The first vaccine has been approved by the UK regulators. Good news? I personally think it’s great, however some disagree. So I ask, Why say no to vaccines?

Before I start, I would like to say thank you and congratulations to the scientists that have done such amazing work. So often the human race relies on science to get us out of problems. It seems it is about to do so again. Thank you!

So why say no to a vaccine? I find it difficult to comprehend and understand this attitude. Much thought and research has gone into my thoughts and reasoning. Please allow me to put forward some answers that I have come up with. To what I consider bizarre statements.

It can’t be safe, it’s only taken 10 months. Other vaccines have taken years.

This argument is easily and logically answered. As a result of the global pandemic :-

• The scientific community has had access to virtually unlimited funding around the world. A situation that does not normally occur.
• Every available scientist and resource that was required, was made available.
• Co-operation and information sharing has happened on a global scale.
• The virus has been rampant meaning the trials were easier to complete.
• There has been great co-operation between scientists, drug companies, and regulators.

All this put together in an unprecedented fashion, linked with a bit of luck has made this achievement possible.

I don’t know what’s in it, therefore I am not having it in my body.

Really! Do the people that say these things understand everything that they put in their body? I strongly suspect not!

Have they never eaten at a restaurant? Have they never had a burger at a fair? Are they all scientists and understand the drugs and vaccinations that they have likely had throughout their lives?

I have a feeling they don’t. This alone makes it a ridiculous argument.

No one can know everything. You have to have trust that the appropriate experts know what they are doing. If you didn’t have this faith then you would likely need to live naked and in a field! I bet these people take holidays and fly on aircraft. Do they know sufficient to make and fly or plane or do they trust the experts? Do they trust the builder of the house they live in? The water company that supplies their water?

The government is trying to track us.

So firstly, what makes these people so Interesting out of a population of 66,000,000 in the uk?

If we get over that question, then there are simpler ways for the government to track them. If they drive a car, they can be tracked by number plate cameras. Perhaps they make purchase in a shop and use a card payment? Perhaps they do a google search on their destination before they go. More than that, what’s the betting they have a mobile phone of some description.

In other words, even if governments were efficient enough and creative enough to fake a global pandemic so they could inject everyone, why would they when there are ways already in play?

I’m not taking it, we don’t know if there are any long term effects.

Now the statement about not knowing of any long term effects is perhaps a valid one. However, how do we find out if everyone adopts this attitude?

As I have said in previous blogs, life is about risk. You take a risk getting up in the morning. Stepping g outside your house is a risk. Eating food is a risk. If we never take risks, we may as well live in the field naked (oh hang on, that’s probably risky as well!)

We all take risks on a daily basis. Probably more than we actually realise. Life is a risk management game.

I do not suggest that you blindly place your faith in others. After all, it is your body and your life. Do your research if you like (please acknowledge you are probably not an epidemiologist). Ultimately the question must be, am I at more risk if I don’t take it. My opinion (for what it’s worth) is, yes you are more at risk. Not only that, you can potentially put others at risk.

You should also consider, that if no one ever took these risks, we probably would not have the medicines and medical knowledge that helps so many of the population on a daily basis. Have these people never taken a paracetamol? Antibiotics?

Grow up and get over yourself.

For all those using the above arguments and others, I say, ‘Get over yourself’.

Life is a risk. It is however less risky if we all work at it together. Spreading doubt and conspiracy theories is not helpful at a time of national crisis.

We all want our lives to go back to normal. We can achieve that. However, to do so, we need to work together and move forward. Nothing was ever achieved without risk.