COMMUNITY
FROM THE EDITOR, Unfortunately due to the overwhelming amount of letters to the Ed about covid, I have decided that I will have to cut it off as it seems we are just going back and forth on a subject that has in my opinion run its course. It has and always will be a personal choice on what you choose to do, so moving on I have decided to end that discussion here. It is too hard to choose who to print and the magazine would be full of nothing but letters to the Ed if I printed them all. I think we all need a break from covid, so let’s move on and send me some new letters, be it acts of kindness you have witnessed, funny stories, community issues, new information, anything but the never-ending debate about vaccines. Thank you all and remember, 300 words please as I am tightening this up and won't print it anymore if it goes over. Cheers, Cherrie Wilson DEAR EDITOR, It seems to me that the Anne Matthews well written and balanced piece (in my mind anyway) “To Vax or Not to Vax part 1” in Issue 157 has poked the hornets’ nest that is the anti-everything brigade. The troops have been summoned and an all-out offensive has been launched on the “Letters 68
to The Editor” desk in the latest issue 158 of this magazine. No weapons have been spared in an effort to overrun the topic of conversation, all the while complying to the clearly stated Rules of Engagement i.e. no more than 300 words or they WILL not be printed. Hang on, my mistake. Either the aforementioned contributors did not read the fine print or they are from the “You can’t tell me what to do” battalion of this attacking force and no one is going to infringe on their God given right to say their piece, regardless of how long it takes, certainly not an editor of a fortnightly community magazine!!!! Their ramblings seemed to have no end. Now, let me be perfectly clear, I firmly believe that everyone has a right to their opinion. And to express it. The funny thing about opinions is, and I heard this statement many, many years ago and many, many times since. “Opinions are like Butt Holes, Everyone’s got one and it seems for the vast majority of times, what comes forth from both can be extremely similar!!!” My humble opinion only. And all this in under 300 words. Mark Hooper
www.thebribieislander.com.au
The Bribie Islander
Dear Editor, It is time we stopped arguing over the merits of vaccination and concentrated on more important matters, like the failure of trust exhibited by our leaders. Let’s us not forget the following shortcomings when we go to the polls. There was a shocking delay in the response to sexual harassment allegations in Canberra as if the concern expressed was not genuinely felt. An even more serious delay left Afghani interpreters and their families without rescue, so they are still not safely re-settled. The creation of a Federal Integrity Commission was conveniently delayed until it was too late. At least nine funding scams deserved better public scrutiny. There was too much duplicitous activity when it came to the French submarines. And siding with the US over investigating the origin of SARS CoV-2 was disastrous for our primary producers. Why did our PM turn down an offer of locally produced rapid antigen tests, claiming we didn’t need them? Who was it that turned Australia into a pariah at COP26 by refusing to take meaningful action on climate change? Just throwing money at the GBR, spread over the next nine years is not going to deal with the root cause of its problems. What do you want your leaders to do in the next term? Now is
the time to prepare your questions for the candidates. H.Beneke DEAR EDITOR In his recent letter (issue 158, January 28), I'm puzzled as to why Aussie Battler asks "Margaret, don't you read YOUR trade journals?" Why does he assume that I should read the American Journal of Medicine (especially when it ranks number 3623) - or in fact any trade journal? I'd draw his attention back to the article, published in the AJM in January 2021, which also states; "When the totality of evidence is incomplete, it is appropriate for health care providers to remain uncertain. None-theless, regulatory authorities are sometimes compelled to act on incomplete evidence." In the AJM journal, volume 135, No1, January 2022, they conclude: "Previously, we recommended a moratorium to health care providers concerning prescriptions of HCQ. Since that time, no significant benefits have been found. The current totality of evidence more strongly supports our previous recommendations concerning the lack of efficacy and possible harm of Hydroxychloroquine in the treatment and prevention of Covid-19."