There's No Such Thing as Ghosts.... Oops, I mean COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates
A throw-back post of delusion from the PM's office.
In late 2021, I wrote to a large number of government ministers, health bureaucrats and health regulatory agencies regarding concerns over COVID-19 vaccine mandates and mass COVID-19 vaccination of young children. It will be no surprise to many of you, that I only received a handful of responses and none of them were adequate.
Below is the correspondence between myself and the Prime Minister’s office (the PM at that time was Scott Morrison). It honestly makes my blood boil re-reading this several months later. I still cannot believe the audacity of the response I received. You can judge for yourself. First is my letter to the PM, followed by the response from his office (on his behalf), and finally my exasperated reply.
The Honourable Scott Morrison MP
Prime Minister of Australia
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 260026th November 2021
Re: COVID-19 Vaccination Mandates & Potential Broad-scale Childhood COVID-19 Vaccination
Dear Prime Minister,
My name is Laine Jolly and I am an Australian Registered Nurse (RN) currently living in the Northern Territory. I have been an RN for nearly 14 years, during which time I have worked primarily in intensive care. I have completed post-graduate study in critical care nursing and I have also spent substantial time working in aeromedical retrieval, organ donation and outpatient neurosurgery.
The values my parents instilled in me during my childhood and adolescence have served me well in my career as a nurse and I pride myself on advocating for the rights of my patients. While these values have not changed during the pandemic, it has made me wonder how much I am willing to lose by standing up for what I believe is right. Please know that the decision to write to you about these issues was not one made lightly, however I cannot in good conscience remain silent about our governments’ increasingly unjustified COVID-19 management public policy, especially as it applies to vaccine mandates and the ongoing consideration of vaccinating young children.
As a nurse, and like many other people during the last two years, I have watched our federal and state governments muddle their way through the pandemic management, with the ‘help’ of health bureaucrats, making error upon error,[1] [2] [3] while patronisingly chastising the Australian public daily, for trivial violations of increasingly draconian rules and restrictions. The arrival of COVID-19 vaccines has seen the rhetoric escalate from parent-like admonition to shameless misrepresentation and baseless public vilification, which has emboldened some people to adopt this attitude in their own professional and social circles. The unfortunate politicisation of pandemic management strategies, and COVID-19 vaccination more broadly, is something which should concern us all, regardless of our personal and/or professional views on the issue.
We have been told repeatedly that the available vaccines are ‘safe and effective’. Despite advice disseminated by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) which cautions against statements claiming the absolute safety of vaccination,[4] many politicians, health bureaucrats, and even some doctors have publically done exactly that.[5] It seemed obvious that the overall safety of the vaccines could not possibly have been known at the beginning of the vaccine rollout, yet to say so in the ensuing divisive political climate appears to be tantamount to professional and social suicide, with AHPRA once again cautioning health care professionals against deviating from the accepted government narrative.[6] Even now, as further research studies and real-world data suggest that COVID-19 vaccine efficacy diminishes over time[7] [8] giving way to the need for boosters which may be required for years to come,[9] and the risk of adverse events may not be as rare as the first thought,[10] [11] [12] the daily ‘safe and effective’ mantra continues.
Recently, Queensland’s Chief Health Officer (CHO) Jeanette Young admitted that at some point we will all come into contact with COVID-19.[13] Regardless of vaccination status, we will all be exposed. This is supported by the experience of several other countries, most of which are further down the ‘vaccination road’ than Australia, and many of which have already acknowledged that COVID-19 is now endemic to their region.[14] Unless we intend to keep our borders closed for eternity, there is no reason to think Australia will be any different. If we accept the more recent messaging that the vaccines we currently have available do not stop infection and transmission but provide protection against hospitalisation and death, the obvious conclusion is that any benefit vaccination confers is enjoyed most significantly by the vaccinated person. This in turn supports the specific recommendation of vaccination for all those people whose age, weight, comorbidities and/or medical history puts them at an increased risk for poor outcome when exposed to COVID-19.[15] [16] [17]
Given vaccination offers little absolute risk reduction in young, healthy people, and also poses potential risks which may have yet to be fully appreciated, the ability for individuals to make informed choices in consultation with their families and their personal doctors (who are also free to give honest, transparent, and case-specific advice without fear of professional repercussions) is vital. Instituting policies which essentially force all healthy people to take an invasive medical treatment, which cannot be reversed in the event of an adverse outcome, is ethically problematic, at best.
