Yesterday Parliament in the UK debated, and subsequently voted on, several issues regarding the Government’s attempt to reduce the spread of Covid-19, particularly the Omicron variant. As a result several MPs, mainly conservative, who are in Government at present, voted against: a) making facemasks mandatory in shops and public places where people are present,
b) requiring a ‘Covid Pass’ indicating the holder has been innoculated against Covid-19 and or has had a recent (lateral flow or PCR) test.
c) making it mandatory for front line health workers to be suitably innoculated against Covid-19.
We have been informed that the Omicron Variant is soon to become the dominant strain of the virus in this country and has a rapid transmission rate and it is uncertain regarding the severity of the symptoms. In South Africa, where the variant was first identified, it is reported the symptoms are milder then the previous prevalent Delta variant. We are also informed the inoculations, and in particular the sequence of having 2 injections and a booster, suitably spaced, results in a much reduced risk of the person developing Covid-19 and any subsequent severe illness should they become in contact with it. Unfortunately, I fear, many believe the inoculations means you are immune to the disease. I do not believe this is the case, and people can suffer illness from the virus more than once.
We elect MPs to represent the consensus of our interests and ensure they are taken into account by the Government. It is the role of Government to ensure the balance of our interests are met. If large numbers of the population develop Covid-19 there is a risk that the NHS will become overwhelmed with hospitalised cases.
Organisations become ineffective when more demands are placed on them than they can handle or they have insufficient resources to handle the demands. As more people are infected with Covid there are likely to be less doctors and nurses available to care for them, less ambulancemen available to drive ambulances, less police available to police the streets, less fireman available to fight fires on our behalf.
It is the role of Government to ensure the balance of our interests are met and ensuring our emergency and health services are effective is at the top of our interest list.
Those MPs in parliament that voted against the Government yesterday do not have our interests at heart and therefore should not be representing us in Parliament. It maybe they have another gripe against the Government, but they should not use such an important matter as the populations Health and Safety to make a point regarding their displeasure in the Government.
During the debate some Conservative MPs argued that making a valid Covid Pass for large venues was a step towards a dictatorial state and should be abhorred. I would argue that if I go to a large venue I expect to require a ticket for entry and if I find someone in the venue without a ticket I am aggrieved. when I went to school I was urged not to turn up if I had a contagious illness. Not so as to give me time off but to prevent my spreading of that illness to others in the school. The same is true in the workplace. If you know you have an illness don’t spread it and minimise the risks of getting an illness by taking precautions against it, like having inoculations.