vaccine mandates and the millions of deaths that have already happened. Unless I’ve seen no data or reporting to even suggest that link.
Secondly - I fail to see how not having vaccine mandates will “destroy the world” when countries like AU, Spain, UAE, Portugal are pushing 85% vaccine take-up largely with out forced mandates. Not sue what you mean by “destroy the world”
No one in my family will die of Covid, because they all - and my close friends, in fact I cant think of a single person I know - chose to be vaccinated. And if they do catch covid once vaccianted (like I did in July) then if the vaccine was not going to save their life, certainly a vaccine passport mandate on someone else was certainly not going to. So yes, I would be singing the same tune - because fundamentally I see protecting my health as my responsibility and not yours.
Thanks Tom, appreciate your comment. Unfortunately even when you make good points around here you’re met with “oh so you want to cause mass death destroy the world and kill your family” type replies…
Yes I agree. Anyone with a broadcasting role has am obligation to choose their opinions and words very carefully. As they can influence people’s decision. Sky as a network has been pro vaccine from day one. I’m glad Alan Jones is gone as I do think he bordered on looney and toxic.
But discussion on the moral and ethical issues around forced vaccination is also a topic our media should be willing to discuss. I know we are in a pandemic right now, but when the smoke finally clears 5-10 years from now - we may as a society look back and wondered if what we did was right.
Are we going to be forced to donate our organs one day. you know - against our will - but to protect others?
I just see it as a very dangerous slope that needs to be walked incredibly carefully.
I think he’s already past that border, with his recent episodes featuring Craig Kelly that essentially bagged vaccinations. That’s just a dangerous precedent which thankfully not many people heeded due to hardly anyone watching Alan’s show directly in recent days.
Getting off vaccines. Alan represented very much the grumpy old man brand
I’d much rather hear people of a younger generation discuss and debate the news with informed debate and opinion. Not just nonsense
I’d also really like to see Sky give just 30 minutes or 1 hour to non opinion News between 5-11pm with a flagship news show - like the old Fox Report on Fox
