Ex-UK Prime Minister and former Labour leader Tony Blair has said that anyone who is willingly unvaccinated at this point is “an idiot.”
“Frankly, if you’re not vaccinated at the moment, and you’re eligible, and you’ve got no health reason for not being vaccinated, you’re not just irresponsible – you’re an idiot,” he said.
Tony Blair: "If you're not vaccinated and you're eligible… you're not just irresponsible, you're an idiot."
What do you think of his comments? pic.twitter.com/iSKfeAobAS
— Talk (@TalkTV) December 22, 2021
“I’m sorry, but truthfully, you are. Because this Omicron variant is so contagious, if you’re unvaccinated and you’re in circulation, you’re going to get it. And that is going to put a lot of strain on the health service.”
Despite the emphasis on the unvaccinated, the first cases of the Omicron variant detected were in double vaccinated individuals.
As much as the media would love to blame the unvaccinated for the Omicron variant, the facts are more inconvenient. @Ben_Scallan comments.#gripthttps://t.co/EfM2w9J1gE
— gript (@griptmedia) November 29, 2021
Additionally, 7 triple-vaccinated German tourists recently contracted Omicron in South Africa.
Seven tourists have tested positive for the Omicron variant in South Africa, despite all of them being triple-vaccinated.#gripthttps://t.co/K6imyvqd9G
— gript (@griptmedia) December 10, 2021
Early studies seem to indicate that the Omicron variant can at least partially dodge vaccine immunity.
First data from laboratory studies in South Africa, Sweden and Germany suggest the Omicron coronavirus variant can escape vaccine immunity. https://t.co/uJPUtFwMTr
— POLITICOEurope (@POLITICOEurope) December 8, 2021
In relation to putting strain on the health service, in South Africa, where Omicron was first discovered, Covid-19 related hospitalisations have fallen sharply in recent days.
Covid-19 hospitalisations have fallen sharply in South Africa after a spike last month when the country reported the world’s first omicron outbreak, in what could spell good news for other regions battling the new variant.
— Will Brown (@_Will_Brown) December 20, 2021
South Africa's daily Covid cases fell for the THIRD day in a row and hospital admissions dropped 20% in a week as Omicron wave fadeshttps://t.co/kj4RQ5EGrm
— Charles Onyango-Obbo (@cobbo3) December 21, 2021
According to Statista, South Africa’s population is only around 45% vaccinated.
South Africa has maintained the lowest level of restrictions despite Omicron’s spread, and the health service does not appear to be overwhelmed.
South Africa to remain at lowest lockdown level despite record number of infections in fourth wave https://t.co/Rhm0ZTwZOi
— TOI World News (@TOIWorld) December 16, 2021
I'm eligible and have been vaxxed. Due to be boosted soon.
I don't mind if others in my position chose not to, and/or they are hesitant. Of course, if they are consuming false information, we need to help educate.
Not berate and *tell* people what to do. Freedom is key.
— Rishi C (@iamTongueNCheek) December 22, 2021