Soph and Beau compilation 2019
I saw a patient yesterday who said she loved my last blog on #ClimateChange. I thanked her and said that this year, more than ever, there has been more and more non-pelvic floor focussed blogs because either I’m getting more grouchy as I get older, or there’s been more bad sh*t happening that has riled me so much, I have felt compelled to write about it.
And she said: “If you have created a platform- why not use it?!”
Seriously, if it wasn’t COVID I would have hugged her. She understood. Why not indeed! So here is yet another self-indulgent blog about my needs and wants.
This blog is a plea to all Queenslanders who haven’t yet got vaccinated – to go and get vaccinated – to those who have not had time, are hesitant or scared, are railing against authority or just have been living in a vacuum for the past 20 months and don’t understand the risk they are putting themselves under or who don’t think their actions can make a difference to our society as a whole – go and get vaccinated.
Last night I watched Foreign Correspondent on the ABC. It was about a group of East Timorese children (now adults) who were stolen during wartime, raised in Indonesia, and were now returning home to find and meet their real families – the ones who had cried for years about their disappearance. Mothers and sons/daughters being reunited after many years and sisters, brothers and aunties. Families celebrating the return of lost souls. It’s a real tear jerker. The link is at the end of this blog, but a warning, tissues are necessary.
Sophie and Sue at Ottolenghi’s 2017.
It got me thinking about my own children. And particularly about my daughter who lives in London and who I haven’t hugged for nearly 2 years and her husband Jimmy. And I thought about what is now preventing her from coming home for Christmas 2021. She and Jimmy were due home last Christmas to get married in Australia and we all understood as 2020 progressed that that was never going to happen. And even as this year has panned out, we had our doubts about Christmas 2021.
But now things are changing. We are getting closer to the magic numbers required to keep our most vulnerable people safe when Queensland opens up. What is really needed is a final push to the finish line (it is a race by the way). The ACT has the unbelievably fantastic figures as of today – 95% of citizens have had their first dose and 76% are fully vaccinated by November. The belief is they may reach 99% vaccination. I know they have had a COVID outbreak fuelling their vaccination surge, but why don’t we (Queensland) just skip the bit about mass illness, prolonged lock down, significant inconvenience and disruption, ICU admissions and deaths…. and JUST GET VACCINATED.
The science has been incredible in this vaccine story.
Scientists have been studying Coronaviruses for a long time. The SARS viruses have been around for a long time. So these 7 or 8 vaccines are based on years and years of research not just a few months like people like to say. There have now been millions of these vaccines given to people around the world. They are incredibly safe and most importantly, they are preventing serious illness and saving lives.
And people have died and are still dying from COVID19 Delta variant. Millions of them actually. Try not to prove the scientists and doctors right by actually having to get seriously ill and dying – lots of people around the world have done this already. And if they didn’t die, they have often gone on TV once they have recovered to tell their terrible stories and how they wished they had got vaccinated and not gone on to suffer Long Covid.
And we’ve all seen the poor health workers at the Press Conferences begging people to get vaccinated. They are exhausted, incredulous at the resistance to vaccination, angry at the blatant disregard for life and sad at having to hold the Ipad so families can say goodbye forever. Alone.
Back to Soph and the thousands of Aussies around the world who are desperate to come home either to live or just reunite for a holiday with their loved ones across the festive season. If they come from NSW or Victoria, they can fly in wiothout quarantining. But because we have virtually no Covid here, the Qld government are being cautious with international travellers. So while the state is open to other Australian state visitors from December 17, international Aussies will have to still do 14 days quarantine. No Xmas dinner with family for them. Unless we get our vaccine rates up to 90% – in which case everything is open.
Soph and Jimmy love their family, especially their nephews and niece and whilst through the magic of modern technology and every type of Social Media, they ares able to communicate with us all almost daily, it just isn’t the same as being present in the same room, drinking in the laughter and absorbing the actual reality of having them home in Australia for a few weeks.
Lots of Croft family spam
So my plea continues to be: Please consider getting vaccinated as soon as possible.
You’ll get a free Bunnings sausage.
You’ll be helping yourself.
You’ll be helping the greater good.
And the reality is you’ll be regretful once you realise what life means without a vaccine.
No cafe coffees, no clubbing, maybe no job?!
No travelling on planes.
No to lots of things.
Yes your freedoms will be severely curtailed – worse than lockdowns because you’ll have to watch everyone else having fun.
Worse still – you may infect a loved one and make them seriously ill.
And if you have been saying (out loud) vehemently you won’t get the jab plus lots of other stuff about vaccines – don’t worry. Everyone is allowed to pivot and change their position.
It’s allowed.
It will be welcomed by the majority. And if you are in a position where a family member is forbidding you to get vaccinated, go to Bunnings and pick up a plant and some potting mix and sneakily pick up the jab. Just make sure you rip off the bandaid before you get back home.
There’s no bravery medals given out for enduring COVID. And I’ve heard it’s a sh*t illness to get.
Please help bring Soph and Jimmy home for Christmas – get the jab.
