Apachebulldog wrote:Hey Trader my friend i would like your expert analysis on this.
If the tests work why the false positives ????
If the masks work why the 1.5 metres ???
If the 1.5 metres work why the masks ????
If all 3 work why the lockdowns ????
If the vaccine is safe why the no liability clause???
While I don't like the 'soft' restrictions like 1.5m spacing and wearing masks in high risk locations, at least they don't destroy the economy, they don't stifle business, they don't isolate people.
While I believe the 4,000 people in directed quarantine (over and above the 200 close contacts) provides us a reasonable level of assurance there isn't delta in the wider community, soft restrictions like masks and spacing is clearly an easy behaviour within minimal downside I believe we should all undertake. Same with QR check ins, etc.
If one works, why not another? Why not? Also, do you drive around without your seatbelt on cause you've got an airbag that works?
These are 'soft' restrictions that don't have a major downside so having them isn't the end of the world, especially when compared to the latest SA lockdown which just cost us $220million. That $220m will need to be paid back by all South Australians. We don't get a bill in the mail that says here's an $800 invoice for you, your wife and your two kids, but it will come out in hidden costs. Next years car rego is $820 instead of $810, the pub does $7 happy hour pints rather than $6, the bakery doesn't sponsor the cricket club so your subs are $325 instead of $300. All these little things, you don't notice them, but someone needs to pay for the $200/head the 7.25 day lockdown cost us.
I've covered my thoughts fairly consistently on the lockdowns. I don't think they should be implemented while all cases are linked and there is directed quarantine of the positive, their close contacts, and contacts of the close contacts. Three tiers is more than enough, we don't need a 4th tier IMO. And that has once again been confirmed with all cases coming from tier 1 and 2, we didn't get any cases from tier 3, let alone 4.
False positives and false negatives are few and far between. They are a reasonable starting point and I'm happy for the testing to continue in suspected cases.
The wider testing of the general population doesn't achieve anything IMO, we haven't had any positives come from the mass testing of the wider population over the entire pandemic.
Directed testing makes sense, and I'm comfortable with the level of false positives and negatives.
As for the vaccine, this is a more interesting one. The vaccine clearly has benefits (reduced symptoms, potentially harder to catch and pass on). Equally, given the short time between covid spreading and the world demanding a solution, big pharma was never in a position to produce a vaccine they could guarantee wouldn't have side affects. So one of a few options are available, 1) they test it for another 2 years by which point the world has imploded through lockdowns or just letting it run wild, or say 2) they release it, self insure and charge $500 per dose not $40. The cost to vaccinate the world becomes prohibitive and the vaccine doesn't get taken up, we don't get wider immunity and the whole exercise falls over.
I can understand why there is a no liability clause. It doesn't mean it is unsafe, if just means they don't know if it is safe. Look at Thalidomide for example, or even asbestos. People were acting with the best of intentions, but it doesn't mean we don't find out later that things weren't as safe as we would have liked. It's not ideal, but if we want a cost effective vaccine in a reasonable timeframe, a no liability clause is a necessary evil. Your choice shouldn't be if the no liability clause is appropriate, your choice should be if you chose to then get vaccinated or not - your body, your choice. (Noting as it becomes mandatory to be vaccinated to attend the footy for example, that's where this becomes blurred, and I'd suggest arguing against the vaccine passport, not the no-liability clause).
Blindly questioning everything means you lose credibility when there are valid things to question (like lockdowns). You become the boy who cried wolf and no one will listed to you even if you then raise valid points later.
Accept the small things (like masks and keeping your distance from others) and get on with life. Challenge the big things that have a large detrimental impact and no benefit.