Increasingly restrictive vaccine mandates which being applied by various state and territory governments, which you previously promised the Australian public would not be introduced, threaten to permanently damage our communities and our country. The relentless campaign by government and media to label anyone who questions the mainstream narrative, no matter how reasonably, as selfish, anti-vax, idiots,[18] is a grave threat to our broader social values and ethics. As this dynamic continues unbridled, you as our Prime Minister should urge for calm, rational and scientific discussion which recognises that demands like follow ‘the science’ are nothing more than empty platitudes which do nothing to further good policy creation or assess all the elements in this ethical challenge, some of which are not easily scientifically quantifiable.
From my professional point of view, ‘informed consent’ is a tenet fundamental to healthcare and one obliterated by COVID-19 vaccine mandates. The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare defines consent as being “given voluntarily” and requires that patients be provided with “accurate and relevant information about the healthcare intervention and alternative options available” and that they have “adequate knowledge and understanding of the benefits and material risks of the proposed intervention relevant to the person who would be having the treatment”.[19] This standard is echoed in the AHPRA Medical Board’s ‘Good medical practice: a code of conduct for doctors in Australia’.[20] In fact, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) stated in late 2020 that “any form of mandatory vaccination is not warranted in relation to COVID-19.”[21] Despite strongly urging all Australians to take up vaccination in mid 2021, the AMA still suggested patients should speak to their GP “when considering whether a COVID-19 vaccination is right for them.”[22] As a nurse, I am horrified by the idea that some of our governments have created policies which force a person to choose between feeding their family and maintaining their bodily integrity.
In addition to my grave concerns around COVID-19 vaccination mandates for adults, I am also writing to you regarding alarm around the possibilities for childhood COVID-19 vaccination. As I’m sure you’re aware, while we are not yet vaccinating young children, the TGA are now considering the use of the Pfizer vaccine in children 5-11 years old. There are general concerns that an approval of this nature may lead to further mandates which would see children required to be ‘fully’ vaccinated to attend school, sports and other community activities. As things currently stand, I believe such a situation is ethically indefensible. At the time of writing, of almost 30,000 COVID-19 cases in children under 10 years old in Australia, there has been one death.[23] While vaccination could be justifiable, and potentially very wise for certain children with specific circumstances, vaccinating healthy children who are not at risk of harm from COVID-19 will result in nothing but increased risks of vaccine adverse events for no benefit. The one child under ten years old who has died has also been reported as having significant co-morbidities. To be clear, this in no way diminishes the tragic loss of this child, it simply serves as further support for selective COVID-19 vaccination for children who are specifically considered as high risk.
While so-called long COVID is something which may affect children (or indeed anyone) after COVID-19 infection, the risk of this outcome appears proportionally small and therefore the decision on whether or not to vaccinate must remain with the child’s parents and their doctor/s. Without firm data on the number of severe cases of long COVID and the way vaccination does or does not alleviate the condition, this does not appear to be a ‘benefit’ of vaccination, especially for a cohort in which vaccine adverse events may pose more serious and long lasting harm.
With the issues I have raised here in mind, I implore you to act in opposition not of the COVID-19 vaccines, but of the unacceptable COVID-19 vaccine mandates. While you have spoken up publicly against COVID-19 vaccine mandates several times now, the time for words has passed and I urge you to take action to dismantle these dangerous policies as a matter of the utmost urgency. Each day you do not act, more and more Australian people are facing the life-changing, livelihood-destroying effects of this unqualified, rigid and harmful public health policy, the consequences of which we will only truly realise in the years and decades ahead.
In conclusion, I would ask that you kindly consider my correspondence personally. Please do not redirect my letter to Northern Territory-level government staff, as I have already expressed my position in writing to Chief Minister Hon. Michael Gunner, NT Health Minister Hon. Natasha Fyles and my local Territory representative Minister Hon. Lauren Moss.
Yours faithfully,
Laine Jolly.
References
1. Walker S.C., B. (August, 2020). Report of the Special Commission of Inquiry into the Ruby Princess. State of New South Wales. https://www.dpc.nsw.gov.au/assets/dpc-nsw-gov-au/publications/The-Special-Commission-of-Inquiry-into-the-Ruby-Princess-Listing-1628/Report-of-the-Special-Commission-of-Inquiry-into-the-Ruby-Princess.pdf
2. Coate A.O., Hon. J. (2020). COVID-19 Hotel Quarantine Inquiry, Final Report and Recommendations, Volume 1 & 2, Parl paper no. 191 (2018–2020). Victorian Government. https://content.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-12/0387_RC_Covid-19%20Final%20Report_Volume%201%2B2_Digital.pdf
3. Briggs A.O., L., & Pagone Q.C., Hon. G. (2020). Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety Aged care and COVID-19: A Special Report. Commonwealth of Australia. https://agedcare.royalcommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-12/aged-care-and-covid-19-a-special-report.pdf
4. Promotion of COVID-19 vaccinations: further information for healthcare practitioners and other advertisers (June, 2021). Therapeutic Goods Administration and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency Media Release. Australian Government Department of Health.
