Lockdowns coupled with a poor sell on vaccines

Chris Kenny’s article “The beast that has eaten our brains” (Inquirer, 5-6/6) is just the tip of the iceberg of what Victorians have had to suffer under the Andrews Government.

Victoria has been locked down for 140-plus days compared with an average of six days for the other states. The new, so-called Delta variant, which has sent the state into ongoing lockdown, just feeds into the agenda of government and heath bureaucrats, which is spreading fear to increase control over our lives.

The 7000 beds set aside in the country for Covid patients remain unused, while state health officials, public servants and Labor politicians dictate draconian rules, having only one interest in mind ... zero cases.

We Victorians are sick and tired of hearing government and health bureaucrat platitudes, such as “we are sorry” and “we are doing all we can in the best interests of the community”. Not one of them has suffered any financial hardship; their paychecks keep rolling in and increasing. How about they forgo their wages for every day the state is shut down?

Rob Hobart, Barwon Heads, Vic

When the dust has finally settled on the Covid-19 catastrophe and the disastrous mismanagement of the crisis in Victoria, the blowtorch needs to be applied to another institution where the leadership has fostered disgraceful overreach by some of its members and severely impacted the civil liberties of citizens.

I speak of Victoria Police, which has been turned into a political police force by the state government and has unleashed selective and brutal tactics on politically incorrect protestors, intimidated non-compliant journalists and has now started roughing up Christians engaged in worship outdoors.

This intimidating police behaviour, fully endorsed by police command, warrants a full royal commission in the not-too-distant future.

Peter Curtis, Werribee South, Vic

To Dr Marianne Cannon (“Skirmishes over efficacy and Covid strains is encouraging vaccine hesitancy”, Letters, 8/6), the oft-repeated analogy with vehicle accidents ignores the fact that as a motorist I mostly have control over the outcome of the journey from A to B; I place trust in my skills. With a Covid vaccine I have no control over the outcome except for the decision not to vaccinate.

Frederick M. Auld, Gundaroo, NSW

I read with consternation your editorial about quarantine and the need for permanent facilities (“Quarantine solution for long haul” 8/6). One of the reasons for being vaccinated is to allow our borders to reopen and for citizens and others to travel freely.

Having to quarantine upon entering the country is not, in any way, shape or form, free movement. Who in their right mind is going to subject themselves to a forced period of self-funded isolation at the end of an overseas trip? It’s pure insanity.

Forced quarantine is not learning to live with this insidious disease.

M. Davis, Corinda, Qld

A free society facilitates open discussions where ideas are debated, tested and challenged. The Victorian government says its lockdowns are based on medical science, but refuses to release this material for public scrutiny. We in Victoria no longer live in a free society.

Alan Freedman, St Kilda East, Vic

Being of a certain age, it has been decreed, upon the best medical advice, that l must avail myself of the AstraZeneca jab. I’ll be more than happy to roll up my sleeve as soon as I’m confident medical authorities know what to do in the event l happen to be one of those “incredibly rare” cases where clotting occurs. I understand they’re working on it.

K. MacDermott, Binalong, NSW

I can well remember the grim reaper warning us against the perils of AIDS and unprotected sex, and Norm telling us to “be in life”. Yul urged us “Just don’t smoke”. “Slip, slop, slap” still works for me, and I am sure there were other very efficient advertising campaigns to change our attitudes. But when it comes to Covid-19, the most serious threat of all, we have Scott Morrison and the gang managing their own advertising. It’s no wonder the vaccination program has gone wrong. It just wasn’t sold.

Geoff Phillips, Killarney, Qld