Genuine question. I have friends that have been taken in by a lot of the anti vax rhetoric from the USA. How do I convince them that they are wrong and need to take the jab, without losing their friendship?
Allotment boy you can't. I watched the late news last night. London hospital, talking to a chap, would say he looked 40 ish, saying he didn't believe Covid existed, rather changed his mind after a 2 week coma
Thanks @punkdoc, I appreciate you sharing your knowledge and informed opinion, and I agree for the most part. I've got plans to see a few friends, not in big groups, not in crowded places, all vaccinated and boostered, and we'll all do lateral flow tests beforehand.
We never stopped wearing masks in shops etc but seem to be in a tiny minority now, around here at least. Personally I think it was daft to make it optional, and it's very irresponsible for the PM to set such a bad example.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
All the references to the new variant in South Africa are qualified by repeated IF's. It is too soon to know for certain, but there are clearly concerns as controls on travel from some countries are now being put in place.
We cancelled our planned family Christmas get together meal a week or so back. Even before the new variant, it just didn't seem entirely sensible given the NHS and ambulance state and that we hadn't really yet seen bad winter conditions. Plus now, where before none of the family had been directly affected, we have had two people infected (kids - 14 and 17) and so many of us who have been pinged for being in contact.
We are hoping to be able to have my parents here for a short stay over Christmas, but I've told them that it might not happen depending on how things progress with COVID, and if it does it'll just be the four of us, and only if everyone tests negative beforehand and hasn't been pinged.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
But here's a thought - does anyone know whether lateral flow tests pick up new variants reasonably reliably? I know they're not 100% even on the existing ones, but better than nothing in circumstances where you can't get a PCR test.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
My son is working at the mobile testing centres in East Anglia ... he will be working over Christmas Day and Boxing Day and at the moment they expect to be busy ... he may or may not be able to join us for an evening meal on Christmas day .........
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
If anti-vaxxers are duped into believing nonsense despite overwhelming contrary scientific evidence, I don’t think there is anything that one more person can add to the conversation that will sway them.
I think you simply have to come to an accommodation. Two friends of our are fox hunters; we all agree not to talk about it because positions will not switch. Similarly yesterday my wife was speaking on the phone to a friend who she’s not contacted for over a year. She was astonished to learn this friend was anti-vax and they both quickly agreed that their views could not be altered.
If only there was a way to identify the unvaccinated, then you could avoid them. I suppose those wearing masks indicate a responsible attitude and are highly likely to have been vaccinated - unless they haven't.
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I think you simply have to come to an accommodation. Two friends of our are fox hunters; we all agree not to talk about it because positions will not switch. Similarly yesterday my wife was speaking on the phone to a friend who she’s not contacted for over a year. She was astonished to learn this friend was anti-vax and they both quickly agreed that their views could not be altered.