MP Thomas draws criticism over vaccination comments
By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on December 23, 2021.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com
Lethbridge MP Rachael Thomas says people who choose not to be vaccinated against COVID-19 shouldn’t be vilified for their decisions and deserve compassion instead.
In a Facebook Live post on Dec. 16, Thomas also stated that more vaccinated people are being afflicted with COVID-19 and being admitted to hospitals than those who are unvaccinated.
The MP further stated she stands with Canadians who feel they have been bullied or mistreated because of their choice.
“When we look at the numbers right now, especially with the new variants, we see that the number of people who are coming down with COVID and even being admitted to the hospital, or actually the number of vaccinated, sorry, the number of fully vaccinated is actually greater than the number of those who are not vaccinated. And so it’s just not the case that these are the individuals that are holding us back. And further to that, I would ask that we seek to understand,” said Thomas in her post.
As of Dec. 19 Lethbridge had 84 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 18 people being in hospital and five in ICU.
Devon Hargreaves, who ran unsuccessfully for the Liberals against Thomas in the most recent federal election, told The Herald “I find it disheartening that in the largest health crisis in collective memory, an elected representative is spreading disinformation regarding vaccines.
“It is a disservice to the residents of Lethbridge. We need to encourage all who are able to get vaccinated as soon as possible and to reassure our neighbours who are hesitant that it is the single most effective means of tackling the COVID-19 pandemic at our disposal.”
In her Facebook post, Thomas said the vaccination issue has polarized people and those who have chosen not to get the jab have good reason for their choices.
“We used to take seriously people who struggled with anxiety or depression or great amounts of fear. We used to take seriously, you know, mental health. For whatever reason, though, when it comes to being vaccinated or not vaccinated, we’ve allowed it to polarize us and we’ve allowed it to, I would say, bring out the worst in humanity toward these individuals. We’re no longer willing to lean in and ask questions and understand. Instead, we just slap labels on these folks as if they are the ones to blame, Thomas stated in the video in which she also related stories of unvaccinated Canadians she has talked with.
Thomas said the unvaccinated are being “demonized. They are being portrayed as evil as if they are deserving of the contempt that we have for them, as if they should be the ones that are blamed or used as the scapegoat for the fact that life isn’t normal right now. In fact, it’s become so acceptable to use vile speech or vitriol language toward these individuals. So much so that actually political leaders, including the prime minister himself, have encouraged that, have exemplified that.”
According to Hargreaves, “the only way we come out of this is by coming out together and taking personal responsibility not only for ourselves but for our community at large.”
The MP added that unvaccinated Canadians aren’t trying to perpetuate the virus or make life more complicated.
“They have good reasons. They aren’t trying to be unreasonable. In fact, every single person that I have talked to has said Rachel, I’m more than happy to be tested on a daily basis to make sure I’m not carrying the virus, to make sure that I am not a public health risk.”
Harder stated that people willing to take daily rapid tests are safer than those who are vaccinated because “we know science shows that even if you’re fully vaccinated, you can still carry the virus and you can still transfer it to another individual.”
She said those willing to take rapid tests daily would be the safest people to go into police forces, schools, hospitals and long-term care homes.
She asked why daily rapid tests aren’t an acceptable option, saying that Canadians need to defend the Canadian values of freedom and personal choice.
She concluded by saying that “to those of you who have been written off or mistreated, pushed out, humiliated, vilified, bullied, or abused. It’s not OK. And I want to exercise my voice on your behalf. I’m standing with you.”
On his Twitter account where he provided a link to a Globe and Mail story about Thomas’ post, former mayor Chris Spearman wrote “our city will always struggle to attract doctors if our political leaders actively undermine good health policy and best practices.”
He added in a subsequent post that Thomas “needs to acknowledge her mistake and issue an apology and retraction.”
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Thomas’s FB statement that “90% of those older than 12 are vaccinated”, demolishes her suggestion that somehow those vaccinated are at greater risk from Omicron because more are becoming positive. Fact is, because of the numbers (90%) who are vaccinated , those 10% of unvaccinated individuals are proportionately contributing considerably more of these cases. “Herd Immunity” , a concept long understood by medics world wide, depends upon the maximum number of individuals being vaccinated leading to reduced spread , less mutations and lessening the number of cases of severe illness. Social responsibility like wearing masks and avoiding large gatherings, also contributes to lessening the risk. Ironically, it is these very sane responsible measures that some find abhorrent. Vaccinations are never 100% and so called “break through” infections happen but they do nonetheless reduce risk and when the chain is broken by unvaccinated individuals that risk increases. So it is fair to say that those people , apart from those with medical exemptions , ARE contributing to the current situation – contrary to what she seems to believe. (“…the unvaccinated are not to blame for the contraction and spread of COVID 19”). Not to say that they are solely to blame but to absolve them of responsibility is misleading and quite dangerous to say the least. As an aside, current Alberta figures are 85% for “fully vaccinated” persons , less than suggested by Thomas.
