I’ve been trying to avoid talking about the pandemic but I have to bring it up once again.’Tell me Camp, how come that the persistent hospital statistics pointing out that 90% of covid ICU patients are not vaccinated, cannot convince these deniers to get the shot? Right now, we have 400 people in hospital, half of them in intensive care and most of them unvaccinated. It pisses me off that these idiots dictate restrictive protocols, delay necessary surgeries and use thousands of dollars worth of health care resources that we, the vaccinated, are paying for.’

‘Once again, my friend, you’re preaching to the choir. I’m not sure why governments just don’t make the vaccine mandatory. Some bullshit about freedom of choice when the choice really becomes: do I endanger my family, friends and co-workers or not and am I better off being laid off from my job and not being able to attend any events, weddings, funerals nor go to any restaurants, cinemas and gyms, nor travel or fly anywhere?’

            ‘It’s really quite simple. The vaccine is like an espresso. Not everybody likes coffee but if you want to participate or keep your job then you have to drink this cup of coffee. I know you hate coffee, think it corrupts your perfect body, is against your fantasy religion but it’s neither going to kill you or harm you in any way. Just drink the bloody coffee and be done with it. And nobody is conspiring against or tracing you. You’re not that important.’

            ‘A lot of the hesitancy still comes from misinformation, fake news and outright lies like that post from Randy Hillier, an Ontario member of parliament, who posted ten photos of individuals on his Twitter, Facebook and Instagram account, claiming they died from the vaccine. Some family members of the featured individuals are outraged at this blatant lie. The question is: how many people believe these hateful posts and how many people were influenced by it to refuse the vaccine. This guy should be kicked out of parliament and forced to spend a day in an ICU with dying covid patients.’ 

            ‘It’s not an equal choice. Most vaccinated don’t pass covid on unlike the un-vaxxed who can and will infect others. Look no further than the overflowing ICU’s in Texas North, Saskatchewan and Alberta.’

            ‘People call for tolerance and kindness towards those who choose not to vaccinate. What do you think about that Camp?’

            ‘Tolerance and kindness are the wrong words. I can tolerate other points of views, even beliefs in fairy tales like the Easter Bunny or the Holy Ghost or differing political views, as long as they are based on plausible theories or philosophies but if you are the possible carrier of a potentially fatal disease and do not protect against passing it with a freely available and approved remedy then I cannot tolerate that behavior because it’s reckless, selfish and dangerous. As for kindness, I’ll kindly ask them to stay away from me.’

            ‘The good news is that soon we’ll have a federal vaccine passport and Air Canada is rolling out self-test options for travellers. Also, rates are falling in North America and Western Europe. Even Cuba, who has immunized their population with a made-in-Cuba vaccine is welcoming back the fully vaccinated. Just don’t end up in a Cuban jail.’

            ‘Any plans to travel,’ Camp asked Vicky when she swapped our empties for full ones.

            ‘I want to go to Seattle to see a friend who I haven’t seen in two years but I’ll wait a while because I don’t want to be stuck for hours to get through the peace arch.’

            ‘Yes, the snowbirds will flock south the minute the border opens,’ I said.