Matthew Lambourne, Mullumbimby
Mandy’s Soapbox a couple of weeks ago made a lot of sense and predictably provoked some nonsensical replies, like the suggestion that it was Mandy’s ‘emotional attachment to mask wearing’ that was stopping her visiting her favourite cafe.
More likely it was her realisation that none of us know that we, or any of the people around us, do not have COVID-19, and that masks substantially reduce the risk of catching covid or passing it on to someone else.
There may be no covid in our area, but we don’t know that for sure, and if that clown who got off a plane in Ballina with covid a few weeks ago and drove north to the Gold Coast had decided to stop off in Mullumbimby for a coffee, we might all be in home isolation by now.
As for division and disharmony, at least Mandy can go back to her favourite cafe when this is all over. After spending my money there for over 20 years I have been permanently banned from my favourite cafe for having the temerity to tell the current owner that I would not be back while she and her staff were not wearing masks.
There are exercise classes in Nimbin (aka: Smug Island) where masks are not being worn because “there is no virus in our town.”
Facing the despair that Victoria felt last year with the prospect of being locked into NSW for months to come, I’m over this pandemic. I’m rapidly over the more than healthy share we have in this shire of ego-driven, “self-researching” , armchair-expert, science deniers.
There may be an upside though – a solution to housing affordability when we become a much less desirable place to live. What prospect of health and safety will we have in Byron Shire if Covid vaccination uptake reflects the 50% rate of child immunisation in Mullumbimby.
I’m totally with an Italian journalist attributed with writing: “I no longer have any intention of sacrificing my life, my time, my freedom and the adolescence of my daughters, as well as their right to study properly, for those who refuse to be vaccinated. This time you stay at home, not us.”
Mask do not ‘substantially reduce the risk of infection’ and are not recommended as a prophylactic by the WHO or any competent medical authority. PPE level 4 would qualify so perhaps Matthew should suit up when off to Woolies to stock up on toilet paper. As for Nolan’s rant about masks it seems she doesn’t have an original thought in her head and apparently struggles with facts beyond her comprehension stooping to label and dismiss any thinking outside the deemed official narrative as ‘conspiracy.’ Perhaps it it is time to look beyond the carefully crafted propaganda and take stock of who is actually benefiting from this ‘pandemic’ and pause to consider that this is not a health initiative but an economic reset that is crippling small local business and concentrating wealth away from community. If you think that is a conspiracy you are probably right. Just do the maths.