Rapid tests whilst useful in some settings, are not the panacea she envisages for society as a whole.
Perhaps a mention of the increasing number of “unvaccinated” citizens who are forging their vaccine certificates and even QR codes, would be in order. Along side condemnation of the harassment’s and threats to medical personnel , often perpetrated by those un-vaccinated members of society.
Finally, “….to take personal responsibility not only for ourselves but for the community at large” – well stated, now if only she would follow her own advice!
Where are you getting your facts from MP Thomas? Several weeks ago when the military was brought into Alberta to assist, stats of almost 80% of the UNVACCINATED were in ICU’s and taking up hospital beds.
We have 85% of Albertans 12+ fully vaccinated to date, and over 70% when it was the unvaccinated taking up hospitals.
I thought you were educated and had better sense than to follow the disinformation being spread online through social media, with some of it coming from Russia, China, Iran and even from the US anarchist groups that want to create unrest.
Albertan’s died because they couldn’t get their booked operations and treatments because the anti-vaxxers had taken up all the beds or took away needed medical staff.
It is official . . . the Conservative party has sunk into the abyss, both federally and provincially.
Politicians are more worried about getting votes in the next election than concerned with the people as a whole!
There are some people with legitimate health reasons not to be vaccinated, some have had reactions as well, but there are many that just abide by the laws that protect us from this deadly virus with an attitude “no one is going to tell me what to do ” and refuse vaccines, but more importantly, then refuse to wear masks in public, walking up right beside you, as if to say, what are you going to do about it. The masking laws are not enforced because another infamous politician, the Premier, doesn’t want to offend some of his buddies and voter base, so the whole province has to suffer.
I am tired of spineless politicians! People are dying because they want to hold on to power!
With 85% of 12 years old plus vaccinated in Alberta, maybe at this time there are more vaccinated in hospitals, but soon it will be the unvaccinated, which is proven in the UK and other countries.
We have brought these leadership issues on ourselves by not taking the time to research who we vote in and actually got to vote!
A Beeber is certainly no authority on covid or any facts related to it.
In reality it’s been a gong show from the start.”2 weeks to flatten the
curve- – – -70%= herd immunity blah – blah – blah.”Now omnicom (or maybe there’s a new one) is gonna get us. MP Thomas actually is right about most of it.
Also Beeber referring to ex mayor Spearman’s comments as something of
noteworthy is a joke a# Spearman has shown to be.
Shame on her. Uttering such nonsense from a position of power is dangerous. Typical right wing lunatics to whom science is secondary to their beloved fantasies contained in the bible.
Ms. Thomas is notorious for ignoring most of her constituents. I’m sure she is hearing from the medical folks, right? The ones she ignores. She has never taken a degree in the sciences, and is just parroting CPC talking points as usual. She is wrong and she should be reprimanded by her party for sharing false information. Shameful from an MP that presumes to represent all of us parliament.
best wishes to the vaxed – the courageous ones that placed their blind trust in pharm and govt. took guts…at least initially. then came the rush to vax so one could travel, so one could go out for a drink and a bite, so life could get back to normal. what made life so abnormal was govt, and their stupid decisions. shut down usa border to car traffic, but let people fly as they wish. shut down some prov’l borders, but let people fly internationally – indeed, covid came from wuhan, spread to other nations, and gets here only via int’l travel. even in the height of delta letter virus in india, the cdn govt was as swift as could be in getting direct flights from to india happening. but, hey, shut down businesses in the name of safety and stifle health and social outlets. looks to me like the service through all of this was to int’l travelers and the airlines – all else an afterthought.
the other curiosities are:1) how it is that during a “pandemic” the economy is through the roof with action, and the world’s ultra wealthiest and oligarchs have raked in record wealth…that is saying a hell of lot given how they have been raking it with incredible disproportion relative to the sinking other classes. and, given how much they raked in in aftermath of the scam back in 2008, whereby that ultra group got its pockets lined with untold public wealth, rather than be prosecuted and jailed, and be removed of all of their wealth under proceeds of crime laws; 2) that a single vax with 95% effectiveness – hey, just referencing the “science” ya all have been thumping – turns into at least 3 shots, with likely a never ending bevvy if this continues. worse still, it seems the vaxes only work in tandem with another being vaxed. otherwise, why are the vaxed so happy to see a trampling of the single most fundamental right and freedom – the right to one’s body? as if it was not bad enough society has somehow been conditioned to accept criminalising certain things of what a person may wish to ingest. indeed, worse still, govt, to the applause of the majority of the vaxed, has been given a carte blanche to coerce people to take vaxes they do not want lest they cannot keep their jobs.
