Citizens also have responsibilities

HEATHER Stroud calls vaccines ‘experimental procedures’ forced on the population (Letters, December 11). Vaccines have been around for over 200 years. How are they experimental? Are aspirin, anaesthetics, and penicillin experimental?

Stroud wants vaccines to be a choice and suggests that not having that choice is an infringement of liberty. Is being required to drive on the left side of the road, or to wear seat belt, proof that we live in a totalitarian state?

There is no infinite supply of Intensive Care Unit beds.

Every day NHS staff practice triage, deciding who to treat and who to leave untreated. When people who have refused vaccination end up in an ICU bed, others are denied treatment as a consequence. This is why vaccination matters.

In democratic societies, citizens have responsibilities to each other as well as rights.

Christian Vassie

Wheldrake, York

We should be grateful for vaccines

IN answer to Heather Stroud (Letters, December 11) I would like to say we should be extremely grateful to all those who worked hard to produce the vaccines, and to the many people who give up hours of their time in the organisation and administering of the vaccines.

During the early days of the pandemic, both in the UK and overseas, hospitals were struggling to cope and many people died, until vaccines become more available.

Politics should have nothing to do with the benefits of vaccination and we should all take the opportunity of receiving this protection. We are fortunate that it is widely available here compared to other countries where it is insufficient and many are still dying.

Let us not ‘stand in the park’ but make sure to receive whatever is available to protect us and our loved ones from this pandemic.

Jean Frost

Heworth

Freedoms should not endanger others

I TRUST Heather Stroud (letters 11 December) has not known anyone who died of Covid19, or suffered badly from its effects.

People of all ages have died, with many others also suffering for weeks and months with long Covid.

My three vaccinations not only protect me from the worst effects of the virus, they also protect my family, especially the more vulnerable, by drastically reducing its severity for most people.

To minimise the likelihood of contracting Covid 19, I am resigned to having my life restricted.

An important principal of any civilised society is no one can have freedoms which endanger others. This is why we have speed limits and laws against guns. It is also why we must work together to limit transmission of Covid 19 and accept the necessary restriction on our social activities.

Christopher Rainger

Grange Street, York

When rebellion becomes a duty

HEATHER Stroud rightly objects to once free liberal democracies becoming totalitarian police states.

Thomas Jefferson put it in a nutshell:

“When tyranny becomes Law rebellion becomes duty”.

Matthew Laverack

Eldon Street, York

What do you think? Email: letters@thepress.co.uk