Qantas vaccine. IATA Health Passport.

[BBK]

I don’t think this discussion is a debate by any stretch of the imagination. I’ve not seen one interview with a medical expert who has questioned the safety of the new vaccines being unveiled. In fact the experts I have seen have said that all vaccines in the past had a risk associated with them. The point is that the tiny risk vastly outweighed the damage that the diseases could incur. Vaccines, like aviation, are never going to one hundred percent safe.

There’s an interesting article on the BBC website where they interview one of the scientists involved in the Oxford vaccine. She explains how her team, after witnessing the effects of SARS and MERS, were waiting for the next respiratory virus to occur. When she heard the reports emanating from Wuhan of a mystery virus the team went into action. The same article also explains how a process that would normally take years was streamlined. Not by cutting corners but that a lot of the delays in the past were procedural like getting approval and funding. I think there is an analogy with aviation development during the two world wars. Then the R&D community were throwing the kitchen sink into solving hitherto difficult problems.

The other thing that has been discussed is the issue of whether an airline should or could mandate vaccination before allowing a passenger that fly. If they make it compulsory then fair enough. If the anti vax brigade object then just find another airline to go with. The only problem I suspect they’ll have is that governments might mandate a vaccination certificate before entry irrespective of how you enter the country. Good luck!

evyjet

Thank you for proving my point! One of the scientists I’ve watched explained that the virus does NOT affect the DNA. My non medical understanding is that some of the vaccines effectively “tip off” the immune system as to the presence of the virus. I’ve read the term messenger RNA in respect of the way the vaccine works. I freely confess I have no idea what the difference between DNA and RNA which is why I listen to those that do.