whether one likes covid vaxes or not, how has come to accepting coerced vaxing to the point of forcing the vax or losing one’s job? how does one let themself become so panicked and frightened that anything goes – including taking away the most fundamental right, and what should be the most inalienable right, of a person? the “right” to travel internationally has been determined more inalienable than the right to one’s body. all of this as the “pandemic” yields monstrous profits for the covid vax pharms, and record wealth for the uppermost of the top 1% of the planet. all because enough people have been hammered with death stats non-stop, even though out of 1.9 million cdn covid cases, 1.9 million have recovered. we could have hammered be careful, but tnot to worry too much: out of about 1.9 million cases 1.87 million have recovered, only 30k deaths over 21 months. and people, you have even less worry should you be under the age of 80 and without comorbidity, as that is the group that vastly most vulnerable to succumb to covid. yes, best for them to try the vax; good for anyone else (although forcing it on kids is not worth the risk).
who owns one’s body – the covid actions now say it is govt. how is it the vaxes only “protect” if the other is also vaxed?
here are some links – all legit. go ahead and compare. you will discover there is absolutely no correlation between states and nations being more highly double vaxed, and death rates. in fact, not how gibraltar is 118% vaxed, and they have the highest death rate attributed to covid on the planet. note how portugal is third highest double vaxed, and not nearly among the lowest covid attributed death rates. etc…
here are links of all states and their vax/double vax rates, and death rates due to covid state by state
ttps://http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/public-health/us-coronavirus-deaths-by-state-july-1.html
https://usafacts.org/visualizations/covid-vaccine-tracker-states/
here is a link that shows covid deaths per million of the pop – world
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic_death_rates_by_country
here is a link that shows countries by percent of double vaxed
https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2021/health/global-covid-vaccinations/
Interesting how the top death rates are in low vacs Nations though…right Biff?
Also interesting how you lifted Gibraltar as a high-vacs deathrate leader…when their population is so tiny that even ONE death would inflate their “per million” percentage ridiculously.
The worst part of all this is that the Virus is killing off those who have been either swallowed by the Q BS, or are just being Libertarian-Contrarian.
In any case, numbers don’t lie. And to make sure it’s understood how they ACTUALLY work…here ya go:
https://ourworldindata.org/covid-deaths-by-vaccination
We may as well all face it — we have entered the world imagined by the Coen Brothers in the Big Lebowski. There are not such things as facts and all opinions regardless of the subject-area expertise of those expressing them are seen as equally valid. Self awareness borne out of the rigours of careful and diligent self reflection is a thing of the past.
Location Cases Deaths Population
Hong Kong 12,396 213 7,500,700
Mainland China 98,428 4,636 1,433,783,686
United States 47,565,504 769,163 329,064,917
Russia 9,099,253 256,669 145,872,256
United Kingdom 9,766,157 143,716 67,530,172
Canada 1,768,538 29,521 37,411,047
Am I the only that is curious how China has only had 213 deaths for a country that has almost 1.5 Billion people? These stats were taken last month after reading new evidence that “Wuhan scientists were studying viral samples of high-risk bat species living in Laos – the country where the closest relative to Covid-19 has been found.”
It is interesting that they Wuhan was ‘researching’ these bats where the outbreak began that that they have had very few deaths or cases. You cannot tell me that is all from strongly enforced lockdowns!
The world has been developing bio-weapons for some time and if your remember Syria, in 2012 had the most sophisticated chemical and bio-weapons develop/research in the world and the UN, US and Russia agreed they were to be removed. It was not a claim like the US made about Iraq’s ‘weapons of mass destruction’, it was real.
You not only reinforced the Dude’s point, but extended it by pointing out that in addition to not differentiating between facts and opinions, you’ve referenced the existence of “alternative facts”. How much credibility would you attach to the “official” numbers from China or Russia?
And on a personal level, I am well aware of chemical warfare. My Grandfather was subjected to a German mustard- gas attack in WWI. It led to his capture and was a factor in his early death.
not saying the vaxes do not have temporary effect. just showing that they are not much of a difference maker for the vast majority of people. maybe they are worth the risk if one is in a high risk category.
and, you are not taking an honest look at the randomness of the death rates relative to the double vax rates. many nations with just 60-ish% vax rates can indeed be found to have among the lowest death rates, while a host of others with just 60-ish% vax rates are among the highest covid death rates. portugal is 80% double vaxed, and in the top half most death rates. israel fares better with 60-ish% vax rate.
not to say do not vax. what i am saying is leave it as a choice. even if the vax was 100% protection forever, it has to be a choice. are you certain you want to give over the right to your body to the state? even if you do, how do you get to say as much for all others. who gets control over a person’s body? the person, or the state? moreover, does the vax only work in tandem with another being vaxed – does it really not otherwise work? that would make the lamest vax in history.
it is pathetic that the masses believe the state has a right to coerce anything on one’s body.