5. 19 of Your Most Commonly Asked Questions About the COVID-19 Vaccine (17th February, 2021). ‘Hack’, Triple J Radio Station, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/most-common-questions-covid-vaccine-hack/13164048
6. COVID-19 and vaccines: Get the best advice for you and your family (August, 2021). Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. https://www.ahpra.gov.au/News/2021-08-30-Joint-statement.aspx 1/2
7. Goldberg, Y., et al. (27th October, 2021). Waning Immunity after the BNT162b2 Vaccine in Israel. The New England Journal of Medicine. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2114228
8. Doshi, P. (Ed.) (23rd August, 2021). Does the FDA think these data justify the first full approval of a COVID-19 vaccine? The British Medical Journal. https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2021/08/23/does-the-fda-think-these-data-justify-the-first-full-approval-of-a-covid-19-vaccine/
9. Massola, J. (7th November, 2021). Coronavirus boosters likely for years to come: Pharmacy Guild. Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/coronavirus-boosters-likely-for-years-to-come-pharmacy-guild-20211105-p596ff.html
10. Polack, F. P., et al. (31st December, 2020). Safety and Efficacy of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine. The New England Journal of Medicine. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa2034577
11. Thacker, P. D. (2nd November, 2021). Covid-19: Researcher blows the whistle on data integrity issues in Pfizer’s vaccine trial. The British Medical Journal. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n2635
12. COVID-19 vaccine weekly safety report - 11-11-2021, (11th November, 2021). Therapeutic Goods Administration, Australian Government Department of Health. https://www.tga.gov.au/periodic/covid-19-vaccine-weekly-safety-report-11-11-2021
13. Silk, M. (15th October, 2021), ‘We’re all going to get it’: QLD health chief issues grim COVID warning as she raises alarm on NSW border plan. Channel 7 News. https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/were-all-going-to-get-it-qld-health-chief-issues-grim-covid-warning-as-she-raises-alarm-on-nsw-border-plan--c-4243225
14. Phillips, N. (16th February, 2021). The coronavirus is here to stay – here’s what that means. Nature. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00396-2
15. People with Certain Medical Conditions (14th October, 2021). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html
16. Williamson, E. J., et al. (8th July, 2020). Factors associated with COVID-19-related death using OpenSAFELY. Nature. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2521-4.pdf
17. Sjögren, L., et al. (13th October, 2021). Impact of obesity on intensive care outcomes in patients with COVID-19 in Sweden—A cohort study. Plos One. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257891
18. Morgan, T. (17th October, 2021). Chief Slams ‘Rally of Idiots’. NT News.
19. Informed Consent (November, 2021), The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare. https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/partnering-consumers/informed-consent
20. Good medical practice: a code of conduct for doctors in Australia (October 2020), AHPRA Medical Board. https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/codes-guidelines-policies/code-of-conduct.aspx
21. AMA statement on vaccination for COVID-19 (November, 2020), Australian Medical Association. https://www.ama.com.au/sites/default/files/2020-11/AMA%20COVID%2019-VACCINE%20POLICY%20NOVEMBER%202020.pdf
22. Joint Statement - COVID vaccination only pathway to more normal life (20 May, 2021). AMA & Council of Presidents of Medical Colleges. https://www.ama.com.au/media/joint-statement-covid-vaccination-only-pathway-more-normal-life
23. Coronavirus (COVID-19) Case Numbers and Statistics (November, 2021). Australian Government Department of Health. https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/coronavirus-covid-19-case-numbers-and-statistics
George Orwell’s words in 1984 ring true here: “Not merely the validity of experience, but the very existence of external reality was tacitly denied by their philosophy. The heresy of heresies was common sense.” COVID-19 vaccination in Australia is voluntary, didn’t you know? Tell that to the thousands whose lives have been ruined for declining COVID-19 vaccination, not to mention those who have been injured after ‘voluntarily’ accepting vaccination to keep their jobs.
Well of course it's voluntary. They didn't MAKE you take it to keep your job - you could just quit, and not be able to keep a roof over your head or feed your children. And you don't HAVE to take it in order to visit your mother in the nursing home; you could just not go, and leave her to rot in her own soiled nappies, or starve to death, or just pine away from lack of loving human company. Perfectly reasonable.