Mandatory vaccination
As expected, we have the first signs of complaints, in these columns, from those who refuse to be COVID-vaccinated, claiming it’s their right not to be impregnated with a foreign substance and that the authorities have no right to make vaccination mandatory.
Perhaps they are unaware that parents from a central European country had taken their government to court, arguing against mandatory vaccination of their children, but recently lost their case, the European Court of Human Rights declaring that the common good overrules “egoist” personal beliefs.
We, therefore, have a precedent in law enabling governments to make vaccination mandatory if the need arises.
One can envisage that until this pandemic disappears (and it can only disappear with mass vaccination and not with social media fake news), indoor gatherings may require demonstration of a vaccination certificate, just as one is required to produce an ID card at so many places. Smokers are not complaining of discrimination because they cannot enter public indoor locations with their lit cigarette.
The health department’s COVID vaccination roll-out efficiency is highly commendable. The unvaccinated (without genuine contra-indicatory health reasons) cannot be expected to be permitted to be a risk to others (remember “love thy neighbour”?).
Albert Cilia-Vincenti – Attard
Doors-a-changing
Progress entails changes whether one likes it or not. These changes could be for practical reasons, fashion trends or even for just financial gains. The increase of traffic forced us to widen roads and reluctantly chop much-loved trees.
Tastes in many things evolve in time and I noted that this factor hit the popular styles of the colourful doors that were in my area in Buġibba. There were a variety of designs in ironwork and a lot of creativity on the same style, consisting of a door and antiporta (inner door) in one unit creating security with the ironwork and also the ability to open up the glass area to let in light during the day.
Today, much of the buildings in the area are being turned into flats and the doors need different treatments. But it is a fact that an era of seaside doorways from the past are slowly being lost due to changing times.
In the photograph, I tried to capture what is still around, probably not for long...
Mary Attard – St Paul’s Bay
UK’s reasoning
It was noteworthy that the UK has again refused to list Malta on its green list and to keep it on amber.
While it does not prevent international travel to Malta, it forces tourists to quarantine and test when returning to the UK. These measures must not be underestimated as they restrict movement of UK citizens and are costly to implement.
So UK travellers would disqualify Malta as their travelling destination. The fact is, however, more hard-hitting. There is not a single major holiday destination listed on the UK green list.
When questioned in the press they actually admitted to the main reason for not adding countries to the green list was economical.
In other words, they admitted that the UK was preventing its citizens to travel internationally so as to benefit economically from them being restricted to spending their money inside the UK only. By stating that their economy would be benefitting.
Not having its citizens travelling abroad must be considered as the most undemocratic demonstration throughout this whole COVID-19 pandemic.
So where do the health and protection of citizens come into such decision-making? The UK is blatantly telling the world that their focus is on money and not on health.
This must be a wake-up call for the world to see through the scaremongering of the governments by controlling their citizens in a Big Brother way not previously admitted to.
Shame on the UK for showing its true selfish colours!
Willie Mostert – Sliema
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